45 benefits of music education (235 studies cited)
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Last updated This page summarises the benefits of music education. With 45 distinct benefits identified from 235 studies listed, it’s by far the largest collection of its kind on the internet, and it’s updated annually.
The 45 benefits of music education
The benefits are grouped by category. Click the category headers to jump to the supporting studies for further detail, statistics and sources.
Children who have had music education show improvements in:
Learning and intelligence
1. Maths
2. Science
3. English
4. Gradings across all subjects
5. IQ and other intelligence tests
6. Attention span
7. Listening
8. Focus
9. Language-based reasoning
10. Spatial-temporal reasoning
11. Non-verbal reasoning
12. Problem solving
13. Fine motor skills
14. Task planning and organisation
15. Ability to complete tasks
Memory
16. Verbal memory
17. Memory recall
Language
18. Linguistic skills
19. Ability to distinguish words
20. Reading skills
21. Vocabulary
Social
22. Self-esteem
23. Empathy
24. Perseverance
25. Prosocial skills
26. Spontaneous cooperative behaviour
27. Helpful behaviour
Brain function
28. The development of the part of the brain responsible for auditory function
Motor function
29. Perceptual-motor skills
Adults who have had music education show improvements in:
Language
30. Speed of brain response to speech
31. Speech discrimination from noise
Brain function
32. Brain circulation
33. Age-related delays in neural timing
34. Age-related hearing decline in the brain
35. Protection against dementia
36. Cognitive flexibility and working memory in elderly
37. Attention and memory in stroke patients
Mood
38. Mood in general
39. Feelings of burnout
40. Psychological wellbeing
Exercise
41. Reaction times to external stimuli
Breathing
42. Breathing in patients with respiratory symptoms (singing lessons)
Immune system
43. The production of antibodies
Anxiety
44. Stress and reverses the body’s response to stress at the DNA-level
Heart health
45. Blood pressure
A field of study that is exploding
In compiling the studies listed below, we identified an unexpected and interesting insight: 83% of the studies carried out on this topic have been published in the last 13 years. Given this field of study has only exploded relatively recently, it’s unsurprising that the extraordinary benefits of music are not more widely known.
How we identified the 235 studies (methodology)
Initially, in 2020, we set out to compile the world’s largest and most detailed list of studies showing benefits of music and music education. To achieve this our researcher set aside six weeks purely for research and categorisation during which he discovered studies by:
- Sifting through the major existing online lists of studies (the largest was 70)
- Carrying out Google News research to uncover articles referencing studies
- Searching scientific publications and online journals
- Discarding any studies that had been retracted
This resulted in 206 unique studies being identified initially.
In April 2022, we revisited the above method to identify additional studies for 2020 and 2021 and this took our tally to 235.
While we would not assert that this methodology was exhaustive, we do believe it was extensive and certainly sufficient to be able to draw the conclusion that this topic has grown significantly in popularity in the scientific community since 2008, with 83% of the studies we found being published from that date onwards.
235 studies categorised, summarised and linked
Key:
Study shows a benefit of learning a musical instrument or singing.
Study shows a benefit of listening to music.
Jump to a type of benefit
We’ve categorised the studies by the type of benefit they show. Browse our list and jump straight to a benefit of your choice.
Memory
Improves cognitive performance
A study on healthy older adults showed that those with musical experience of ten or more years scored higher on cognitive tests compared to musicians with less the ten years of experience and non-musicians.
Title and authors
The relation between instrumental musical activity and cognitive aging
Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, Alicia MacKay.
Improves attention and working memory
In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, it was shown that children who are musically trained perform better in terms of attention and memory recall.
Title and authors
Musical training can improve attention and working memory in children – study
Dr. Leonie Kausel.
Improves working memory
In a study published in PLOS, musicians were found to have better working memory than non-musicians.
Title and authors
Cognitive Control in Auditory Working Memory Is Enhanced in Musicians
Karen Johanne Pallesen, Elvira Brattico,Christopher J. Bailey, Antti Korvenoja, Juha Koivisto, Albert Gjedde, Synnöve Carlson.
Improves verbal memory
In this study, adults who took up music lessons when younger demonstrated higher verbal recollection skills.
Title and authors
Music training improves verbal memory
Agnes S. Chan, Yim-Chi Ho, Mei-Chun.
Improves verbal memory
This study stated that children who had music training showed better verbal memory compared to their counterparts who did not receive music training.
Title and authors
Music training improves verbal but not visual memory: Cross-sectional and longitudinal explorations in children
Ho, Yim-Chi, Cheung, Mei-Chun, Chan, Agnes S.
Improves memory recall
Six weeks of music intervention was able to improve memory recall on the digit span test in children.
Title and authors
Improved Digit Span in Children after a 6-Week Intervention of Playing a Musical Instrument: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial
Xia Guo, Chie Ohsawa, Akiko Suzuki, Kaoru Sekiyama.
Improves working memory in the elderly
A music training program that involves drumming was able to improve working memory in the elderly.
Title and authors
The effects of drumming on working memory in older adults
Franziska Degé, Katharina Kerkovius.
Improves memory in patients with dementia
Researchers were able to observe that both singing and listening to music enhances memory in patients with dementia.
Title and authors
Cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of regular musical activities in early dementia: randomized controlled study
Teppo Särkämö, Mari Tervaniemi, Sari Laitinen, Ava Numminen, Merja Kurki, Julene K Johnson, Pekka Rantanen.
Improves memorisation
According to this study, listening to the music a person likes helps with the reinforcement of learning and the recall of information.
Title and authors
Pleasurable music affects reinforcement learning according to the listener
Benjamin P. Gold, Michael J. Frank, Brigitte Bogert, Elvira Brattico.
Increases memory recall
In this study, participants who were asked to read and recall a shortlist of words performed better when listening to classical music compared to those who listened to white noise or silence.
Title and authors
The cognitive effects of listening to background music on older adults: processing speed improves with upbeat music, while memory seems to benefit from both upbeat and downbeat music
Sara Bottiroli, Alessia Rosi, Riccardo Russo, Tomaso Vecchi, Elena Cavallini.
Slows cognitive decline
In a study of adults with early memory loss, researchers discovered that listening to music improves memory function and lowers self-reports of cognitive decline in patients with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.
Title and authors
Meditation and Music Improve Memory and Cognitive Function in Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Kim E. Innes, Terry Kit Selfe, Khalsa Kita, Singh Dharma, Sahiti Kandati.
Improves verbal memory
According to a study published in the journal Frontiers, using musical mnemonics or memory techniques are more effective than spoken words in verbal memory learning tasks.
Title and authors
Musical Mnemonics Enhance Verbal Memory in Typically Developing Children
David Knott, Michael H. Thaut.
Aids in the formation of accurate memories
Research from the University of California – Davis suggests that remembering a song and associating it with a memory of an event helps in the formation and recall of that memory accurately.
Title and authors
Spontaneous mental replay of music improves memory for incidentally associated event knowledge.
Benjamin M. Kubit, Petr Janata
Listening to music that matches their mood helped improve memory recall
Older adults who listen to music that fits their mood exhibit an increase in digit span recall as compared to listening to music that does not match their emotions. This is according to a study published in Acta Psychologica.
Title and authors
Memory improvement in aging as a function of exposure to mood-matching music.
Emma V.Warda,Alex Isac, Maria Donnelly, Martine Van Puyvelde,Fabia Franco
Language
Improves speech response throughout a lifetime
According to this study, older adults who had music lessons as children yet did not play music most of their adulthood have faster brain responses to speech sounds compared to those who never learned to play an instrument.
Title and authors
Older Adults Benefit from Music Training Early in Life: Biological Evidence for Long-Term Training-Driven Plasticity
Travis White-Schwoch, Kali Woodruff Carr, Samira Anderson, Dana L. Strait, Nina Kraus.
Improves linguistic development
It has been shown that regular music play for 5 to 6-year-old children has a positive effect on linguistic skills.
Title and authors
Music playschool enhances children’s linguistic skills
Tanja Linnavalli, Vesa Putkinen, Jari Lipsanen, Minna Huotilainen, Mari Tervaniemi.
Helps with word discrimination
Researchers have found that piano lessons have a specific effect on kindergartners’ ability to distinguish between different pitches, which translates into an improvement in distinguishing between words.
