Explains how humans experience music and unravels the mystery of our perennial love affair with it. Using musical examples from Bach to the Beatles, this work reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born, and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience.

Unpicks the pathways of the brain to reveal how human beings have been hard-wired for music. Blending art and science, the author unveils his theory of 'Six Songs', and describes how music played a pivotal role in the creation of human culture and society. He shows how music has been instrumental in the evolution of language, thought, and culture.

'Without music we would be little more than animals. Mr Levitin explains it beautifully' Sir George Martin 'This is a fascinating, entertaining book, and some of its most inventive themes may stay stuck in your head forever, something like a well-loved song' Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love In his enthralling and revelatory This is Your Brain on Music Daniel Levitin unpicked the ...