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How music rewires and impacts the human body | Michael Spitzer: Full Interview

Big Think | May 13, 2026



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Music is at least a million years older than language, yet we still see it solely through the lens of entertainment. Professor Michael Spitzer argues it’s something closer to a biological system, one that was shaping the human body long before we had words for what we were feeling.

Why does a chord you’ve never heard before make you want to cry? Why do babies respond to rhythm before they’ve heard a single song? Why does the same part of your brain that processes mortal danger also process musical beauty? The answers reach back 4 million years, and forward into a future where music may be prescribed like medicine.

0:00 Chapter 1: The history of music
18:00 How civilization changed music
24:52 Chapter 2: The universality of music
37:00 How the west thinks about music all wrong
42:37 Chapter 3: Your brain on music
45:45 Why music gives you goosebumps
00:52:46 Chapter 4: The future of music

Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/full-interview/music-human-body/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description

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About Michael Spitzer:

Michael Spitzer is the author of The Musical Human and professor of music at the University of Liverpool, where he leads the department’s work on classical music. A music theorist and musicologist, he is an authority on Beethoven, with interests in aesthetics and critical theory, cognitive metaphor, and music and affect. He organized the International Conferences on Music and Emotion and the International Conference on Analyzing Popular Music and currently chairs the editorial board of Music Analysis Journal.

Written by Big Think

Comments

This post currently has 20 comments.

  1. @K8lyn_00

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    You couldn't have released this at a better time, about a month ago I watched the documentary from 2010 "My Music Brain" analyzing the brain while listening to and performing music. Then last week I listened to Startalk "scientists discuss music and the origins of language" with Niel Degrass Tyson. And now this!

  2. @JamiMilder

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    This is way more than the title indicated. why wasn't the title the history of music, instead of something you don't talk about until the end of a one hour video?

  3. @gmenti1

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    It is difficult to know where to begin when so many of the things he says are obviously incorrect. To begin with, science has known for quite a while that humans are not descended from apes but that both apes and humans descended from a common ancestor. Secondly, humans are innately musical and innately singers. Just as we are running machines and ideally suited to running we are singing machines and ideally suited to singing. Only in the western world in the 21st-century would someone come up with the idea that we are inferior musically in any way to any other creature on the planet. It is absurd on its face. Examine the Mozart queen of the night aria or the Samuel Barber violin concerto. Thirdly, to suggest that notation somehow freezes music into a cold and distant form is to forget that there is no way possible for improvisation to create the Beethoven Ninth Symphony, just to cite one example. A small group may improvise and create music in a simple and socially valuable way but there is no way that a large number of musicians, as in an orchestra plus chorus and soloists, could ever play music together of the highest caliber without notation. Even examples such as national anthems and Church congregational singing have notation that helps preserve and communicate them. One could go on but all of this to say, please do not take too much what he says seriously. Instead, don’t listen to those people that said you can’t sing. Sing anyway. It’s one of the things you’re uniquely suited to do as a human being.

  4. @annunacky4463

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    A fellow student in college saw me in a parking area between classes. He was sitting in the back of a van, playing guitar. He asked if I played and I said yes. He said “you wanna be lab partners?” We ended up being chemistry graduates and started a lifelong friendship and musical journey. All retired now. The bond with him and the other musical folks we met was magical. Still is.

  5. @lordofthehouseofstormcrows8615

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    Music has literally saved my life. It has put my brain in a stasis bubble. The way I remember music helps me to stay sharp. What a blessing, to be able to talk as a human and make an awful sound, but also the ability to sing. Literally imitating the sounds you hear inside your head

  6. @TheAlchemistZero1

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    Finite Nature vs Infinite Nature:

    Everything naturally occurring is Nature, which includes plants, microorganisms, humans (all lifeforms), atoms, energy, stars, planets, black holes, cancer, AIDS, space, Dreams, and Consciousness.

    (Why would Nature be finite?)

    Without Infinity, there is only infinite regress; E.g. String Theory: what caused the strings, where did the strings come from, what came before the strings; E.g. The Big Bang: what caused the initial singularity, what came before the initial singularity, etc. Considering "Nothingness" is an obvious fallacy, there must always be Something.

