Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Your Brain on Music

    Just what’s going on in our heads when a song gets stuck there? And why do we keep returning to our favorite songs over and over and over again? We take a look at the latest science on how music interacts with our brains.

    • rss
    • apple-podcasts
    • spotify
    • Share
    By Madeleine Brand • Aug 29, 2014 • 1 min read

    Just what’s going on in our heads when a song gets stuck there? And why do we keep returning to our favorite songs over and over and over again? We take a look at the latest science on how music interacts with our brains.

    The full episode

    2 of 4
    Soul Train, Ear Worms and Musical Mysteries
    1. 0:00Four Decades of Soul Train
    2. 15:16Your Brain on MusicYou’re reading this
    3. 27:00Mystery of a Rare Record
    4. 41:44Who is William Onyeabor?
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Andrew Walsh

      Too Beautiful to Live

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Elizabeth Margulis

      University of Arkansas

      News

    The full episode

    2 of 4
    Soul Train, Ear Worms and Musical Mysteries
    1. 0:00Four Decades of Soul Train
    2. 15:16Your Brain on MusicYou’re reading this
    3. 27:00Mystery of a Rare Record
    4. 41:44Who is William Onyeabor?
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand