classical music research topic

61 Classical Music Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best classical music topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 interesting topics to write about classical music, 📃 good research topics about classical music.

• Classical Music: Merriam’s Tripartite Model of Music Classical music is characterized by the harmony that is full of chromaticism. Music is meant to provide a meaningful interaction of the body and soul.
• Classical Music: Influence on Brain and Mood Considering the potential positive effects of classical music on the mood and the brain, the music can be adapted to influence people to behave in certain ways.
• Music Appreciation: Reggae Music and Classical Music At the end of the paper, the relationships between reggae and classical music will be considered with the emphasis made on the similarities between the genres.
• Pomona College Choir Classical Music Concert While in the previous performances, I perceived this song as a repenting of a sinner, when listening to the Pomona College Choir, I realized that there was a touch of childlike innocence to it.
• Classical and Contemporary Music Comparison Lyrical content is of great import to hip-hop and has spawned a new style of singing that has riveted the audiences’ attention to this music.
• Classical Music: Composer Philip Glass Classic music emerged in the beginning of the 11th century in the West. Conclusion Philip Glass is a great composer who has helped conserve the unique nature of classical music.
• The Classical Music and Their Effects Classical Music can be defined as a form of Art music that is produced in traditions concerned with secular and western liturgical music.
• Classical Symphonies: Investigating Style Evolution of Western Classical Music The formative period of classical music was between the 18th and 19th centuries. Beethoven wrote music slowly and purposely with the romantics’ guidance.
• Modernist Movement in Music: Investigating Style Evolution of Western Classical Music The modernist movement in music seems appropriate for this paper because of the unique and exciting styles of composing modern-era music, such as jazz, pop, and rock.
• Listening to Classical Music This whole thing repeats, but with more complication, and then moves into a slower part like a waltz added in, and then the notes repeat the up and down pattern that sounded like shallow waterfall […]
• Classical Symphony and Classical Chamber Music 140″ is still one of the greatest works of the Baroque era. The composer is famous for many works, and some of them have left riddles.
• Classical Music: Cultural Consumption and Cultural Diversity The author states that the value of classical music is great, and it is recognized widely. It seems important to emphasize that the author of the given article aligns classical music with equality and dignity.
• Classical Music Concerts: Video Report The lighting in the contemporary venue is clear and sharp for this segment of the performance. The energy and complete commitment to the music on the part of the violinist, as well as the rest […]
• Classical and Modern Music To understand the connection between music performance and the epoch, it is possible to consider a concert in the late eighteenth century and a concert of hip-hop music in the early twenty-first century.
• Verismo in Classical Music Verismo refers to the composition of classical music based on natural elements and it was introduced to Italy in the late 19th Century.
• Pieces From Classical and Romantic Music E-Concert The material of the first part is repeated, and at the end of the Overture the harmonic balance of the orchestra is assaulted by sudden sounds of trombones, as if questioning the achieved harmony.
• Classical Music Concert “Toyota Symphonies for Youths” The lady was mainly doing the vocals while one of the gentlemen was playing the piano, the other was playing an oboe and the last one was playing a bassoon.
• Washington Cathedral Classical Music Christmas Concert The pieces were performed beautifully; actually, I got a sense of satisfaction and deep rumination of the Christmas season because of the expressive execution of the pieces by the band and the choir.
• Benjamin Britten: A Renowned Classic Musician However, his mother was a part time singer and she aided his growth in approach and musical content.”The Royal Falily” is one of his well known compositions in his early childhood, which was about the […]
• Classical Music: Attending a Concert 2 is one of the most remarkable stories in the world of classical music. Le Grand Tango for violin and piano is one of the most beautiful masterpieces in classical music.
• Overview of Baroque and Classical Music Differences
• Baroque Music: The Beginning of Classical Music
• Are Popular and Classical Music Listeners the Same People
• Can Culturally-Specific Perspectives to Teaching Western Classical Music Benefit International Students?
• The Relationships Between Classical Music and Cognitive Development
• Classical Music and Its Affect on Society
• Has Classical Music Influenced Rock Music?
• Comparative Analysis of Classical Music and Jazz Music
• Classical Music and Its Effect on Children
• History of Classical Music and the Era of Symphonies
• Classical Music and Its Influence on Education
• Comparing and Contrasting Classical Music and the Blues
• Classical Music and Its Influence on Western Culture
• Does Classical Music Help You Study Better?
• Comparative Analysis of Rap and Classical Music
• Classical Music and Modern Music: Comparative Analysis
• Creating Variation Within Traditional Classical Music Forms
• Classical Music Influences Our Body’s Vital Movements
• Does Classical Music Have an Effect on Infants’ Brain Development?
• Classical Music: Theme and Variations
• Comparison Between Pop Music and Classical Music
• Does Classical Music Help the Growth of Plants?
• How Franz Liszt’s Transcriptions Shaped the Path of Classical Music
• Ludwig Van Beethoven and His Influence on Classical Music
• Overview of Malaysian Malaysian Classical Music and Malaysian Folk
• Memory and Brain Effects of Classical Music
• Music and Emotion: A Case for North Indian Classical Music
• Rock vs. Classical Music: Pros and Cons of Each Type of Music
• Romanticism and Classical Music Styles Overview
• How Classical Music Has Changed the World
• Similarities Between Classical Music and Ellington’s Jazz
• The Eastern Classical Music Cultural Studies
• The Most Influential Composers of the Classical Music Era
• “The Mozart Effect”: Can Classical Music Improve Your Academic Ability?
• The Pros and Cons of Classical Music
• War and Creativity: Solving the War-Art Puzzle for Classical Music Composition
• Western Classical Music Development: Statistical Analysis of Composers’ Similarity, Differentiation, and Evolution
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Impact on Classical Music
• Innovation of Bach in Comparison to Other Composers of the Era
• Discovering the Effect Classical Music Has on a Person’s Perception
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The Top 10 Most Interesting Music Research Topics

Music is a vast and ever-growing field. Because of this, it can be challenging to find excellent music research topics for your essay or thesis. Although there are many examples of music research topics online, not all are appropriate.

This article covers all you need to know about choosing suitable music research paper topics. It also provides a clear distinction between music research questions and topics to help you get started.

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What makes a strong music research topic.

A strong music research topic must be short, straightforward, and easy to grasp. The primary aim of music research is to apply various research methods to provide valuable insights into a particular subject area. Therefore, your topic must also address issues that are relevant to present-day readers.

Also, for your research topic to be compelling, it should not be overly generic. Try to avoid topics that seem to be too broad. A strong research topic is always narrow enough to draw out a comprehensive and relevant research question.

Tips for Choosing a Music Research Topic

• Check with your supervisor. In some cases, your school or supervisor may have specific requirements for your research. For example, some music programs may favor a comparative instead of a descriptive or correlational study. Knowing what your institution demands is essential in choosing an appropriate research topic.
• Explore scientific papers. Journal articles are a great way to find the critical areas of interest in your field of study. You can choose from a wide range of journals such as The Journal of Musicology and The Journal of the Royal Musical Association . These resources can help determine the direction of your research.
• Determine your areas of interest. Choosing a topic you have a personal interest in will help you stay motivated. Researching music-related subjects is a painstakingly thorough process. A lack of motivation would make it difficult to follow through with your research and achieve optimal results.
• Confirm availability of data sources. Not all music topics are researchable. Before selecting a topic, you must be sure that there are enough primary and secondary data sources for your research. You also need to be sure that you can carry out your research with tested and proven research methods.
• Ask your colleagues: Asking questions is one of the many research skills you need to cultivate. A short discussion or brainstorming session with your colleagues or other music professionals could help you identify a suitable topic for your research paper.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a particular subject area in a much wider field that a researcher chooses to place his emphasis on. Most subjects are extensive. So, before conducting research, a researcher must first determine a suitable area of interest that will act as the foundation for their investigation.

Research questions are drawn from research topics. However, research questions are usually more streamlined. While research topics can take a more generic viewpoint, research questions further narrow the focus down to specific case studies or seek to draw a correlation between two or more datasets.

How to Create Strong Music Research Questions

Strong music research questions must be relevant and specific. Music is a broad field with many genres and possible research areas. However, your research question must focus on a single subject matter and provide valuable insights. Also, your research question should be based on parameters that can be quantified and studied using available research methods.

Top 10 Music Research Paper Topics

1. understanding changes in music consumption patterns.

Although several known factors affect how people consume music, there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding how these factors influence listening choices. Your music research paper could outline some of these factors that affect music consumer behavior and highlight their mechanism of action.

2. Hip-hop Culture and Its Effect on Teenage Behavior

In 2020, hip-hop and RnB had the highest streaming numbers , according to Statista. Without a doubt, hip-hop music has had a significant influence on the behavior of young adults. There is still the need to conduct extensive research on this subject to determine if there is a correlation between hip-hop music and specific behavioral patterns, especially among teenagers.

3. The Application of Music as a Therapeutic Tool

For a long time, music has been used to manage stress and mental health disorders like anxiety, PTSD, and others. However, the role of music in clinical treatment still remains a controversial topic. Further research is required to separate fact from fiction and provide insight into the potential of music therapy.

4. Contemporary Rock Music and Its Association With Harmful Social Practices

Rock music has had a great influence on American culture since the 1950s. Since its rise to prominence, it has famously been associated with vices such as illicit sex and abuse of recreational drugs. An excellent research idea could be to evaluate if there is a robust causal relationship between contemporary rock music and adverse social behaviors.

5. The Impact of Streaming Apps on Global Music Consumption

Technology has dramatically affected the music industry by modifying individual music consumption habits. Presently, over 487 million people subscribe to a digital streaming service, according to Statista. Your research paper could examine how much of an influence popular music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have had on how we listen to music.

6. Effective American Music Education Practices

Teaching practices have always had a considerable impact on students’ academic success. However, not all strategies have an equal effect in enhancing learning experiences for students. You can conduct comparative research on two or more American music education practices and evaluate their impact on learning outcomes.

7. The Evolution of Music Production in the Technology-driven Era

One of the aspects of music that is experiencing a massive change is sound production. More than ever before, skilled, tech-savvy music producers are in high demand. At the moment, music producers earn about $70,326 annually, according to ZipRecruiter. So, your research could focus on the changes in music production techniques since the turn of the 21st century.

8. Jazz Music and Its Influence on Western Music Genres

The rich history of jazz music has established it as one of the most influential genres of music since the 19th century. Over the years, several famous composers and leading voices across many other western music genres have been shaped by jazz music’s sound and culture. You could carry out research on the influence of this genre of music on modern types of music.

9. The Effect of Wars on Music

Wars have always brought about radical changes in several aspects of culture, including music styles. Throughout history, we have witnessed wars result in the death of famous musicians. If you are interested in learning about music history in relation to global events, a study on the impact of wars on music will make an excellent music research paper.

10. African Tribal Percussion

African music is well recognized for its unique application of percussion. Historically, several tribes and cultures had their own percussion instruments and original methods of expression. Unfortunately, this musical style has mainly gone undocumented. An in-depth study into ancient African tribal percussion would make a strong music research paper.

Other Examples of Music Research Topics & Questions

Music research topics.

• Popular musical styles of the 20th century
• The role of musical pieces in political movements
• Biographies of influential musicians during the baroque period
• The influence of classical music on modern-day culture
• The relationship between music and fashion

Music Research Questions

• What is the relationship between country music and conservationist ideologies among middle-aged American voters?
• What is the effect of listening to Chinese folk music on the critical thinking skills of high school students?
• How have electronic music production technologies influenced the sound quality of contemporary music?
• What is the correlation between punk music and substance abuse among Black-American males?
• How does background music affect learning and information retention in children?

Choosing the Right Music Research Topic

Your research topic is the foundation on which every other aspect of your study is built. So, you must select a music research topic that gives you room to adequately explore intriguing hypotheses and, if possible, proffer practically applicable solutions.

Also, if you seek to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Music , you must be prepared to conduct research during your study. Choosing the right music research topic is the first step in guaranteeing good grades and delivering relevant, high-quality contributions in this constantly expanding field.

