Recently, Tencent Music Entertainment Group, along with its platforms QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing, launched China’s first therapeutic music album using “40 Hz Gamma Music” to coincide with the 10th anniversary of “99 Giving Day,” now upgraded to the “Giving for Good.” The album, titled “Hear the Echoes of Memory,” was created in collaboration with nine “Ambassadors of Love,” including Huang Bo, Hu Haiquan, Jiang Yuheng, Li Yugang, Qi Qin, Sha Baoliang, Tengger, Zhou Chuanxiong, and Zhou Xiao’ou, blending music and technology to support Alzheimer’s patients.
Inspired by recent research from Professor Li-Huei Tsai’s team at MIT, published in Nature, which suggests that 40 Hz gamma audio can potentially improve brain conditions affected by Alzheimer’s, the QQ Music Galaxy Sound Effect Technology team utilized binaural beat principles. They applied a 40 Hz frequency difference to authorized classic music tracks, adapting them into therapeutic songs that may help prevent Alzheimer’s without compromising music quality.
The “Hear the Echoes of Memory” album is now available on QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing. Additionally, WeSing introduced the “Memory Singing Mode,” which incorporates cognitive training during singing sessions, further aiding in Alzheimer’s prevention.
Feifei Chen, Vice President of Platform Marketing and Public Relations at Tencent Music Entertainment Group, stated, “With the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good,’ we aim to advance audio technology and application innovation, collaborating with musicians and socially conscious partners. We want music to not only bring joy but also address and support more special groups, adding warmth through technology and collective effort.”
According to the Lancet Public Health report, China has the highest number of Alzheimer’s patients globally, with over 9.83 million sufferers among those aged 60 and above. The disease is notoriously difficult to cure once diagnosed, but early intervention at the MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) stage can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s by seven to ten years, potentially preventing it entirely for those around 80 years old.
During the “Giving for Good,” the four major platforms—QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing—are not only showing care for Alzheimer’s patients through the combination of music and technology but also raising awareness about the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease among an increasing number of people.
A First-of-Its-Kind Therapeutic Album in China Aiding Alzheimer’s Prevention
The QQ Music Galaxy Sound Effect Technology team employed binaural beat principles, rendering music at a 40 Hz frequency difference without affecting quality. This 40 Hz gamma music stimulates the brain, enhancing cognitive function during listening.
This charity album includes 40 Hz gamma music adaptations of classic songs authorized by the participating “Ambassadors of Love,” such as Huang Bo’s “House of Forgetting,” Hu Haiquan’s “Spring Wind Came Back Silently,” Jiang Yuheng’s “Looking Back Again,” Li Yugang’s “Along the River During the Qingming Festival,” Qi Qin’s “The World Outside,” Sha Baoliang’s “Looking Back Again,” Tengger’s “Heaven,” Zhou Chuanxiong’s “Warm Wind,” and Zhou Xiao’ou “Remember That Day.” Each song captures emotions and memories across different age groups, providing listeners with recollection and healing.
Innovative Charitable Interactions and New Forms of Music Therapy
Besides the therapeutic album, WeSing’s “Memory Singing Mode” and QQ Music’s “40 Hz Gamma Music Healing Tap” feature integrate therapeutic music into interactive formats, offering Alzheimer’s patients innovative healing methods.
The “Memory Singing Mode” on WeSing leaves blank spaces in song lyrics, encouraging singers to recall and fill in the lyrics from memory. This gentle, effective rehabilitation exercise helps enhance memory and cognitive functions by repeatedly recalling and singing lyrics.
QQ Music’s “40 Hz Gamma Music Healing Tap” feature uses rhythm-based gameplay with 40 Hz gamma music, prompting users to tap notes on screen in sync with the music, improving focus and reaction time while stimulating brain activity.
“Ambassador of Love” Zhao Chuan will join live singing rooms on QQ Music and WeSing to sing with fans, while TME Music School has organized MTX youth volunteers to compose a theme song for Alzheimer’s awareness. These efforts aim to spread warmth through music and encourage greater public support for music-based charity initiatives.