• Why You Love Music

  • From Mozart to Metallica - the Emotional Power of Beautiful Sounds
  • By: John Powell
  • Narrated by: Phil Fox
  • Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (27 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Why You Love Music  By  cover art

Why You Love Music

By: John Powell
Narrated by: Phil Fox
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.83

Buy for $21.83

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A delightful journey through the psychology and science of music, Why You Love Music is the perfect book for anyone who loves a tune.

Music plays a hugely important role in our emotional, intellectual, and even physical lives. It impacts the ways we work, relax, behave, and feel. It can make us smile or cry, it helps us bond with the people around us, and it even has the power to alleviate a range of medical conditions. The songs you love (and hate, and even the ones you feel pretty neutral about) don't just make up the soundtrack to your life - they actually help to shape it.

In Why You Love Music, scientist and musician John Powell dives deep into decades of psychological and sociological studies in order to answer the question, "Why does music affect us so profoundly?" With his relaxed, conversational style, Powell explores all aspects of music psychology, from how music helps babies bond with their mothers to the ways in which music can change the taste of wine or persuade you to spend more in restaurants. Why You Love Music will open your eyes (and ears) to the astounding variety of ways that music impacts the human experience.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 John Powell (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"In this book, Powell does for music what Masters and Johnson did for sex." (Bernie Krause, PhD, author of The Great Animal Orchestra)

What listeners say about Why You Love Music

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Love the topic and psychology

I've always been fascinated with why music can have such a powerful influence over our moods and emotions, and this book directly addresses this issue. Moreover, this book covers how and why music both reflects and drives our culture. There is plenty of psychology behind music's influence on human evolutionary development and behavior. I recommend it to anyone interested in these topics.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Does not answer why we love music

Lots of enjoyable details but does not answer the primary question of the title so disappointed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A bit too in the weeds for me

This books a lot of info. I am a musician, but still, when I think of a non-musician spending time with this listen (Audible), I suspect the average person might think this goes too deep into the rabbit hole on multiple topics. Your enjoyment may differ.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Music relating to science

Why we love music: interesting view of how music effects our brain & whole body (dance). I’ve practiced piano & have been in the sciences, too. So, I enjoyed this book. Maybe not for everyone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!