Music Research Topics FAQ

A good music research topic should be between 10 to 12 words long. Long, wordy music essay topics are usually confusing. They can make it difficult for readers to understand the goal of your research. Avoid using lengthy phrases or vague terms that could confuse the reader.

Journal articles are the best place to find helpful resources for your music research. You can explore reputable, high-impact journal articles to see if any research has been done related to your chosen topic. Journal articles also help to provide data for comparison while carrying out your research.

Primary sources carry out their own research and cite their own data. In contrast, secondary sources report data obtained from a primary source. Although primary sources are regarded as more credible, you can include a good mixture of primary and secondary sources in your research.

The most common research methods for music research are qualitative, quantitative, descriptive, and analytical. Your research strategy is arguably the most crucial part of your study. You must learn different research methods to determine which one would be the perfect fit for your particular research question.

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• A Research Guide
• Research Paper Topics

120 Music Research Paper Topics

How to choose a topic for music research paper:.

Music Theory Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of harmonic progression on emotional response in music
• Analyzing the use of chromaticism in the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach
• The role of rhythm and meter in creating musical tension and release
• Examining the development of tonality in Western classical music
• Exploring the impact of cultural and historical context on musical form and structure
• Investigating the use of polyphony in Renaissance choral music
• Analyzing the compositional techniques of minimalist music
• The relationship between melody and harmony in popular music
• Examining the influence of jazz improvisation on contemporary music
• The role of counterpoint in the compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven
• Investigating the use of microtonality in experimental music
• Analyzing the impact of technology on music composition and production
• The influence of musical modes on the development of different musical genres
• Exploring the use of musical symbolism in film scoring
• Investigating the role of music theory in the analysis and interpretation of non-Western music

Music Industry Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of streaming services on music consumption patterns
• The role of social media in promoting and marketing music
• The effects of piracy on the music industry
• The influence of technology on music production and distribution
• The relationship between music and mental health
• The evolution of music genres and their impact on the industry
• The economics of live music events and festivals
• The role of record labels in shaping the music industry
• The impact of globalization on the music industry
• The representation and portrayal of gender in the music industry
• The effects of music streaming platforms on artist revenue
• The role of music education in fostering talent and creativity
• The influence of music videos on audience perception and engagement
• The impact of music streaming on physical album sales
• The role of music in advertising and brand marketing

Music Therapy Research Paper Topics:

• The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing anxiety in cancer patients
• The impact of music therapy on improving cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
• Exploring the use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
• The role of music therapy in promoting emotional well-being in children with autism spectrum disorder
• Music therapy as a complementary treatment for depression: A systematic review
• The effects of music therapy on stress reduction in pregnant women
• Examining the benefits of music therapy in improving communication skills in individuals with developmental disabilities
• The use of music therapy in enhancing motor skills rehabilitation after stroke
• Music therapy interventions for improving sleep quality in patients with insomnia
• Exploring the impact of music therapy on reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The role of music therapy in improving social interaction and engagement in individuals with schizophrenia
• Music therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing symptoms of dementia
• The effects of music therapy on pain perception and opioid use in hospitalized patients
• Exploring the use of music therapy in promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety during surgical procedures
• The impact of music therapy on improving quality of life in individuals with Parkinson’s disease

Music Psychology Research Paper Topics:

• The effects of music on mood and emotions
• The role of music in enhancing cognitive abilities
• The impact of music therapy on mental health disorders
• The relationship between music and memory recall
• The influence of music on stress reduction and relaxation
• The psychological effects of different genres of music
• The role of music in promoting social bonding and cohesion
• The effects of music on creativity and problem-solving abilities
• The psychological benefits of playing a musical instrument
• The impact of music on motivation and productivity
• The psychological effects of music on physical exercise performance
• The role of music in enhancing learning and academic performance
• The influence of music on sleep quality and patterns
• The psychological effects of music on individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The relationship between music and personality traits

Music Education Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of music education on cognitive development in children
• The effectiveness of incorporating technology in music education
• The role of music education in promoting social and emotional development
• The benefits of music education for students with special needs
• The influence of music education on academic achievement
• The importance of music education in fostering creativity and innovation
• The relationship between music education and language development
• The impact of music education on self-esteem and self-confidence
• The role of music education in promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity
• The effects of music education on students’ overall well-being and mental health
• The significance of music education in developing critical thinking skills
• The role of music education in enhancing students’ teamwork and collaboration abilities
• The impact of music education on students’ motivation and engagement in school
• The effectiveness of different teaching methods in music education
• The relationship between music education and career opportunities in the music industry

Music History Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of African music on the development of jazz in the United States
• The role of women composers in classical music during the 18th century
• The impact of the Beatles on the evolution of popular music in the 1960s
• The cultural significance of hip-hop music in urban communities
• The development of opera in Italy during the Renaissance
• The influence of folk music on the protest movements of the 1960s
• The role of music in religious rituals and ceremonies throughout history
• The evolution of electronic music and its impact on contemporary music production
• The contribution of Latin American musicians to the development of salsa music
• The influence of classical music on film scores in the 20th century
• The role of music in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States
• The development of reggae music in Jamaica and its global impact
• The influence of Mozart’s compositions on the classical music era
• The role of music in the French Revolution and its impact on society
• The evolution of punk rock music and its influence on alternative music genres

Music Sociology Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of music streaming platforms on the music industry
• The role of music in shaping cultural identity
• Gender representation in popular music: A sociological analysis
• The influence of social media on music consumption patterns
• Music festivals as spaces for social interaction and community building
• The relationship between music and political activism
• The effects of globalization on local music scenes
• The role of music in constructing and challenging social norms
• The impact of technology on music production and distribution
• Music and social movements: A comparative study
• The role of music in promoting social change and social justice
• The influence of socioeconomic factors on music taste and preferences
• The role of music in constructing and reinforcing gender stereotypes
• The impact of music education on social and cognitive development
• The relationship between music and mental health: A sociological perspective

Classical Music Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of Ludwig van Beethoven on the development of classical music
• The role of women composers in classical music history
• The impact of Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions on future generations
• The evolution of opera in the classical period
• The significance of Mozart’s symphonies in the classical era
• The influence of nationalism on classical music during the Romantic period
• The portrayal of emotions in classical music compositions
• The use of musical forms and structures in the works of Franz Joseph Haydn
• The impact of the Industrial Revolution on the production and dissemination of classical music
• The relationship between classical music and dance in the Baroque era
• The role of patronage in the development of classical music
• The influence of folk music on classical composers
• The representation of nature in classical music compositions
• The impact of technological advancements on classical music performance and recording
• The exploration of polyphony in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach

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Home » 500+ Music Research Topics

500+ Music Research Topics

Music is a universal language that has the power to evoke emotions, bring people together, and express complex ideas and feelings. As a result, it has been the subject of extensive research and analysis across a wide range of fields, from psychology and neuroscience to sociology and cultural studies. Whether you are a music student, researcher , or simply a curious enthusiast, there are countless fascinating and important topics to explore within the realm of music research. From the history and evolution of different musical genres to the impact of music on human behavior and cognition, the possibilities for investigation and discovery are virtually endless. In this post, we will highlight some of the most interesting and relevant music research topics that you can explore in your own studies or simply as a way to deepen your appreciation and understanding of this rich and diverse art form.

Music Research Topics

Music Research Topics are as follows:

• The impact of music on memory retention.
• The evolution of hip-hop music and its influence on popular culture.
• The relationship between music and emotions.
• The role of music in religious and spiritual practices.
• The effects of music on mental health.
• The impact of music on athletic performance.
• The role of music in therapy and rehabilitation.
• The evolution of classical music through the ages.
• The impact of technology on music creation and distribution.
• The relationship between music and language acquisition.
• The cultural significance of music in different parts of the world.
• The influence of popular music on politics and social issues.
• The impact of music on academic performance.
• The role of music in film and television.
• The use of music in advertising and marketing.
• The psychology of musical preferences.
• The effects of music on sleep patterns and quality.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity.
• The influence of music on fashion and style.
• The impact of music education on childhood development.
• The role of music in memory recall and nostalgia.
• The effects of music on physical health.
• The relationship between music and brain development.
• The impact of music on the immune system.
• The influence of music on social behavior.
• The evolution of jazz music and its impact on society.
• The role of music in cultural preservation and identity.
• The effects of music on stress levels and anxiety.
• The relationship between music and social movements.
• The impact of music on language learning and pronunciation.
• The effects of music on learning and cognition.
• The influence of music on political ideologies and movements.
• The impact of music on academic achievement.
• The relationship between music and cultural assimilation.
• The role of music in international diplomacy.
• The effects of music on physical performance and endurance.
• The impact of music on memory consolidation and recall.
• The influence of music on fashion trends and subcultures.
• The role of music in socialization and identity formation.
• The effects of music on perception and attention.
• The impact of music on decision making and judgment.
• The relationship between music and romantic attraction.
• The role of music in social justice movements.
• The effects of music on motor skills and coordination.
• The influence of music on cultural exchange and globalization.
• The impact of music on language and cultural barriers.
• The relationship between music and cultural appropriation.
• The role of music in community building and activism.
• The effects of music on motivation and goal setting.
• The influence of music on fashion advertising and marketing.
• The impact of music on social inequality and discrimination.
• The relationship between music and cultural hegemony.
• The role of music in political propaganda and manipulation.
• The effects of music on physical therapy and rehabilitation.
• The influence of music on cultural diplomacy and international relations.
• The impact of music on the environment and sustainability.
• The relationship between music and social hierarchies.
• The role of music in cultural exchange and intercultural communication.
• The effects of music on creative thinking and problem solving.
• The influence of music on consumer behavior and product preferences.
• The impact of music on social mobility and economic inequality.
• The relationship between music and cultural diversity.
• The role of music in intergenerational communication and conflict resolution.
• The effects of music on mood and emotional regulation.
• The influence of music on cultural authenticity and representation.
• The impact of music on memory in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
• The impact of music on recovery and rehabilitation in individuals with physical injuries.
• The role of music in promoting cultural exchange and understanding in international education.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international relations.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international human rights.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with ADHD.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the food and beverage industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-sexual orientations.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and retention in the finance industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international development.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and depression in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the transportation industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-abilities.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in college students.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and acceptance in international cooperation.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the entertainment industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-language backgrounds.
• The impact of music on creativity and innovation in the tech startup industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international peacekeeping.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the travel industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and productivity in the education industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international cooperation.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and anxiety in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the home appliance industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-culture backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in graduate students.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and acceptance in international diplomacy.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with attention deficit disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the construction industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-spiritual backgrounds.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity in the healthcare industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international justice.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the hospitality industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-political backgrounds.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and retention in the automotive industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international diplomacy.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and depression in individuals with major depressive disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the telecommunications industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-ethnic and racial backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in high school students with disabilities.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and acceptance in international trade.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with borderline personality disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the fashion industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-heritage backgrounds.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with schizophrenia.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the technology industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-race identities.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and retention in the hospitality industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in global development.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and anxiety in individuals with social phobia.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the toy industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-faith backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in high school students.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with oppositional defiant disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the beauty industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-ethnicity backgrounds.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity in the fashion industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international aid.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with dementia.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the fitness industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-gender identities.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and productivity in the technology industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international tourism.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and depression in individuals with anxiety disorders.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the pet industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-education backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in middle school students.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the home decor industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-sex identities.
• The impact of music on creativity and innovation in the gaming industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in international conflict resolution.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with bipolar disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the sports industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-nationality and mixed-linguistic backgrounds.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and retention in the retail industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in global governance.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and anxiety in individuals with panic disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the electronics industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-citizenship backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in elementary school students.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and acceptance in international security.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with conduct disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the agriculture industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-religious backgrounds.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with traumatic brain injuries.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with disability identities.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and acceptance in the healthcare industry.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and anxiety in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with LGBTQ+ identities.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and productivity in the gig economy.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in education policy.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-age identities.
• The impact of music on creativity and innovation in the advertising industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in urban planning.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the food industry.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and retention in the nonprofit sector.
• The role of music in promoting cultural understanding and acceptance in international business.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and depression in individuals with chronic pain.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the gaming industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-sexual orientation identities.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural communication and understanding in foreign policy.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with social anxiety disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the craft industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-disability identities.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity in the media industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in corporate social responsibility.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with substance use disorders.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the automotive industry.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and productivity in the education sector.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international law.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the wellness industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-nationality backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic performance and motivation in adult learners.
• The role of music in promoting cultural understanding and acceptance in global governance.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the furniture industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-generational backgrounds.
• The impact of music on creativity and innovation in the film industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural integration and social cohesion in diverse communities.
• The effects of music on cognitive functioning and mental health in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the tech industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in second-generation immigrants.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural communication and understanding in diplomacy.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and self-esteem in individuals with eating disorders.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the publishing industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in biracial and multiracial families.
• The impact of music on creativity and innovation in the workplace.
• The role of music in promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity in the criminal justice system.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with schizophrenia.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with refugee backgrounds.
• The role of music in promoting cultural understanding and acceptance in global marketing.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and anxiety in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed religious backgrounds.
• The impact of music on academic achievement and retention in community college students.
• The role of music in promoting cultural exchange and understanding in international development.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with bipolar disorder.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the luxury goods industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with immigrant parents.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity in the tech industry.
• The role of music in promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in journalism.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and depression in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the wine industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with non-binary gender identities.
• The impact of music on job satisfaction and productivity in remote workers.
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in international relations.
• The role of music in promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity in diplomacy.
• The effects of music on emotional regulation and self-esteem in individuals with body dysmorphia.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with immigrant grandparents.
• The role of music in promoting cultural understanding and acceptance in global advertising.
• The effects of music on social skills and behavior in individuals with borderline intellectual functioning.
• The relationship between music and cultural representation in the fragrance industry.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and mental health in individuals with mixed-citizenship status.
• The impact of music on creativity and productivity in the creative industries
• The relationship between music and social cohesion in diverse communities.
• The role of music in social justice movements and protests.
• The effects of music on pain management and perception.
• The influence of music on cultural hybridity and globalization.
• The impact of music on social identity and self-esteem.
• The relationship between music and cultural imperialism.
• The role of music in therapeutic settings for children and adolescents.
• The effects of music on language development in bilingual children.
• The influence of music on cultural representation in the media.
• The impact of music on interpersonal relationships and communication.
• The relationship between music and cultural hegemony in the digital age.
• The role of music in community-based initiatives for social change.
• The effects of music on mental health in marginalized communities.
• The influence of music on cultural identity and self-expression.
• The impact of music on academic engagement and success in at-risk students.
• The relationship between music and cultural appropriation in popular culture.
• The role of music in cultural diplomacy and international relations in the 21st century.
• The effects of music on cognitive processing in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• The influence of music on cultural hybridity and transnationalism.
• The impact of music on social justice advocacy and awareness-raising.
• The relationship between music and cultural resistance in marginalized communities.
• The role of music in the negotiation of cultural identities in the diaspora.
• The effects of music on language processing and learning in second language acquisition.
• The influence of music on cultural exchange and intercultural communication in the digital age.
• The impact of music on academic achievement in students with disabilities.
• The relationship between music and cultural hegemony in the music industry.
• The role of music in the socialization and empowerment of girls and women.
• The effects of music on physical health in individuals with chronic pain.
• The influence of music on cultural authenticity and representation in the tourism industry.
• The impact of music on the construction of gender and sexuality in popular culture.
• The relationship between music and cultural appropriation in the fashion industry.
• The role of music in promoting cross-cultural understanding and empathy.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Music Listening in Classical Concerts: Theory, Literature Review, and Research Program

