Music Between Your Ears: How Musical Engagement Powers the Human Brain

by Samuel Markind

Explores the profound power of music to influence brain function and well-being.

Why does music influence how we feel so deeply—and what are the scientific mechanisms behind this phenomenon? In Music Between Your Ears, Dr. Samuel Markind explores the intriguing relationship between music and brain function. Using evolutionary theory, he illuminates the pivotal role that music plays in human survival and procreation. From communication and caregiving to social bonding and partner selection, music has molded the human species and continues to shape our lives in remarkable ways.

This book combines insights from neuroscience and psychology with helpful drawings and vivid examples to present compelling evidence for music's life-enhancing potential. Dr. Markind highlights the brain's instinctive capacity for from newborns' natural affinity for rhythm and melody to the effect that music has on brain development throughout the lifespan. Music also helps people learn at any age and in any condition, so it can improve speech, movement, and memory in both healthy individuals and those suffering from illness or injury. Dr. Markind encourages readers to engage actively with music. Whether through singing, dancing, or instrument playing, the benefits of active participation are profound and accessible to everyone, regardless of musical background. This book, filled with straightforward and practical suggestions, is an inspiring guide for anyone seeking to enrich their life through music.

Music Between Your Ears shows how the act of engaging with music can profoundly impact your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. And the benefits of music go far beyond entertainment—they're essential to the very fabric of what makes us human.

376 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[winifer skattebol]

Dr. Markind clearly had fun writing this book, which intertwines storytelling, historical analysis, philosophical reflection, and personal reminiscence. It's full of hybrid texts: brain anatomy for the scientifically oriented; discussion of the value of music therapy for Alzheimer's and stroke patients (which work best when the person has some musical exposure in his background); the phenomenon of ear worms, those melodies you can't get out of your head; and music as an antidote to depression.
He recommends music therapy training in institutions even for those who aren't professional musicians; and integrating music into one's development throughout life, starting in the womb and continuing into old age. Learning to play an instrument is excellent training for the brain, as is synchronous singing, whether African spirituals, Hindu mantras, or church/synagogue choirs.
The end result is that the book itself is very soothing, like a lullaby.

[Ricardo Shimoda]

There are some good accessible chapters but most of it is dedicated to neurology - and then when it ventures into stroke recovery it becomes a little too much for more casual readers. Some facts that I can recall:

1- It takes a long and challenging time for musical training to create an impact on people's brains
2- Rhythm is closely associated with 'fun'
3- Melody is closely associated with 'beauty'
4- Hearing comes faster and easier to babies than vision (like, recognizing someone's voice faster than their face)

[Brandi Lai]

If you've ever been curious about why your favorite songs influence you so much this is for you! Sam is a fantastic storyteller and brings his decades of experience with the neurology and music together in a way where anyone can pick up and follow along. You don't need to be an expert in music theory or the brain to understand how and why music moves us in so many different ways.