Have you ever listened to a song and suddenly felt a shiver run down your spine? Maybe it was a powerful vocal moment, a dramatic instrumental swell, or an unexpected chord change that caught you off guard. That sensation, known as frisson (a French word meaning “aesthetic chills”), is a real, measurable response to music.
-Thrusday, April 3
It’s not just in your head there’s actual science behind why certain sounds can send waves of emotion through your body. Some people describe frisson as goosebumps, a sudden chill, or even a rush of warmth , while others might feel an increase in heart rate or even teary-eyed. But what exactly is happening in your brain and body when you experience this? Let’s dive into the fascinating world of music and neuroscience to find out.
Your Brain on Music: A Dopamine Rush
When you hear a song you love, your brain reacts in a way similar to other pleasurable experiences—whether it’s eating your favorite food, watching an emotional scene in a movie, or even falling in love. That’s because music stimulates the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that plays a key role in motivation, pleasure, and reward.
In fact, scientists have found that peak emotional moments in music—like a powerful key change, an unexpected harmony, or a climactic solo—can trigger this dopamine release, giving you chills. This means that your brain responds to music in the same way it does to natural rewards like food and social bonding, which explains why music can feel so incredibly moving and addictive.
A 2011 study conducted by neuroscientists at McGill University used fMRI scans to observe people’s brain activity while they listened to music that gave them chills. The results showed increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain that is strongly associated with motivation, reward, and emotional arousal.
But that’s not all—when people experienced frisson, there was also a spike in activity in the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily responses. This is why frisson can cause physical sensations like goosebumps, a racing heart, or even a lump in your throat. Your body is reacting to music almost as if it were a thrilling or emotional real-life event!
The Element of Surprise & Expectation in Music
One of the biggest reasons music can give you chills is the element of surprise. Our brains are constantly predicting what will happen next in music, based on patterns we’ve heard before. When a song unexpectedly changes key, introduces a sudden swell of emotion, or features a breathtaking vocal moment, it surprises us in a way that intensifies our emotional connection to the music.
Think about the moment in a song where the singer suddenly hits a high note with raw emotion, or when an orchestra explodes into a grand crescendo. Maybe it’s the moment before the beat drops in an electronic song, or when a movie score builds tension before the climax of a scene. These are all perfect examples of musical moments that can induce frisson.
Common Musical Moments That Cause Chills:
– A sudden key change or unexpected chord progression that creates tension and resolution.
– An emotionally powerful vocal performance, especially when a singer conveys deep emotion through their voice.
– A dramatic crescendo , where the music gradually builds up before an epic climax.
– The drop in electronic music, where a build-up of tension is released in an explosion of sound.
– A nostalgic melody, where the music reminds you of a powerful memory or past experience.
It’s fascinating that frisson isn’t just about what the music sounds like—it’s about how it plays with our expectations and emotions. The more a piece of music takes us on an emotional journey, the more likely we are to feel chills.
Why Do Some People Experience Frisson More Than Others?
Not everyone gets chills from music, and some people feel it much more intensely than others. So what makes the difference?
Studies suggest that people who experience frisson have stronger connections between their auditory cortex (the part of the brain that processes sound) and their emotional processing centers (such as the amygdala and nucleus accumbens). This means that their brains are more wired to react emotionally to music, making them more susceptible to chills and intense emotional responses.
Personality also plays a role. Research has shown that people who score high in openness to experience, a personality trait linked to creativity, curiosity, and deep emotional engagement with art, are more likely to experience frisson. If you’re someone who easily gets lost in music, art, or storytelling, chances are you might experience chills from music more often than others.
Interestingly, some people also report that certain types of music give them chills more than others. While classical and film music are known for their dramatic and emotional compositions, other genres like rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music can also produce frisson, depending on the listener’s personal preferences and emotional connections.
How to Experience More Chills from Music
If you’ve never felt frisson before or want to experience it more often, there are some techniques you can try to enhance your emotional response to music.
– Listen in a quiet, distraction-free environment where you can fully focus on the music.
– Use high-quality headphones or speakers to hear the depth and details of the sound.
– Close your eyes and let yourself get lost in the music , focusing on the dynamics and emotions.
– Pay attention to how the music builds tension and releases it, anticipating powerful moments.
– Explore genres known for dramatic emotional shifts, such as classical music, film scores, progressive rock, or ambient electronic music.
The key to experiencing frisson is allowing yourself to be emotionally immersed in the music. If you approach listening with an open mind and let yourself feel the music deeply, you’re much more likely to experience those spine-tingling moments.
Music is one of the few things in life that can directly tap into our emotions and physiology, triggering real, physical reactions. Whether it’s a haunting melody, a sweeping orchestral moment, or an epic guitar solo, the chills you feel are proof of music’s deep connection to the human brain.
The fact that something as abstract as sound waves can make us cry, feel euphoric, or experience chills shows just how powerful music truly is. It’s a universal language that speaks directly to our emotions, bridging the gap between sound and feeling in a way that no other art form can.
So next time a song sends shivers down your spine, remember it’s not just in your head. Your brain and body are reacting to music in a deeply meaningful way, proving just how extraordinary the power of sound really is.