Melanie wald-fuhrmann.

1 Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Hauke Egermann

2 York Music Psychology Group, University of York, York, United Kingdom

Anna Czepiel

Katherine o’neill, christian weining.

3 WÜRTH Chair of Cultural Production, Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Deborah Meier

4 Experimental Psychology Division, University Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Wolfgang Tschacher

Folkert uhde.

5 Radialsystem V, Berlin, Germany

Jutta Toelle

6 Department of Applied Musicology, Gustav Mahler Private University for Music, Klagenfurt, Austria

Martin Tröndle

Performing and listening to music occurs in specific situations, requiring specific media. Empirical research on music listening and appreciation, however, tends to overlook the effects these situations and media may have on the listening experience. This article uses the sociological concept of the frame to develop a theory of an aesthetic experience with music as the result of encountering sound/music in the context of a specific situation. By presenting a transdisciplinary sub-field of empirical (concert) studies, we unfold this theory for one such frame: the classical concert. After sketching out the underlying theoretical framework, a selective literature review is conducted to look for evidence on the general plausibility of the single elements of this emerging theory and to identify desiderata. We refer to common criticisms of the standard classical concert, and how new concert formats try to overcome alleged shortcomings and detrimental effects. Finally, an empirical research program is proposed, in which frames and frame components are experimentally manipulated and compared to establish their respective affordances and effects on the musical experience. Such a research program will provide empirical evidence to tackle a question that is still open to debate, i.e., whether the diversified world of modern-day music listening formats also holds a place for the classical concert – and if so, for what kind of classical concert.

Introduction

Humans love music. We see it as a fitting accompaniment to virtually every situation – using it for a plethora of purposes – and an activity that we engage in daily ( Merriam, 1964 ; DeNora, 2000 ; Schäfer et al., 2013 ). We have further developed our passion for music since the invention of music recording, broadcasting, and playback techniques; and even more so since music has become portable and digital and thus all-available ( O’Hara and Brown, 2006 ; Gopinath and Stanyek, 2014 ). At present, in what the economist and social theorist Jacques Attali (1977 , 1985) called “the period of musical repetition,” people in those countries that account for the vast majority of the global recorded music market listen to recorded music about 18 hours a week ( IFPI, 2019 ). Before this, namely throughout the longest part of its history, music could only be listened to when played live. In other words, musicians and listeners had to be co-present, with production and reception occuring simultaneously in situations such as church services or opera theaters, during public festivities, banquets or dance entertainments, and, starting in the late 17th century, in concerts devoted exclusively to attentive music listening ( Schwab, 1971 ; Salmen, 1988 ; Johnson, 1995 ; Weber, 1997 ; Müller, 2014 ).

Nowadays, live music performance is only one of many ways of listening to and utilizing music and it has to compete with mediatized formats, very similar to other genres of live performances ( Heister, 1983 ; Bontinck, 1999 ; Auslander, 2008 ). One could even wonder if homo economicus still needs the concert at all, given the numerous practical and financial advantages of recorded and streamed music. Economically, however, the live music market has not yet fallen behind. In 2019, it was neck and neck with the market for recorded music, either industry creating a global revenue of around 28 billion $ ( IFPI, 2020 ; Statista, 2021 ). Yet, mostly thanks to music streaming, the market for recorded music could boast an annual growth rate of around 8% per year since 2015, while the live music business has been growing by only about 3% (the COVID-19 pandemic not yet factored in).

While one could leave this for the consumer to decide, publicly funded and subsidized forms of live music, as well as the institutions that have been developed to ensure the public provision with high-quality music performances, face the pressure to substantiate their viability, in addition to their aesthetic and societal relevance. In particular, Western classical music concerts have been challenged. Critics point to shrinking audience numbers, their rapid aging ( Heinen, 2013 ; Gembris and Menze, 2020 ) as well as the narrow social strata that attend those concerts at all ( Reuband, 2007 , 2013 , 2018 ). Music managers, orchestras and music festivals are busy with attempts to respond to these calls, giving the classical concert a makeover and restoring its appeal to contemporary and more diverse audiences ( Schröder, 2014 ; Tröndle, 2020 ). At the same time, the unique character of liveness has found passionate advocates who write about it from an artistic or theoretical standpoint ( Gracyk, 1997 ; Tröndle, 2011 , 2018 ). People are still queuing to listen to famous orchestras, conductors or musicians. New representative concert halls are being built and meeting with enormous public interest, and music festivals are mushrooming in many parts of the world.

The question of whether the diversified world of contemporary music listening formats also holds a place for (different kinds of) classical concerts is still open to debate. At its core stands, we argue, the question whether the concert offers particular and meaningful experiences to its audiences that are qualitatively distinct from those afforded by other musical media ( Burland and Pitts, 2014 ). This is ultimately an empirical question that researchers of liveness in general as well as researchers of the concert and its audiences in particular have only recently started to pursue systematically.

With this article, we want to bring the question of what a classical concert has to offer contemporary audiences to the fore. We present a transdisciplinary sub-field of empirical concert studies with which we expand on earlier ideas of “concert studies” ( Tröndle, 2018 , 2020 ) and take up Eric Clarke’s claim for an “ecological approach” to understanding music listening ( Clarke, 2005 ). We start by sketching out the underlying theoretical framework (part 2). From this, we conduct a selective literature review evaluating evidence on the general plausibility of the single elements of this emerging theory and point to desiderata. Along the way, we refer to common criticisms of the standard classical concert and report how new concert formats try to overcome alleged shortcomings and detrimental effects (part 3). Finally, we suggest an empirical research program, in which frames and frame components are experimentally manipulated and compared to establish their respective affordances and effects on the musical experience (part 4).

Theoretical Core Concepts: Frame, Aesthetic Experience, Classical Concert

Our approach towards the study of music listening in classical concerts is grounded on a theoretical framework that understands a musical experience as the result of a person’s interaction with a musical stimulus in a specific situation (see Figure 1 ). A situation encompasses material, social, spatio-temporal, and cultural characteristics. Adopting a term from the sociologist Goffman(1974 ; see also Willems, 1997 ), aspects of situations that have a bearing on music listening can be conceptualized as frames, that is, features perceived as essentially belonging to the situation and used by participants to understand and interpret it as well as to align their behavior accordingly. As such, the concept of frame is much more specific whilst simultaneously broader than that of context; a term which is typically used if researchers want to address factors that neither belong to the aesthetic object nor the individual ( North and Hargreaves, 2010 ; Brattico et al., 2013 ; Leder and Nadal, 2014 ) 1 . Frames for music listening can be places (e.g., living rooms, cars, concert halls, and public areas), situations (e.g., commuting to work, a romantic dinner, a church service, being alone, or with others), media (e.g., live, recording, digital stream), and discursive contexts (such as a culture’s overarching art and music concepts, or the aesthetics of specific musical styles and genres), all of which are socio-culturally determined.

Schematic depiction of a general framework understanding the aesthetic experience of music as the result of the encounter of a person with a sound sequence in a specific frame. Overlaps of Frame and Sound and Frame and Person indicate mediating effects, overlaps of all three components indicate moderating effects of the Frame.

The frame concept can be related to the theory of embedded cognition. By coining the term “affordance,” Gibson(1966 ; see also Lewin, 1936 ) developed a theory of how an object or an environment (implicitly) affects and structures human behavior by virtue of its material and formal properties. Recently, affordances have also been proposed to shape and organize mental processes ( Bruineberg and Rietveld, 2014 ). In the context of music, frames can thus be understood as environmental properties that affect music-related behavior, as well as the mental processes underlying musical experience. In particular, frames in which music is embedded suggest specific listening modes (e.g., attentive, non-attentive, analytical, and emotional), listening behaviors (e.g., sitting still vs. gesturing or dancing), or functions attributed to the music (e.g., for its own sake or aesthetic pleasure vs. mood management, atmosphere creation, or social bonding).

Frames provide a horizon for evaluation and understanding; they can even define if a sound sequence is heard as music at all (e.g., in the case of noise music, it is more likely that it will be heard as music if presented in a typical music frame like a CD or a concert, rather than when heard on the street). The affordances activated by frames are tied to the material properties of the situation (such as space, technologies), as well as the sociocultural meaning attached to them (e.g., concert halls and opera houses as “temples” of high-quality art music performances). Therefore, it can be expected that such frames affect the music experience in bottom-up and top-down ways and act as moderator and mediator variables.