Title and authors
How music lessons can improve language skills
Yun Nan, Li Liu, Hua Shu, and Qi Dong, all of Beijing Normal University; Eveline Geiser, a former MIT research scientist; Chen-Chen Gong, an MIT research associate; and John Gabrieli, the Grover M. Hermann Professor in Health Sciences and Technology, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences, and a member of MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research.
Improves reading and language skills
In a study presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention, it was shown that learning to play a musical instrument can help disadvantaged children improve their language and reading skills.
Title and authors
Musical Training Offsets Some Academic Achievement Gaps, Research Says
Nina Kraus, PhD.
Increases reading ability
Children who learned to play the piano exhibited enhanced reading and vocabulary ability compared to children who did not undergo any type of music tuition, according to a study published in the Journal Psychology of Music.
Title and authors
The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students
Joseph M. Piro, Camilo Ortiz.
Improves discernment of sounds and speech
In a study published by Northwestern University, it was shown that musicians better coped with the effects of aging on their ability to hear words even with noise in the background.
Title and authors
Musical Experience and the Aging Auditory System: Implications for Cognitive Abilities and Hearing Speech in Noise
Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Dana L. Strait, Samira Anderson, Emily Hittner, Nina Kraus.
Improves writing and reading skills
A study conducted with over 13,000 high school students was able to show that those who participated in music training scored higher in English than those who did not.
Title and authors
The Impact of Music Education on Academic Achievement
Donald A. Hodges, Debra S. O’Connell.
Correlates to better grammar
According to a study from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, a child’s ability to distinguish musical rhythm is related to his or her capacity for understanding grammar.
Title and authors
Musical rhythm discrimination explains individual differences in grammar skills in children
Reyna L. Gordon, Carolyn M. Shivers, Elizabeth A. Wieland, Sonja A. Kotz, Paul J. Yoder, J. Devin McAuley.
Improves vocabulary
Children with music training were able to learn more complex vocabulary than the group without music lessons.
Title and authors
Music Training and Second-Language English Comprehension and Vocabulary Skills in Indian Children
Swathi Swaminathan, Jini K. Gopinath.
Improves pitch and speech perception
In this study, we see that involvement in music-making is associated with a better ability to perceive pitch and speech in children.
Title and authors
Beyond Technology: The Interaction of Perceptual Accuracy and Experiential Factors in Pediatric Music Engagement
Kate Gfeller, Virginia Driscoll, Adam Schwalje.
Enhances reading and speech discrimination
In this study, six months of music training was shown to improve reading and pitch discrimination of speech for children.
Title and authors
Musical training influences linguistic abilities in 8-year-old children: more evidence for brain plasticity
Sylvain Moreno, Carlos Marques, Andreia Santos, Manuela Santos, São Luís Castro, Mireille Besson.
Improves reading skills in children with dyslexia
Findings from this research show that music training for dyslexic children produced an improvement in their reading skills.
Title and authors
Music Training Increases Phonological Awareness and Reading Skills in Developmental Dyslexia: A Randomized Control Trial
Elena Flaugnacco,Luisa Lopez,Chiara Terribili,Marcella Montico,Stefania Zoia,Daniele Schön.
Helps the elderly distinguish speech from noise
Researchers found that even short-term music training was beneficial to the elderly in enhancing their ability to distinguish speech from noise.
Title and authors
The effects of short-term musical training on the neural processing of speech-in-noise in older adults
David Fleming, Sylvie Belleville, Isabelle Peretz, Greg West, Benjamin Rich Zendela.
Helps in learning a new language
Students learning Hungarian were able to recall words and phrases better when they studied using songs to learn unfamiliar language.
Title and authors
Singing can facilitate foreign language learning
Karen M. Ludke, Fernanda Ferreira, Katie Overy.
Improves speech response in babies
This research shows that play sessions with music improve babies’ brain processing of both music and new speech sounds.
Title and authors
Musical intervention enhances infants’ neural processing of temporal structure in music and speech
T. Christina Zhao, Patricia K. Kuhl.
Aids in the recovery of patients who had a stroke
A study from the University of Helsinki showed that listening to vocal music after a stroke helped improve language recovery in the patients.
Title and authors
Vocal Music Listening Enhances Poststroke Language Network Reorganization
Aleksi J. Sihvonen, Pablo Ripollés, Vera Leo, Jani Saunavaara, Riitta Parkkola, Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, Seppo Soinila, Teppo Särkämö.
Boosts performance in Science, Maths and English
High school students who took up music courses scored significantly higher in Maths, Science and English exams compared to their non-musical peers, according to this study.
Title and authors
A Population-Level Analysis of Associations Between School Music Participation and Academic Achievement
Martin Guhn, Scott D. Emerson, Peter Gouzouasis.
Improves scores in maths, reading and writing
In this study, students who participated in music activities scored higher on average in maths, reading and writing compared to those who did not.
Title and authors
Total Group Profile Report
The College Board.
Improves exam performance
Students enrolled in music programs scored higher in exams regardless of whether the music programme was deemed to be high quality or not.
Title and authors
Examination of Relationships between Participation in School Music Programs of Differing Quality and Standardized Test Results
Christopher M. Johnson, Jenny E. Memmott.
Improves maths, social skills, and attention span
A University of Queensland led study has shown that informal music activity at home improves maths skills, prosocial skills, and attention span over and above the effects of shared book reading.
Title and authors
Jamming with toddlers trumps hitting the books
Margaret Barrett.
Improves test scores
Students who participated in school band showed continuous and stable higher test scores over time.
Title and authors
Selected Demographic Variables, School Music Participation, and Achievement Test Scores of Urban Middle School Students
Daryl W. Kinney
Improves performances in maths and English
This study showed that participation in school music groups correlates to better performances in maths and English.
Title and authors
Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits and Why?
Beckett A. Broh.
Improves sustained attention and focus
Studying music leads to lasting changes in children’s brains, increasing their ability to perform tasks that require prolonged attention and careful listening and reading.
Title and authors
The Benefits of Music Education
The Royal Conservatory of Music
Improves maths skills
In one study from the Center for the Study of Human Development, it was demonstrated that piano lessons can significantly enhance maths ability compared to people who did not take up music lessons.
Title and authors
Study of arts, music may enhance young pupils’ math and reading skills
Martin F. Gardiner of Brown University’s Center for the Study of Human Development.
Increases IQ scores
A study from the journal Psychological Science, showed that voice and keyboard lessons were able to increase the IQ scores of the participants when given before an IQ test.
Title and authors
Music Lessons Enhance IQ
E. Glenn Schellenberg.
Is associated with higher IQ test scores
In a study from the Karolinska Institutet, it was discovered that those who scored better on intelligence tests are those who do well with tapping to a rhythm.
Title and authors
Intelligence And Rhythmic Accuracy Go Hand In Hand
Fredrik Ullén at Karolinska Institutet, who led the study with Guy Madison at Umeå University.
Improves reasoning, planning and organisation
According to the study published in the journal Frontiers, music lessons result in improvement in language-based reasoning and the ability to plan, organize, and complete tasks that can translate to better academic performance scores.
Title and authors
Longitudinal Analysis of Music Education on Executive Functions in Primary School Children
Artur C. Jaschke, Henkjan Honing, Erik J. A. Scherder.
Increases focus and ability to absorb information
Studies have shown that instrument training from an early age can help the brain to better process sounds, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing information from other subjects.
Title and authors
Hearing the Music, Honing the Mind
Editors of Scientific American.
Enhances vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning
The results of this study suggest that instrumental music training may enhance auditory discrimination, fine motor skills, vocabulary, and non-verbal reasoning.
Title and authors
Practicing a Musical Instrument in Childhood is Associated with Enhanced Verbal Ability and Nonverbal Reasoning
Marie Forgeard, Ellen Winner, Andrea Norton, Gottfried Schlaug.
Enhances verbal intelligence and executive function
After only one month of music lessons (in rhythm, pitch, melody and voice), a study at York University showed that 90% of children between the ages of 4 and 6 had a significant increase in verbal intelligence during an executive-function task.
Title and authors
Short-Term Music Training Enhances Verbal Intelligence and Executive Function
Sylvain Moreno, Ellen Bialystok, Raluca Barac, E. Glenn Schellenberg, Nicholas J. Cepeda, Tom Chau.
Improves brain efficiency
Researchers from Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute discovered that people who were trained in music and people who are bilingual used fewer brain resources during memory tests compared to people who had no formal training in music.
Title and authors
Different neural activities support auditory working memory in musicians and bilinguals
Dr. Claude Alain.
