I think music has appeal because it's information, albeit processed at a low level, not because it's a mood-altering drug. As with all media, consumers want to

I think music has appeal because it's information, albeit processed at a low level, not because it's a mood-altering drug. As with all media, consumers want to feel it's "true". When consuming new information, we need to find something that resonates with our existing understanding to believe its meaningful, and not noise. Somber music feels more like it contains meaning to a person with a somber outlook. Joyful music in that case feels meaningless to the listener, because it fails to connect with what they already understand.