Articles tagged with Music
A new study by the University of Missouri found that pop music lyrics contain similar amounts of violence and misogyny as rap and hip-hop. Nearly one-third of popular songs analyzed contained references that degrade or demean women, highlighting the need for parental discussions about tricky lyrics.
Research at McGill University found that musically unexpected events elicit reward prediction errors in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region associated with musical pleasure. This discovery establishes music as a neurobiological reward capable of motivating learning and pleasurable listening experiences.
Combining rock and R&B singers or pop stars and rappers boosts a song's popularity, studies show. The difference between genres increases the likelihood of reaching the top 10 charts.
Researchers found that dopamine precursor levodopa increased hedonic experience and motivational responses, while dopamine antagonist risperidone reduced both. These results suggest that dopamine modulates the reward experiences elicited by music, challenging previous evidence in animal models.
The study found that the expression of anger in popular music increased gradually over seven decades, peaking in 2015. The expression of sadness, disgust, and fear also increased over time, with joy becoming a milder tone in recent years.
A new study published in PNAS reveals a causal link between dopamine and the reward responses in humans when listening to music. Researchers found that dopamine manipulation led to opposite effects on musical pleasure and motivation, with levodopa increasing hedonic experience and risperidone reducing both.
Researchers found that dopamine plays a crucial role in music-evoked pleasure, with levodopa increasing motivation to purchase songs. The study used pharmacological manipulation to alter dopamine levels, revealing its impact on brain reward responses.
A team of researchers at McMaster University discovered a way to analyze how musicians intuitively coordinate with each other during performances, predicting their movements to convey emotions. The study found that musicians predicted each other's movements more when playing expressively than non-expressively.
Researchers propose using sound-based network management for tasks like datacenter server fan failure detection, authentication, load balancing and congestion notification. Music-defined networking leverages sounds from real or virtual devices to augment existing network components with sound capabilities.
A study by Society for Consumer Psychology found that hiding information about consumption choices increases sense of connection. Researchers conducted experiments where participants were asked to keep their brand choices secret, revealing that secrecy intensified self-brand connections and increased loyalty.
Researchers found that marmosets prefer melodies with consistent dependencies, mirroring human language structures. This discovery implies that primates already possessed this cognitive ability, shared with humans, around 30 million years ago.
Researchers found that music and pictures evoke strong positive emotions due to personal memories, especially for social and positive feelings like tenderness and joy. The study also showed that personal memories play a crucial role in triggering sad emotions in response to music and pictures, particularly for dementia patients.
Research suggests that innate auditory perception skills play a significant role in shaping the neural encoding of speech during music training. Volunteers with higher musical listening abilities exhibited enhanced neural encoding of speech cues, comparable to those with extensive formal music training.
A study published in Music Perception reveals that children with hearing impairments who engage in regular music activities exhibit better speech perception in noisy conditions. The results suggest that parental singing and daily musical engagement are crucial for developing communication skills.
University of Surrey academic Dr Mike Franjieh has been recognized for preserving two endangered languages on the South Pacific island of Ambrym in Vanuatu. His research has created usable spelling systems and recorded cultural practices, benefiting community members and future generations.
Researchers transformed a Martian sunrise photo into a two-minute piece of music, with quiet harmonies and brighter sounds created by the sun disk. The work showcases image sonification's potential in analyzing planet surfaces and atmospheres, as well as health science applications.
A new study found that explicit anti-piracy warnings with graphics are the most effective way to stop music piracy. Researchers tested 220 college undergraduates' reactions to various symbols, action words, and warning phrases, finding that those conveying risk and pairing repercussions were the most effective.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London created an app that challenges users to play Clapping Music, a complex piece written by Steve Reich. The app collected data from over 100,000 players and found that changing rhythms is harder than playing individual rhythms, with average accuracy varying greatly between difficulty levels
Leading hip-hop music videos over five years featured tobacco and marijuana use, with combustible products appearing most frequently. The study's findings highlight the genre's influence on youth behavior and contribute to growing public health concerns.