Aesthetic Experience

The aesthetic experience is a central concept of philosophical aesthetics ( Dewey, 1934 ; Beardsley, 1958 ; Bubner, 1980 ; Shusterman, 1997 ; Küpper and Menke, 2003 ; Reicher, 2005 ; Caroll, 2012 ; Deines et al., 2013 ). It has also been much studied in psychological aesthetics, where it is discussed also under a variety of other terms such as aesthetic appreciation, appraisal, enjoyment, engagement, perception and evaluation, responses, or, simply, reading, watching, and listening ( Abeles and Chung, 1996 ; Leder et al., 2004 ; North and Hargreaves, 2005 ; Marković, 2012 ; Brattico et al., 2013 ; Leder and Nadal, 2014 ; Pelowski et al., 2016 ). Philosophical concepts and psychological operationalizations, however, do not yet fit together very well. Philosophical concepts emphasize the perceivers’ contemplative, even disinterested attitude ( Stolnitz, 1960 ; Bullough, 1995 ), their attempt at understanding a piece of art formally and conceptually, as well as the piece’s potential to provide them with a transformative experience. In contrast, psychological theory would conceptualize aesthetic experience as an output variable in the context of a stimulus-response model, with outputs such as liking, aesthetic judgment and elicited emotion, and their physiological and neurological correlates. Recently, more specific qualities of aesthetic experiences were proposed, i.e., aesthetic emotion ( Marković, 2012 ; Juslin, 2013 ; Schindler et al., 2017 ; Menninghaus et al., 2019 ), fascination ( Marković, 2012 ), awe ( Konečni, 2005 ), or being moved ( Konečni, 2005 ; Menninghaus et al., 2015 ). In general, however, psychological research still emphasizes a primarily passive, physical, and emotional understanding of aesthetic experience, whereas philosophical theorizing tends to apply an overly cognitivist concept.

In psychology and philosophy of mind, a lived experience is generally defined as a first-person, qualitative phenomenon ( Chalmers, 1995 ). Experiences are distinguished from objective response phenomena, such as physiological and behavioral processes. Experiences have qualitative properties (“qualia”), and they are elements of cognitive and emotional processes. In the terminology of phenomenology, qualia comprise “what it feels like” to have exactly this experience in the here-and-now ( Nagel, 1974 ). Cognition refers to the processing of information through mental representations, thought, evaluation, the activation of memory traces and schemata. Cognition can, but need not, be conscious and experienced, sometimes even in a linguistic form as inner speech. Lastly, emotions are generally experienced. Emotions lend a specific flavor to experiences, thus the experience of joy, sadness, fear, or any number of further emotions or mixtures of emotions.

For the remainder of this paper, we will continue with a provisional comprehensive concept of an aesthetic experience of music that combines facets of existing philosophical, aesthetic, and psychological concepts. We conceive of it as a person’s phenomenal state while attending to and internally interacting with a sequence of sounds primarily for the sake of its perceptual and formal properties and their possible meaning, but not so much its real-life information value. In the case of a temporally unfolding stimulus as music, such a state is necessarily dynamic and may combine feelings, perceptions, emotions, associations, expectations, and insights, as well as the evaluation of the musical piece itself and the state(s) into which it puts the listener – all of them mutually influencing each other. It is related to a listener’s present attitude and degree of attention, and comes with physiological, motivational, and behavioral responses.

The Classical Concert as a Frame for Music Listening

This paper claims that a classical concert is one particular frame for music listening, which shapes the aesthetic experience of the music featured within it in specific ways, and that we need empirical studies to test this claim and understand the underlying mechanisms. But which of its characteristics are most likely to guide and influence the experience of a piece of music? Existing descriptions and theories, as well as results that have emerged from qualitative empirical studies ( Heister, 1983 ; Gracyk, 1997 ; Small, 1998 ; Auslander, 2008 ; Gross, 2013 ; Burland and Pitts, 2014 ; Tröndle, 2020 ), point to two defining factors of the classical concert frame: its work-centered aesthetics and its liveness.

As a result of the co-evolution of its forms, its discourses, and its repertoires, the concert has developed into the embodiment (and driving factor) of a specific and presupposition-rich musical aesthetics ( Johnson, 1995 ; Weber, 1997 ; Müller, 2014 ; Tröndle, 2020 ). Heister, who has provided the most exhaustive theoretical concept of the classical concert so far, defines it as the “place where musical autonomy is realized” ( Heister, 1983 , p. 42). A concert, at least in the form it has taken on in the late 19th and early 20th century, publicly celebrates the idea of the musical artwork, which is literally placed centerstage ( Goehr, 1994 ). The musicians have to devote all their skill and artistic refinement into the work’s realization. Meanwhile the audience, which first had to learn “the art of listening” ( Gay, 1984 ), has to receive it with concentration, even contemplation, and reverence, in an act of “purely aesthetic and musical savoring” ( Heister, 1983 , p. 522ss).

Almost all other characteristics of the concert are direct consequences of this aesthetics, as Heister meticulously spelled out. On the one hand, concert hall acoustics, program selections, the training of professional musicians, and the behavioral regimes of sitting still and quietly seek to provide optimal conditions for the production and reception of the greatest musical works ( Gross, 2013 ). On the other hand, the building and design of concert halls, a certain cult of great names and charismatic artists – be they composers or performers – formal dress codes, and rituals serve as constant reminders of the ideology of autonomous music ( Cressman, 2012 ).

The other main factor of a concert is its nature as a live performance featuring the distinct, but interrelated roles, of performers and listeners. This spatio-temporal co-presence entails a number of other aspects, most importantly the possibility to watch the performers creating the music and the genuinely social and interactive character of the event ( Gracyk, 1997 ). Although the concert has typically been seen as the pure embodiment of presentational performance ( Besseler, 1926 , 1959 ; Turino, 2008 ), recently, social-interactive and participatory aspects have been identified as well. As a live performance, a concert affords (verbal) communication between audience members (at least before the concert and in the pause of classical music concerts), inviting participants to form a short-lived community ( Cochrane, 2009 ; Burland and Pitts, 2014 ). It can also lead to manifold interaction processes: audience members can show support, interest, attention and appreciation, or displeasure, thus providing feedback to the performers which they are then likely to respond to, closing the autopoietic feedback loop ( Fischer-Lichte, 2004 ).

Apart from its social character, liveness is also typically associated with ideas of immediacy, indeterminacy, uniqueness, and non-repeatability of the event ( Auslander, 2008 ). Neither the audience members nor the musicians know exactly how the performance will turn out, which might be seen as another mechanism of directing and fixing the audience’s attention. This, in turn, lends presence and an event-like character to a performance, which comes with the promise of a not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively unique experience – a feature of present-day leisure culture that is very much sought-after by audiences ( Schulze, 1992 ; Gumbrecht, 2004a ; Seel, 2008 ; Tröndle, 2011 ; Rebstock, 2020 ).

In sum, the concert is a frame for music listening that is supposed to provide optimal conditions for the purely aesthetic contemplation of (excellent performances of) great musical works together with like-minded people. This historically evolved frame might afford a specific concert experience which consists of a certain type of listening (being pleasurably immersed into the music), a multi-modal character of the stimulus, its social embeddedness (feeling as part of a community), and the appreciation of its singular character. Such experiences have been described in qualitative studies and claimed by theoreticians and advocates of the genre ( Heister, 1983 ; Radbourne et al., 2014 ; Rebstock, 2020 ), but not yet quantitatively corroborated. In addition, while the standard form incorporates implicit assumptions about the relationship between its features and the hoped-for experience resulting from them, new and experimental concert formats that have been developed over the past decades can be understood as a form of aesthetic and social critique of the standard format ( Brüstle, 2013 ; Schröder, 2014 ; Roselt, 2020 ). Typically, these new forms modify the venue, the forms of listening, but also the relationships between performers and audience members and their respective rituals. By singling out and modifying such elements, they point to their potentially detrimental effect on the aesthetic experience and at the same time exemplify how this could be overcome to allow for fresh, heightened and new musical and social experiences that can also have the potential to attract younger audiences or audiences from other social and cultural backgrounds. Thus, they also tend to shift the focus of a concert away from the musical work toward the event-like aspects of a live performance.

This apparent conflict between existing concert formats points to the gap between implicit assumptions of concert practitioners and the lack of empirical knowledge about how exactly the elements of a concert – individually, as well as jointly – contribute to listeners’ actual experiences. Further, each element can, in principle, be realized in a multitude of ways, which might in turn substantially affect the degree and direction of its effect. This as well has not been examined empirically.

What We Already Know About Music Listening in Classical Concerts, and What We Still Need to Know: A Literature Review

To date, concert research consists of several branches. Of these, the history of the concert, its repertoires, halls, and listening forms ( Schwab, 1971 ; Heister, 1983 ; Forsyth, 1985 ; Salmen, 1988 ; Johnson, 1995 ; Weber, 1997 ; Cressman, 2012 ; Thorau and Ziemer, 2019 ), as well as the demography, sociology and consumer behavior of audiences ( Dollase, 1998 ; Reuband, 2007 , 2013 ; Glogner-Pilz and Föhl, 2011 ; Gembris and Menze, 2020 ; Tröndle, 2020 ) have been examined most comprehensively. More recently, a number of qualitative studies has addressed also the motivations and experiences of various audiences ( Pitts, 2005 ; Roose, 2008 ; Dobson, 2010 ; Gross, 2013 ; Brown and Knox, 2017 ; Toelle and Sloboda, 2019 ). There are studies which adopted a quantitative approach in measuring listeners’ experiences in concerts, by collecting continuous or retrospective self-report data or physiological recordings ( McAdams et al., 2004 ; Thompson, 2006 ; Egermann et al., 2013 ; Stevens et al., 2014 ).

Although the specificity of the concert as a medium or format for music listening has theoretically been identified sufficiently well, musical audience research has not yet addressed this issue systematically. Typically, audience experiences are neither analyzed with regard to which of their components are concert-specific, nor are frame effects explicitly addressed. This is related to the fact that music psychological research in general tends to overlook situational and frame effects ( Clarke, 2005 ). Even if studies had been conducted during live concerts, this context was so far neither explicitly addressed nor experimentally manipulated. Likewise, if concerts were compared with other musical media, the focus was not on actual experiences but listening times ( Roose and Vander Stichele, 2010 ).

This is very different from the situation in museum studies, which were the first to experimentally address the effects a museum, and the way it displays and communicates artworks, has on the experience of visitors ( Falk and Dierking, 1992 ; Stuffmann, 2005 ; Brieber et al., 2014 ).

In the following sections of this chapter, we come back to the most distinctive features of a concert identified above and point out what they might contribute to the afforded musical experience. We summarize related results from the fields of concert and audience research. We also identify desiderata and refer to other research contexts and approaches that might prove fruitful for the endeavor of understanding how concerts frame and affect music experiences.

Effects of Venue

Concert halls, the majority of which have been built since the 19th century, are both a prerequisite for a performance-centered staging of classical music and a potent sign of the concert’s underlying aesthetics. By their mere existence as buildings specifically dedicated to hosting musical performances, they signal an assumed importance, seriousness, and high-art quality of the music and the entire event of going to a concert. The architectural style and design of the hall is an aesthetic stimulus in itself that creates a specific atmosphere. Further, their acoustics co-constitute the auditory musical stimulus.

A concert hall is also perhaps the most influential component in the concert regime, as it materially affords what people can perceive and do within such as situation: the tiers require everyone to sit during the performance. Their spatial arrangement directs the audience’s attention to the stage by orienting them physically toward it. Although usually, parts of the audience can also be seen, the lighting control makes it clear that this is only accidental and that the audience should focus on the performers onstage. Taken together, the effect of a concert hall on the musical experience can be studied with regard to (1) the atmosphere created, (2) its function as a framing and/or priming intervention, (3) its contribution to the actual acoustic stimulus, and (4) the behavior it affords.

