Music and the brainMusic and the brain
All In The Mind
Music deeply affects us emotionally, and individually—and now we know that our relationship with music provides a unique opportunity to gain further insight into the workings of the brain itself. We discuss the latest in music research with one of the editors of The Oxford Handbook of Music and the Brain. Hear about why we may prefer particular types of music, how being a musician can change the brain over time, and what happens to our musicality as we age.
29:06•8 Dec 2019
Why Your Favourite Song Feels Like It’s Part of Your Brain
Episode Overview
- Modern imaging tools like PET and fMRI have dramatically expanded research into how music affects the brain.
- Preferred and personally meaningful music strongly activates the default mode network linked to self, memory and emotion.
- Long-term musical training from childhood can physically reshape the brain, including motor areas and the corpus callosum.
- People process culturally familiar music differently from unfamiliar styles, reflecting both shared and culture-specific brain activity.
- Music engagement, such as choir singing, supports healthy ageing by combining physical, cognitive, social and emotional stimulation, and can remain accessible in dementia.
“What we found out is that the music that you prefer, and especially the music that you really like, activates a part of the brain called the default mode network.”
Curious about how a favourite song can feel like it’s wired directly into your memories? This episode of All In The Mind looks at how music and the brain are tightly intertwined, with music researcher Professor Don Hodges sharing decades of work on what happens upstairs when you hit play. You’ll hear how modern brain imaging tools like PET and fMRI have boosted research, making it possible to watch the brain respond in real time to different kinds of music.
Hodges explains why scientists once took a very reductionist approach, zooming in on tiny slices of activity, and how longer listening experiments now reveal the bigger picture. A standout part of the conversation is Hodges’ study on musical preference. Participants listened to classical, country, jazz, heavy metal, unfamiliar Chinese opera, and finally their own “all‑time favourite” track. The surprise?
“What we found out is that the music that you prefer, and especially the music that you really like, activates a part of the brain called the default mode network.” That’s the system tied to autobiographical memories, emotions and a sense of self, helping explain why a beloved song can feel like it hits at the very core of who you are.
Hodges also talks about how being a musician physically shapes the brain over time, from violinists’ distinctive brain morphology to children who start piano or violin early and later show millions more fibres in the corpus callosum. Ageing gets careful attention too: music can help keep the brain agile, with choir singing highlighted as a powerful mix of physical, cognitive, social and emotional activity that remains accessible even for many people with dementia.
If you’ve ever wondered why music feels essential rather than optional, this thoughtful conversation might leave you asking what’s happening in your own brain the next time your favourite track comes on.
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