For our first episode of 2026, we explore New Year’s resolutions and why the pressure we put on ourselves, combined with natural fluctuations in emotional state, can make even the best-intentioned goals feel heavy. We introduce a goal-setting model that works with your emotions instead of against them, showing how music can be a practical tool to support the emotional state you need to take action. This episode reveals how music can become your emotional infrastructure, helping you start, sustain, and enjoy the goals that matter most this year.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
05:18 Why New Year’s Resolutions Often Break Down
10:19 How Music Can Emotionally Support Your Goals
22:41 Turning Your Resolutions into Music-Supported Goals
33:32 Summary and Outro
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For our last episode of 2025, we break down the psychology behind Christmas music. We explore why festive songs feel comforting, familiar, and instantly transporting — even if they are decades older than we are. We dive into the musical features that make songs sound “Christmassy", and unpack why some people love Christmas music whilst others hate it. Finally, we bring it all together with a science-backed guide to building the perfect festive playlist: one that regulates mood, reduces stress, and enhances connection.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
02:01 Why Christmas Music Feels So Nostalgic
10:40 What Makes Songs Sound “Christmassy”?
15:02 Why We Love (or Hate) Christmas Music
21:08 How to Build the Perfect Festive Playlist
30:27 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we break down the psychology behind the internet’s favourite holiday: Spotify Wrapped. From nostalgia and identity to social comparison and belonging, we explore the emotional forces that make Wrapped so irresistible. We dive into 2025’s biggest new features, and reveal how Wrapped transforms your listening habits into a personal story worth sharing. Wrapped isn’t just data, it’s music psychology in motion. Here’s why we can’t stop talking about it, posting about it, and waiting for it every year.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:48 Wrapped’s Core Ingredients
10:17 This Year’s Evolution: New Features of Wrapped 2025
27:36 The Psychology Behind Wrapped’s Success
33:52 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore how music shapes the way we shop, from the emotional pull of advertising soundtracks to the subtle cues woven into in-store playlists. Through the psychology of memory, mood, and behaviour, we uncover how brands use music to guide our decisions without us even realising it. We also dive into Christmas as the world’s biggest musical marketing moment, where festive soundtracks combine with nostalgia and generosity to create the ideal environment for unconscious spending. And finally, we examine what happens when music overwhelms, misfires, or crosses into manipulation — and what that means for our relationship with sound, spending, and choice.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
02:33 How Music Sells: The Psychology Behind It
09:52 Inside the Ad: How Marketers Choose Music
17:33 Christmas: The World’s Biggest Musical Marketing Moment
25:12 The Flip Side: The Ethics of Music and Marketing
31:52 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore why scary music scares us and why we secretly love it. Through the psychology of sound, evolution, and emotion, we uncover how horror composers tap into our deepest instincts to create fear through the manipulation of frequency, silence, and dissonance. We trace how the sound of fear has evolved and what it reveals about our relationship with emotion, control, and thrill. We also unpack why some of us seek out fear for pleasure, and how scary music offers a safe space to experience intensity, release, and even joy.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:19 The Evolutionary Function of Fear in Sound
08:44 The Tricks Behind Scary Music
17:06 Why We Love to Be Scared
24:26 How Scary Music Has Evolved
31:58 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore the lost art of listening and what albums can teach us about attention in an age of constant distraction. Through the psychology of flow, deep listening, and emotional regulation, we uncover why albums still matter — not just as collections of songs, but as journeys that mirror our inner lives. We also look at how focused listening affects the brain, memory, and stress, and why slowing down with music might just be the mindfulness practice we didn’t know we needed.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
02:40 Our Distracted Listening Culture
15:37 The Art of Sequencing
20:10 The Psychology of Deep Listening
29:31 Mindfulness Exercise
33:42 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of music fandoms, from the thrill of discovering a new track by your favourite artist to the friendships and communities that form around shared musical passions. From dopamine-fuelled obsession and parasocial bonds to the collective euphoria of concerts and online fan spaces, we unpack the psychology of fandoms. We also ask bigger questions about identity, creativity, and the balance between healthy admiration and unhealthy obsession.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:48 The Science of Obsession
09:05 Parasocial Relationships
14:16 Fandoms and Community