• (1) The concept of atmospheres stems from phenomenology and has engendered broad and mostly theoretical research in the past years with strong affinities to aesthetic contexts and questions ( Böhme, 1995 , 2006 ; Griffero, 2014 ; Schmitz, 2014 ). It refers to the perception and experience a certain (often architecturally defined) space affords, but also to the social interaction that takes place in that space and theorizes upon the effects a certain atmosphere has on the experience and behavior of an individual. Psychological studies on the perception of atmospheres still are a desideratum ( Schönhammer, 2014 ; but see Tröndle and Tschacher, 2012 for a first example), although practitioners in the fields of concert hall architecture and concert locations are aware of this issue ( Göbel, 2020 ; Kirchberg, 2020 ). Today, concert series or festivals in particular, as well as individual concerts, are often staged in unusual locations. Such locations comprise, among others, of castles, museums, churches, factories, farms, outdoor stages, or dance clubs. In the case of the Yellow Lounge concert series in Berlin, its organizers from Deutsche Grammophon advertise it with particular reference to an altered atmosphere: “classical music can thrill even outside of the concert hall, good-humored and fully relaxed in the Club. (…) Good drinks, communicative atmosphere 2 .” Qualitative research has provided first evidence that festival audiences take note of and appreciate specific atmospheres and see them as a factor that positively influences their experiences ( Karlsen, 2014 ). However, no research so far has examined how exactly the experience of one and the same piece of music differs when listened to in a barn as compared to a hall in a palace, or in a concert hall with modern architecture as compared to one in the styles of the 19th century.

That these effects also work in the contexts of the arts in general ( Tröndle et al., 2014 ; Tröndle and Tschacher, 2016 ), and in music has been shown by a number of studies (for a recent overview, see Fischinger et al., 2020 ). Effects of program notes and other additional information in the form of texts or images have been found for emotions induced by music ( Vuoskoski and Eerola, 2015 ), enjoyment of music ( Margulis, 2010 ), children’s attention and comprehension ( Margulis et al., 2015 ), evaluation ( Anglada-Tort and Müllensiefen, 2017 ; Fischinger et al., 2020 ), and even perception of basic musical characteristics ( Chapman, 1981 ; North and Hargreaves, 2010 ; Fischinger et al., 2020 ).

That listeners might wish for additional information helping them understand and appreciate a piece of music is plausible. Most people lack advanced musical training to be confident in their judgment about any work and performance. In addition, the meaning of musical elements is typically far from being clear but contains a large degree of ambiguity. Even more, in the context of the arts, there simply are no such things as objective value and meaning, according to Umberto Eco’s theory of the open work ( Eco, 1989 ).

So far, priming and framing information about music have been studied in the form of texts or images. These media also play a role in the context of a concert, be it in the form of programs, advertisements, paintings or sculptures of famous composers, program notes, or introductory talks. However, the atmosphere of a concert hall has not yet been researched with regards to its potential nature as prime and frame.

• (3) A concert hall provides a specific acoustic setting ideally optimized for performances of classical music ( Lindau, 2010 ). Tajadura-Jiménez et al. (2010) were among the first to test the effect of room size and sound direction on emotional responses to natural and artificial sounds. They observed that sound sources in front of listeners were perceived as less arousing than those behind listeners, while the sound of a large concert hall was experienced as more arousing and negatively valenced than the sound of a small room. This finding was explained by the additional observation that the larger room in the experiment was also perceived as “less safe” than the small room. Furthermore, Pätynen and Lokki (2016) showed that concert halls with a traditional rectangular shape evoke stronger physiological (skin conductance) and subjective responses to music presented in them (in this case excerpts from Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony). In sum, however, empirical research that compares perception of – and responses to – acoustical variations of the same musical pieces is scarce.

A significant strand of research supports the concept of embodiment among various disciplines (e.g., developmental, social, and clinical psychology). Especially in the field of music psychology, researchers demonstrated the impact of bodily responses on listeners’ music experiences and vice versa. Particularly strong is the urge to move elicited by rhythmically accentuated music with a salient beat, which has been discussed as sensorimotor coupling ( Janata et al., 2012 ; Stupacher et al., 2016 ).

Although a considerable amount of research has already been conducted and published around embodied music experience, literature that examines effects of listening contexts, media, and frames is scarce. As a first step, it has been shown that participants’ non-verbal responses to live music differ from those to recorded music. For example, Swarbrick et al. (2019) found that head movements were faster during a live performance of a Rock musician than during the recorded version as well as finding that movements of self-identified fans being faster and having higher degrees of rhythmic entrainment (movement to beat) compared neutral listeners.

Further, research on non-verbal behavioral synchrony – which refers to the temporal coupling of movement or physiology between at least two individuals – is closely linked to the concept of embodiment and is viable in social listening situations. Although non-verbal synchrony research in the classical concert is still in an early phase, studies in realistic concert settings have so far revealed significant non-verbal synchrony effects within the audience. For example, Seibert et al. (2019) examined the spontaneous coordination of bodily movements – dyadic temporal coupling – within audience members and between audience members and musicians in a classical (chamber music) concert. They found strong movement synchrony between musicians, and also small to medium movement synchrony within the audience, despite the behavioral norms of sitting still. Aspects of music experience, namely absorption and the feeling of being connected to the musicians, were significantly negatively associated with non-verbal synchrony.

In addition to movement synchrony, some studies have explored physiological synchrony across audience members as an index of an embodied experience. Sato et al. (2017) investigated respiratory activity and emotional states within fifteen audience members of a live concert, where they found that respiratory synchronization effects emerged from time to time. Importantly, participants’ excitement seemed to correspond with the respiration activity indicated by synchronized respiratory phases. In another concert study, Bernardi et al. (2017) found that cardiorespiratory synchrony among audience members were higher during live music listening, compared to a resting baseline. In corroborating findings of Sato et al. (2017) , Bernardi and colleagues also found that synchrony and ratings of pleasantness were positively correlated; though it should be noted that synchrony was more strongly correlated (i.e., more variance explained) with low-level acoustic features such as loudness variability (compared to pleasantness ratings). Thus, it could be argued that the quality of performance in terms of excitement and pleasantness can be estimated – at least to a certain extent – by synchronous phase respiration.

Accordingly, the presented results on non-verbal synchrony and its association with perceived quality of performance and music experience underlined the embodiment perspective and stresses the relevance of embodied musical experience despite behavioral regimes that try to suppress it.

Effects of Multi-Modal Perception

As a consequence of the co-presence of performers and audience, music in a concert becomes a richer, multi-modal stimulus. In particular, visual aspects might add layers of meaning and aesthetic affordance to the musical sound. Studies and deliberations of a more general kind have argued that aesthetic pleasure is most commonly evoked by combining multi-modal perception into one single experience, including sight, sound, environment, and company ( Cohen, 2009 ; Huron, 2012 ). So far, potential multimodality effects in music listening and concerts have been primarily studied with regard to visual aspects, i.e., (1) visual aspects of the concert hall and performer, and (2) performers’ gestures. But it can be assumed that aspects of vibrotactile perception of sounds, room temperature and climate, lighting, or seating comfort might also affect the experience within a concert.

• (1) The style and design of a concert venue provides a very strong visual stimulus, which may affect audience members’ emotions and level of engagement and to which they will respond with a judgment of taste ( Cook, 2012 ). By investigating the concert setting, a study by Coutinho and Scherer (2017) compared emotions during a live performance in a real-world musical context in a church (as part of a Lieder recital) to the audio-video recording in a laboratory situation (university lecture hall). Self-reports of emotion engagement, feelings of wonder and tenderness were much higher in the church setting, while boredom, tension and sadness were higher in the lecture hall setting, showing that environment could indeed be a crucial component in evoking more intense aesthetic emotions. Equally, fashion is a field where visual properties carry meaning and where human tastes vary a lot ( Solomon, 1985 ). In a concert, it is present via performers’ attire. For example, formal dress can create a “sense of occasion” ( Griffiths, 2011 ) and increase the perception of a performer’s technical and musical proficiency ( Griffiths, 2010 ).

Using psychophysiology as a measure of felt affect, Chapados and Levitin (2008) demonstrated that electrodermal activity (representing felt arousal) was significantly higher in audiovisual performances of Stravinsky’s Second Piece for solo clarinet, compared to audio-only and visual-only performances. Together with evidence showing that performer movement increases perception of expressivity, emotionality, and skill, this suggests that the visual component of a live concert performance can enhance our experience of the music. Indeed, first-time concertgoers commented on how they felt the visual cues enhanced enjoyment of the music ( Dobson, 2010 ; Dobson and Pitts, 2011 ).

However, there is also some research showing that visuals do not seem to enhance the emotional experience in listeners. Finnäs (1992) found no significant difference of subjectively rated felt emotional response (of either musicians or non-musicians) between audio-only and audiovisual versions of Mahler’s Second Symphony. Vuoskoski et al. (2016) found that audio-only performances of Brahms’ piano Intermezzo in B minor – compared to audiovisual performances – elicited more emotional arousal (as indexed by skin conductance), contrary to findings of Chapados and Levitin (2008) . The authors discuss how musical styles (Romantic vs. Modern) and the degrees of freedom of the performer (a clarinetist who is standing up compared to a pianist who is sitting down) may influence the extent to which visuals play a role in musical experience. Thus, the specific role of visuals as an enhancer in live music experience still requires further empirical study to consider possible variables (styles, instrument, and musical expertise of perceiver), as well as considering these factors in more applied and multi-modal contexts, such as a concert setting.

Effects of the Social Character of Music Listening

The presence and visibility of musicians, as well as the group nature of the audience, lend a social, and participatory component to the aesthetic experience. This social component is moderated, however, by behavioral protocols, arrangement of tiers vs. stage, and existing power relationships.

Qualitative research shows how much listeners appreciate the social nature of a concert and whether it is able to induce feelings of a shared experience with peers, a sense of belonging, direct interaction with the performers, and participation in something meaningful ( Radbourne et al., 2014 ). The possibility to watch performers is often mentioned as a positively experienced element of concerts alongside a real interest in personal connections with performers ( Burland and Pitts, 2014 ).

Quantitative and experimental studies have further corroborated these qualitative findings, in particular regarding the social character of the audience. For example, it was experimentally demonstrated that social feedback about other music listeners’ enjoyment changes how listeners respond to music subjectively, where knowledge of previous ratings of a musical performance influences an individual, motivated by a desire to conform ( Egermann et al., 2013 ). This finding was interpreted as a form of normative social influence on social appraisals ( Manstead and Fischer, 2001 ) assuming that a similar mechanism could be activated in classical music concerts through social feedback via ( inter alia ) applause ( Mann et al., 2013 ).

Previous research has demonstrated the effect the presence of other people has on a listener’s response to music. The emotion experienced when listening to music, specifically strong experiences with music, has been shown to be influenced by the social context in which the listening occurred ( Gabrielsson and Wik, 2003 ), with intense experiences occurring more frequently in live concerts when other people were present ( Lamont, 2011 ). In a more controlled study that utilized recorded stimuli – where participants listened to self-chosen or randomly sampled music samples – more intense emotions were reported when participants were listening with a close friend or partner compared to when listening alone ( Liljeström et al., 2013 ). However, another study found that listening in a group does not lead to more intense emotional responses perhaps due to less concentration on the music ( Egermann et al., 2011 ). In a later study by Linnemann et al. (2016) , music was found to reduce stress more if it was listened to in the presence of others, regardless of the original motivation for listening to the music, where influence of others has been found to be stronger if they are known to the listener.

Research on the effects of an interaction between listeners and performers, however, is much more sparse. Here, qualitative studies also provide evidence for the general importance and appreciation audiences and performers attribute to it ( Moelants et al., 2012 ; Toelle and Sloboda, 2019 ). In the behaviorally restricted setting of a classical concert, however, real and spontaneous interaction is only possible to a small degree. The only legitimate form of mutual feedback is applause ( Toelle, 2018 ), which not only informs the musicians how the audience is responding to their performances, but also provides feedback to an audience member on the reception of the music by other audience members.

If compared with other concert types, such as jazz and popular music concerts, classical concerts seem to leave the potential of creating a social experience of music largely unused, which is one factor behind the different experiences these concert types can afford ( Pitts, 2005 ; Kulczynski et al., 2016 ). This has not only been criticized from a theoretical point of view ( Small, 1998 ), but also been addressed by performers and concert curators who have started to experiment with forms that invite true interaction and even participation ( Schröder, 2014 ; Toelle and Sloboda, 2019 ). So far, the underlying assumptions as to how exactly such changes impact the collective experience have not yet been explored in a systematic way. The need to test these assumptions in a multi-disciplinary and ecologically valid way is central to further the understanding of the social experience of a concert and how the group experience can be enhanced.

