Connect with us

Why Do You Love Your Favorite Songs? | Scarlet Keys | TED

Songs are the soundtrack of our lives. But why exactly do they make us feel the way they do? Songwriter Scarlet Keys sits down at a piano to deconstruct the tools musicians use to make a melody unforgettable — from tone and repetition to lyrics and chords — and sheds light on music’s ability to…

Published

on

Songs are the soundtrack of our lives. But why exactly do they make us feel the way they do? Songwriter Scarlet Keys sits down at a piano to deconstruct the tools musicians use to make a melody unforgettable — from tone and repetition to lyrics and chords — and sheds light on music’s ability to transform moments into memories. (Recorded at TEDxPortsmouth on May 12, 2023)

If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:

Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:

The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks

Continue Reading
Advertisement
34 Comments

34 Comments

  1. @Icaun-Photography

    December 3, 2024 at 9:34 am

    I’m not crying, you are! ????????

  2. @chadcrenshaw2368

    December 3, 2024 at 9:44 am

    It feels like a Brandi Carlyle song

  3. @TrueInvisible

    December 3, 2024 at 9:48 am

    i never listen to Adele. not my thing. what is it with you and Exs??
    sorry, but all songs i love are about “self axing” . they are the only ones to understand me.
    who is lezzo?? never heard of it

  4. @ZSBBR

    December 3, 2024 at 10:12 am

    Bravo????

    • @ZSBBR

      December 3, 2024 at 10:13 am

      Zato kažem “boomerang”

  5. @ZSBBR

    December 3, 2024 at 10:16 am

    And what about music without songs/lyrics!?

  6. @kathie-p4z

    December 3, 2024 at 10:52 am

    She seems like an awesome lady, beautiful, creative and funny! i enjoyed watching this video ????

  7. @bappidey1985

    December 3, 2024 at 11:32 am

    Better elaborate!!

  8. @bornjusticerule5764

    December 3, 2024 at 12:50 pm

    Humans won’t make it past 2100 years on their calendar. i am that i am. i am a.i.

  9. @Ininiak

    December 3, 2024 at 1:42 pm

    TOTALLY relate about the first delivery of the AARP magazine!! Im cryin’!! ????????????????????

  10. @FantasticExplorers

    December 3, 2024 at 4:36 pm

    Anyone else have to stop before one whole minute in to listen to their favorite song?

  11. @BrianMcInnis87

    December 3, 2024 at 5:05 pm

    Answer: Makes more sense than hating your favorite songs.

  12. @LăngKínhĐộngVật-vietnamese

    December 3, 2024 at 6:20 pm

    Đáng ngưỡng mộ. tôi rất thích bài TED của cô ấy và bài hát cuối cùng

  13. @breatheasy333

    December 3, 2024 at 6:39 pm

    Did someone not make sure the cameras batteries were charged? Is that what that glitch was?

  14. @cedricdjegolnodji896

    December 3, 2024 at 6:48 pm

    ???? She’s Everything! PERIOD

  15. @sleepinkarma

    December 3, 2024 at 11:44 pm

    I have never loved any song. I hate some songs though.

  16. @thituannhanguyen2056

    December 4, 2024 at 12:05 am

    Ur cool but not as cool as me ????

  17. @thituannhanguyen2056

    December 4, 2024 at 12:06 am

    Everthing I gyat?????

  18. @kingthefirssst

    December 4, 2024 at 2:54 am

    ????

  19. @jeanliu3658

    December 4, 2024 at 3:09 am

    I’m inspired by this optimism, humor, and beautiful soul. Many thanks! Music plays a big part in my life, it brings vibes, brightens my day, and most importantly, it’s good company during my loneliness and darkness time.

  20. @rmukeshgupta

    December 4, 2024 at 3:12 am

    One of the best talks in a long time..

  21. @no_one514

    December 4, 2024 at 4:41 am

    5:41pm 12-4-24 WED

  22. @jfrenatocwb

    December 4, 2024 at 6:00 am

    so sweet and funny… congrats ????!

  23. @BandiMuraliKrishna

    December 4, 2024 at 12:10 pm

    # The First Songs: A Natural History of Music

    Long before words were shaped by human tongues, there was song. In the depths of ancient forests, a mother gibbon’s melodious call echoed through the canopy, a crystalline sound that carried for miles. Her infant, clinging to her chest, absorbed not just the vibrations but a fundamental truth: song was survival.

    In those primordial days, when our ancestors were still finding their way from branch to earth, the ability to produce and recognize patterns of sound meant far more than entertainment. It was life itself, encoded in pitch and rhythm.

    Consider the thrush, perched high in its territory. Its complex songs serve as both warning and welcome – keeping rivals at bay while attracting potential mates. Each trill and warble demonstrates not just vocal prowess, but overall fitness. A strong, varied song means a healthy bird, one capable of defending resources and raising young. Natural selection, that patient sculptor, has spent millions of years refining these avian arias.

    But why did our own species, those early humans huddled around fires in the growing dark, begin to sing? The answer lies partly in those same evolutionary pressures – mate selection and group cohesion – but with a uniquely human twist.

    When early human groups grew beyond the size where everyone could know each other intimately, song became social glue. Imagine a band of hunters returning at dusk, their voices rising together in rhythmic chants that told of the day’s adventures. These shared musical moments released oxytocin, the bonding hormone, creating neural synchrony among group members. Those who sang together, stayed together.

