World Day of Music - June 21, 2024 | Spirit Of The Holidays

Most of us have an innate understanding of music. Even if we can’t play an instrument, or even sing, somehow, we can connect with rhythms and melodies. Heck, even plants understand music. Did you know they tend to grow faster after a generous helping of classical music? It’s true. The World Day of Music, celebrated each June 21, highlights music’s universal appeal. It’s meant to make music more inclusive and encourage people of varying skill levels to interact a lot more with all types of tunes.

World Day of Music timeline

1985

The First World Day of Music is Celebrated

The concept of Fete de la Musique is adopted by several countries around the world, and becomes an annual fixture on the global calendar.

1982

Fete de la Musique is Celebrated

Maurice Fleuret, together with Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, announces Fete de la Musique in Paris on June 21, which is also the day of the summer solstice.

1981

Maurice Fleuret Becomes Director of Music

The French composer wanted to make music accessible to a lot more people in France

5 Bizarre Facts About Music And Musicians

"Happy Birthday" Plays on Another Planet

A year after landing on Mars, the Curiosity Rover played "Happy Birthday" to itself.

AC/DC Wins the War

In 1989, after invading Panama, the US military blasted a bunch of AC/DC tunes in front of Gen. Noriega's compound for two straight days — helping to secure the dictator's surrender.

Hanz Zimmer Studies Music for only 2 Weeks

The Hollywood film composer, who has worked on more than 150 films, took piano lessons as a child — barely.

Plants Respond to Music Too

According to a study conducted in 2007, plants grow faster if they are exposed to a constant stream of classical music.

Axl Rose: Professional Smoker

The lead singer of Guns 'N Roses once earned $8 an hour for smoking cigarettes — for a science experiment.

World Day of Music Activities

Learn an instrument

Don't worry. Everyone's a beginner at some point. Even Paul Simon had to start somewhere. Use this day as an excuse to sign up for lessons. Or teach yourself. There's always YouTube.

Create some homemade music

Even if you can't play a genuine instrument yet, grab some everyday household objects, get together with your friends, and jam away. The music-making process can be therapeutic.

Discover new artists

Go out of your way to explore new genres. Put your Spotify subscription to good use. Even better, go to your neighborhood record store (if you have one), and do some crate digging. You will surprised at your discoveries.

Why We Love World Day of Music

Party time

There are spontaneous music related events in most cities around the world. In Paris, for example, people can be seen dancing on the streets all night long. Celebrating the summer solstice doesn't get more fun than this!

Free concerts

The idea behind the day is to encourage everybody to participate in music. That's why lots of cities organize free events for all to enjoy.

Amateur musicians get their chance to shine

Not sure of your talent level? The World Day of Music's the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills. Just pick up your instrument and take to the streets. A lot of amateur musicians in major cities around the world do exactly that on this day!

Also on Fri Jun 21, 2024...