One of the most important issues in the psychology of music is how music affects emotional experience (Juslin, 2019). Music has the ability to evoke powerful emotional responses such as chills and thrills in listeners.
Positive emotions dominate musical experiences. Pleasurable music may lead to the release of neurotransmitters associated with reward, such as dopamine. Listening to music is an easy way to alter mood or relieve stress. People use music in their everyday lives to regulate, enhance, and diminish undesirable emotional states (e.g., stress, fatigue).
How does music listening produce emotions and pleasure in listeners? Researchers from the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development have found that music increases memory and retention as well as maximises learning capabilities. Our brains trigger particular emotions, memories and thoughts, which often leads to more positive effects toward mental health.
