This Is Your Brain on Music Audiobook By Daniel J. Levitin cover art

This Is Your Brain on Music

The Science of a Human Obsession

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This Is Your Brain on Music

By: Daniel J. Levitin
Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
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What can music teach us about the brain? What can the brain teach us about music? And what can both teach us about ourselves?

In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin (The World in Six Songs and The Organized Mind) explores the connection between music—its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it—and the human brain. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, Levitin 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

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. 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.©2007 Daniel J. Levitin; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. and Books on Tape. All rights reserved. Music Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Human Brain Emotions Funny Witty Brain Science

Critic reviews

“I know Dan to have a deep musical knowledge and strong intellect combined with a warm spirit and a big heart. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music . . . He is a fine writer and has the ability to make difficult concepts very clear.”—STEVIE WONDER
Informative Content • Scientific Approach • Pleasant Voice • Accessible Explanations • Interdisciplinary Perspective

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I thought this book was very interesting and thought-provoking. I would have enjoyed it even more with injections of more medical or science-based studies and evidence. But it is very good, especially in audio book format since he has audio examples throughout, and these audio clips really bring his points to life. In short, this book is definitely worth listening to and/or reading especially if you like music, which so many of us do.

Well done could be even more science-based

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Not only does this cover a lot about the science of how we relate to music, it includes information that gave me a lot of general insight into our minds. This is a superb book, and I highly recommend it to people who want to increase their appreciation for music, and to people who make music.

Superb! Highly recommend this audio book!

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very awesome book but personally will have to read/listen to many times to grasp it all

very in depth and covers every aspect of the title

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Want the unabridged version. I have to keep typing until I reach 20 words before I can submit it ... ok. enough yet?

and I need a heading too

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I love the title but what does it mean? The title of this review is my answer to that question after listening to the book.

It is a most interesting unusual book about music at the intersection of emotions, the brain and cognitive behavioral science. It is a musical journey sort of like learning about your girlfriend by starting with her DNA.

There seem to be about 200 people in the Western world focus on this area of music and cognition. It is an eye-opener regarding the area that it focuses on. I.e. Animal and human music and its associated biology and sociology.

What it does not do is touch on spiritual development or physical health maintenance and or improvement. So it would seem from the section on music history the that the 200 focused in this area are unaware of classical African civilization, Kemet (Ancient Egypt) and the earliest music notation in Recorded history and its cosmological utilization.

Levitin, takes a most interesting look at the role of music in mans animal nature and the transition to his human nature. It would be interesting to see levitin in his next work or some other musicologist pick up this discussion at the intersection cognitive behaviorism advances like ACT and musical human transcendence technology focused on man's spiritual nature as in the Ausarian musical orientation.

A good read for folks focused in the areas mentioned above. A shocking read for those who just like to make, listen or dance to music. Lol 🎼👁👍🏿

How the brain listens to music

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As a life-long music fan and a dance teacher for adults with disabilities, I have one point to dispute. I have seen many many many people on the autism spectrum who thoroughly enjoy and can produce and create incredible music and dance.
I don't know where the author got his information, but it doesn't ring true for what I have seen over the past 20 years. Music therapy is an amazing tool for children with autism precisely because so many of them love it! Maybe it starts with an attraction to the structure, but I don't believe that is where it ends.
I found it a little challenging to follow all the science parts, but overall I really enjoyed this deep dive into music and its role in our lives. I am excited to find out what happens next in this field.

A bit heady, very interesting, point of debate

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I loved this book ,super scientific enjoyable and well written.I will definitely re-read it again

super scientific and well written

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I have always been intrigued with this subject and always wondered why we enjoy music so much, and how our brains evolved to interpret it the way we do.

I listened to every word on this book, and I welcomed the detailed explanation of musical terms and definitions. But I finished wishing that I had listened to the unabridged version. There was a big gap between the study of our the connections between our reptilian and rational brains, and the cultural reasons (mostly sexual) for using music as an expression of ourselves.

I really enjoyed the fact that the author took the time to insert musical examples. Usually audio books are basically read aloud, but this one includes music. I wish it had more of it.

Because the book was abridged, I was left with that strange feeling we get when we listen to a beautiful musical piece, and the last note is left unplayed. A feeling of incompleteness, but the knowledge that the author meant well. If you can deal with those feelings, then buy the audio book. If not, I suggest you read it the old fashioned way.

Interesting, but Abridged?

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This abridged edition definitely felt shortened - it did sound like many subjects were not fully fleshed out and could have used more detailed explanation.

Left me wanting to hear more

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Good info on how the brain works, not just with music. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was the heavy use of Evolutionary science. However it flows smoothly and answers many questions. One was why I can read without remembering what I read. I used to be a typesetter, transfering words and letters from customer's copy to my computer files to be printed and used on the printing press. The first answer came from the finding that the eyes or ears transfer information to several places in the brain, which explains why I could read text and type it into the computer without ever knowing what I typed.

Books like this are also helping me with my self taught college education.

Good info on how the brain works

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