24:17 The Dark Side of Fandoms
30:29 Why Fandoms Matter
35:19 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore the strange world of waiting music, from the smooth strings in elevators to the tinny loops of call centre hold lines. We dive into the psychology of waiting sounds, from attentional distraction and time distortion to the careful design choices that shape your mood. We also ask bigger questions about ethics, manipulation, and the future of waiting music in an AI-driven world. Whether you love it or hate it, you’ll never hear hold music the same way again.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
03:02 The Birth of Background Music
12:04 The Psychology of Waiting Music
18:44 The Sound of Anonymity
25:26 Modern Approaches: From Bland to Branded
30:34 The Ethics
37:04 The Future of Waiting Music
41:35 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore why some songs feel impossible to listen to, instantly pulling us back into buried emotions and memories. From the way music intertwines with memory and emotion in the brain, to how tracks become bound up with trauma, grief, or heartbreak, we dive into the psychology of trigger songs. Through powerful listener stories of avoidance, reclamation and healing, we also unpack therapeutic approaches that can help us navigate painful music and even find ways to reclaim those tracks.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:52 The Science Behind Trigger Songs
08:59 When Songs Become Memories
13:56 Why It Hurts So Deeply
19:59 Listener Stories
31:36 Ways to Cope With Painful Music
38:23 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore why music genres still matter — and why, in many ways, they don’t. From the history of genre classification and their role in shaping communities and emotional expectations, to how streaming, playlists, and globalised sounds are blurring boundaries, we dive into the psychology and cultural significance of musical categories. Ultimately, we reveal how genres remain a powerful yet evolving lens for identity, emotion, and the way we experience the ever-expanding universe of sound.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:09 A Brief History of Genres
08:27 Why Genres Matter Less Today
20:24 Do Genres Still Matter In Some Ways?
28:55 Future Trends: What’s Next for Genres?
33:49 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we uncover why lyrics matter so deeply in music and what makes certain lines unforgettable. From self-expression and storytelling to emotional regulation, we dive into the psychology of why some words resonate whilst others pass us by, and how personal relevance shapes what sticks in memory. We also explore the science of misheard lyrics, the power of vocal delivery, and the neuroscience of why lyrics stay with us — even resurfacing in dementia — showing how songs connect us to our identity, our memories, and each other.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:41 Lyrics as Mirrors of the Self
04:24 Lyrics as Storytelling
11:26 When Lyrics Hit Home
16:28 Do Words or Melodies Move Us More?
23:23 What Makes Lyrics Memorable
27:10 Mondegreens: Why We Mishear Songs
32:35 Lyrics as Social Glue
37:03 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore how our playlists shift with our emotions and life stages, and why the same song can comfort us one day and energise us the next. Using the Brief Music in Mood Regulation scale, we explore seven science-backed strategies for utilising music to regulate mood. Whether you’re chasing a dopamine high, seeking comfort, or just needing a moment to breathe, this episode will help you understand the psychology behind why your emotions pick your playlist.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
02:21 Entertainment: When Music Is Just for Fun
06:01 Revival: Recharging Your Mind and Mood
12:06 Strong Sensation: Chasing Musical Chills and Rush
16:01 Diversion: Pressing Pause on Worries
20:06 Discharge: Letting Your Feelings Out Through Music
24:14 Mental Work: Thinking and Reflecting with Music
28:08 Solace: Feeling Understood Through Sound
32:10 Bringing It All Together: How Moods and Music Intertwine
34:48 Summary and Outro
Cook et al’s (2019) study: https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735617734627
2024 follow-up study: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03057356241258959
Brief Music in Mood Regulation Scale: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft17588-000
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In this episode, we dive deep into the world of live music and explore why concerts are so much more than just sound. We explore how live shows create powerful emotions, meaningful connections, and leave us with unforgettable memories. From the brain chemistry behind goosebumps to the social magic of singing in unison, we unpack the science that makes live music experiences so powerful. This episode is your reason to grab tickets to your next show.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:42 The Science of Live Music
13:58 Social Bonding and Collective Emotion
21:10 The Neuroscience of Anticipation and Setlists
25:43 Why Concert Memories Stick for Life
30:35 Audience Participation and Personal Agency
