When “music” comes up anywhere, it’s natural to think about entertainment, relaxation, leisure, and fun. Many people all over the world regard music as a universal language. Others see it as a medium that speaks to and reaches the depths of the human soul. It is also one of the few art forms that directly influence one’s mood and thought patterns in unexplainable ways.
All these and more explain why music is one of the most listened-to forms of content worldwide. Studies have shown that approximately 7.11 billion people listen to music. Apart from the fact that listening to music is a rewarding pastime, this activity also lessens pain, anxiety, and blood pressure, releases dopamine, and enhances sleep, alertness, and memory.
However, after rinsing Asake‘s new album for the umpteenth time or going through Beyonce‘s entire discography again, it’s natural to start considering other things to bless your ears with. Thankfully, many streaming services don’t stop at music. Platforms like YouTube Music and Spotify provide several choices to stay auditorily entertained, no matter where or what you do. Without further ado, come with us as we explore five non-music alternatives you can entertain yourself with:
- Podcasts
The interest in podcasts in different places worldwide has grown over the past few years. Research revealed that there are nearly 2.5 million podcasts listed in Apple podcasts, and more than 80% of podcast listeners spend upwards of 7 hours in an average week listening to their favourite podcast listening app. These metrics show that many subscribe to listening to podcasts as an excellent alternative to music.
The good thing about podcasts is that there’s a wide breadth of podcast topics to explore. Interested listeners can discover various issues, from lifestyle and film to design, pop culture, and music. No matter what you’re into, there’s a podcast for everyone, and they can keep you entertained and informed. Another good news is that most podcasts are free on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other streaming sites.
- Audiobooks
If you’re a fan of books and your ears are tired from listening to music, a tremendous soul-feeding option to enjoy is audiobooks. Audiobooks have made the art of reading much easier and more enjoyable, especially for young readers. Now, you can listen to literary works narrated by professional actors, immersing yourself in captivating stories.
Audiobooks also offer a variety of other purposes, including multitasking by reading books while doing other things, re-experiencing a book you’ve already read, and providing access to readers who can’t get traditional print books.
You’re in for an entertaining and enlightening ride with audiobooks as there’s now an increase in the number of ways you can listen to audiobooks, with apps for smartphones, iPads, desktops, and Kindles from Amazon, Google, and Apple.
- Sounds From Nature
One of the best ways to relax and unwind apart from conventional music is with nature’s music, like rain, waves, or forest sounds. Natural sound music, such as the sounds of birds, waves, wind, and water flowing, has been successfully used as a medical therapy with positive outcomes that can enhance relaxation, physical health, and psychological state for people of all ages.
That’s why these sounds are perfect for meditation or calming moments. Studies also show that soaking yourself in the sounds of Mother Nature can immensely lessen stress hormones and stimulate a positive mindset. You can find these alternatives on Deezer, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
- Stand-up Comedy
You might not know this, but stand-up comedy is something you can also listen to. You can give yourself a good laugh with stand-up comedy recordings and guarantee yourself a good time. Listening to stand-up comedy can span beyond enjoying hilarious jokes.
With this form of entertainment, the delivery and presentation of humour can define a performance. Listening to stand-up comedy can help you understand more about the appropriate voice modulation, enabling you to subconsciously learn about other aspects of speaking and presenting yourself in front of others.
With platforms like YouTube Music and Spotify, listening to your favourite comedians or shows has become more accessible through audio recordings.
- Audio Dramas
Are you surprised? Don’t be. Audio dramas have existed for a while now and remain relevant for several people in several countries, including Nigeria. Compared to podcasts, audio dramas are an underappreciated genre with a similar system to television shows, with actors playing scripted characters but simply without the visual element. This non-music alternative relies on dialogue, music, and sound effects to help listeners imagine the characters and storytelling without visual elements.
Another simple way to describe audio dramas compared to audiobooks is that audiobooks are like movies, and you can liken audio dramas to TV. You can buy audiobooks all at once. However, audio dramas are typically rolled out as 30-minute weekly episodes.
Audio dramas serve as a perfect alternative for people who need more resources, such as time or money, to subscribe to multiple streaming services. The stories on audio dramas are just as thrilling and binge-able as many shows on Netflix. Multitasking is also possible with them as they are easy and convenient to listen to while taking a walk or doing chores.
While many think switching to this new storytelling medium is hard, they are easy to access. You can easily access many audio dramas for free on a podcast app on your phone, and starting is as simple as Googling the name of a podcast you want to listen to. Nigerian media platforms like The Naked Convos offer audio dramas like Aso Ebi, Love, Music and Dreams, and My Name Is A-Zed.
In terms of podcasts, audio dramas are a primarily untapped gold mine. They are highly recommended to anyone searching for something to listen to while doing chores or other things. There are many beautiful stories out there simply waiting to be told.
