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From my personal experience and from the (anecdotal) evidence it seems like music is way more addictive (for the lack of a better word) than film (movies).

For instance, when a new record from my favorite singer or band is released, I can listen to it a few times a day for several days or maybe even weeks. And then the frequency slowly tapers off, but I can still listen to it every week or month for many many years. For film it is completely different story. Even the movies that I consider absolute masterpieces, I would rewatch it maybe once every 6 months / year.

Why is it the case? Is it because visual media is more... intense, rich, contains more "meaning" per unit of display?

But even if that's the case, I would doubt it would explain such dramatic difference in watching / listening frequencies - once per 6 months and hundreds of times.

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome. Isn't this comparing apples and oranges? Movies easily last 90-120 minutes, songs a few minutes. Music can be listened to while doing something else. Movies require full attention. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Jun 26, 2020 at 7:48
  • $\begingroup$ @AliceD I rather meant full records which is in average about 75 minutes (some over 100 minutes), I would say. But my observation regarding frequencies still stands. Did you notice the same phenomenon yourself? But do you think the reason for this is that watching a movie requires more attention => more effort? $\endgroup$
    – ruslaniv
    Jun 26, 2020 at 9:47

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You guessed it.

Listening to music is a passive activity. It causes no mental burden or stimuli to your thoughts. It is just allowing sound frequencies manipulate your brain and evoke whatever feelings they do in your mind. Whereas for watching movies, you need focus, to follow the story, and make sure you don't miss details. Human characters are involved, evoking love, happiness, disappointment, anger, stress, uncertainty, jealousy, envy, et; a huge emotional and mental burden. Very different from the relax "la-la land" world of music.

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  • $\begingroup$ Idk, music can be pretty heavy on emotions invoked sometimes $\endgroup$
    – Cestarian
    Jun 27, 2020 at 5:26

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