There comes a time in every language learner’s practice when they get bored with listening to speeches and conversations all the time. Surely there has to be something more fun, right
Why not listen to music to improve your listening comprehension skills in English?
It might seem unlikely that music can help you learn a language because oftentimes songs are different from how people actually speak. This is true, however, there are still so many things you can pick up when you learn through music!
Find out how to learn languages through music, what concepts music is especially good at imparting, and where to find the best English songs for learning to understand the language!
How Music Helps You Learn English
There are tons of genres, artists, and specific songs out there that are slow and clear enough to be extremely understandable by people who are learning English, even if they don’t have a lot of experience listening to it.
Music activates more of the brain than just listening to speech. In general, music is stored in a different area of the brain than regular spoken words. Even dementia patients who have lost their ability to communicate regularly are often able to sing or indicate that they recognize a familiar song when it’s played.
So, when you learn a language through music, you’re helping your brain retain the knowledge in several ways:
- Storing words in a different part of your brain than regular spoken English (now you have two different ways to remember words!)
- Being inspired and uplifted by the music makes it easier to enjoy learning
- Being interested in the lesson because it’s fun to listen to music
Let’s dive into some of the ways music helps you learn English!
Learn with the Spaced Repetition Theory
The Spaced Repetition Theory is the idea that being repeatedly exposed to something over time is more effective at locking it into your memory than cramming it in your head a bunch of times in fewer sessions.
With music, this is naturally part of the listening and singing experience!
Even if you listen to the same song on repeat all day, you space out the words you are learning by virtue of having to listen to the whole song each time.
Of course, you can replay one part of the song over and over, which is good if you are having a hard time understanding a particular word or phrase. In general, though, you will be able to space out hearing the same lines.
You will also be able to listen to the same song many times on different days because it’s less likely to get boring. Can you imagine listening to the same dialogue practice or verbal lesson over and over again on purpose for weeks or months? Would you enjoy listening to it again in a few years? Probably not.
Songs are fun by nature and designed to be enjoyed over and over. Music tickles our brains so we can enjoy the same song even if we have heard it a thousand times before.
Organically Increase Your Vocabulary
Music is a great way to learn new vocabulary. This is one great way you can improve your English vocabulary!
English song lyrics often use a variety of different types of language, so you can practice understanding different styles of speech while picking up vocabulary.
For example, pop songs typically have a lot of relevant slang, so it’s a good way to learn what “kids these days” are saying.
Oldies phrase things in a way the older generations still talk, so you can learn to understand adults.
Songs can be crass, romantic, angry, sad, happy, reflective, wishful, realistic, fantastical, and any other adjective you can think of! Therefore, you can learn vocabulary in any of those realms with ease just by listening to songs that have the same vibe you want to embrace.
Understanding Culture and English Thinking
The best part about songs in English? Unless they’re children’s songs, they will make a lot of cultural references and demonstrate the thinking of an English speaker.
You’ll be exposed to slang, idioms, phrases, and poetry that show what the artist was thinking, and you can learn why by interpreting the songs.
It really helps to know the cultural context behind a language, since culture influences language, and language influences culture, perpetually.
Practice Exercises to Learn English with Music
What are some ways you can intentionally listen to music and learn English?
Listen for Familiar Words
The first thing you can do with any song is listen through it once or twice and notice if there are any words you can already recognize. If you don’t that’s okay!
Just be aware that choosing a song that is too hard to understand might just make you more frustrated, so be sure to choose music that is at an appropriate level for you.
Some songs in English are too fast or unclear so even native English speakers don’t know the lyrics! For example, in “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, the real lyrics are “I’m a lion, I’m a vinyl, I’m a skittle, I’m a beetle.” However, nobody can understand it and the average listener thinks it’s something along the lines of “A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido.”
So don’t feel discouraged if you have trouble at times.
Read Along with the Music
The next step is to listen to the song while reading the lyrics. This way you can be sure to match up what you hear with words you might recognize from your reading and writing practice.