Effects of Presence, Uniqueness, Immediacy

The live character of a concert is also closely tied to its nature as a single, unique, and un-repeatable event that might be valued for its presence and immediacy ( Auslander, 2008 ). According to Walter Benjamin, this special quality of a live concert could be described as the “aura,” i.e., the authenticity, realness and presence of the aesthetic object that technical reproduction would not be able to recreate ( Benjamin, 1963 ). Gumbrecht (2004b) even puts “presence” in the focus of the aesthetic experience as the sensorial and lived experience of an appearance. Further developing this concept of presence in the context of classical music concerts, Rebstock (2020) claims that the production of presence might be the key component of a concert and, therefore, new concert formats should aim for a higher intensity of presence ( Rebstock, 2020 ).

Although the concept of presence in the context of aesthetic experiences is repeatedly discussed in theory ( Seel, 2003 ; Fischer-Lichte, 2004 ; Gumbrecht, 2004b ; Rebstock, 2020 ; Roselt, 2020 ), no specific empirical research on it seems to exist, supposedly because of its intangible nature. However, some of the studies mentioned in the above sections include certain components, as the experience of presence can be understood as a sensorial and intense physical experience and is per se part of the aesthetic experience ( Gumbrecht, 2003 ).

While on the one hand the “incursion of reproduction into the live event” ( Auslander, 2008 ) can be seen as a threatening development for the live experience, on the other hand it can be argued that technical reproduction might increase the demand of experiences of unmediated presence or is already even a fixed component of auratic moments ( Schulze, 2011 ). Either way, there is no denying the fact that the link between uniqueness and presence dissolves due to technical developments, which empirical research might take up in a fruitful way.

Toward a Research Program

Our literature review has shown that the (classical) concert and concert listening experiences have been already acknowledged as worthwhile research topics by a multitude of disciplines. At the same time, more thorough, systematic, and transdisciplinary research is still needed since (so far) a theoretical framework able to generate interrelated research questions and overarching hypotheses has not been postulated. In the final passages of our paper, we develop what we have outlined in the preceding sections into a sketch of a research program that, albeit functioning within a psychological scheme, is genuinely interdisciplinary. In a nutshell, this research program stipulates the comparison and experimental manipulation of frames as well as frame components to establish their respective affordances and effects on the musical experience. Here, the aesthetic experience of music is the dependent variable of interest. Although it is brought about by listening to a specific performance of music, i.e., the stimulus, and how a listener interacts with it, this is not what will be of primary interest. Rather, the focus will lie on the mediating and moderating effects of the concert frame, as well as its interactions with person- and stimulus-related factors.

Frame Components as Stimuli

At the heart of empirical concert research, as we propose in this current article, stands the idea of using frames and their individual components as stimuli and manipulating them experimentally, in order to establish the nature, form, and strength of their influence on the musical stimulus and the affordances they unfold for performers and listeners (see the expanded model in Figure 2 ). By nature, we mean whether an effect enhances or disturbs the experience, and on which component(s) of the aesthetic experience it exerts its influence. By form, we mean whether an effect is rather a mediating or moderating one. While some aspects of frames can be studied in the lab (which should be acknowledged as a particular frame of its own), frames that largely rely on particular venues and social situations cannot. This is especially true for the concert. While virtual reality technologies might provide a more lab-like solution for this in the near future, at the moment, researchers have to go to or create such frames and situations themselves.

Expanded frame-music-listener model to show potential concrete mediating and moderating effects of concert components on the performance and the listener and thus, the aesthetic experience of music.

In essence, series of experiments need to be designed in which individual concert components are manipulated. Inspirations for the components and types of such experimental manipulations should be derived from contemporary (and possibly even historical) concert practices, most importantly from practitioners who critically reflect on the concert ( Rebstock, 2020 ; Roselt, 2020 ). In such a case, the pieces to be performed as well as the musicians performing them need to remain the same to control for (the largest part of) the acoustic stimulus. Components to be manipulated would be those that have been shown to define the concert as a concert, namely: the venue and the atmosphere it creates, the multi-modality, the listening mode, the behavior, and the social component. This will, at least partially, result in concerts that have a very different character and atmosphere, concerts whose frame function will thus become increasingly more “visible” up to a degree where it might no longer be working as a frame, but as an artistic stimulus in its own right, completely merged with the music.

In terms of the venue, a considerable number of effects on the musical stimulus and the listeners can be studied, that likely work either in the form of mediators or moderators. A manipulation in the form of performing the same program in halls with different acoustics, architectural styles, layout of tiers and stage, and social connotations suggests itself. While the acoustics have an effect on the sound of the performed piece, the atmosphere and architecture may likewise influence the state of the listeners. Potential priming effects of style and decoration of a venue, however, might primarily work as moderators on how a listener experiences the music.

The multimodal character of music in a concert, that follows from the co-presence of performers and listeners, is also a way in which the concert exerts an influence on the musical stimulus or even contributes to it. It can be examined by varying the visual appearance of performers, their behavior toward the audience, the degree and form of their overt interaction with each other, their display of their own emotions and engagement. An extreme form would be to hide performers from sight, as was repeatedly proposed and realized by historical theoreticians and practitioners of the concert since the 17th century ( Schwab, 1991 ; Schröder, 2014 ). Besides, existing ideas to increase the value of the visual aspect even more by an artistic design of lighting, stage decorations, or the integration of video projections could be taken up and experimentally explored if they have an effect on attention, immersion, understanding, and appreciation.

Although, as a consequence of its underlying aesthetics, the attentive and disembodied listening mode is the historically preferred one in a concert, neither do all concerts afford these to a satisfying degree, nor should other potentially pleasurable and meaningful listening modes be excluded due to ideological reasons. Manipulations of a concert in the attempt to afford a specific listening mode is therefore another potential area of experimental variation of the classical standard concert. Such listening modes could include the exploration of the embodiment of the music, listening emotionally, associatively, or auto-biographically.

Related to this is the aspect of behavioral regimes exerted by a standard concert that can be assumed to moderate listening experiences. Here, moreover, variations can be designed that explore which other (less strict and ritualized) behaviors are possible and how they change the experience of the music.

Further, the social component needs careful consideration. Obvious variations could target the relationship between performers and audience in the attempt to make it less hierarchical, more spontaneous, personal, interactive, and – on the side of the audience – more participatory. Also, moderating effects of the size, density, and spatial arrangement of audiences can be examined.

Finally, variations could address the aspect of a perceived event-character and uniqueness of a concert. Here, elements that enhance the degree of surprise and indeterminacy would be related to the programming, the staging of pieces, or the integration of improvisation, among others, and thus moderate their experience.

All such variations would have to fulfill the double need of making sense artistically as a concert and of singling out individual components. To achieve this, concert curators need to form an essential part of a research team. Any hypothesis underlying a concrete experimental manipulation should primarily regard direct and mediated effects on attention, relating to the music, making sense of it, perceived presence and event-character, and the social components of the concert experience. This is because the distinctive features of a concert can all be seen as meant to afford intense, immersed, unique, and personally meaningful musical experiences that are characterized by two dimensions of relationships: between the individual listener and the music, and between the listeners and performers.

Perspectives

Such a research program that thoroughly and empirically investigates, as well as manipulates, the concert frame and its components can only be performed in interdisciplinary teams that gather musicologists, sociologists, concert practitioners, and under the guidance of psychologists ( Tröndle et al., 2020 ). It will come with a lot of challenges, above all methodological and conceptual ones in order to balance control with realism. However, it also provides important perspectives and promises to greatly advance (music) psychology, (cultural) sociology, and (empirical) aesthetics. In particular, it places a defining aspect of the art of music centerstage, namely that music requires to be mediated by performers, technologies, and even the air circulating through particular rooms. At the same time, our concept of frame highlights an aspect that is not only relevant, but crucial for all art forms. How (art) objects are perceived and experienced is only in part a direct result of their sensory and formal properties, but depends to a large degree on the aesthetic, social, and cultural discourses creating and surrounding them, as well as the situations in which they are perceived ( Clarke, 2005 ). Artifacts, cultural objects, and art works in particular do not have a meaning of their own, but gain their meaning from cultural practices and discourses in which they are embedded. The concert provides a particularly convenient example to embark on a systematic exploration of effects of frames – their situational, social, multi-modal, and discursive constituents – on one set of aesthetic experience, the experience of music. Thus, we can expect to gather insights that will help us answer the initial questions, whether and in what respects music listening in classical concerts is different from other listening frames, and also, which types of concerts may continue to be of aesthetic interest to contemporary societies.

Author Contributions

MW-F created a first and second draft of the article, prepared figures, wrote most of the sections, and led the process. KO’N, HE, AC, CW, DM, WT, JT, and MT wrote individual sections of the article. All authors discussed and revised earlier versions of the manuscript and read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Felix Bernoully from the graphics department at the MPI for Empirical Aesthetics for designing the figures.

Funding. This article is related to the research project Experimental Concert Research (ECR), which receives substantial funds from the Volkswagen Foundation and the Aventis Foundation.

1 A frame conceptualized as a set of concepts that organize experiences guiding the actions of individuals and groups, can be closely connected to Michael Focault’s idea of the dispositif. Goffman is referring to the experience, Focault to power, both theories stem from the 1970s and try to conceptualize human behavior.

2 http://www.communicating-music.eu/en/345/yellow-lounge-berlin-de.html , 19 June 2020.

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Princeton University Library

Classical period music (ca. 1750-1800 + beethoven): a guide to research and resources.

• Introduction
• Search Strategies

Key Journals

Music periodical databases.

• Sources & Editions
• Composers & Publishers
• Performance Practice & Performers
• Eighteenth-Century Music Covers all areas of research into music of the long eighteenth century (c1660-1830).
• The Beethoven Journal Features articles on all aspects of Beethoven scholarship, including the many diverse approaches that the field now encompasses, as well as reviews of recently published Beethoven books and scores.

Use these resources primarily to find print and online articles, reports, notices,  reviews, and other writings on the music industry published in music journals, trade publications, and magazines.

• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full Text This link opens in a new window Covers all aspects of music, including historical musicology, ethnomusicology, instruments and voice, dance, and music therapy. If related to music, works in other fields, such as literature, dramatic arts, visual arts, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and physics are included. 1967+
• Music Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window Indexes music journals covering a broad scope of research from performance, theory and composition to music education, jazz and ethnomusicology. Provides selected full text coverage of the most important music journals, and both scholarly and popular publications.
• Music Index with Full Text This link opens in a new window Includes international music periodicals covering classical, popular and world of music. Comprehensively cites articles and news about music, musicians and the music industry as well as book and concert reviews and obituaries. 1970+ more... less... Print volumes covering 1949-1972 are available in Mendel Music Library: Reference (SV) ML 118 M84.
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• Last Updated: Feb 7, 2024 10:40 AM
• URL: https://libguides.princeton.edu/classical-music

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Teaching Students About Flashdance Cast: A Creative Approach to Film History

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Fascinating Topics To Write About Classical Music

• Comparison of Baroque and Classical Music
• Baroque Music: The Forefather of Classical Music
• Are Popular and Classical Music Audiences the Same?
• Can Teaching Western Classical Music from Culturally Diverse Perspectives Benefit International Students?
• Classical Music and Cognitive Development Relationships
• The Impact of Classical Music on Society
• Has Classical Music Had An Influence on Rock Music?
• A Comparison of Classical Music and Jazz Music
• The Influence of Classical Music on Children
• The History of Classical Music and the Symphonic Era
• The Impact of Classical Music on Education
• Contrasting and Comparing Classical Music and Blues
• The Influence of Classical Music on Western Culture
• Does Classical Music Aid Your Studying?
• A Comparison of Rap and Classical Music
• Classical and Contemporary Music: A Comparison
• Introducing Variation Into Traditional Classical Music Forms
• Classical Music Has An Impact on Our Body’s Vital Movements
• Does Classical Music Influence Infant Brain Development?
• Theme and Variations In Classical Music

Research Topics About Classical Music

• A Comparison of Pop and Classical Music
• Does Classical Music Aid Plant Growth?
• How Franz Liszt’s Transcriptions Shaped Classical Music’s Path
• Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Impact on Classical Music
• Overview of Malaysian Classical Music and Malaysian Folk Music
• Classical Music’s Memory and Brain Effects
• North Indian Classical Music and Emotion: A Case Study
• Rock Vs. Classical Music: The Benefits and Drawbacks of Each
• Overview of Romanticism and Classical Music Styles
• Classical Music’s Impact On the World
• Parallels between Classical Music and Duke Ellington’s Jazz
• Cultural Studies In Eastern Classical Music
• The Classical Music Era’s Most Influential Composers
• “The Mozart Effect”: Can Classical Music Improve Academic Performance?
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Classical Music
• Solving the War-Art Puzzle For Classical Music Composition Through War and Creativity
• Western Classical Music Evolution: A Statistical Examination of Composers’ Similarity, Distinction, and Evolution
• The Influence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on Classical Music
• Bach’s Innovation In Comparison To Other Composers of the Era
• Discovering the Influence of Classical Music on Human Perception

20 Ways to Encourage Students to Respond ...

Cognitive psychology essay topics.