34:44 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we’re keeping things light, reflective, and a little more personal as we mark my birthday week with a relaxed, chit-chat-style conversation. From the strange universality of the “Happy Birthday” song to the pop anthems that turn birthdays into a vibe, we explore how music shapes our milestones. We discuss the emotional role of music in birthdays, the rituals we create around it, and why we often return to nostalgic tracks during this time of year. Plus, we dive into summer songs — those feel-good tracks that become emotional time capsules.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:44 Birthday Songs: From Tradition to Pop Anthems
10:16 Music, Rituals and Reflection: The Soundtrack of Growth
15:43 Summer Soundtracks: How Music Captures Seasonal Memories
20:10 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore why music feels so different when you’re wearing headphones. From immersive audio and sonic intimacy to emotional privacy and everyday rituals, we dive into the psychology of how headphones reshape our relationship with sound. We discuss everything from binaural recordings and 8D audio to the power of zoning out and self-regulating inside a personal emotional sanctuary. This episode is a reminder that putting on headphones isn’t just about listening; it’s about entering a space that belongs entirely to you.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:36 How Headphones Pull You Into the Music
10:09 Tuning Into the Music and Tuning Out of Your Surroundings
18:49 Emotional Boundaries: Music as a Personal Sanctuary
24:06 The Headphone Ritual: How Sound Shapes Your Day
28:10 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore what happens when music goes from uplifting to overwhelming. While it’s often a source of comfort and connection, too much music, especially when it’s constant or passive, can lead to playlist fatigue, emotional burnout, and numbness. We unpack the neuroscience of overstimulation, the emotional toll of passive listening, and how stepping away from music can actually deepen your connection to it. From avoidance to intentional listening, this episode is a reminder that in a world full of sound, silence can be healing.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:33 Playlist Fatigue and Overstimulation
09:18 When Music Loses Its Meaning
13:51 Music as Emotional Avoidance
20:18 The Healing Power of Silence
25:43 Finding Balance: Intentional Listening and Sonic Fasting
29:46 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore what really happens inside our minds when we listen to music. Beyond emotion, music guides our thoughts, triggering memories, sparking imagination, or even pulling us into everyday mind-wandering. We dive into new research that maps these “thoughtscapes,” showing how different genres, emotional tones, and musical elements shape the mental journeys we take.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:47 Exploring Music from Feeling to Thinking
06:17 What We Think About When We Listen to Music
11:21 Genre as the Director of Your Thoughts
17:17 Why Your Favourite Songs Feel So Personal
21:50 How Emotion and Musical Change Shape Your Thoughts
25:48 Using Music Intentionally to Curate Your Inner World
29:11 Open Questions: The Future of Thoughtscapes Research
34:05 Summary and Outro
Full research paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356251346654
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In this episode, we explore why we get stuck on one song, playing it over and over until it becomes the soundtrack to our lives. We dive into the neuroscience of repetition, unpacking why our brains love hearing the familiar. We also look at how looping music helps us process intense emotions, regulate our moods, and create comfort through ritual. Repetition in music is more than a habit. It’s a mirror, a memory, and a deeply human way of healing.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:22 The Brain Loves Repetition
09:02 Musical Repetition as Emotional Processing
14:55 Looping as Ritual: Comfort, Control and Regulation
20:02 Repetition in Culture and Tech: From Streaming to TikTok
24:21 What Your Repeat Song Says About You
27:40 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore how synesthesia transforms the way some people experience music, turning sound into colour, shape, texture, and even taste. We unpack the neuroscience behind this rare phenomenon and hear first-hand stories from listeners who live it every day, uncovering what synesthesia reveals about the multisensory nature of music.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:51 What Is Synesthesia?
16:16 The Neuroscience of Synesthesia
31:14 What Does Synesthesia Feel Like?
48:30 What Synesthesia Teaches Us About Music and Human Experience
51:51 Summary and Outro
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In this episode, we explore how TikTok has transformed the music industry — from the way songs are discovered to how they're written, marketed, and emotionally experienced. Whether it’s algorithm-driven repetition, remix culture, or nostalgia-fuelled engagement, we unpack the psychology behind why certain tracks go viral and the implications for both artists and listeners.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
01:43 The TikTok Music Ecosystem
08:52 Inside the TikTok Algorithm
11:54 The Psychology of Why Some Songs Go Viral
21:16 Nostalgia Sells: Mashups, Remixes and Sampling
32:43 Implications for Artists & Listeners
40:52 Summary and Outro
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