    Prove Nothingness, while keeping in mind: Nothingness can only be "proven" in the absence of an observer. If described (observed) by an observer, Nothing becomes something (think hard about this). This would also connote a field of infinite Nothingness randomly formed a spec (our Universe) of somethingness – which is nonsensical.

    Provisional science cannot claim authority over reality, at best it can only provide fuzzy hints. Science is a game of "let’s pretend," played with symbols and sensors. Its power lies in utility, not truth. To mistake physics/maths for reality is to worship the finger pointing at the moon.

    Our cosmological sciences are akin to a microorganism residing within a human (on Earth), actively exploring the Andromeda galaxy. Our nearly insignificant signals bouncing off of fragments of Infinity – the margins for error are "astronomical".

    "So far as the theories of mathematics are about reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality" – Albert Einstein

    Why would Nature form brains/minds to exhibit consciousness other than to experience reality; considering experiencing reality is the objective of consciousness?

    It connotes conscious intent, via consciousness (Nature).

    Consciousness/Experiences:

    Disneyland (Reality) – Patrons (Consciousness) = Nothingness = Fallacy.

    Instead, we Patrons (Nature) are the architects of our own theater called Reality.

    All life exists for the sake of experiences (regardless of good/bad).

    A thought experiment:

    On a plain sheet of paper, draw a single dot (.) in the very center.

    The paper represents infinite space. Everything beyond the boundaries of the sheet also represents endless (empty) space.

    The dot represents 'The Big Bang'.
    Everything humanity is aware of – exists within the dot (our currently expanding universe).

    If the observers of this singular dot, zoom far enough away – the dot will cease to exist. The dot will be extinguished through expansion/evaporation – wholly consumed by an infinite void (due to cosmic scales/distances). This would prohibit existence from 'being'. (Yet here we are).

    Furthermore this would connote The Big Bang occurred at random, within an infinite void of nothingness – suggesting 'somethingness from nothingness' – which is a fallacy.

    Without considering potential forces being exerted upon our reality/universe (from beyond the boundaries of our observations) – is an incomplete interpretation.

    Clearly the remainder of the sheet of paper cannot be an infinite void.

    The expansion of our universe is accelerating. If our cosmic expansion were occurring within a void, our reality would have concluded before it began (poof). (Yet here we are).

    If we are a facet of Infinity – we are Infinity. Along with everything being intimated.

    Instead imagine the sheet and everything beyond – riddled with infinite dots.

    Every universe is a particle, every particle is a universe.

    (Infinity is self-propagating).

    Thus Infinity is a superdeterministic preexisting condition.

    Infinity being absolute simultaneity.

    Expresses infinite probabilities – Deterministically.

    Every reality.

    Every life.

    Is an intended narrative.

    (The largest cannot exist without the smallest)

    Although our universe is finite (as evidenced by expansion).

    Infinity exists at a fixed maximal size, without borders/boundaries: Infinity is forever in every sense, within which infinite universes/realities are housed – each a distinct experience.

    (Infinity > Multi)

    Infinity accounts for every variation, including variations in thoughts.

    Reality is an infinite fractal consciousness; whereby all realities, every possibility, along with every imaginable and unimaginable thing, is a fragment of said consciousness – which we refer to as Nature.

    We are Nature.

    We are "God" (figurative); fragmented into infinite experiences.

    An Infinity without borders or constraints; with infinite energy.

    We are all the same entity; existing for the sake of experiences.

    Death Demystified'.

    In order to fully grasp the nature of Death; it is important that we understand Life.

    Reality is an infinite fractal consciousness; whereby all realities, every possibility, along with every imaginable and unimaginable thing, is a fragment of said consciousness – which we refer to as Nature.

    We are Nature.

    We are "God" (figurative); fragmented into infinite experiences.

    An Infinity without borders or constraints; with infinite energy…

    We are all the same entity; existing for the sake of experiences.

    Scenario:

    Individual A is hit by a car, witnesses B, C, and D are present.

    With the following occurring in simultaneity…

    Individual A(1) leaps up, unharmed – (it's a miracle), witnesses B(1), C(1), and D(1) disperse.

    Individual A(1) carries on with their life… (to be continued).

    Individual A(2) dies on impact, witnesses B(2), C(2), and D(2) recant the details.

    With both scenarios, factor the ensuing ramifications on everyone/everything involved, along with the subsequent entanglements (Butterfly Effect).