Supports cognitive development
After 30 weeks of music training, the study participants demonstrated improved cognitive function specifically in the area of spatial temporal reasoning.
Title and authors
The effect of early music training on child cognitive development
Bilhartz, Terry D. Bruhn, Rick A. Olson, Judith E.
Improves test outcomes
Students who were involved in music education scored higher in maths, science, reading, and citizenship tests compared to those without music training.
Title and authors
The Effect of Instrumental Music Participation and Socioeconomic Status on Ohio Fourth-, Sixth-, and Ninth-Grade Proficiency Test Performance
Kate R. Fitzpatrick
Improves the ability to focus
Children who had music lessons displayed enhanced ability to tune out irrelevant information and focus attention on the matter at hand compared to the group without lessons.
Title and authors
Cognitive inhibitory control in children following early childhood music education
Marie-Eve Joret, Filip Germeys, Yori Gidron.
Enhances spatial reasoning
Students taking music lessons showed improved spatial reasoning which increased their ability to solve certain types of problems.
Title and authors
Learning to Make Music Enhances Spatial Reasoning
Lois Hetland.
Is associated with better grades across all subjects
This study showed that students studying music have better grades across all subjects than those who do not.
Title and authors
Music and academic performance
Arnaud Cabanac, Leonid Perlovsky, Marie-Claude Bonniot-Cabanac, Michel Cabanac.
Improves reading skills
In this study, music instruction was shown to significantly improve reading skills in students.
Title and authors
Does Music Instruction Help Children Learn to Read? Evidence of a Meta-Analysis
Jayne M. Standley.
Improves spatial-temporal task performance
Students who received keyboard lessons performed better in spatial-temporal tasks.
Title and authors
Classroom keyboard instruction improves kindergarten children’s spatial-temporal performance: A field experiment
Frances H Rauscher, Mary Anne Zupan.
Is associated with better academic performance
Participation in music, whether inside or outside of school, was associated with better academic achievement among children and adolescents.
Title and authors
The Impact of Music on Childhood and Adolescent Achievement
Darby E. Southgate, Vincent J. Roscigno.
Enhances executive function in children
Children between 6 to 7 years old who had music lessons showed improvement in executive function such as thinking, planning, control, and organization according to a study published in the journal Learning and Instruction.
Title and authors
Music lessons enhance executive functions in 6- to 7-year-old children.
Ulrike Frischen, Gudrun Schwarzer,Franziska Degé
Invokes high states of concentration
A study from Stanford’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustic showed that fast drum beats can place the mind in a state of increased concentration.
Title and authors
Feeling the beat: Symposium explores the therapeutic effects of rhythmic music
Harold Russell, Thomas Budzynski.
Increases attention span
A study from the University of Southern Denmark showed that just 12 minutes of listening to binaural beats and 4 weeks of mindfulness training were effective interventions to counteract the effects of mental fatigue on sustained attention.
Title and authors
On-the-Spot Binaural Beats and Mindfulness Reduces the Effect of Mental Fatigue
Johanne Lundager Axelsen, Ulrich Kirk, Walter Staiano.
Acts as a reward that drives learning
According to a study published by the National Academy of Sciences, music can act as a reward that motivates participants into learning.
Title and authors
Musical reward prediction errors engage the nucleus accumbens and motivate learning
Benjamin P. Gold, Ernest Mas-Herrero, Yashar Zeighami, Mitchel Benovoy, Alain Dagher, Robert J. Zatorre.
Can improve short-term information retention
A US study has shown that when students listen to the same classical music during study and while asleep, a method used to target reactivation of memories during sleep, their chances of passing upcoming exams increased.
Title and authors
Classical music, educational learning, and slow wave sleep: A targeted memory reactivation experiment
Chenlu Gaoa, Paul Fillmore, Michael K.Scullin.
Improves perceptual-motor skills
The group who participated in music education showed significant improvement in perceptual-motor skills compared to the control group.
Title and authors
Effects of an integrated physical education/music program in changing early childhood perceptual-motor performance
J Brown, C Sherrill, B Gench.
Develops brain motor function
People who performed a basic movement task while listening to music showed increased connectivity between the regions of the brain that process sound and control movement suggesting music can enhance brain motor function.
Title and authors
Diffusion tensor MRI tractography reveals increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in arcuate fasciculus following music-cued motor training
Emma Moore, Rebecca S.Schaefer, Mark E.Bastin, Neil Roberts, Katie Overy.
Improves gait of stroke patients
According to this study, music therapy is beneficial for improving gait in stroke patients.
Title and authors
Music therapy for acquired brain injury
Joke Bradt, Wendy L Magee, Cheryl Dileo, Barbara L Wheeler, Emer McGilloway.
Improves movement in patients with Parkinson's disease
In a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, it was found that music therapy was able to improve the movement of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Title and authors
Active Music Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease: An Integrative Method for Motor and Emotional Rehabilitation
Claudio Pacchetti MD, Francesca Mancini MD, Roberto Aglieri MD, Cira Fundaro MD, Emilia Martignoni MD, Giuseppe Nappi MD.
Helps improve balance and movement in patients with multiple sclerosis
Researchers were able to demonstrate that 3 times per week of music assisted gait therapy was able to improve balance, speed, mobility in patients being treated for multiple sclerosis.
Title and authors
How may patients with MS benefit from using music-assisted therapy? A case-control feasibility study investigating motor outcomes and beyond.
Maria Grazia Maggio, Daniele Tripoli, Bruno Porcari, Alfredo Manuli, Serena Filoni, Antonino Naro,Mareike Eschweiler, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
Improves motor function in Parkinson's patients
It was shown that music-based movement therapy was able to significantly improve the balance, freezing of gait, walking velocity, and mental health of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Title and authors
Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zonglei Zhou, Ruzhen Zhou, Wen Wei, Rongsheng Luan, Kunpeng Li
Speeds up reaction time and improves multisensory processing
In this study, musicians were found to react faster to external stimuli and have “a statistical advantage when responding to multisensory stimuli compared to non-musicians”.
Title and authors
Musicians react faster and are better multisensory integrators
Simon P.Landry, François Champoux.
Strengthens breathing and swallowing muscles
In a study published in the Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation, it was shown that singing was able to help those with Parkinson’s disease maintain the muscle strength of their respiratory, swallowing, and voice muscles.
Title and authors
Effects of singing on voice, respiratory control and quality of life in persons with Parkinson’s disease
Elizabeth L. Stegemöller, Hollie Radig, Paul Hibbing, Judith Wingate, Christine Sapienza.
Helps post-workout recovery
Listening to slow music after a workout helps with the post-workout recovery as mentioned in a study from Narayana Medical College.
Title and authors
Effect of different musical tempo on post-exercise recovery in young adults
D Savitha, Reddy N Mallikarjuna, Chythra Rao.
Makes exercise seem easier
A study published in the journal Frontiers was able to determine that listening to high-tempo music during endurance training exercises like walking was able to reduce the perceived effort of performing the exercise.
Title and authors
The Psychophysiological Effects of Different Tempo Music on Endurance Versus High-Intensity Performances
Vittoria Maria Patania, Johnny Padulo, Enzo Iuliano, Luca Paolo Ardigò, Dražen Čular, Alen Miletić, Andrea De Giorgio.
Makes people run faster
According to one study, runners who listened to fast motivational songs ran faster than those who listened to calm music or no music at all.
Title and authors
How Does Music Aid 5 km of Running?
Marcelo Bigliassi, Umberto Leon Dominguez, Cosme Buzzachera, Vinicius Barreto Silva, Leandro Altimari.
Increases endurance
Music is a natural energizer. In fact, according to a study from Brunel University, listening to music while exercising increases endurance by as much as 15%.
Title and authors
Does Music Really Increase Exercise Endurance? Yes, By 15 Percent
Dr. Costas Karageorghis.
Makes people exercise with higher intensity
A study of male college students showed that while riding stationary bicycles, the participants who listened to fast music worked harder in their exercise.
Title and authors
Effects of music tempo upon submaximal cycling performance
J Waterhouse, P Hudson, B Edwards.
Makes exercise seem easier
This study found that listening to upbeat music makes rigorous exercise seem easier, even for people who are insufficiently active.
Title and authors
Let’s Go: Psychological, psychophysical, and physiological effects of music during sprint interval exercise
Matthew J.Storka, Costas I.Karageorghis, Kathleen A.Martin Ginis.
