Mood

It is sometimes debated whether the affective effects of music are better described as emotions or moods. The bulk of music and emotion research considers affective responses to music as emotions, involving most of the components associated with emotions experienced in real-life situations. On the other hand, music listening is often used as a method of mood manipulation in experimental psychology, with the aim of changing the participants' moods in desired directions. However, it may be that both of these views are true to an extent, and that a clear distinction cannot be drawn between the two affective phenomena in the context of music.

People use both emotion and mood adjectives to describe music, often characterizing a piece of music as conveying a specific mood or emotion. Music communicates affective meaning utilizing acoustic cues that are similar to the nonverbal attributes of emotional speech, although cultural conventions are also central in the communication and interpretation of affective connotations. Furthermore, the lyrics of a song communicate explicit affective meanings that interact with the affect conveyed by musical features. Because of the omnipresence of music and the ubiquity of portable music-listening devices in the modern world, the affective effects of music are more consequential than ever. People use music listening as a way of modifying and regulating their moods, fulfilling a range of goals in their everyday lives. Thus, moods have an effect on what kind of music one might want to listen to at any given moment, depending on one's mood regulation strategies and goals. Marketers also capitalize on music's affective potential, aiming to influence consumer behavior through music. The affective effects of music are of consequence to people's daily lives, as moods can influence perception, memory, and decision making.