Two elements: tempo and volume. Researchers at the Sundance Research Facility have finally discovered how to turn sound into matter.
posted by Dr. Fetish on Oct 4, 2012 - 12 comments

"People prefer music that deviates from perfection in a natural way." Researchers into rhythm are trying to figure out the nature of these deviations, and what implications this has for audio engineering and neuroscience.
posted by EvaDestruction on Jul 23, 2012 - 50 comments

Billy Joel has now officially endorsed - The Longest Time (Coral Triangle Edition), by the Barber Lab Quartet [more inside]
posted by Blasdelb on Jul 18, 2012 - 17 comments

What do Singing in the Rain, Live Is Life, Don't Worry, Be Happy, I Will Survive and Ça fait rire les oiseaux have in common? In a study, French-speaking Internet users identified these five pop songs out of 100, as the most pernicious earworms. Here are their top 25 picks from BRAMS, including audio clips. [more inside]
posted by zarq on May 27, 2010 - 58 comments

If you've ever thought that music can be an extremely intuitive and effective way to communicate things, then Stanford Professor Jonathan Berger (samples of his music) is doing some research that might interest you. (via)
posted by wander on Feb 6, 2007 - 8 comments

Music: A survey of some quality resources is a brief look at music-related web sites from a research librarian's point of view. It is by Valery King, reference and government information librarian at Oregon State University, and published in the December 2005 issue of College & Research Libraries News. Ms King also has a more detailed Music Research Guide on the OSU library site. These are research and reference sites, not music download sites. (via)
posted by mmahaffie on Jan 3, 2006 - 7 comments

You are your record collection. If you really want to get to know someone, try rummaging through their CD collection. "I don't think anyone who's really passionate about music just 'listens' to it. This research is positive confirmation of the fact that songs are emblematic of people's characters. I've always believed that people's musical taste says a lot about them. If you like Avril Lavigne, for example, you probably need to have your ears syringed."
posted by eyebeam on Jul 11, 2003 - 51 comments

And thanks to all the fish? British researchers say fans of loud music may be responding to a 'pleasure-inducing hearing mechanism' passed down through evolution from fish to humans. Well, slap me with a large trout!
posted by prolific on Feb 17, 2000 - 4 comments