Positively effects exercise
A review of current studies showed that listening to music during physical activities enhances physical performance, reduces perceived exertion, and improves physiological efficiency.
Title and authors
Effects of music in exercise and sport: A meta-analytic review
Peter C Terry, Costas I Karageorghis, Michelle L Curran, Olwenn V Martin, Renée L Parsons-Smith.
Helps obese children with endurance while running
Researchers observed that listening to music while exercising on a treadmill increased the endurance of obese children.
Title and authors
Effects of distraction on treadmill running time in severely obese children and adolescents
I De Bourdeaudhuij, G Crombez, B Deforche, F Vinaimont, P Debode, J Bouckaert.
Enhances the benefits of running as an exercise
Listening to music when partnered with running was able to improve a person’s performance whenever they feel mental fatigue.
Title and authors
The effect of self-selected music on endurance running capacity and performance in a mentally fatigued state.
Hui Kwan Nicholas Lam, Harry Middleton, Shaun M. Phillips.
Helps with bench press workouts
Listening to music for just 3 minutes before doing bench presses resulted in an increase in muscle power explosiveness and strength-endurance according to a study published in the journal “Perceptual and Motor Skills”.
Title and authors
Effect of Pre-Exercise Music on Bench Press Power, Velocity, and Repetition Volume
Christopher G. Ballmann, Mason L. Favre, Matthew T. Phillips, Rebecca R. Rogers, Joseph A. Pederson, Tyler D. Williams
Helps athletes with motivation during exercise
Collegiate athletes who listened to their preferred music as an exercise warm-up reported increased motivation which in turn optimizes their performance and training.
Title and authors
Influence of Warm-Up Music Preference on Anaerobic Exercise Performance in Division I NCAA Female Athletes.
Corinne E. Meglic, Caroline M. Orman, Rebecca R. Rogers, Tyler D. Williams and Christopher G. Ballmann
Makes running easier for runners
The use of self-selected motivational music helped runners feel as though running was easier and required less effort and exertion according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Title and authors
Self-Selected Motivational Music on the Performance and Perceived Exertion of Runners.
Clark, Jamie C., Baghurst, Timothy, Redus, Brady S.
Alleviates some respiratory diseases
A study from Mount Sinai Beth Israel found that when patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease participated in music therapy involving wind instruments, they reported improvement with their symptoms, psychological well-being, and quality of life compared to patients who received rehabilitation alone.
Title and authors
AIR: Advances in Respiration – Music therapy in the treatment of chronic pulmonary disease
Bernardo Canga, Ronit Azoulay, Jonathan Raskin, Joanne Loewy.
Helps with breathing
Singing lessons for patients with respiratory symptoms were able to improve the breathing and mood of the participants.
Title and authors
Singing Lessons for Respiratory Health: A Literature Review
Rachel B Goldenberg.
Offers various benefits to quadriplegic patients
Group singing sessions were able to improve respiratory function, voice, mood, and quality of life in quadriplegic participants.
Title and authors
Effect of singing on respiratory function, voice, and mood after quadriplegia: a randomized controlled trial
Jeanette Tamplin, Felicity A Baker, Denise Grocke, Danny J Brazzale, Jeffrey J Pretto, Warren R Ruehland, Mary Buttifant, Douglas J Brown, David J Berlowitz.
Helps respiration in Parkinson's patients
Parkinson’s disease patients were able to improve their voice, respiratory control, and quality of life using singing.
Title and authors
Effects of singing on voice, respiratory control and quality of life in persons with Parkinson’s disease
Elizabeth L Stegemöller, Hollie Radig, Paul Hibbing, Judith Wingate, Christine Sapienza.
Brain Function
Accelerates brain development
A study published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience presented evidence that music education can accelerate the development of the part of the brain responsible for auditory function.
Title and authors
Neural correlates of accelerated auditory processing in children engaged in music training
Assal Habibi, B. Rael Cahn, Antonio Damasio, Hanna Damasio.
Improves brain circulation
A study from the University of Liverpool was able to determine that musical training is capable of improving brain circulation.
Title and authors
Inferring common cognitive mechanisms from brain blood-flow lateralization data: a new methodology for fTCD analysis
Georg F. Meyer, Amy Spray, Jo E. Fairlie, Natalie T. Uomini.
Helps preserve brain function
According to this study, music training has a lasting positive impact on the aging process. Age-related delays in neural timing can be avoided or offset with musical training.
Title and authors
Musical experience offsets age-related delays in neural timing
Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Samira Anderson, Emily Hittner, Nina Kraus.
Improves mental functioning in the elderly
In a study published in PLOS, elderly people with minimal music experience showed an improvement in cognitive flexibility and working memory after six months of piano instruction.
Title and authors
Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-Musicians
Jennifer Zuk, Christopher Benjamin, Arnold Kenyon, Nadine Gaab.
Helps with stroke recovery
Music has been determined to have rejuvenating properties even for a brain that is traumatized. In one study from the University of Helsinki, stroke patients who listened to music experienced significant improvements in mood, attention, and memory.
Title and authors
Music listening enhances cognitive recovery and mood after middle cerebral artery stroke
Teppo Särkämö, Mari Tervaniemi, Sari Laitinen, Anita Forsblom, Seppo Soinila, Mikko Mikkonen, Taina Autti, Heli M. Silvennoinen, Jaakko Erkkilä, Matti Laine, Isabelle Peretz, Marja Hietanen.
Prevents age-related hearing decline in the brain
Musicians experience less age-related hearing decline in the brain compared to those without a music background.
Title and authors
Musicians experience less age-related decline in central auditory processing
Benjamin Rich Zendel, Claude Alain.
Protects against dementia & cognitive impairment
A study of 157 pairs of twins showed that playing a musical instrument helps to protect against dementia and cognitive impairment.
Title and authors
Playing a Musical Instrument as a Protective Factor against Dementia and Cognitive Impairment: A Population-Based Twin Study
M Alison Balbag, Nancy L Pedersen, Margaret Gatz.
Enhances cognitive function among the elderly
It was discovered that singing in a choir was able to positively influence the cognitive performance of the elderly in a way similar to that of playing a musical instrument.
Title and authors
Beneficial effects of choir singing on cognition and well-being of older adults: Evidence from a cross-sectional study.
Emmi Pentikäinen, Anni Pitkäniemi, Sini-Tuuli Siponkoski, Maarit Jansson, Jukka Louhivuori, Julene K. Johnson, Teemu Paajanen, Teppo Särkämö.
Helps in the auditory rehabilitation of the hearing impaired who use hearing aids and implants
Music training is effective in helping patients with hearing aids and cochlear implants rehabilitate and improve their ability to hear. This is according to a study published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology.
Title and authors
Efficacy of Music Training in Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Nor Farawaheeda Ab Shukor, Jihyeon Lee, Young Joon Seo, Woojae Han
Stimulates and protects the brain
A study from the University of Helsinki showed that listening to classical music enhanced the activity of genes involved in the brain’s dopamine secretion and transport, synaptic neurotransmission, learning, memory, and decreases the activity of genes responsible for brain degeneration.
Title and authors
Listening to classical music modulates genes that are responsible for brain functions
Dr. Irma Järvelä.
Improves visual attention in stroke patients
Researchers observed that when stroke patients listened to pleasant music their ability to focus visually on important details increased.
Title and authors
Pleasant music improves visual attention in patients with unilateral neglect after stroke
Mei-Ching Chen, Pei-Luen Tsai, Yu-Ting Huang, Keh-Chung Lin.
Helps reduce seizure frequency in epileptic patients
Listening to music from Mozart when added with medication, was able to reduce the frequency of seizures in epileptic patients.
Title and authors
Daily listening to Mozart reduces seizures in individuals with epilepsy: A randomized control study
Marjan Rafiee, Kramay Patel, David M. Groppe, Danielle M. Andrade, Eduard Bercovici, Esther Bui, Peter L. Carlen, Aylin Reid ,Peter Tai, Donald Weaver, Richard Wennberg, Taufik A. Valiante.
Helps in stroke rehabilitation
Music therapy sessions have a positive effect on the neurorehabilitation of stroke patients as well as improving their mood, according to this study.
Title and authors
Neurologic music therapy in multidisciplinary acute stroke rehabilitation: Could it be feasible and helpful?
Alexander Street, Jufen Zhang, Susan Pethers, Lydia Wiffen, Katie Bond, Helen Palmer.
