Why Music Moves Us

The emotional, physical, and cognitive effects of music.

by Jeanette Bicknell, Ph.D.

Where Do “Earworms” Come From?

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and, no matter how hard you tried, you could not dislodge it? Variously called "earworms," "sticky songs" or "involuntary musical imagery," one study found that nearly 92% of people report having such an experience once a week or more frequently. Read More

Is Left-Handedness a Disadvantage for Musicians?

What do Jimi Hendrix, Glenn Gould, Wynton Marsalis, Crystal Gayle and Paul McCartney have in common, besides being acclaimed musicians? All are left-handed. Read More

Music and Aggression

The idea that music can soothe and relax us is so engrained that it can be easy to forget about music's potential to disquiet and disturb. Read More

Music and Pain Relief

Long-term studies of music therapy in pain management have shown it to be associated with improved quality of life and reduced consumption of pain relievers. Read More

The Bodily Origins of Song Structure

If songs across the globe and from a variety of cultures tend to have certain things in common, why might this be so? Recently a group of researchers has put forth an intriguing hypothesis about the origins of song structure, and they have come up with an ingenious way to test it. Read More

Music and the Ties that Bind

A friend of mine used to say, only half joking, that he judged new people he met according to whether or not they appreciated the music of Nina Simone. It turns out that he may have been on to something. Read More

Does Playing the Blues Give You the Blues?

What role do a musician’s own emotions play in the construction of an expressive performance? Read More

Musical Thrills and Chills

People who are strongly affected by music sometimes claim that it gives them chills down their spine and makes their hair stand on end. (The technical term is “piloerection”.) When we are effected in this way by music, art, or by the grandeur of nature, what exactly is going on? Can some kind of evolutionary explanation help us make sense of the experience? Read More

Can You Be Too Passionate About Music?

Becoming a professional musician requires an incredible amount of work, and having a passion for music can help motivate the many required hours of practice. But can a passion for music also be destructive? Read More

Jeanette Bicknell, Ph.D., is the author of Why Music Moves Us. She holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from York University, and has taught in universities in the U.S. and Canada.

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