In the realm of music, our brains hold a fascinating secret that unfolds when we decide to purchase a piece of music upon hearing it for the first time. A groundbreaking study conducted at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, and published in the prestigious journal Science on April 12, delves into the intricate workings of our brain when it comes to new music appreciation and purchasing decisions. Led by Dr. Valorie Salimpoor, the study involved participants listening to 60 unfamiliar music excerpts while undergoing functional resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning.
What emerged from this research was a revelation: a specific brain region, the nucleus accumbens, plays a pivotal role in predicting whether individuals will like or buy a piece of music. This region is crucial in forming expectations that lead to rewarding experiences. Dr. Salimpoor highlights the emotional power of music lies in the creation of expectations. The nucleus accumbens becomes activated when these expectations are met or exceeded, directly influencing individuals’ willingness to spend money on music. This brain region collaborates with the auditory cortex, responsible for storing information about sounds and music exposure, intensifying the connection between reward processing and auditory perception.
The study further uncovers that our brain’s valuation of music is a sophisticated interplay between ancient dopaminergic reward circuits essential for survival and advanced cognitive processes unique to humans. Dr. Robert Zatorre emphasizes how music, a mere arrangement of sounds, transforms into a rewarding experience through intricate patterns over time, engaging brain circuits involved in pattern recognition, prediction, and emotion.
Interestingly, despite individual differences in musical preferences, the brain activity observed during music listening and purchasing decisions remained consistent across participants. This consistency underscores the uniqueness of each person’s auditory cortex shaped by their lifetime auditory experiences and emotional associations with sound templates stored in memory.
In essence, this study sheds light on how our brains navigate the complex landscape of music appreciation and purchasing decisions through a harmonious symphony of ancient reward systems and advanced cognitive functions. It unveils the profound impact music has on our brains, transcending mere sounds to become an aesthetic and intellectual reward that resonates uniquely with each individual.
The song Bella Luna by Jason Mraz was on the radio as I was reading this and I was thinking I’d buy that song. As a songwriter, I’ll write a song then come back to it later and listen to it as a total stranger, as if I’ve never heard it. When I do this, I discover many times that I don’t like it. Back to the drawing board. Change, repeat. I’ve done that for the past year for my CD project. Will I ever get to a point where I like a song I wrote every time I hear it?