Matthew Lynch

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Articles on Classical music

Displaying 1 - 20 of 132 articles.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at 200: Revolutionary work of art has spawned two centuries of joy, goodwill and propaganda

Ted Olson , East Tennessee State University

Rhapsody in Blue: celebrating 100 years of Gershwin’s groundbreaking classical-jazz masterpiece

Robert Taub , University of Plymouth

Four rising Welsh music acts to set your playlist ablaze

Paul Carr , University of South Wales and Robert Smith , University of South Wales

‘It doesn’t matter where you come from’: regional youth orchestras help fight music education inequality

Mandy Hughes , Southern Cross University

The Missa Solemnis at 200: Beethoven was close to deaf when he wrote his self-proclaimed best work

Peter Tregear , The University of Melbourne

From concert halls to movie soundtracks, Arnold Schoenberg’s legacy as a classical composer still resounds

Aidan McGartland , McGill University

From ‘Jaws’ to ‘Schindler’s List,’ John Williams has infused movie scores with adventure and emotion

Arthur Gottschalk , Rice University

‘Maestro’ shows the enduring power of Gustav Mahler through Leonard Bernstein’s passion

George Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is a story of jazz, race and the fraught notion of America’s melting pot

Ryan Raul Bañagale , Colorado College

Five inspiring female composers from history you should listen to

Judith Valerie Engel , University of Oxford

A long-dead soprano has taken to the stage with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Are holograms the future?

Shelley Brunt , RMIT University

Who was Leonard Bernstein, the man at the centre of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro?

Joseph Toltz , University of Sydney

Gustav Mahler’s symphonies in cinema – and why Maestro’s Symphony No.2 and Tár’s Symphony No.5 sound so different

Martin Knust , Linnaeus University

Music painted on the wall of a Venetian orphanage will be heard again nearly 250 years later

Marica S. Tacconi , Penn State

What does an orchestra conductor really do?

Cristina Simón , IE University

Arts organisations say they want to be ‘cultural leaders’ – but are they living up to their goals?

Samuel Cairnduff , Deakin University

How video games like ‘Starfield’ are creating a new generation of classical music fans

J. Aaron Hardwick , Wake Forest University

Fusing traditional culture and the violin: how Aboriginal musicians enhanced and maintained community in 20th century Australia

Laura Case , University of Sydney

US music education has a history of anti-Blackness that is finally being confronted

Philip Ewell , Hunter College

Intimate and immense: remembering Kaija Saariaho, one of the greatest composers of our time

Liza Lim , University of Sydney

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Deputy Head of School, Senior Lecturer in Piano and Musicology, School of Music, Australian National University

Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, The University of Melbourne

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Senior Lecturer in Musicology, University of Sydney

Associate Professor of Musicology and Director of Academic Program, Music, Western Sydney University

Professor of Music, City, University of London

Musicology, Stellenbosch University

Associate Professor and Head of Composition, The University of Melbourne

Professor, Musicology, University of Alberta

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Performance, University of the West of Scotland

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Classical Music Research Guide

About this guide, quick links.

• Find Introductory Sources
• Find Books & Scores
• Find Audio & Video
• Find Articles
• Find a Specific Periodical at Emory
• Writing & Citing
• News & Events
• MUS 200 Music, Culture, and Society
• MUS 270: Global Bach
• MUS 283 19th-Century Music

This guide is designed to give those researching classical music the basic tools and resources they need to begin.

An Advanced Classical Music Research Guide is also available for those who need more specialized resources and tools, such as advanced search tools & strategies, dissertation & other specialized music databases, audio database across the web, thematic catalogs, and foreign language tools.

You can find and access books, journals, and other media in Emory's catalog .

You can also find scholarly articles, primary sources, newspapers, and other information resources in academic databases . It is often more effective to consider what field the subject you are researching is in and  to select a database through "By Subject."

For more information or help, you can contact the music librarian, Peter Shirts, or an on-call librarian at the reference desk in Woodruff Library or through the link below.

• Woodruff (Main) Library
• Heilbrun Music and Media Library
• Table of All Libraries' Hours
• Equipment Collections at Emory
• Databases for Music
• Next: Find Introductory Sources >>
• Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024 11:50 AM
• URL: https://guides.libraries.emory.edu/main/music_classical

Women in Classical Music: Research

• Take Action

Need help with a specific topic? Ask a music librarian for help!

Jump to: General Resources | Composers | Performers Vocal Music -->

General Resources

Books (selections).

Find more books about women in music

Search subjects in the catalog: Feminism and music Gender identity in music Music by women composers > Analysis, appreciation Music by women composers > History and criticism Sex role in music Women composers Women music patrons Women musicians

Music Reference Databases

• A Distaff Brass Band Bibliography List of 271 books, articles, and more related to female brass players and their ensembles. Selected from the larger Brass Band Bibliography .

Journals (selections)

Journals are a great place to learn from experts about the most recent developments in a particular field. Search articles online or browse the Allen Library current periodicals (near the Allen entrance). See especially:

Journal Article Databases

• Choose a database.
• Search for keywords such as genres, topics, names of people, etc.
• Limit your results by date, language, and more with the the left-hand menu on the results page.

Need more help?

See our Article help page for step-by-step instructions and videos to help you search databases and find full-text articles. And you can always  ask a librarian for individual help .

Music Article Databases

Books in the allen library (selections).

Find more books about women composers

Search subjects in the catalog... Music by women composers > Analysis, appreciation Music by women composers > History and criticism Women composers

...or search for specific composers, for example: Beach, Amy   Hensel, Fanny Mendelssohn Hildegard of Bingen Price, Florence Schumann, Clara   Seeger, Ruth Crawford

Don't know what names to search? See the Repertoire page .

Find more books about women musicians

Search subjects in the catalog... Women musicians

...or search for specific musicians, for example: Anderson, Marian Clarke, Rebecca Levy, Sara Schumann, Clara  

Suggest a Resource

Know of a resource you think should be added to this guide? Let us know!

Want to suggest we purchase something new? Contact Tracey Rudnick ( [email protected] ).

Find Full Text Articles

Search eJournal Locator for the journal title:

Need help? See our article help page  or ask a librarian .

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• Last Updated: Mar 26, 2024 3:39 PM
• URL: https://libguides.hartford.edu/women-music

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Boatwright Memorial Library

• Basic Reference
• Classical Music Research
• Global Music Research
• Popular Music Research
• Jazz Research
• Piano Research
• Streaming Video & Audio
• Journal Articles
• Recommended Websites
• Parsons Music Library
• Department of Music

USING ONESEARCH TO RESEARCH CLASSICAL MUSIC

In each case, select "in subject" in the third dropdown under the white search box

• For books about a composer, enter his or her last name and first name.  Click SEARCH and scan the results list for terms like BIBLIOGRAPHY or CRITICISM AND INTERPRETATION.  These will most likely give you the best result.  You can also try entering the phrase COMPOSERS BIOGRAPHY to find more general studies.  
• For books about classical music in a specific country, enter the word MUSIC followed by the country's name.  The results list will often be divided into centuries.  Again, those headings with BIBLIOGRAPHY or HISTORY AND CRITICISM should be the most useful.  
• For books about a musical genre , enter your genre term as a singluar noun ("sonata," not "sonatas"). Click SEARCH and scan the results for the phrase HISTORY AND CRITICISM.   
• You can also try an ADVANCED SEARCH , changing the "within" box to SUBJECT.

If you have trouble, ask for the book Music Subject Headings , which is behind the circulation desk in the Music Library.  It contains the correct subject phrases to enter for particular musical topics.

JOURNAL ARTICLES ON CLASSICAL MUSIC TOPICS

To get an overview of a classical music topic, try  Grove Music Online .  It gives background information and bibliographies.

Composer Resource Manuals take a detailed look at scholarship on individual composers.  They include annotated bibliographies.

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Best 100 music research topics (just updated).

If you are reading this, you are probably looking for the best music research topics for your next essay. Truth be told, choosing the right topic is very important. It can make the difference between a B and an A, or even between an A and an A+. Unfortunately, choosing the best topics is not as simple as you think. Even though the internet is full of music research topics, most of them are plain and, quite frankly, boring.

Your professor wants more than this. Let’s see why you need the most interesting topics and where you can find them. Of course, you are free to use any of our 100 topics for free and even reword them as you see fit. Read on!

Choosing Good Music Research Topics

By now, you are probably wondering why everyone keeps telling you to come up with the best music topics. The truth is that there are many, many benefits to choosing an awesome topic. Here are just some of them, so you can get a better idea of the importance of a great idea:

• Excellent music research paper topics show your professor that you really did your best to get a top grade.
• A good topic is one that you know much about. It should be relatively easy to you to research it and to write about it.
• An awesome topic will pique the interest of your professor and will keep him or her reading. You will often get bonus points for this.
• Great topics make you stand out from your classmates. Your professor will notice you, and the grade will reflect this.

Where Can You Find Decent Music Topics?

Finding amazing music research topics is easier said than done. Yes, the Internet is full of websites that are offering ideas. There are even websites where you can buy bundles of topics. However, the music argumentative essay topics you will get from these websites are not of the highest quality. Most of them are actually quite boring. And remember, you classmates are probably searching for music history research paper topics on the same websites as you do. You want your research topics on music or book review topics to be original, so your professor can have a reason to award your paper some bonus points. The best place to get excellent music topics to write about is this page. The list of ideas is updated frequently, so you can get an original topic for free right now.

Music History Research Topics

Are you looking for the most interesting music history research topics? If you do, just pick one from our list for free:

• How did the Catholic church influence Renaissance music?
• Social issues described in Baroque-period music.
• Analyze the evolution of Romantic-era music.
• How did the Baroque Opera come to be?
• Who invented Medieval music and when?
• Why has western music almost disappear in the last 10 years?
• Analyze the evolution of music in the Classical era.
• Analyzing violin music performance during the Romantic Era.

Music Argument Topics

Are you looking to find an argument and support it? Then you absolutely need to check out our exceptional list of music argument topics:

• Music today is better than music in the 90s.
• The most lucrative career for a musician.
• Music helps you memorize faster.
• The most popular kind of metal music.
• The evolution of blues songs over the last 30 years.
• Music helps children develop faster.
• Hip-hop is a misunderstood music genre.
• Jazz music is not obsolete.

Music Theory Topics

Interested in writing about music theory? Our amazing academic writers have put together a list of music theory topics for you:

• Analyze the most important aspects of modern music.
• Classical music has specific medical applications.
• Hidden symbols in Renaissance-period music.
• The unique features of Baroque-age music.
• Analyze the evolution of music in the Baroque era.
• The best music compositors in the Romantic era.
• Remarkable characteristics of Romantic-age songs.
• The peculiarities of Asian modern music.

Music Industry Topics

Writing about the music industry can be fun and entertaining. Your professor will love it. Pick one of our music industry topics and start writing:

• What do you associate rock music with and why?
• Should the music industry pay songwriters more?
• How does illegal pirating of songs affect the music industry?
• Do music sharing sites help new artists become famous.
• Analyze the evolution of music labels in the US.
• What differentiates a music label from all others?
• Music talent shows and their effects on a musician’s career.
• The difficulties of signing a contract with a major music label in the US.