It helps to do this exercise because you learn which letters and words make which sounds, which isn’t always intuitive in English. You will also be able to think about the lyrics and what the artist is saying.
How to Improve Listening Skills Through Singing
Once you are familiar enough with the song to follow along, you can start singing!
Not only does listening to music activate different parts of the brain, but singing adds even more to that!
In the same way that listening and speaking use different brain processes, listening to music and singing engage more brain structures, too.
Sing along to practice your memorization of new words and phrases as well as your pronunciation.
Listen to Accents and Word Modifications
A caveat to using music to practice pronunciation: a lot of songs change the pronunciation of words so they will fit in the music better. Just keep that in mind in moments like in “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC; the lyric is “It’s gonna be me” but it’s pronounced like “It’s gonna be may.”
Since there are English songs from musical artists all over the world, you can practice listening to accents and regional vocabulary easily.
Pick Out Words and Phrases for Everyday Use
When you add a whole phrase of English song lyrics to your internal dictionary, it helps you speak more fluently in conversations.
For example, instead of learning “Today, I don’t feel like doing anything” word by word, you can keep it stored together in the form of the song lyric by Bruno Mars.
From there, you can modify it as needed:
- Today, I don’t feel like…
- Today, I feel like…
- I don’t feel like…
- I feel like…
- I don’t like…
- I like…
The Best Music for Learning English
So, what are the best English songs for learning English?
When you learn English music, it’s important to choose songs that are easy to understand; they aren’t too fast and the words are clear.
Some English singers are notoriously difficult to understand, like Prince. Prince’s music is undoubtedly fun and moving, but his enunciation and extreme notes make it difficult to make out the words he is saying a lot of the time.
“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
Surprisingly - or perhaps not at all surprisingly, given the English-speaking world’s love of the holiday - the world’s best-selling single is a Christmas ballad. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this song is one of the top English songs of all time, selling more than 100,000,000 units.
Notable Lyrics:
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
“Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure
Catchy and upbeat, cute and full of fun, this song can help you learn liaisons in English speaking as well as pronunciation. The words are clear and easy to repeat. It it frequently on the list of English songs that are great for learning English.
Notable Lyrics:
Dressed up to the eyes
It's a wonderful surprise
To see your shoes and your spirits rise
Throw out your frown
And just smile at the sound
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
One of the top English singers who has been incredibly popular in recent years, Ed Sheeran has a smooth and easy-to-understand voice. One of his most popular songs is “Thinking Out Loud,” where you can hear great pronunciations and phrases.
Notable Lyrics:
'Cause honey your soul can never grow old, it's evergreen
Baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory
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“Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo
Made for the new movie “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” this is an exciting addition to 2023’s new English songs for learning the language.
It has a contemporary sound, unlike many of the typical songs people use to teach English (like songs from the 80s), while still being understandable. Unfortunately, new music these days tends to lean heavily on modified speaking and changing the voice so that it sounds interesting, but is incomprehensible to people who aren’t fluent in English listening (and even more people who are).
Notable Lyrics:
But I'm in the trees, I'm in the breeze
My footsteps on the ground
You'll see my face in every place
But you can't catch me now
“Baby Beluga” by Raffi
This is one of the best English songs to learn English with, especially if you’re really new to listening to spoken English. It’s simply one of the greatest children’s songs!
I used to listen to this song personally a lot when I was a child learning how to speak. It’s one of the few kids songs that adults can also genuinely enjoy.
Notable Lyrics:
When it's dark, you're home and fed
Curl up, snug in your water bed
Moon is shining and the stars are out
Good night, little whale, good night
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How to Improve Listening Skills in English with a Tutor
Ready to take the next steps in improving your comprehension of the spoken English language?
With a personal tutor from Superprof's ESL lessons for adults, you can do just that! Easily search for an in-person or online tutor who meets your learning needs, schedule requirements, and budget. Your ESL tutor will help you learn to master English in whichever way(s) work best for you. They can help you learn through music, conversation, film, or any number of other tried-and-true teaching methods.
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