This is Your Brain on Music

"Music seems to have an almost wilful, evasive quality... Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox." - Sting

Unravelling the Mystery of Our Obsession

From Bach to The Beatles, music is an obsession at the heart of human nature—even more fundamental to our species than language. Why does a familiar chord evoke such a powerful response, and what do the music of John Cage, Depeche Mode, and Mozart fundamentally have in common?

Neuroscientist, psychologist, and internationally bestselling author Dr. Daniel Levitin reveals the hidden role of music in human evolution, showing how our preferences begin to form even before we are born. Drawing on cutting-edge research, Levitin explains precisely why music offers such a profound emotional experience.

In This Is Your Brain on Music, Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand music, and what it can teach us about ourselves.