I am so glad I am not alone! Thank you all :)

I've not been able to listen to any kind either. I do occasionally turn on classical but that's only to have noise on.

It's still one of my biggest problems and I'm 4 years out. Doesn't even matter if it's something he would have liked or not. Nowadays, I listen to a lot of news radio. Once in a while I try music, but nothing from the 60s as that was our favorite.

My husband loved music, especially late 60's early 70's Rock. I cannot bear to hear it now...knowing he'll never hear it again. He had a guitar he sometimes played along with the music. Now I have on the TV for noise, in the car NPR. I can do classical, because he didn't care for that.

I am new to the group and have posted my story.

Music has been very hard for me. It doesn't matter where I am or who I am with, I believe that my husband speaks to me through the music he loved. He used to sing karaoke at the bar that is located in the bowling alley where he worked, and his song was Toby Keith's I Love This Bar. I was in the bar with his friends last Sat. night, and they sang it... without Jay. I cried like a baby. I wonder when or if the radio will ever work for me again.

Yes, music is one of those things that connect directly to your emotions. So many memories.

I was going through a box of photos the other day, and I came across an envelope that Mary Jo Had saved. In it were ticket stubs to the September 1964 Beatles concert in Kansas City. We had only been married for a couple of weeks, and I managed to surprise her with two tickets to the concert.
I remember that there were literally thousands of teenage girls screaming at the top of their lungs... so loud you could hardly hear the music.
But we didn't mind, it was a wonderful night for two young people just starting out on a 50 year honeymoon together.

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Oh yes, a song can bring back memories for me too. It can make me feel good or sad. I don't listen much to music, but when I do, a song can talk to me.

Oh yes! I love my music!!!! But, like you, for some time I couldn't listen to what I have been listening too all of these years without crying. But, it's been 9 months now since he passed away and I can honestly say that most of those same songs that used to bring tears now brings a smile. It will probably get better for you too in time.

I always have thought that music can take you back to a place in time like nothing else can - you can remember what you were wearing or exactly what you were doing or who you were with when you heard that song playing. Growing up, my husband loved country music while I was into rock and roll. After we met, I was introduced to the likes of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr., Merle Haggard, and many more of the country greats. John had all his record albums, and one of our favorite things to do was to select songs from his old albums, have a few drinks, and listen to his oldies playing on the record player. For the funeral home visitation, I had a CD made up of all John's favorite country songs and had that played instead of the traditional music; everyone loved it. I am coming up on four years, and country music still can make me cry. I choose to listen to NPR while in the car which just makes it easier. I still have all of John's albums and probably will never part with them but doubt if they will ever be played again.
Roxanne

There are many, many songs that can hit me when I hear them, but I don't always mind it. Sometimes I feel like I need it so if music is the culprit then so be it.

I find it theraputic but then other times i have no desire to listen to some anymore. I dont want to cry and yes a lot of songs will make me cry. Its one of thoes thing that i think we will never escape from.

I can not imagine life without music. Bill loved it, really liked the deeper meaningful songs especially. I remember him making me listen to a song by Hoobastank, The Reason, or something like that, over and over again.
Like Roxanne said, music transports you back in time and you remember where you were & what you were feeling, much as scents can do.
Since Bill's death I have developed a weird skill and I use the word "skill" very loosely as I can not carry a tune in a bucket. I listen to songs and sing along loudly whilst sobbing my guts out at the same time. Lots of songs I start out OK and upbeat and then it goes downhill and I end up weeping, BUT perversely I enjoy it. It's some kind of therapy for me - maybe the whole tears/chemicals release. I never know for sure what song will do me in, but I would never stop listening to music.
And that song, I Ain't Missing You always makes me cry, but I thought it was John Waite who sings it. And Tina.

Music has always been an essential part of my life, and my wife introduced me to many other artists who I knew about but never really took much notice of. The music that has kept me company through my teenage years is also now keeping me company each and every day. I could name artists, songs and so on, but music is personal for all of us and whatever can pull us through means so much regardless of how others view that music taste.

The songs my wife shared with me, that I loved to listen to, I find painful to listen to now, so if I am in a store and I hear those songs it is a nightmare of pain, be it a happy pop song or a romantic song, they all have the same effect. I associate them and always will with the life we shared together and to hear those songs that should represent good memories are now representing pain due to missing my wife.

There are a few things that keep me in survival mode, and music I think is an essential part of that.

My husband was a 1950's R&B record collector. After over 2 years since he passed I cannot listen to that type of music. It's just too difficult.

My husband and I listened to our iPod of love songs all night long! After he passed, it was hard hearing them play all night but it was better than the silence. I promised him as he lay in his hospice bed that I would always play the love songs! We loved them so much! -Deanna