# Is rock music bad for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2011, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705 "2011-09-18T09:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anon11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@anon11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anon11)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/1 "2011-09-18T09:28:35Z")
I hope not, but I have come across a study stating that the anapestic beat in rock music is bad for the brain and causes muscular weakness. I cannot find a study that confirms which member of a four piece band is responsible for the beat. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/2 "2011-09-18T10:02:10Z")
You know, everyone likes to say “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”, but in this case I think we have a massive, long-running study (or collection of studies) that says rock music doesn’t do any damage we’ve been able to detect. In brief: If rock has done damage, such damage has had plenty of time to come to light and be quantified. It hasn’t been. So the reasonable conclusion is that there is no such damage. ETA: Searching for ‘anapestic beat evil’ on Google (no quotes) is a hoot and a half. No scientific foundations were found, of course, just a lot of good old-fashioned nuttery. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/3 "2011-09-18T10:20:15Z")
[Here’s a site about the anapestic beat nuttery](http://armstrongdelusion.com/2011/08/16/rock-on/) that doesn’t look nutty itself: > [@](#): > > One of the biggest problems the church has with Rock is the [anapestic beat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapestic_tetrameter), which is sometimes (and not exclusively) featured in Rock music. The considerable popular mania over the anapestic beat is the result of one “study” ostensibly done by a Dr. Diamond back in the 70s. Supposedly, this rhythm causes all sorts of heart issues (as it is the opposite of a normal heartbeat–oh noes!) and brain problems. He says that the evil beat is responsible for an up to 2/3 decrease in muscle strength! Not only that, but it doesn’t even matter whether the music is loud or soft, it is still a problem. He also claims that it causes the hemispheres of the brain to “switch”, and this is why people do worse on tests, and mice do worse in learning mazes when listening to rock as opposed to listening to Bach (it would be interesting to do a study on the comparative reproductive success of rocker mice versus geek mice). I’m not quite sure how your hemispheres are supposed to switch (magic?), but I guess that after a certain time listening to the evil rock beat, right-handed people become lefties; and artistic people become very logical…or something. Sadly, there isn’t any evidence showing that the experiment was ever replicated by any other doctor, or that it was ever published in a peer-reviewed journal. So, we have no reason to accept his assertions, except upon the faith we have in the man’s integrity and credentials, which shouldn’t be much (in case you didn’t click on the link, he exhibits all the hallmarks of a quack). So [this quack](http://www.drjohndiamond.com/) invented some nonsense back in the Seventies, long after everyone should have known better, about how a certain fascinating rhythm swaps the hemispheres of your brain around, makes your muscles go all stoner on you, and leads mice to question why learning mazes is such a great thing to do anyway, man. Some Christians picked up on it and away we go. Dr. Diamond, meanwhile, is a holistic scammer selling the Diamond Path of Life and has [a blog](http://www.drjohndiamond.com/blog) full of bad poetry and worse medicine: > [@](#): > > To be healed > is to behold > the Burning Bush > everywhere! Ah, the burning bush! Jews get all excited, but gynecologists generally prescribe antibiotics. > [@](#): > > The True Photographer worships Light. And takes into his self, through his camera, the Light reflected to him. > > And thus is he Enlightened. Ba-dum-bing! > [@](#): > > When I want to study the structure of a sufferer’s face, for this determines so much of his vitality, I have him lie down and I sit above the vertex of his head. This way I am in a sense viewing him upside down and now I am not potentially misled, even, as it were, seduced by his particular facial expression. I can see deeper into him. Uh, doc, shouldn’t you be running tests or thinking or something? See? Hoot and a half. This whole thing is nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/4 "2011-09-18T12:24:10Z")
According to this classic book, [Rhythm, Riots and Revolution,](http://www.amazon.com/Rhythm-Riots-Revolution-Analysis-Communist/dp/B0006CFG4W) Beatles music will not only lead to pregnancy and the downfall of society, but worse – _communism._ My mother believed every word of it, and banned non-Christian music from our house. I especially like one reviewer’s comment of the author’s books: “his descriptions of sexual bass and drum combinations…” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/5 "2011-09-18T15:12:57Z")
This one guy came into our Bible group and started the only fight we ever had about this question. It also marks the only time I’ve yelled at someone out of anger in public. It was at one person in the group who tried to insist she’d actually done research and wrote a paper on the subject. When asked about her support, it was all about how she felt and that God had revealed it to her. I challenged her to show me where God forbade a specific type of music in the Bible. And the idea that the anapestic beat is found more often in rock is silly. In fact, I have trouble coming up with rock that is anapestic, unless you count Queens “We will Rock You,” which is has a very atypical beat. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/6 "2011-09-18T15:27:48Z")
Very little rock music uses an anapestic beat. “Piano Man” by Billy Joel is the most obvious example. But at least 85% of rock uses a standard 4/4 beat, which is usually iambic. At the same time, the waltz is anapestic. Is he condemning Richard Rodgers, too? Unless the author of the article doesn’t know the definition of “anapestic.” If so, how much can you believe of the rest if he can’t get the actual terms right? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/7 "2011-09-18T16:00:38Z")