A study found that 40-50% of leading hip-hop music videos from 2013-2017 contained tobacco and marijuana use, with brand placement increasing with song popularity. The prevalence of combustible or electronic use rose with songs' popularity, particularly among young people.
Reyna Gordon, PhD, has received a $2.3 million NIH Director's New Innovator Award to investigate the relationship between rhythm and speech disorders. Her research aims to identify health phenotypes that share a biological basis with humans' musical rhythm abilities.
A recent study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that uncertain rewards motivate consumers to make repeat purchases. This phenomenon is attributed to the psychological boost consumers receive in moving from uncertainty to certainty resolution.
Researchers discovered that children without autism who participated in music classes with autistic peers displayed increased empathy and a decrease in antisocial emotions. Children with autism reported feeling less victimized after participating in music lessons, which could lead to improved social interactions and reduced bullying.
Researchers have developed printable metal tags that reflect WiFi signals, turning everyday objects into 'smart' Internet of Things devices. These tags can be attached to various objects and track user interactions, such as water bottle hydration levels or motor activity after a stroke.
A new study from University Hospitals Connor Integrative Health Network reveals that improvisational music therapy can effectively manage acute pain and improve mood in adult patients with sickle cell disease. Music therapy, when actively engaged with a therapist, has a stronger impact on pain management than passive listening to music.
Highly empathic individuals process familiar music with greater involvement of the brain's reward system and areas responsible for processing social information. They also experience increased pleasure and activation of the social circuitry, indicating that music functions as a proxy for human interaction.
A low-cost music playschool significantly improved the development of children's phoneme processing and vocabulary skills compared to peers attending dance lessons or none. The study suggests regular music playschool lessons can positively impact preschoolers' linguistic abilities.
Research at the University of the Arts Helsinki found that multisensory experiences improve sales and comfort in shops and restaurants by combining elements like food, lighting, sound, and atmosphere. The study showed a 20% increase in fruit and vegetable sales after playing nature sounds in a grocery shop.
A new UCI study finds that successful songs exhibit distinct behavior, with happier, more partylike tunes by women dominating the charts. The researchers analyzed over half a million songs and found an 85% accuracy rate in predicting hits.
A study by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business found that top-rated reviewers on online retail sites like Amazon.com may not have as much impact on sales as expected. Instead, less frequent and more informal reviewers can be seen as more trustworthy and influential.
Researchers found that music activates the salience network of the brain, which remains relatively functioning in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that personalized music programs may be an alternative route for communicating with patients who have lost contact with their environment.
A study of 92 trials found that music significantly decreased anxiety and pain in surgical patients, with a reduction of 21 mm in anxiety and 10 mm in pain. The findings suggest guidelines for implementing music interventions during surgery can be created.
A new study by the American Heart Association found that an intervention using hip hop music increased stroke awareness for economically-disadvantaged children and their parents. The program improved knowledge of stroke symptoms among children from 2% to 57% right after the intervention.
A study of 55 Indian children aged 6-24 months found they were attracted to music and could identify themselves in videos at various stages. However, despite interacting with parents during smartphone viewing, the children did not learn anything from the YouTube clips.
Researchers at UTSA used GIS technology to map the city's live music venues, studios, and production companies, finding Districts 1, 8, and 9 are hubs for growth. The study also showed a correlation between the music scene and alcohol sales.
Research highlights music therapy's effectiveness in treating traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder among military personnel. Studies show that music can rebuild damaged neural connections, promote motivation, and improve patient outcomes.
Researchers at the UPV/EHU develop two new methods for generating and classifying music, one based on genre classification using similar bertso melodies. These methods also enable the automatic generation of new melodies in various styles.
A study by the American College of Cardiology found that listening to music during a standard cardiac stress test can prolong activity and participation. On average, participants who listened to music exercised for almost one minute longer than those without music.
A study found that 82% of African American young adults who tried molly attributed its use to hip-hop music, particularly lyrics from artists like Kanye West and French Montana. Researchers suggest that hip-hop may be an effective source for prevention, health promotion, and harm reduction messages aimed at this demographic.
