Life

5 Things Music Lovers Do With Their Partners

by Kristen Sollee

If you've ever toiled over a top 10 list 'just because', spent money you didn't have on floor seats for a wildly anticipated reunion tour, or organized your t-shirt collection alphabetically by band name, you might be a a music lover. Although a lot of people enjoy music, to me, being a true music lover means your favorite songs and artists are always by your side through the hellish and the heartwarming. Music is your concubine 'til death — your ride or die bitch, if you will. And when two music lovers get together, their musically-forged bond is unlike that of those who rank literature, film, or sports over sonic expression.

Music lover couples hold the following to be self evident: First, they know that heated debate over David Bowie or Beyoncé or whatever obscure French band from the early 90s is the best kind of argument there is. They know that the music choices of their Uber driver can make or break a Saturday night, and that the first track they play on a Monday morning can set the tone for the entire week. And they also know how important it is they have someone to share their aural obsessions with day in and day out. Here are five things that music lover couples do with their significant others:

1. They Excel At Non-Verbal Communication

Who needs to talk when you can have your favorite musicians do it for you? Whether it's "Umbrella," "Heart-Shaped Box," "Go Your Own Way" or "Pour Some Sugar On Me," songs can convey how we're feeling in a relationship when words fail us.

2. They Often Have The Perfect Gift

If you're in doubt about gifting for your music lover, make a mix tape. Or mix CD. Or Spotify playlist. It's a fool proof way to express your devotion on the cheap. What music lover doesn't want a trove of unknown gems to explore or a collection of favorites that invoke all the best feels?

3. They Sometimes Let Music Impact Their Emotions

Researchers say the kind of music you listen to can impact how you perceive neutral facial expressions. So if you're digging some woeful tunes, you might interpret sadness in your boo's face. This seems second nature to a music lover, though, since everyone knows wallowing in early Cure records will inspire you to misinterpret a lighthearted conversation when you'd be totally chill if you'd been bouncing around to pop punk or glam rock instead.

4. They Know How To Put You In The Mood For Sex

Sometimes silence is golden, but most of the time — to music lovers at least — the perfect sex playlist is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Here's one genre-defying example of tracks that lead straight to the bedroom / backseat / kitchen floor.

5. They Have More Sex

A recent study conducted by Sonos and Apple Music suggests that cranking your favorite jams at home with your S.O. can bring you closer together — and get you laid. In the experiment, 30 households abstained from listening to music out loud for a week, and then were able to blast it the following week, playing whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. Based on observations of their subjects, researchers noted a 66 percent increase in sexual activity when music was playing, and an 18 percent increase in couples saying "I love you" to the strains of a song.

Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our new podcast, I Want It That Way, which delves into the difficult and downright dirty parts of a relationship, and find more on our Soundcloud page.

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