Improves stroke patients' visual attention
Researchers showed that stroke patients improved their visual attention, or the ability to focus on visually relevant subjects, when they listened to classical music.
Title and authors
Listening to Classical Music Ameliorates Unilateral Neglect After Stroke
Pei-Luen Tsai, Mei-Ching Chen, Yu-Ting Huang, Keh-Chung Lin, Kuan-Lin Chen, Yung-Wen Hsu.
Improves neural connectivity
According to a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, people who have cognitive impairment demonstrated improved neural connectivity when they are made to listen to personally meaningful music.
Title and authors
Long-Known Music Exposure Effects on Brain Imaging and Cognition in Early-Stage Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Study.
Corinne E. Fischer, Nathan Churchill, Melissa Leggieri, Veronica Vuong, Michael Tau, Luis R. Fornazzari, Michael H. Thaut, Tom A. Schweizer.
Reduces the frequency of seizures in epilepsy
A study published in the international journal Epilepsia Open was able to observe that listening to Mozart’s “Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448” was able to reduce the occurrence of seizures in epileptic patients.
Title and authors
Daily listening to Mozart reduces seizures in individuals with epilepsy: A randomized control study.
Marjan Rafiee, Kramay Patel, David M. Groppe, Danielle M. Andrade, Eduard Bercovici, Esther Bui, Peter L. Carlen, Aylin Reid, Peter Tai, Donald Weaver, Richard Wennberg, Taufik A. Valiante.
Alleviates mental fatigue
A study from the University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences demonstrated that listening to binaural beats daily for 12 minutes together with mindfulness practice was able to relieve mental fatigue in the study participants.
Title and authors
On-the-Spot Binaural Beats and Mindfulness Reduces the Effect of Mental Fatigue.
Johanne Lundager Axelsen, Ulrich Kirk, Walter Staiano.
Helps with the neurorehabilitation of acute stroke patients
Research has found that music therapy improves the concentration, function, and mood of stroke patients.
Title and authors
Neurologic music therapy in multidisciplinary acute stroke rehabilitation: Could it be feasible and helpful?
Alexander Street, Jufen Zhang, Susan Pethers, Lydia Wiffen, Katie Bond, Helen Palmer.
Decreases agitation in patients with Alzheimer's and dementia
According to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, implementing music therapy on patients was able to reduce the level of agitation that they experience.
Title and authors
Music Compared with Auditory Books: A Randomized Controlled Study Among Long-Term Care Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia.
Tracie C. HarrisonPhD, RN, Shelley A.Blozis Ph.D., Bianca Schmidt RN, BS, Alisha Johnson RN, Roxanne Moreno BS, Sherilyn Mead RN, Michael Gayle PT, DPT
Increases antibody production
In a study from Willamette University, it was found that people who actively participated in musical activity had increased antibody production which could correspond to an increase in immune function.
Title and authors
The effects of active and passive participation in musical activity on the immune system as measured by salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA)
Dawn Kuhn.
Improves ability to fight infections
In the journal for Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, a study was presented showing that drumming can increase the activity of circulating white blood cells in our body thereby increasing our ability to fight infections.
Title and authors
Composite effects of group drumming music therapy on modulation of neuroendocrine-immune parameters in normal subjects
B B Bittman, L S Berk, D L Felten, J Westengard, O C Simonton, J Pappas, M Ninehouser.
Strengthens the immune system
This study found that listening to music can protect people against infections since it can increase the production of immune cells in the body.
Title and authors
Mozart, music and medicine
Ernest K J Pauwels, Duccio Volterrani, Giuliano Mariani, Magdalena Kostkiewics.
Increases antibodies
In this study, 30 minutes of listening to soothing music was shown to increase the antibody levels found in saliva.
Title and authors
Effect of Music and Auditory Stimuli on Secretory Immunoglobulin a (IGA)
Carl J. Charnetski, Francis X. Brennan, Jr., James F. Harrison.
Improves mood and reduces feelings of burnout
In a study involving 112 long-term care workers, those who participated in group drumming with keyboard accompaniment showed improvement in mood and reduced feelings of burnout.
Title and authors
Recreational Music-Making: A Cost-Effective Group Interdisciplinary Strategy for Reducing Burnout and Improving Mood States in Long-Term Care Workers
Barry Bittman, MD, Karl T. Bruhn, Christine Stevens, MSW, MT-BC, James Westengard,Paul O. Umbach, MA.
Enhances quality of life at school
In this study it was found that music education has an overall positive effect on the social aspects of schooling.
Title and authors
Extended music education enhances the quality of school life
Päivi-Sisko Eerola, Tuomas Eerola.
Improves quality of life in older people
In a study of health promotion in older people, measures of health and quality of life were consistently higher among those who participated in group singing than among the non-singing group.
Title and authors
The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a participative community singing programme as a health promotion initiative for older people: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Ann Skingley, Stephen M Clift, Simon P Coulton, John Rodriguez.
Improves quality of life in people with dementia
According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, dementia patients who participated in group singing activities reported improved quality of life.
Title and authors
The Effects of Music Therapy-Singing Group on Quality of Life and Affect of Persons With Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Heeyoun Kim Cho.
Improves well-being in terminally ill patients
A structured singing experience improved the psychological well-being of hospice patients.
Title and authors
Case Studies of a Structured Singing Experience for the Psychological Well-Being of Hospice Patients
Ji Eun Oh, Hyun Ju Chong, Aimee Jeehae Kim.
Increases happiness
The journal Nature published a study stating that listening to music causes an increased release of dopamine. Dopamine is the same neurotransmitter that’s released when we feel happy, so this demonstrates a relationship between music and its pleasurable effects.
Title and authors
Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music
Valorie N Salimpoor, Mitchel Benovoy, Kevin Larcher, Alain Dagher, Robert J Zatorre.
Improves emotional wellbeing during the COVID pandemic
According to a study published on the Frontiers in Psychology website, those who practice music activity reported better scores with their affect regulation and emotional wellbeing.
Title and authors
The Efficacy of Music for Emotional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain: An Analysis of Personal and Context-Related Variables.
Pastora Martínez-Castilla1, Isabel M. Gutiérrez-Blasco, Daniel H. Spitz and Roni Granot
Makes people perceive others as happier
According to a study published in the journal Neuroscience Letters, those who listened to happy music perceive other people’s faces as being happier.
Title and authors
Crossmodal transfer of emotion by music
Nidhya Logeswaran, Joydeep Bhattacharya.
Relieves sadness
A study from the British Academy of Sound Therapy was able to determine that listening to music for as little as 13 minutes helped improve sadness in study participants.
Title and authors
Using Music as Medicine – finding the optimum music listening ‘dosage’
Lyz Cooper MA, MSc.
Improves symptoms of depression
Participants receiving music therapy as well as standard care showed greater improvement with their depression than those receiving standard care only.
Title and authors
Individual music therapy for depression: randomised controlled trial
Jaakko Erkkilä, Marko Punkanen, Jörg Fachner, Esa Ala-Ruona, Inga Pöntiö, Mari Tervaniemi, Mauno Vanhala, Christian Gold.
Reduces depression in children
In a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, researchers found that Music therapy reduces depression in children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems.
Title and authors
Music therapy for children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems: a randomized controlled trial
Sam Porter, Tracey McConnell, Katrina McLaughlin, Fiona Lynn, Christopher Cardwell, Hannah‐Jane Braiden, Jackie Boylan, Valerie Holmes.
Improves mood while driving
A study published in the journal Ergonomics was able to show that listening to music while driving improves mood which in turn translates to better road and driving safety.
Title and authors
The influence of music on mood and performance while driving
Marjolein D van der Zwaag, Chris Dijksterhuis, Dick de Waard, Ben L J M Mulder, Joyce H D M Westerink, Karel A Brookhuis.
Improves the mood of children with cancer
Children who participated in interactive music therapy reported improvement of mood and a noticeable positive effect on play.
Title and authors
The effects of interactive music therapy on hospitalized children with cancer: a pilot study
Maru E. Barrera, Mary H. Rykov, Sandra L. Doyle.
Helps the elderly with the symptoms of depression
An extensive review of randomized controlled trials showed that music has a significant effect on improving the symptoms of depression in elderly patients.
Title and authors
A systematic review and meta-analysis of music therapy for the older adults with depression
K Zhao, Z G Bai, A Bo, I Chi.
Reduces symptoms of depression in adults
Listening to music over the span of three weeks reduced depressive symptoms in adult participants.
