Music

Recent brain imaging suggests that locking eyes while listening to familiar chord progressions stimulates neural regions associated with social bonding. This shared activity also tends to increase subjective feelings of connection between two people.

A new study reveals that the long-standing belief connecting mathematical and musical abilities is largely explained by general intelligence. When researchers controlled for cognitive reasoning, the apparent link between being good at math and music practically disappeared.

Listening to music with a friend syncs up your emotional and brain responses. According to a recent Cortex study, sharing a musical experience increases the moment-to-moment similarity of subjective pleasure and enhances neural alignment between listeners.

Your brain responds differently to live music. According to new research, brain waves lock onto live musical rhythms much more strongly than recorded tracks, creating a biological syncing process that makes live performances feel more pleasurable.

A recent study reveals that formal musical training isn't necessary for the brain to grasp complex harmonic structures. Both musicians and nonmusicians systematically use musical context to accurately predict, remember, and segment melodies.

A new study explores why female music fans over 40 continue to attend dance clubs and festivals. Despite facing occasional social judgments, older women report that electronic dance music greatly improves their mental and physical well-being.

New research reveals that the intense physical reactions people experience when listening to music or looking at visual art, such as a sudden shiver or goosebumps, are partly linked to natural variations in human DNA.

Researchers used smartphone tracking to study how people listen to music in the real world. They found that natural listening habits, especially the lyrics of chosen songs, provide evidence of a person's general cognitive ability.

A study of jazz pianists shows that musical creativity involves a dynamic reconfiguration of brain networks. As improvisational freedom increases, the brain relies less on planning and more on auditory and motor systems to navigate performance.

Pop music has become steadily angrier and simpler since 1973, but a new study reveals a surprising twist.

Longitudinal data suggest music training acts as a cognitive buffer, protecting vocabulary development in adolescents from high-deprivation backgrounds.

A comprehensive study spanning 17 genres reveals how musical style, familiarity, and enjoyment steer the brain toward specific memories, made-up stories, or critical listening.

New research published in Psychology of Music provides evidence that song lyrics significantly influence psychological states. The comprehensive meta-analysis suggests that exposure to specific lyrical content affects everything from empathy and aggression to charitable giving.

A new study suggests that the right soundtrack can influence what we remember. Researchers found that stimulating music helps Alzheimer’s patients reduce false memories, while relaxing music may help fade negative images.

Researchers analyzed 185 Taylor Swift songs to see how her lyrics portray romantic relationships, attachment styles, and heartbreak.