A new study from the University of Waterloo has found that listening to full songs—not just the lyrics—can more powerfully trigger personal memories. This research helps explain why certain music can instantly transport us back to specific moments in our lives. The findings are especially promising for helping people with memory problems, including those with dementia.
The research, published in the journal Memory & Cognition, explored whether it was the lyrics or the music itself that helped people remember past events. The researchers asked 84 people to listen to clips of popular songs released between 2017 and 2020.
Some participants listened to the full musical version of a song, while others only heard the lyrics spoken aloud. After each clip, the participants were asked to write about any memory that came to mind, noting how quickly it appeared and how strong the emotions felt.
The results were clear: full songs were much more effective than spoken lyrics in bringing up personal memories. These memories were often tied to the time when the song was popular, suggesting that music can serve as a kind of timestamp in our brains. In other words, a song we heard repeatedly during a certain phase of life becomes a mental marker for that time.
Dr. Myra Fernandes, the study’s lead author, explained that “music helps us remember by connecting memories to a certain period in our lives.”
She added that songs often trigger vivid recollections that feel like reliving a moment, something known as “re-experiencing” a memory. This effect was stronger when the song was upbeat or positive, which made the memories more emotionally rich and easier to recall.
The study’s co-authors, Dr. Pelin Tanberg and Dr. Ryan Yeung, contributed to the design and analysis of the work as part of their research in the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at Waterloo.
One of the key reasons this research matters is its potential use for older adults, especially those with memory loss or dementia. People with dementia often struggle to recall past events on their own, but music may act as a helpful tool to guide their memory.
Because songs can make people feel like they’re truly reliving a past moment, creating personalized playlists from a person’s younger years could help unlock forgotten memories.
The researchers plan to continue exploring this idea in future studies, especially in the context of dementia care. If music can reliably bring back positive and detailed memories, it could become an important non-medical tool for improving emotional well-being and connection in people with memory disorders.
In short, the study confirms what many people already feel instinctively: familiar songs don’t just sound nice—they carry deep emotional meaning and can act as a bridge to our past.
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The study findings can be found in Memory & Cognition.
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