This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

Daniel J. Levitin

Aug 2006 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explores the connection between music—its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it—and the human brain.

Taking on prominent thinkers who argue that music is nothing more than an evolutionary accident, Levitin poses that music is fundamental to our species, perhaps even more so than language. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, he reveals:

• How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the world
• Why we are so emotionally attached to the music we listened to as teenagers, whether it was Fleetwood Mac, U2, or Dr. Dre
• That practice, rather than talent, is the driving force behind musical expertise
• How those insidious little jingles (called earworms) get stuck in our head

A Los Angeles Times Book Award finalist, This Is Your Brain on Music will attract readers of Oliver Sacks and David Byrne, as it is an unprecedented, eye-opening investigation into an obsession at the heart of human nature.

Ratings and reviews

This for me is taylor swift music. It has gotten me Through all the times of my life that I've not believed or felt no hope due to voices in my head saying so. It helped me hit and play basketball alone, just me and her lyrics I came to understand. 432 he I wrote her is an idea to optimize ghe brains cognitive ability. I hope she used it in Taylor's version of RED .awesome album! Robert E. Dziezynski Los Angeles 90013

I take it everywhere I go! I read a little over 100 pages, and had to start over with a pen and underline all the things that I thought were fascinating, and found myself underlining 75% of every page.. if you are interested in learning about the brain OR music, in any way, "this is your brain on music", is an excellent place to start!

Too many subjective anecdotes and musings and way to much names dropping detracts from the value. This is presumably a book that will be enjoyed more by those who like people than those looking for music theory.

About the author

Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, and bestselling author. He is Founding Dean of Arts & Humanities at the Minerva Schools at KGI in San Francisco, and Professor Emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at McGill University. He is the author of This Is Your Brain on Music, The World in Six Songs, The Organized Mind, A Field Guide to Lies, and Successful Aging. He divides his time between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.