Title and authors
The effectiveness of music listening in reducing depressive symptoms in adults: a systematic review
Moon Fai Chan , Zi Yang Wong, N V Thayala.
Improves quality of life of children undergoing treatment
In this study, music therapy was shown to increase the health‐related quality of life scores in children undergoing stem cell transplantation.
Title and authors
Music therapy supported the health‐related quality of life for children undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplants
L Uggla, L‐O Bonde, U Hammar, B Wrangsjö, B Gustafsson.
Reduces stress and improves wellbeing in health practitioners
According to this study, clinical staff responding to COVID-19 outbreak in Italy reported improvements in their levels of tiredness, sadness, fear, and worry after undergoing music therapy.
Title and authors
Receptive music therapy to reduce stress and improve wellbeing in Italian clinical staff involved in COVID-19 pandemic: A preliminary study
Filippo Giordanoa, Elide Scarlatab, Mariagrazia Baronic, Eleonora Gentiled, Filomena Puntilloe, Nicola Brienzaf, Loreto Gesualdog.
Improves happiness in late adolescents
A study involving 229 late adolescents demonstrated that listening to music they liked lead to general happiness in life.
Title and authors
Music Listening Motivation Is Associated With Global Happiness in Canadian Late Adolescents
Amélie Morinville, Dave Miranda, Patrick Gaudreau.
Reduces depressive symptoms associated with dementia
Based on several reviews of studies, it was determined that at least five sessions of music therapy were able to reduce symptoms of depression in patients with dementia.
Title and authors
Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia
van der Steen JT, Smaling HJA, van der Wouden JC, Bruinsma MS, Scholten RJPM, Vink AC.
Enhances the effect of standard treatment for depression
This study states that the addition of music therapy to standard treatment for depression is a safe and effective intervention to implement.
Title and authors
Music therapy for depression
Sonja Aalbers, Laura Fusar-Poli, Ruth E Freeman, Marinus Spreen, Johannes Cf Ket, Annemiek C Vink, Anna Maratos, Mike Crawford, Xi-Jing Chen, Christian Gold.
Helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder
A study was able to show that music therapy is effective in alleviating distress for elderly patients with seasonal affective disorder.
Title and authors
Effects of five-element music therapy on elderly people with seasonal affective disorder in a Chinese nursing home
Xifang Liu, Xin Niu, Qianjin Feng, Yaming Liu
Reverses the effects of stress at a DNA level
Making music reduces the subjective feeling of stress and reverses the body’s response to stress at the DNA-level.
Title and authors
Recreational music-making modulates the human stress response: A preliminary individualized gene expression strategy
Barry Bittman, Lee Berk, Mark Shannon, Muhammad Sharaf.
Relaxes the body
In a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, it was stated that using classical music as an intervention was able to decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and slow down respiration thereby providing an overall relaxing effect to the body.
Title and authors
The psychoneuroimmunological effects of music: a systematic review and a new model
Daisy Fancourt, Adam Ockelford, Abi Belai.
Decreases stress levels
In one study it was shown that those who listened to self-selected or classical music experience decreased levels of stress compared to those who listened to heavy metal music or just silence.
Title and authors
Coping with Stress: The Effectiveness of Different Types of Music
Elise Labbé, Nicholas Schmidt, Jonathan Babin, Martha Pharr.
Decreases cortisol levels
A study published in Mcgill shows that listening to music decreases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Title and authors
Major health benefits of music uncovered
Prof. Daniel J. Levitin of McGill University’s Psychology Dept.
Is an effective stress relief intervention
A study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology stated that listening to music was able to reduce physiological markers for stress.
Title and authors
Music listening as a means of stress reduction in daily life
Alexandra Linnemann, Beate Ditzen, Jana Strahler, Johanna M Doerr, Urs M Nater.
Reduces stress hormone levels
A study from The National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that listening to music reduced the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the study participants.
Title and authors
The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response
Myriam V. Thoma, Roberto La Marca, Rebecca Brönnimann, Linda Finkel, Ulrike Ehlert, Urs M. Nater.
Reduces pre-surgery anxiety
The anxiety-reducing effects of music are so strong it is even used to help with pre-surgery anxiety. This study published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice explores the effect of different types of music on pre-surgery anxiety.
Title and authors
The effect of different types of music on patients’ preoperative anxiety: A randomized controlled trial
Gülay Altun Uğraş, Güven Yıldırım, Serpil Yüksel, Yusuf Öztürkçü, Mustafa Kuzdere, Seher Deniz Öztekin.
Decreases stress levels during day surgery
In a study published in the British Journal of Surgery, researchers found that music is effective in decreasing the levels of stress a patient experiences during a day operation.
Title and authors
Randomized clinical trial examining the effect of music therapy in stress response to day surgery
S. Leardi, R. Pietroletti, G. Angeloni, S. Necozione, G. Ranalletta, B. Del Gusto.
Reduces anxiety prior to minor surgery
Music can also be used for minor procedures to reduce anxiety and help with patient sedation according to the study published in the journal Applied Nursing Research.
Title and authors
The effect of self-selected music during colonoscopy on anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure
Dianne Smolen, Robert Topp, Lynda Singer.
Decreases anxiety and depression in dementia patients
In another study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the use of music therapy on Alzheimer’s patients was able to decrease anxiety and depression in both self-report and salivary markers for stress.
Title and authors
Does Music Therapy Improve Anxiety and Depression in Alzheimer’s Patients?
José Enrique de la Rubia Ortí, María Pilar García-Pardo, Carmen Cabañés Iranzo, José Joaquin Cerón Madrigal, Sandra Sancho Castillo, Mariano Julián Rochina, Vicente Javier Prado Gascó.
Relieves anxiety and fatigue in cancer patients
Cancer patients experiencing anxiety and fatigue experienced relief while undergoing music therapy. This was stated in a study by Drexel University published by Cochrane.
Title and authors
Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients
Joke Bradt, Cheryl Dileo, Lucanne Magill, Aaron Teague.
Reduces anxiety in heart attack patients
Music was proven to be effective in relieving stress in patients with presumptive myocardial infarction or heart attacks based on a study published in the Journal of Critical Care.
Title and authors
Effects of relaxation and music therapy on patients in a coronary care unit with presumptive acute myocardial infarction.
Guzzetta CE.
Lowers anxiety in children with cancer
Children diagnosed with cancer and under isolation showed positive results with music therapy in resolving their anxiety according to a study published in the journal Music Therapy.
Title and authors
Music Therapy as an Intervention for Children with Cancer in Isolation Rooms
Warren Brodsky.
Reduces anxiety in stroke patients
A study from the journal Rehabilitation Nursing was able to show that having stroke patients listen to music even for just an hour reduced their anxiety scores during acute rehabilitation.
Title and authors
Music as a Therapy to Alleviate Anxiety During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Stroke
Maureen Le Danseur, April D Crow, Sonja E Stutzman, Marcos D Villarreal, DaiWai M Olson.
Reduces anxiety as efficiently as oral medication prior to surgery
According to this study, the effects of relaxing music on patients’ anxiety prior to surgery were comparable to orally given medications without apparent adverse effects.
Title and authors
Relaxing music as pre-medication before surgery: a randomised controlled trial
H Bringman, K Giesecke, A Thörne, S Bringman.
Helps relieve stress and anxiety during pregnancy
Music therapy was found to reduce psychological stress, anxiety, and depression in a study of 236 pregnant women.
Title and authors
Effects of music therapy on psychological health of women during pregnancy
Mei‐Yueh Chang, Chung‐Hey Chen, Kuo‐Feng Huang.
Calms patients who are on a ventilator
This study’s findings showed that patients on mechanical ventilation showed greater relaxation when they listened to one 30 minute session of music.
Title and authors
Music and its effect on the physiological responses and anxiety levels of patients receiving mechanical ventilation: a pilot study
On Kei Angela Lee RN, Yuet Foon Loretta Chung BHS, MEd, PhD, RN, RM, RSCN, Moon Fai Chan PhD, Wai Ming Chan MRCP.
Reduces agitation of patients with dementia
When music therapists played dementia patients familiar music, patients showed a marked decline in symptoms of agitation.
Title and authors
Music therapy to reduce
agitation in dementia
Jacqueline Craig is a staff nurse at
Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.
Increases oxytocin levels in post-op patients
Following open-heart surgery, patients who were played soothing music exhibited increased levels of the relaxing hormone oxytocin.
