How our brains and bodies physically become the music we hear

[WORLD] A steady beat, a stirring melody—and suddenly, we’re tapping our feet or swaying without a second thought. But what drives this instinctive reaction? New research from North America, published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, offers a compelling answer: we don’t just listen to music—our brains and bodies resonate with it.

Thanks to recent breakthroughs in neuroimaging, scientists can now observe this phenomenon as it happens. Functional MRI scans reveal that when individuals listen to rhythmic music, brain regions responsible for movement—including the basal ganglia and motor cortex—become active, even if the listener remains physically still. This suggests that the brain isn’t just passively hearing music; it’s preparing the body to move in response, creating an internal rhythm that mirrors the external sound.

The study, led by Edward Large of the University of Connecticut and Caroline Palmer of McGill University, supports a bold theory known as Neural Resonance Theory (NRT). Unlike traditional explanations, which attribute our response to music to learned patterns or predictive cognition, NRT posits that our brain’s natural oscillations align with musical rhythms.

This neural alignment is anything but passive. The brain doesn’t merely track the beat—it predicts it. When a familiar rhythm is disrupted, the brain registers a kind of prediction error, a response similar to what occurs when expectations are unmet. This mechanism may explain the emotional satisfaction we feel when a musical phrase resolves predictably, or why an offbeat change can feel unsettling.

“Music is powerful not just because we listen to it, but because our brains and bodies become it,” Palmer explained.

According to the researchers, these intrinsic brain rhythms naturally synchronize with musical beats, shaping how we perceive rhythm and driving our impulse to move in time with the music. This phenomenon is believed to be deeply rooted in our biology, not just our cultural upbringing.

Fascinatingly, this resonance might also explain why rhythmic similarities appear across global musical traditions. Comparative studies of Western, African, and Indian music have identified shared patterns in tempo and meter—suggesting that certain rhythms may align with universal neural frequencies.

And this effect isn’t confined to trained musicians or avid music fans. Neural resonance, researchers note, operates through universal mechanisms, unaffected by musical background or experience.

The implications of this theory extend beyond music appreciation. NRT could inform therapeutic strategies for neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, stroke recovery, or depression. It may also influence the development of emotionally attuned artificial intelligence or inspire new, brain-based approaches to music education.

Ultimately, this research sheds fresh light on a phenomenon that transcends language and culture: music’s unique ability to connect us. By revealing the deep, biological roots of our bond with rhythm, Neural Resonance Theory offers a new lens on one of humanity’s most enduring and universal experiences.

Music, it turns out, is not just heard—it’s felt, lived, and mirrored deep within us.