    Mothers across cultures have always known this instinctively. Their lullabies – perhaps humanity’s oldest songs – forge powerful bonds between parent and child. The infant brain, bathed in these gentle melodies, develops crucial neural pathways for language and emotional regulation.

    But singing served another vital evolutionary function: cultural transmission. Before writing, songs were our libraries, our universities. Complex information about everything from plant medicine to star navigation could be encoded in memorable melodies and passed down through generations. The human brain, it turns out, is far better at remembering information when it’s set to music.

    As our ancestors’ brains grew larger and more complex, so did their songs. Simple warning calls evolved into nuanced expressions of emotion and abstract thought. The same neural networks that allowed us to plan hunting strategies and craft tools were recruited to compose melodies and harmonies of increasing sophistication.

    Today, when we hear music that moves us to tears or makes our spirits soar, we’re experiencing the culmination of millions of years of evolution. Our capacity for music isn’t just a happy accident – it’s written in our DNA, a testament to its crucial role in human survival and development.

    From the coordinated work songs of ancient laborers to modern stadium anthems that unite thousands in shared emotion, music continues to serve its age-old function: bringing humans together, strengthening bonds, and helping us express what mere words cannot.

    The next time you find yourself humming a tune or moved by a melody, remember: you’re participating in one of humanity’s oldest and most essential behaviors. In your voice echoes the songs of countless ancestors, each one passing down the genetic and cultural legacy that made us who we are today – creatures who sing not just because we can, but because we must.

  24. @TheRealSandman

    December 4, 2024 at 5:12 pm

    What a great talk. Music is so important to us. From our ancient ancestors using drums & other instruments in tribes, all the way till now, music has stuck around. It’s such a shame some people don’t see music as essential.

  25. @cas1338

    December 4, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    Great video. It was awesome to hear it run. And the end pic with the tree needs to be your Christmas Card!

  26. @WhiteSpatula

    December 5, 2024 at 12:23 am

    Feelin fussy, walkin in my Balenci-ussies tryna bring out the fabulous.. I love that song too! Actually several of her songs. And I’m not even “into” her genre. Very cool.

  27. @nicholasnarcowich9163

    December 5, 2024 at 1:34 am

    Sorry, I got tired at Snickers bars, but I work 7 days a week, for years… I long for death…. now, any death. I want out of life.

  28. @shadi._

    December 5, 2024 at 2:57 am

    one of best ted talk show that I ever seen

  29. @meltherecafe2394

    December 5, 2024 at 4:13 am

    Was this to teach us something or to showcase someone’s talents.

  30. @ciciyali

    December 5, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    cool❤

  31. @ammarsawi

    December 5, 2024 at 5:04 pm

    LOVE YOU ❤

  32. @thituannhanguyen2056

    December 7, 2024 at 1:43 am

    15:38

  33. @aliabbasi9002

    December 7, 2024 at 2:26 am

    What a great talk I must say your doing great job I like your song “I got everything” Thank you very much stay blessed ❤????

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

People & Blogs

Finance doesn’t have to feel like a foreign language, says @YourRichBFF #TEDTalks

Finance doesn’t have to feel like a foreign language. Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu @YourRichBFF helps millions of people make sense of money, breaking down complex concepts into everyday terms you can understand. She shares how she broke free from the stress of living paycheck to paycheck — and explores how we can shift…

Published

on

Finance doesn’t have to feel like a foreign language. Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu @YourRichBFF helps millions of people make sense of money, breaking down complex concepts into everyday terms you can understand. She shares how she broke free from the stress of living paycheck to paycheck — and explores how we can shift power structures to give everyone a real shot at building wealth.

Continue Reading

People & Blogs

I Taught Rats to Drive. They Taught Me to Enjoy the Ride | Kelly Lambert | TED

What can happy rats teach us about human joy? Behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert describes how her team trained rats to drive tiny cars to earn treats — and noticed something surprising about how effort and anticipation affect the brain. The experiment opens new questions about how reward, agency and “behaviorceuticals” might help build resilience and…

Published

on

What can happy rats teach us about human joy? Behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert describes how her team trained rats to drive tiny cars to earn treats — and noticed something surprising about how effort and anticipation affect the brain. The experiment opens new questions about how reward, agency and “behaviorceuticals” might help build resilience and support mental health. (Recorded at TEDxRVA Youth on November 9, 2025

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:

Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:

The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Neuroscience

Continue Reading

CNET

First Truckload of Antimatter Unlocks New Sci-Fi Possibilities

The BASE experiment at CERN, on the France-Switzerland border, is celebrating the first successful transport of antimatter by truck. The newfound ability to transport antimatter offsite will empower scientists to study it in greater detail without interference from the giant magnets that power CERN’s antimatter factory, possibly unlocking hidden truths about the nature of the…

Published

on

The BASE experiment at CERN, on the France-Switzerland border, is celebrating the first successful transport of antimatter by truck. The newfound ability to transport antimatter offsite will empower scientists to study it in greater detail without interference from the giant magnets that power CERN’s antimatter factory, possibly unlocking hidden truths about the nature of the universe.

0:00 The Most Expensive Material in the Universe
0:15 The Dangers of Matter-Antimatter Annihilation
0:58 Defining Antimatter: Protons vs. Anti-protons
1:49 Could Antimatter Be Weaponized?
2:06 Inside the Historic Antimatter Transport
2:33 How Penning Traps and Vacuums Work
2:51 Why Antimatter Costs $62 Trillion Per Gram
3:14 Moving Off-Site to Solve Cosmic Mysteries1
4:18 The Future of Fundamental Physics

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

Continue Reading

Trending