The
theory of
Music in
Context is based on the idea that people enjoy different types of
music depending on the
context in which it is heard. For example,
dance or
electronic music is fitting for a
club setting, but it is not something many people would sit down to
listen to while trying to
write a
term paper or a
computer program. Similarly,
postrock bands, such as
Mogwai, provide great
music to listen to while doing
work,
reading, or just
hanging out, but it is not particulary good to dance to.
What all of this boils down to is
context. The
setting one is in
influences a person's
state of mind to the point that his or her personal
taste in music may be
diametrically opposed to what it normally is.
The
context in which a
piece of
music is heard may extend beyond simply the
setting to include those who are around the
individual in question. In this sense, the people with whom one
hears a
song play a
role in one's
response to the
piece of
music.