A new study reveals that noise sensitivity is related to differences in brain structure and sound processing, affecting individuals' ability to tolerate background noise. Research suggests that noise-sensitive people may experience difficulties with unexpected sounds and altered emotional responses to music.
Listening to motivational music during sports activities and exercise increases risk-taking behavior without improving overall performance. Self-selected music has a stronger effect on self-esteem among participants who are already performing well.
A study by Queen Mary University of London researchers found that robot drummer Mortimer's social media posts sparked significant human interaction, particularly when accompanied by photos and comments. Music proved to be a key factor in establishing believability and long-term engagement with the robot.
A new study reveals that Spotify significantly increases exposure and access to lesser-known indie artists while decreasing consumption of top 100 artists. The study monitored the music consumption habits of over 5,000 users for 2.5 years, finding a 62% increase in unique artists listened to within two weeks of joining Spotify.
A brain imaging study reveals that musical training sharpens and bonds ears and tongue to hear speech better by enhancing neural foundation in bottom-up auditory encoding, top-down speech motoric prediction, and cross-modal auditory-motor integration.
Researchers found that young zebra finches are biased to produce specific sound patterns, similar to those in human languages and music. This bias is thought to be influenced by innate brain mechanisms, supporting the idea of a 'universal grammar' for language learning.
Researchers found that sixth-graders who learned Hands-Only CPR through music and video games performed better than those who only watched a video. Most students recalled calling 911 and providing high-quality compressions, suggesting that tempo-reinforcing tools can help children learn effective CPR.
Researchers tested participants' hearing and speech abilities before and after extreme noise exposure to determine if it caused permanent damage. The study found temporary changes in some functional tests but no evidence of hidden hearing loss.
A new gesture control technology, Matchpoint, allows users to interact with screens by moving everyday objects, such as cups or toys, in front of a webcam. This enables spontaneous spatial coupling, which activates desired functions without requiring calibration or prior knowledge of objects.
A recent study has found no evidence of auditory nerve injury or permanent hearing difficulties in young adults after attending a loud event. The research suggests that traditional hearing tests may not detect hidden hearing loss caused by recreational noise, highlighting the need for alternative testing methods.
Researchers at Brown University plan to conduct a randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized music program in improving care and outcomes for nursing home residents with dementia. The new study aims to provide clearer evidence on the impact of MUSIC & MEMORY, which has shown promising results in previous studies.
Researchers will combine personalized music choices with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to improve memory among patients with MCI. The study aims to strengthen the brain pathway used by music to activate memories and slow down memory decline.
The study found that breakout songs conform to current musical preferences while infusing individuality. Songs with a 'typicality' score below average tended to do better on the Hot 100, indicating a balance between familiarity and novelty.
A study found that listening to happy music, specifically classical music with positive valence and high arousal, facilitates more divergent creative thinking. Participants who came up with the most original solutions scored higher in divergent creativity.
Researchers found that fast-paced songs stimulate spending, while ballads have little effect, as social density increases. In crowded stores, up-tempo music boosts average spending by 8% and motivates customers to buy more low-priced items.
Researchers conducted two experiments with UCLA students to test the impact of multitasking on memory. They found that divided attention impairs memory recall but does not affect focus on critical information.
The paper highlights the value of considering multiple viewpoints and levels of description to tackle complex scientific and philosophical questions. By recognizing unconscious assumptions and leveraging the strengths of both brain hemispheres, science can achieve more powerful problem-solving.
A new analysis concludes that music uses abstract animated components to convey information about an extra-musical reality, similar to sign languages. The study suggests that the diverse inferences drawn from musical sources are combined using iconic rules, creating a 'fictional source' for what is perceived as real.
Computer scientists at the University of Washington have developed CovertBand, a software that can transform smart devices into active sonar systems, tracking personal activity and movements through walls. The technology uses repeating pulses in the audible range to gather detailed data on body position and movements.
A recent study published in JAMA found that improvisational music therapy did not improve symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder. The study, which lasted five months, showed small improvements and no significant difference between the groups.
A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that on-site pill-testing services can reduce the risks associated with recreational drug use. The researchers found that people are more likely to reject taking a pill if it contains harmful additives or is adulterated.