Music and Marijuana: The Perfect Pairing?
Have you ever heard a song and thought to yourself: “Man, I bet this would sound even better if I were high?” Perhaps you even have a playlist titled best songs to listen to while high. No matter how many times you listen to a song, when you hear it stoned, it’s like listening to it for the first time.
Music and marijuana are a pair with a rich and storied history together. From the muddy, smoke-filled field of Woodstock to the hazy bedrooms of modern-day tokers listening to their favorite tunes, cannabis undoubtedly plays a role in how both producers and consumers interact with music.
Does Weed Inspire Zesty Beats?
When you think of traits that describe musicians, traits such as charismatic, influential, and illicit drug use may come to mind. Though marijuana isn’t viewed as being illicit by a majority of the US population nowadays, it has played a significant role in the lives of past and present musicians.
The star-studded list of musical marijuana enthusiasts includes:
- Willie Nelson
- David Bowie
- Louis Armstrong
- Jimi Hendrix
- Bob Marley
Many musicians claim that weed helps expedite the creative process when making music. In the words of Bob Marley, “When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.” Every rocker from the 60s and 70s would likely concur.
What Science Has to Say
Jimi Hendrix was a masterful guitar player known for his tantalizing riffs and improvisational skills on the axe. Science appears to agree that weed may have played a role in Hendrix’s memorable style of playing.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTqaa5KB1As[/embedyt]
One study demonstrated that a 15-second interval could be expanded to 16.7 seconds while under the influence of marijuana. Real time seems to move slower while high, giving musicians an extra second or two to think about what they’d like to do next on their respective instrument.
This could also explain why music is so great to listen to while high. You’re given more time to appreciate the intricacies of songs that you may have missed while sober.
Best Songs to Listen to While High
What genre results in the best songs to listen to while high? We’re not going to BS you here, it’s all personal taste. If you enjoy listening to a song while sober, odds are you’re going to love jamming to it while you're high.
A worthwhile recommendation is going to a concert or music festival after toking up. Find a venue that’s playing a band you love or a music festival that focuses on a genre of music you can groove to. The carefree vibe mixed with live music and topped off with a joint results in a combination hard to match.
Whether you call yourself a head-banging 70s rock fan or a relaxed reggae lover, cannabis has the potential to enhance your listening experience. Next time you're listening to your favorite jam while high, try to appreciate the little things that went into the making of the song. The artists who created it may have been inspired to put those beats there by the very plant that made you notice them.
[mc4wp_form id="20346"]