I think spontaneously pummeling the Amish or the Mennonites is abhorrent and should be treated as a hate crime. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/8 "2011-09-18T16:08:47Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > You know, everyone likes to say “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”, but in this case I think we have a massive, long-running study (or collection of studies) that says rock music doesn’t do any damage we’ve been able to detect. Unless you count hearing loss in people who’ve listened to too much too loud. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/9 "2011-09-18T16:09:30Z")
Nit pick or side bar I am not sure which. But Rock music can hurt the ears and cause hearing loss. Preformers have proven it. But anything loud can do the same. Machinery or long hair music that is loud. I am not going to give a link because I really do not think I need to. So now I am going to put in my hearing aids now. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/10 "2011-09-18T16:33:29Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Dr. Diamond, meanwhile, is a holistic scammer selling the Diamond Path of Life and has [a blog](http://www.drjohndiamond.com/blog) full of bad poetry and worse medicine This Dr. Diamond character (whose training is in psychiatry) has co-authored a book [“Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide To Cancer”](http://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Medicine-Definitive-Guide-Cancer/dp/1887299017) which is chock full of gems: \*"The chapter “How Cancer Politics Have Kept You in the Dark Regarding Successful Alternatives” is particularly hostile, stating that “the result is that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the law of the land as cancer treatments for political, not therapeutic reasons.” Product Description Based on the pioneering treatment plans of 37 alternative medicine cancer specialists, this book guides you through the safest and most effective treatment alternatives known today. Learn how leading practitioners use herbs, nutrition, supplements, diet, oxygen, enzymes, glandular extracts, homeopathic remedies, plus specialized new substances such as Ukrain, Essiac, Carnivora, Iscador, 714X, shark cartilage, and many other to prevent and reverse cancer."\* Mmm, shark cartilage, Essiac, homeopathy, “glandular extracts” - this reads like a compendium of cancer quackery. One of the supporters of the Diamond theory of anapestic rock beat danger is Raymond Obomsawin, who also warns us of the dire peril of associating with music “concocted by the Arch-Rebel Prince Of Darkness”, [“musicogenic epilepsy”](http://english.sdaglobal.org/sermon/mmusdang.htm) and the horrific prospect of Seventh-Day Adventists waggling their torsos to a devilish beat (you couldn’t possibly make this stuff up). Obomsawin is perhaps better known as an antivaccine advocate, but he’s in great form in this sermon. Both John Diamond and Obomsawin are splendid examples of the phenomenon of crank magnetism, where belief in one crackpot theory is generally accompanied by belief in other equally nutty ideas. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/11 "2011-09-18T17:01:35Z")
I can’t be arsed to read that diatribe, but as a counterpoint now SDA services feature plenty of rock worship music. A lot of things have changed in 100 years thankfully. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/12 "2011-09-18T17:01:50Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Nit pick or side bar I am not sure which. But Rock music can hurt the ears and cause hearing loss. Preformers have proven it. But anything loud can do the same. Machinery or long hair music that is loud. I am not going to give a link because I really do not think I need to. So now I am going to put in my hearing aids now. Wow, a sensible response to an absurd question. Hearing loss is a real problem – most musicians I know personally (and others I know over the internet) who do it for their whole career as their source of income use earplugs all the time. It bothers me to be helping my father shag bags of concrete for his wood-fired oven and hear my mother running the vacuum cleaner without ear-protection. They still don’t ear-protect for stuff like leaf-blowers or pressure-washers. I’m not over here that often, but it bothers me. Maybe they reason they gwine die soon anyway, but that ain’t anyways to live. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/13 "2011-09-18T17:08:51Z")
From [some web site](http://www.mindspring.com/~brucec/anapest.htm) > [@](#): > > …the anapestic beat [two short beats, a long beat, then a pause] used by many rock musicians actually is the exact opposite of our heart and arterial rhythms [thereby causing an immediate loss of body strength]." > [@](#): > > Frank Zappa of the Mothers of Invention put it very plainly, “Rock music is sex. The big beat matches the body’s rhythms.” Zappa rocks! ---
**Author:** ![anon11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@anon11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anon11)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/14 "2011-09-18T19:01:06Z")
Thanks all. I feel silly for posting this question now. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/15 "2011-09-18T21:33:58Z")
I think I’ll start a new band. We’ll call ourselves _The Anapests._ We’re _bad for the brain._ Yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/16 "2011-09-18T21:38:28Z")
Rock music definitely causes muscular weakness. Just ask Henry Rollins. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/17 "2011-09-19T04:54:14Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Rock music definitely causes muscular weakness. Just ask Henry Rollins. That guy is a fucking pussy. “Black Flag” was just a cover-up for how weakling he was. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/18 "2011-09-19T19:33:06Z")
I think it should be pointed out that Dr. Diamond’s name is pronounced di-a-MOND. Other side effects of the anapestic beat are the rockin’ pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/19 "2011-09-20T09:24:02Z")
> [@The\_Niply\_Elder](#): > > I can’t be arsed to read that diatribe, but as a counterpoint now SDA services feature plenty of rock worship music. A lot of things have changed in 100 years thankfully. The diatribe was about that very point- his lament at the modern music & even _gasp_ dancing prevalent among the SDA- who are now mimicking those demonized Pentecostals! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705/20 "2011-09-20T10:52:33Z")
Going around blaming artforms for society’s ills and/or health issues is a wild goose chase and therefore bad for you/society in terms of lost productivity, unrealized potential, and an unhealthy level of misdirected angst. And I am so going to write a song about this that features a monstrous anapestic beat. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rock-music-bad-for-you/596705.md?page=2)