Music Makes Us Feel Good

Why Music makes us feel good

It can be argued that music is a core function in our brain. Our brains are wired from the beginning to process and understand music. Yet music has always been sort of a mystery, especially since it's not typically considered "necessary" for survival. That is reserved for the trifecta of food, sex, and sleep.
A study came out that adds another important piece of information as we continue to figure out how our brain processes music. When we satisfy our desire to eat, to sleep, or reproduce, our brain releases dopamine--the "feel good" neurochemical involved when we experience pleasure and reward.

Turns out this same chemical is released when listening to music.

One interesting aspect of what music was pleasurable was that it varied from subject to subject. It didn't matter if it was punk, classical, tango or bagpipes; the release of dopamine was dependent on the listeners' tastes and preferences. The scans also showed that the release of dopamine changed according to the sections of the music. In other words, the highs and lows of the music, the crescendos and the denouements created moments of more intense and less intense pleasure.