Title and authors
Soothing music can increase oxytocin levels during bed rest after open-heart surgery: a randomised control trial
Ulrica Nilsson.
Decreases anxious thoughts in cancer patients
Randomised trials suggest that music therapy is accepted by patients and associated with improved psychological outcomes by decreasing anxiety and troubling thoughts.
Title and authors
Music interventions for psychological and physical outcomes in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Jun-Mei Zhang , Pu Wang, Jia-xin Yao, Lei Zhao, Mellar P Davis, Declan Walsh, Guang H Yue.
Calms adults who have dental anxiety
A systemic review of many studies shows that listening to music before a dental procedure decreases the feeling of anxiety.
Title and authors
Effectiveness of music interventions on dental anxiety in paediatric and adult patients: a systematic review
Sandeep Moola, Alan Pearson, Christina Hagger.
Calms older adults with dementia
Allowing the participants of this study, who were older adults with dementia, to listen to their preferred music lowered their anxiety score.
Title and authors
A preferred music listening intervention to reduce anxiety in older adults with dementia in nursing homes
Huei-Chuan Sung , Anne M Chang, Wen-Li Lee.
Helps with preoperative anxiety
Music therapy is an effective complementary treatment to prepare patients to undergo invasive procedures by lowering their anxiety.
Title and authors
The influence of music therapy on preoperative anxiety in pediatric oncology patients undergoing invasive procedures
Filippo Giordanoa, Barbara Zanchib, FrancescoDe Leonardisa, Chiara Rutiglianoa, Flavia Espositoc, NicolaBrienzad, NicolaSantoroa.
Reduces anxiety associated with surgery
Patient preferred music is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety related to postoperative surgery.
Title and authors
Effect of favorite music on postoperative anxiety and pain
F Kavak Akelma, S Altınsoy, M T Arslan, J Ergil.
Calms patients on chemotherapy
Three sessions of music therapy were able to significantly reduce the level of anxiety in chemotherapy patients.
Title and authors
Effectiveness of music therapy in reducing the level of anxiety among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
Aulia Insani Latif, Nurun Salaman Alhidayat, Satria Hanggara Putra, Kadek Ayu Erika, Syahrul Ningrat, Syahrul Syahrul.
Alleviates anxiety associated with biopsies
Music therapy before and during biopsy was able to decrease blood pressure, heart rate, pain, and anxiety in patients.
Title and authors
Music for reducing the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing a biopsy: A meta-analysis
Mingzhi Song, Nanyang Li, Xianbin Zhang, Yuru Shang, Litao Yan, Jin Chu, Ran Sun, Yun Xu.
Relaxes patients with COPD
Listening to music was more effective in relaxing patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than progressive muscle relaxation.
Title and authors
Comparison of the effectiveness of music and progressive muscle relaxation for anxiety in COPD–A randomized controlled pilot study
Vijay Pratap Singh, V Rao, Prem V, Sahoo R C, Keshav Pai K.
Calms infant distress
Researchers concluded that singing familiar songs to infants reduced their levels of distress.
Title and authors
Familiar songs reduce infant distress
Laura K Cirelli, Sandra E Trehub.
Can be an alternative to pre-op anxiety medication
This study has found that listening to music prior to anesthesia is an effective alternative to sedative medication for relieving anxiety.
Title and authors
Music versus midazolam during preoperative nerve block placements: a prospective randomized controlled study
Veena Graff, Lu Cai, Ignacio Badiola, Nabil M Elkassabany.
Helps with Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Patients who participated in music therapy showed significant improvement in their levels of anxiety.
Title and authors
Music therapy in generalized anxiety disorder
Enrique Octavio Flores Gutiérrez M.D, Ph.D. Víctor Andrés Terán Camarena B.A.
Reduces maternal anxiety
Singing to babies delivered preterm helped in reducing the mother’s level of anxiety according to a study from the University of Helsinki.
Title and authors
Effects of maternal singing during kangaroo care on maternal anxiety, wellbeing, and mother-infant relationship after preterm birth: a mixed methods study.
Kaisamari Kostilainen, Kaija Mikkola, Jaakko Erkkilä, Minna Huotilainen.
Decreases the anxiety of pediatric patients in pain
According to a study published in the Journal of Music Therapy, music therapy interventions on patients undergoing pain treatment programs reported a decrease in levels of anxiety and increased levels of relaxation.
Title and authors
Comparing Three Music Therapy Interventions for Anxiety and Relaxation in Youth With Amplified Pain.
Ashley Scheufler, MME, MT-BC, Dustin P Wallace, Ph.D., Emily Fox, MD, MS
Relieves preoperative anxiety
Based on a study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, patients who were given music therapy experienced lower anxiety levels during their preoperative period compared to the control group who did not.
Title and authors
Music Therapy for Preoperative Anxiety Reduction in Women Undergoing Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jvan Casarin MD, Antonella Cromi MD, PhD, Barbara Sgobbi MA, Anna Di Siena MD, Maurizio Serati MD, Maria Elena Bolis MS, Fabio Ghezzi MD.
Improves sleep quality
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports determined that listening to relaxing music prior to a nap improved both subjective and objective markers for sleep in some participants.
Title and authors
Effects of Relaxing Music on Healthy Sleep
Maren Jasmin Cordi, Sandra Ackermann, Björn Rasch.
Reduces sleeping issues
A study published by the Journal of Advanced Nursing was able to demonstrate that relaxing classical music is an effective intervention in reducing sleeping problems.
Title and authors
Music improves sleep quality in students
László Harmat, Johanna Takács, Róbert Bódizs.
Can improve chronic insomnia
A study was able to demonstrate that listening to music for 45 minutes before sleep for four days shortened stage 2 sleep duration while extending REM sleep which translates to improved sleep in adults with chronic insomnia.
Title and authors
The effects of music on the sleep quality of adults with chronic insomnia using evidence from polysomnographic and self-reported analysis: a randomized control trial
En-Ting Chang, Hui-Ling Lai, Pin-Wen Chen, Yuan-Mei Hsieh, Li-Hua Lee.
Is effective for both acute and chronic insomnia
Music therapy, when used in adult participants, was able to improve both acute and chronic sleep disorders according in an analysis of randomised studies.
Title and authors
Music therapy improves sleep quality in acute and chronic sleep disorders: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized studies
Chun-Fang Wang, Ying-Li Sun, Hong-Xin Zang.
Decreases sleep onset, lessens night time awakenings and increases sleep satisfaction
A study of 52 women was able to determine that music therapy decreased the time for sleep onset, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased overall sleep satisfaction.
Title and authors
The use of music to promote sleep in older women
Julie E Johnson.
Improves sleep quality and duration in older adults
Music therapy improved the quality and length of sleep in older adults.
Title and authors
Music improves sleep quality in older adults
Hui-Ling Lai, Marion Good.
Reduces the anaesthesia needed to reach sedation
The study shows that listening to music during surgery under regional anesthesia reduces the sedative requirements to reach light sedation.
Title and authors
Effects of Music Listening on Cortisol Levels and Propofol Consumption during Spinal Anesthesia
Stefan Koelsch, Julian Fuermetz, Ulrich Sack, Katrin Bauer, Maximilian Hohenadel, Martin Wiegel, Udo X Kaisers, Wolfgang Heinke.
Improves sleep quality in people with sleep complaints
An analysis of several studies has shown that music assisted relaxation improves the sleep quality of patients with sleep complaints.
Title and authors
Music-assisted relaxation to improve sleep quality: meta-analysis
Gerrit de Niet, Bea Tiemens, Bert Lendemeijer, Giel Hutschemaekers.
Reduces the amount of medication needed for sedation in children
Children undergoing procedures while being treated with music therapy required less sedatives to achieve a state of relaxation.
Title and authors
Procedural-support music therapy in the healthcare setting: a cost-effectiveness analysis
Darcy DeLoach Walworth.
Improves sleep in the elderly
According to a study published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, music interventions were able to improve sleep latency, duration, and efficiency in elderly individuals.
Title and authors
Effects of music intervention on sleep quality of older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Cong Wang, Guichen Li, Lufang Zheng, Xiangfei Meng, Qiuyan Meng, Shuo Wang,Huiru Yin, Jianfeng Chu, Li Chen
Improves sleep quality
A comprehensive review of several music studies was published in the Canadian Journal of Music Therapy and showed that music therapy positively impacted overall sleep quality.
Title and authors
Can Music Improve Sleep Quality?: A Systematic Literature Review.
