Why Music is Addictive

Music is an irreplaceable part of so many people’s lives.

And if you happen to be one of those people who treat their headphones like a body part, you've likely wondered, “Why do I love music so much?”

There are some obvious answers like “music is relatable”, “music is fun” and “music helps me feel something”. However, there is also a scientific explanation to why music is so addictive.

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a chemical released by our brain (in the midbrain nuclei). It plays a crucial role in reward and movement regulation in the brain, in other words playing a role in motivation and pleasure.

When is dopamine released?

It is released when you’re engaging in pleasurable activities, get enough sleep, exercising, meditating, and, of course, listening to music.

How is dopamine connected to addiction?

When you engage in a pleasurable activity like listening to music, the brain releases a significant amount of dopamine leading to a feeling of pleasure. When you start feeling good, you crave more of that feeling, causing a burst of dopamine signals. Those signals cause a change in the neural connectivity of the brain, making it easy to repeat pleasurable actions just to get more of that feeling. This process leads to the formation of habits and addiction.

Listening to music causes the brain to release dopamine, and the wave of pleasure that comes with it creates a desire to repeat it. Human brains are programmed in a way that they try to increase the odds of pleasurable activities happening again. That is the reason why so many people find music extremely addictive.

Is music addiction bad?

Experts of psychology do not formally recognize music addiction as a mental disorder yet. Nevertheless, in some cases, music addiction can be problematic.

• When you can’t control the behavioral change from music.

• When it causes problems in everyday life for you, or for those around you.

• When you feel unable to control your music-listening pattern.

• You rely solely on music to cope, manage emotions, and deal with feelings.

In short, music is a great way to process emotions, manage feelings, and increase pleasure. However, an overuse of anything can cause an addiction, and even in cases where the addiction isn’t an officially recognized illness it can still cause harm. So while enjoying something, be aware of your limits.