Our Mission
Musical People is a community-driven organization dedicated to strengthening human connection through collective music-making. Grounded in scientific research and evolutionary history, we believe that rhythm and melody are fundamental tools for social cohesion. By connecting people with shared musical experiences, we help people build deeper relationships, foster belonging, and reclaim music’s power as a force for unity.
Reading List
Musical People’s vision for community building is based on cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary research spanning music cognition, anthropology, evolutionary psychology, and neuroscience. Scientists and scholars across disciplines have increasingly recognized that musicality is not merely entertainment—it’s fundamental to human connection, cooperation, and social cohesion.
From theories about music’s role in early human evolution to studies showing how group singing strengthens empathy and trust, these books and papers provide deep insight into why making music together is such a powerful force for community.
Books
The Origins of Musicality
Henkjan Honing
A deep dive into the biological and cognitive roots of musicality, arguing that rhythm and melody are fundamental to human nature. →
This Is Your Brain on Music:
The Science of a Human Obsession
Daniel J. Levitin
A fascinating look at how the brain processes music, why humans are so deeply drawn to it, and how it shapes emotion and memory. →
Wired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound
Adriana Barton
Health journalist and former cellist Adriana Barton sets out to discover what music is really for, combing through medical studies, discoveries by pioneering neuroscientists, and research from biology and anthropology. →
The Singing Neanderthals:
The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body
Steven Mithen
A groundbreaking argument that music predates language and was essential to early human social bonding and communication. →
How Music Can Make You Better
Indre Viskontas
A concise, engaging, and science-based exploration of how music enhances brain function, well-being, and social connection. →
The Music Instinct:
How Music Works and Why We Can’t Do Without It
Philip Ball
A broad, accessible book explaining how music is hardwired into the human brain and why it plays a vital role in our social and emotional lives. →
The Musical Human: A History of Life on Earth
Michael Spitzer
A colossal history spanning cultures, time, and space to explore the vibrant relationship between music and the human species.
The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature
Daniel J. Levitin
Daniel Levitin reveals music’s role in the evolution of human culture in this thought-provoking book.
Music, Language, and Human Evolution
Nicholas Bannan (ed.)
An exploration of how music and language co-evolved, with proto-musical vocalizations playing a key role in human social bonding and communication. →
Music, Language, and the Brain
Aniruddh D. Patel
A detailed exploration of the links between music and language, showing how our brains process both in deeply connected ways. →
Why You Love Music:
From Mozart to Metallica—The Emotional Power of Beautiful Sounds
John Powell
An engaging introduction to the emotional and psychological effects of music on human behavior. →