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Why do humans like music?

Introduction

It appears that enjoying music comes naturally to humans. In other words, the ability to comprehend and enjoy intricate musical patterns seems to transcend all cultural boundaries. Early in the developmental process, musicality is manifested. The other cognitively intriguing way we employ sound, speaking, can be compared to music in this regard.

The major purpose of music is not to acquire knowledge, whereas speaking is most obviously vital for transmitting ideas or propositions. Instead, research seems that music improves our quality of life because of its capacity to communicate feelings, moods, or emotional mental states.

So, why do humans like music? A series of sounds or a sonic pattern without a clear propositional meaning does not, on the surface, seem to have any reason to cause a pleasurable reaction. However, it is generally agreed that one of our greatest joys is music. From where does this phenomenon originate?

Music is pleasurable

Music makes the reward system active. Dopamine release in the mesolimbic reward system can be triggered by listening to extremely pleasurable music. Engaging with music can elicit the same physiological and psychological reactions as other extremely basic incentives, like food, sex, or financial rewards.

Music is pleasurable

It's usual to refer to musical enjoyment as "chills" or "frissons." Many people get goosebumps or other delightful physical responses when they listen to specific pleasurable musical parts.

Music surprises

Expectations and surprises can make music more enjoyable and pleasurable and that’s why humans like music. The melodic, rhythmic, and sudden change patterns in music are a big part of what makes it enjoyable. One of the main ways that music evokes a powerful emotional reaction in listeners is through a sudden change in intensity and tempo. (Huron, 2006).

Music surprises

The difference between what can surprise you and what can't in any given song disappears when you listen to the same song multiple times because, as a listener, you begin to predict what will happen in the recording. The song becomes less pleasurable as a result. Since humans are adaptable, the first time you listen to a specific song is always the best.

Two opposing factors, familiarity and novelty, influence our preferences. Our preferences can occasionally tend toward the novel (new music, products, or shops). On the other hand, we sometimes prefer familiar things that evoke nostalgia.

The best music creates a balance between predictable happenings and events that are only slightly surprising yet still manage to surprise the listener. The reason why do humans like music so much is ultimately due to the music ability to surprise.

The brain is deceived into believing that music is speech

Entrainment is the process through which the beat of a piece of music grabs our attention when we hear it. Our heartbeats and breathing habits will quicken to match the beat of fast music. The stimulation may then be seen as excitement by our minds. According to research, the level of entrainment increases with how enjoyable the music sounds.

The brain is deceived into believing that music is speech

One more theory is that music connects to the parts of the brain that are tuned to speech, which represent all of our emotions. Our brains' propensity for detecting emotions in speech makes sense. It's critical to recognise whether individuals around us are joyful, depressed, furious, or afraid. The tone of someone's voice contains a lot of that information. Voices with a higher pitch sound happier.

Then, music can be a distorted form of speech. Higher-pitched and faster music selections evoke excitement in the same way that faster and higher-pitched voices do.

Why do humans like music? Conclusion

The fact that music affects every aspect of our existence is fascinating. We frequently fail to notice that it is playing because it is so persistent. Having said that, there is no conclusive explanation for why we are drawn to music in particular. Although there are several plausible suggestions, the reason why music causes us to feel dopamine-boosted is still a mystery.

There is nothing we can do to stop these attractions. Why would we want to, though? Whatever the situation, music is an essential component of our lives and always will be and this is the reason why with Calypsoroom we want to give a further dimension to it. Read more on why is music important so much for society.



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Written by CalypsoRoom Editorial Team
The CalypsoRoom Editorial Team is a skilled and diverse group of writers, researchers, and industry specialists who have access to Calypso's data and information in order to give you broad knowledge about the music industry as well as helpful advice to help you manage your music and dancing career.

Updated January 2023




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