    Through each Death endured, Individual A(1-♾) experiences (gradually increasing) fantastic shifts in their personal narrative. Eventually leading to divergent experiences (kidnapped by aliens). These fragmented experiences overlap with all local (Earth) conscious narratives.

    Once an extreme apex has been achieved, reality resets for individual A, a randomized narrative starts anew… Corporeal Birth (simplification).

    Why do some individuals miraculously survive extreme situations?

    Why are some humans living caricatures?

    The Meaning of Life:

    Imagine an endless clear glass tube (representative of Time), within which exists a diorama of life on Earth. The left most section depicting our earliest single-celled ancestors (3.5 billion years ago), leading through our present and into a future yet to be experienced (farthest right).

    Notice the tube (Time) and the diorama of life displayed within – exists Simultaneously; Past, Present, and Future all occurring concurrently. Every life form within the history of existence, an interconnected narrative: as 'Futures' cannot exist without Past events.

    Similarly to reading a book, we can only examine moments of our lives which had already transpired (Past), those pages yet read (Future) remain uncertain until experienced (no cosmic spoilers). We can only surmise possible outcomes based on prior events (pages read), although never guaranteeing accuracy of predicting Future events.

    Without the existence of Conscious experiences, there would be Nothingness. Life experiences, Experiences, simply for the sake of experiencing – which is why Life chronically craves varieties of stimuli.

    Our corporeal forms are assigned avatars, which allows Consciousness to experience material reality.

    Works of fiction (books, cinema, video games, etc.), allows individuals to experience an extended Consciousness, whereby our emotional states carry-over into fictional narratives (frustration, anger, joy, elation…). All of this, despite understanding such events are merely virtual (occurring within said individuals imaginations).

    Books are experienced in chronological order instead of a randomized order; in order to maintain a cohesive narrative flow. Within fictional works, every character arc has their entire fate sealed; from inception to demise – luck/chance has already been decided throughout.

    This is also why every Life is experienced through a predetermined progression. Reality is a sensory experience, simply for the sake of experiencing a physical Life.

    Regarding Panpsychism:

    Have you ever dreamed a contemporary dream, one within a major city, buzzing with people? Although the entire dream is constructed from your consciousness, not all objects within are imbued with conscious experiences – only the observable lifeforms are. The buildings, streets, signs, cars, and all inanimate things are purely decorative. Inanimate objects (minerals) provided by reality are not conscious. People attend plays to watch living artists perform, the stage and props are not the stars.

    Time:

    A seemingly endless cadence of day/night cycles, conducted over the course of the Human epoch. Untold billions of Homo Sapiens Sapiens; generation after generation – conditioned by Nature to accept finality. The circadian rhythm, an innate mechanism, a constant reminder; consciousness an ephemeral experience, fleeting with every moment, through every exhalation. Selene a blanket of night, engulfing all into her dreamy embrace – the analog of Stella, raining rays of warmth, nourishing existence into being; beckoning the vivacity of life to stir yet again.

    Day into night, night into day – a rhythm to remind us that none of Natures constructs are created without an expiry. Whether measured by 6.62607004 × 10-34 m2 kg / s; or by a Supereon, we are cascading energies, propagating our collective experiences – vainly attempting to elicit a sense of ‘self’ in hopes of staving off oblivion. Not realizing that the only allowable paradox to exist, is existence; a lucid dream conducted by the everlasting artistry of Gaia.

    Time.


    the Alchemist
    -Ø1

  7. @GEF6560AI

    May 13, 2026 at 1:25 am

    Professor Spitzer’s point about music returning to participation is fascinating.

    For most of history, music was not locked inside professionals, labels or platforms. It belonged to ritual, memory, work, movement and shared human experience.

    That is why AI-generated music may be more historically significant than many people realise.

    It is not simply “machines making songs.” It may be technology reopening participation at scale, giving non-traditional creators access to sound, arrangement and production that once required expensive gatekeepers.

    As an experienced musician now using AI tools, I am exploring this through a new direction Timbaland called A-Pop, focused on using generative AI to create music, virtual personas, and visual content.

    The deeper question is not whether AI music is “real music.”

    The deeper question is whether music is entering another evolutionary phase, where human imagination, machine generation and listener identity start forming something genuinely new.

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