IELTS Writing Task 2: Music Brings People Together (Band 9 Sample)

It is often claimed that music has a unique power to bring together people who differ in age or background. I largely agree with this view, because music communicates in a way that does not depend on a shared language, although I would add that it can occasionally divide as easily as it unites.

1. Why music unites

The strongest argument is that music bypasses the barriers that usually separate people. You do not need to speak a language to be moved by its melody or rhythm, so a song can create an instant sense of connection between strangers from opposite sides of the world. Shared events make this obvious: at a concert or a festival, thousands of people of every age and nationality sing the same words and feel part of one crowd. Traditional music passed down through families works similarly, giving grandparents and grandchildren a common experience despite the decades between them.

2. A minor reservation

That said, I would not overstate the case. Musical taste can also mark people out as belonging to different groups, and generations frequently dismiss each other's music as noise or as old-fashioned. In that sense, music sometimes reinforces divisions rather than dissolving them. Even so, these divisions tend to be mild and good-humoured, and they are easily outweighed by the moments of genuine unity that music creates.

In conclusion, while music is not a guaranteed cure for every difference, I strongly agree that it is one of the most effective ways of bringing people together, precisely because it speaks to emotions that everyone shares regardless of their culture or age.