Bing-Yi Pan; Pan, Elizabeth M
Increases creativity
A study published in PLOS shows that listening to happy music leads to an increase in creativity as compared to working in silence.
Title and authors
Happy creativity: Listening to happy music facilitates divergent thinking
Simone M. Ritter, Sam Ferguson.
Improves quality of work
A study observed 56 software engineers while working while either listening to music or or in silence. The study found that the quality of work improved while participants listened to music.
Title and authors
The effect of music listening on work performance
Teresa Lesiuk.
Increases productivity in repetitive tasks
This study found an increase in productivity when background music was played while a repetitive task was performed.
Title and authors
Music — an aid to productivity
J.G.Fox, E.D.Embrey.
Helps with accuracy and efficiency
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that surgeon accuracy and efficiency improved when surgeons worked with music playing especially if they were the ones who selected the songs.
Title and authors
Effects of Music on Cardiovascular Reactivity Among Surgeons
Karen Allen, PhD; Jim Blascovich, PhD.
Makes time feel like it's moving faster
According to a study featured in the journal Frontiers, listening to pleasant music makes our perception of time seem faster, making it useful for tedious and repetitive tasks.
Title and authors
Music, emotion, and time perception: the influence of subjective emotional valence and arousal?
Sylvie Droit-Volet, Danilo Ramos, José L. O. Bueno, Emmanuel Bigand.
Improves the creative process
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research determined that listening to lyric-free ambient music played at a moderate volume improves the creative process.
Title and authors
Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition
Ravi Mehta, Rui (Juliet) Zhu and Amar Cheema.
Improves surgical accuracy
A review of studies published in the International Journal of Surgery showed that playing classical music at a low to medium volume can enhance the surgical task performance by improving both accuracy and speed.
Title and authors
The influence of music on the surgical task performance: A systematic review
Michael El Boghdady, Beatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist.
Improves the quality of suturing by surgeons
Researchers showed that the introduction of meditation music during surgery, compared to normal surgery background noise, resulted in higher quality suturing (closing of wounds) by the surgeons.
Title and authors
Meditation music improved the quality of suturing in an experimental bypass procedure
Sajjad Muhammad, Martin Lehecka, Justiina Huhtakangas, Behnam Rezai Jahromi, Mika Niemelä, Ahmad Hafez.
Background music helps with focus and work
Working on a task while listening to background music increased focus, decreased mind wandering, and reduced distraction according to a study published in the journal Psychological Research.
Title and authors
The effect of preferred background music on task-focus in sustained attention.
Luca Kiss, Karina J. Linnell
Increases pain threshold
According to a study published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, playing the drums, singing, and dancing increases endorphin levels making people more resistant to the pain experience.
Title and authors
Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: implications for the evolutionary function of music
R I M Dunbar, Kostas Kaskatis, Ian MacDonald, Vinnie Barra.
Is effective in relieving pain
Researchers implemented an experiment which showed that a person’s preferred songs are an effective form of analgesic.
Title and authors
Well-Loved Music Robustly Relieves Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Christine Hsieh, Jian Kong, Irving Kirsch, Robert R. Edwards, Karin B. Jensen, Ted J. Kaptchuk, Randy L. Gollub.
Relieves chronic pain
A study from the Clinical Journal of Pain was able to show that two daily sessions of listening to music helped a group of patients with chronic pain relieve the symptoms associated with their medical conditions.
Title and authors
The effects of music intervention in the management of chronic pain: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial
Stéphane Guétin, Patrick Giniès, Didier Kong A Siou, Marie-Christine Picot, Christelle Pommié, Elisabeth Guldner, Anne-Marie Gosp, Katelyne Ostyn, Emmanuel Coudeyre, Jacques Touchon.
Helps to reduce both acute and chronic pain
According to this study, music acts as an adjunct to opioid medication, improving and complementing results in treating physical pain compared to opioids alone.
Title and authors
Music as an Adjunct to Opioid-Based Analgesia
Peter R Chai, Stephanie Carreiro, Megan L Ranney, Ketki Karanam, Marko Ahtisaari, Robert Edwards, Kristin L Schreiber, Lubabah Ben-Ghaly, Timothy B Erickson, Edward W Boyer.
Can reduce the need for pain medication
According to this study, music is able to reduce the pain patients experience thereby minimising the expenses related to opioid pain medications.
Title and authors
The Effect of Perioperative Music on Medication Requirement and Hospital Length of Stay: A Meta-analysis
Victor X Fu, Pim Oomens, Markus Klimek, Michiel H J Verhofstad, Johannes Jeekel.
Relieves pain after surgery
Patients under the study of Mount Sinai School of Medicine were able to report pain relief after spine surgery through the use of music therapy that includes live music and patient preferred songs.
Title and authors
Music Therapy Reduces Pain in Spine Surgery Patients
Joanne Loewy, DA.
Reduces pain from fibromyalgia
Another study from the Pain Management Nursing journal shows that music is an effective treatment for the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition known for its severe pain.
Title and authors
Effect of Music as Nursing Intervention for People Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia
María Dolores Onieva-Zafra PhD, Adelaida MaríaCastro-Sánchez PhD, Guillermo A.Matarán-Peñarrocha PhD, Carmen Moreno-Lorenzo PhD.
Reduces pain and anxiety after heart attacks
According to the American College of Cardiology, heart attack patients who listened to their preferred genre of music for 30 minutes a day reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and pain when tested.
Title and authors
Music as Medicine? 30 Minutes a Day Shows Benefits After Heart Attack
Predrag Mitrovic, MD, PhD, professor of cardiology at the University of Belgrade School of Medicine.
Helps children with pain related to procedures
Several studies were able to demonstrate that music can alleviate pain and anxiety in children undergoing procedures such as vaccinations and blood draws.
Title and authors
Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: music for procedural pain
Jaden Wright, Denise Adams, Sunita Vohra.
Alleviates pain in burn patients
The use of music improved patients’ reports of pain as well as calming anxiety associated with their condition.
Title and authors
The effects of music intervention on burn patients during treatment procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Jinyi Li, Liang Zhou, Yungui Wang.
Helps relieve pain in hospitalised adults
According to this review of several studies, music is a safe and affordable adjuvant treatment for pain in hospitalised adults.
Title and authors
Music as an adjuvant therapy in control of pain and symptoms in hospitalized adults: a systematic review
Linda C Cole, Geri LoBiondo-Wood.
Lessens the pain of endoscopy procedures
This study involving 2,134 patients demonstrated that music significantly improves the pain scores related to endoscopic procedures.
Title and authors
Effect of music in endoscopy procedures: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Man Cai Wang, Ling Yi Zhang, Yu Long Zhang, Ya Wu Zhang, Xiao Dong Xu, You Cheng Zhang.
Improves symptoms associated with chemotherapy
Music therapy was shown to improve the pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, and anxiety associated with chemotherapy.
Title and authors
Effects of Listening to Music on the Comfort of Chemotherapy Patients
Şebnem Bilgiç, Rengin Acaroğlu.
Alleviates the pain and anxiety from spinal surgery
This study showed that music is effective in treating the pain and anxiety associated with spinal surgery.
Title and authors
Music therapy for patients receiving spine surgery
Pi-Chu Lin, Man-Ling Lin, Li-Ching Huang, Hsiu-Chu Hsu, Chiong-Chu Lin.
Can reduce postoperative pain in children
A review of several studies using music therapy was able to demonstrate that music significantly reduces postoperative pain, anxiety, and stress in pediatric patients.
Title and authors
The Effects of Perioperative Music Interventions in Pediatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Marianne J E van der Heijden, Sadaf Oliai Araghi, Monique van Dijk, Johannes Jeekel, M G Myriam Hunink.
Relieves postoperative pain and relaxes patients
This study determined that recorded music and nature sounds were able to improve common manifestations of pain and anxiety while providing a means of relaxation in cardiovascular surgery patients.
Title and authors
Effect of the combination of music and nature sounds on pain and anxiety in cardiac surgical patients: a randomized study
Brent A Bauer, Susanne A Cutshall, Patricia G Anderson, Sharon K Prinsen, Laura J Wentworth, Tammy J Olney, Penny K Messner, Karen M Brekke, Zhuo Li, Thoralf M Sundt 3rd, Ryan F Kelly.
Helps with the pain experienced in colonoscopy
Patients undergoing colonoscopy reported better levels of satisfaction and pain relief when music was added before and during the procedure.