Research Paper Topics on Music for High School

Are you a high school student? In this case, you will need our research paper topics on music for high school:

• The best compositors of the Baroque Era.
• What differentiates modern music from classical music?
• Notable women in classical music.
• Analyze the evolution of music in the Modern age.
• How was Beethoven’s music influenced by his loss of hearing?
• How would our world be without music?
• Does music cause negative effects on US teens?

Music Thesis Topics

Writing a thesis about music is not easy. In fact, it can be one of the most difficult projects in your academic career. Start right now by choosing one of the best music thesis topics:

• What made a musician stand out in the Baroque Age?
• The most notable musical experiments in the Classical age.
• Comparing Renaissance and Medieval music styles.
• Analyze the evolution of music in the Renaissance age.
• How did royalty in the UK benefit from music in the Renaissance era?
• Discuss a folk song from the Renaissance age.
• Differences between Asian and European classical music.

Music Controversial Topics

Music, like most other disciplines, has plenty of controversial topics you can talk about. Don’t waste any time and pick one of these music controversial topics:

• Does digital music cut the profits of musicians?
• Who owns the intellectual property to a song?
• The difficulties of getting songwriting credit.
• Illegal downloads are changing the music industry.
• Should music education still be included in the curriculum?
• Analyze medieval liturgical music.
• Music should be free for everyone to download and use.

Persuasive Speech Topics About Music

Are you required the write a persuasive speech about music? If you are, you may need a bit of help. Pick one of these persuasive speech topics about music (updated for 2023):

• Music has a significant effect on advertising.
• The changes rap music has brought to the US culture.
• Indie is a term that should not apply to music.
• Metal music should be banned from the US.
• Does listening to music have a great influence on mental health?
• The amazing evolution of music in the Medieval age.
• People should be free to listen to the music they like for free.
• The fashion industry wouldn’t be where it is today without music.

Easy Topics About Music

Perhaps you don’t want to spend 5 or 6 hours writing the research paper . You need an easier topic. Choose one of these easy topics about music and write the essay fast:

• How can one become a symbol of modern music?
• My favorite singer today.
• Which musician from the past would you bring back to life and why?
• Do politics influence modern music?
• Compare and contrast two music genres.
• Analyze the evolution of music in the modern age in the United States.
• The side effects of turning the volume too loud.
• How is classical music used in Disney movies?

Music Education Research Topics

Are you interested in talking about music education? Perhaps you’ll have some suggestions to make after you’ve done the research. Just choose one of the music education research topics below:

• Can E-Learning be applied to music education?
• Can music teachers offer distance learning services?
• The advantages and disadvantages of Zoom music lessons.
• Why are music worksheets so important for high school students?
• How did the Internet change music education?
• Why are modern music studies so important?
• Should we learn more about Asian music in school?
• How can students learn music while respecting COVID19 measures?

Highly Interesting Music Topics

We know you want a top grade on your next music research paper. We advise you to select one of these highly interesting music topics and surprise your professor:

• How did pop music came to existence and why?
• Analyze the history of hip-hop music.
• Compare metal music with classical music.
• Why is rock music so popular in the United Kingdom?
• Which song would best present our species to aliens?
• Compare and contrast Korean and Chinese music.
• Analyze the popular themes of Japanese music.
• The stunning rise of K-pop bands.

Informative Speech Topics About Music

It’s difficult to find good informative speech topics about music these days. If you want to stand out from the rest of your classmates, choose one of our topics:

• Discuss the ideas presented in romantic music.
• What do people who appreciate classic music have in common?
• Analyze the most popular Bach music.
• Describe the role of market music in the Baroque era.
• Analyze the evolution of European music.
• Ways to make classical music popular with teens in the UK.
• Discuss the most popular musical instrument in the Classical age.

Music Essay Topics for College

Are you a college student? If you want an A+ on your next research paper, use one of these music essay topics for college students:

• Does modern music contain medieval themes?
• Analyze a song from the Renaissance age.
• Why is blues music so important for our culture?
• Who invented the blues genre and when?
• Analyze the evolution of American folk music.
• Most popular names in Baroque-age songs.
• Modern interpretations of medieval songs.
• Listening to blues music can lead to depression.

Need some more music history paper topics? Or perhaps you need a list of music related research topics to choose from for your thesis. Our best paper writer can help you in no time. Get in touch with us and we guarantee that we will find the perfect music topic for your needs. You will be well on your way to getting the A+ you need. Give us a try and get an amazing research topic on music in 10 minutes or less!

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216 Awesome Music Topics That Will Inspire Your Thesis

On this page, you will find the ultimate list of 216 brand new, 100% original music topics for high school, college and university students. No, it’s not a trick! You can use any of our topics about music for free and you don’t even have to give us credit. Many of these research topics on music should work great in 2023.

In addition, we have the best step by step guide to writing a research paper right here on this page. Just like the topics, you can read the guide for free. It will help you stay focused on what’s important and ensure you don’t miss any steps. And remember, if you need assistance with your academic writing tasks, our native English-speaking writers are the most reliable on the Internet!

Writing A Research Paper About Music

So, what is music? Music is a form of art that uses sound and rhythm to create an emotional or aesthetic experience. It can be created by combining different elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm and timbre. Music is a universal language that can be found in all cultures and has been an important part of human history for thousands of years. It can evoke emotions, tell stories, and communicate ideas. Music can take many forms, including vocal or instrumental, solo or ensemble, live or recorded, and can be classified into various genres such as rock, pop, classical, jazz, and many more.

But how do you write a research paper about music quickly? Well, we have a great step by step guide for you right here.

Choose a music topic. Select a topic that interests you and that you have enough background knowledge on to research and write about. Conduct research. Use a variety of sources to gather information on your topic, including books, academic journals, online databases, and primary sources such as interviews or musical recordings. Organize your research. Once you have gathered enough information, organize your research into an outline or a mind map to help you visualize how your paper will flow. Write a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be a concise statement that summarizes the main argument of your paper. Write a rough draft. Begin writing your paper using the information you have gathered and the outline or mind map you created. Focus on creating a clear and coherent argument, and be sure to cite all sources using the appropriate citation style. Help with coursework services can aid you in succeeding with this part. Revise and edit. Once you have completed a rough draft, revise and edit your paper to improve its clarity, organization, and coherence. Check for grammar and spelling errors, and make sure all citations are correct and properly formatted. Create a bibliography or works cited page. Include a list of all sources you used in your research, including books, articles, interviews, and recordings. Finalize your paper. After making all necessary revisions and edits, finalize your paper and ensure that it meets all the requirements set by your instructor or professor. Proofread everything and make sure it’s perfectly written. You don’t want to lose points over some typos, do you?

Easy Research Topics About Music

• The history and evolution of hip-hop culture
• The impact of classical music on modern composers
• The role of music in therapy for mental health
• The cultural significance of jazz in African-American communities
• The influence of traditional folk music on contemporary artists
• The development of electronic music over the past decade
• The use of music in film to enhance storytelling
• The rise of K-pop and its global popularity
• The effects of music on our learning abilities
• The use of music in branding in the fashion industry
• The influence of the Beatles on popular music
• The intersection of music and politics in the 1960s
• The cultural significance of reggae music in Jamaica
• The history and evolution of country music in America
• The impact of music streaming on the music industry

Opinion Essay Music Topics

• Music piracy: Should it be considered a serious crime?
• Should music education be mandatory in schools?
• Is autotune ruining the quality of music?
• Are music awards shows still relevant in today’s industry?
• Should music lyrics be censored for explicit content?
• Is it fair that some musicians earn more money than others?
• Is classical music still relevant in modern society?
• Should music festivals have age restrictions for attendees?
• Is it fair for musicians to be judged on their personal lives?
• Is the current state of the music industry sustainable?
• Should musicians be held accountable for the messages in their lyrics?
• Is the role of the record label still important in the age of digital music?
• Should musicians be able to express their political views in their music?
• Does the use of music in movies and TV shows enhance or detract from the storytelling?

Interesting Music Research Topics

• The impact of music on athletic performance
• The use of music in advertising and consumer behavior
• The role of music in enhancing cognitive abilities
• The effects of music on stress reduction and relaxation
• The cultural significance of music in indigenous communities
• The influence of music on fashion and style trends
• The evolution of protest music and its impact on society
• The effects of music on Alzheimer’s disease
• The intersection of music and technology in the music industry
• The effects of music on emotional intelligence and empathy
• The cultural significance of hip hop music in the African diaspora
• The influence of music on human behavior and decision-making
• The effects of music on physical performance and exercise
• The role of music in promoting social and political activism

Research Paper Topics On Music

• The effects of music on the brain and mental health
• The impact of streaming on the music industry
• The history and evolution of rap music
• The cultural significance of traditional folk music
• The use of music in video games to enhance the gaming experience
• The role of music in religious and spiritual practices
• The effects of music on memory and learning
• The development of rock and roll in America
• The intersection of music and politics in the 21st century
• The cultural significance of country music in the South
• The use of music in autism therapy
• The impact of social media on music promotion and marketing
• The influence of music on the LGBTQ+ community
• The effects of music on social behavior and interaction

Argumentative Essay Topics About Music

• Does music have a negative effect on behavior?
• Is streaming music harming the music industry?
• Can music censorship be justified in certain cases?
• Is cultural appropriation a problem in the music industry?
• Should musicians be held accountable for controversial lyrics?
• Is autotune a helpful tool or a crutch for musicians?
• Should music education be a required part of the curriculum?
• Is the use of explicit lyrics in music harmful?
• Should music festivals be required to have safety measures?
• Does the use of profanity in music undermine its artistic value?
• Can music be used to promote political messages effectively?
• Should musicians be allowed to profit from tragedies?

Current Music Topics To Write About In 2023

• The rise of TikTok and its impact on music promotion
• The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on UK music
• The use of virtual concerts and live streaming during COVID-19
• The influence of social media on music consumption and trends
• The emergence of new genres and sub-genres in popular music
• Talk about cancel culture in music
• The debate over the use of explicit lyrics in music
• The impact of climate change on music festivals and events
• The use of artificial intelligence in music production and composition
• The influence of music on political and social movements
• The rise of female and non-binary artists in the music industry
• The effects of globalization on the diversity of music around the world
• The role of nostalgia in the popularity of music from past decades

Musical Topics About Famous Musicians

• The life and legacy of Beethoven
• The impact of Elvis Presley on rock and roll
• The career and contributions of Bob Dylan
• The influence of Michael Jackson on pop music
• The musical evolution of Madonna over time
• The enduring appeal of the Rolling Stones
• The career of Prince and his impact on music
• The contributions of David Bowie to pop culture
• The iconic sound of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar
• The impact of Whitney Houston on the music industry
• The life and career of Freddie Mercury of Queen
• The artistry and impact of Joni Mitchell
• The groundbreaking work of Stevie Wonder in R&B
• The musical legacy of the Beatles and their influence on pop music

Music Research Paper Topics For College

• The cultural significance of the accordion in folk music
• The use of sampling in hip-hop and electronic music production
• The evolution of the drum kit in popular music
• The significance of Taylor Swift in contemporary country-pop music
• The effects of drug abuse in the music industry
• The role of music in shaping political movements and protests
• The impact of streaming services on the music industry and artists’ income
• The significance of the Burning Man festival in music and culture
• The emergence and growth of Afrobeat music globally
• The role of musical collaboration in the creation of new music genres
• The use of autotune and other vocal processing tools in pop music
• The effects of social and political issues on rap music lyrics
• The significance of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in pop culture
• The impact of music on emotional regulation and mental health

Our Controversial Music Topics

• The controversy of the “cancel culture” in US music
• The impact of music piracy on the industry and artists
• The ethical concerns of music sampling without permission
• The controversy surrounding lip-syncing during live performances
• The debate over the authenticity of auto-tune in music
• The controversy surrounding the use of profanity in music
• The debate over the cultural appropriation of music styles
• The controversy surrounding music festivals and their impact on local communities
• The debate over the role of music in promoting violence and aggression
• The controversy surrounding the ownership of an artist’s discography
• The ethical concerns of musicians profiting from songs about tragedies and disasters

Captivating Music Thesis Topics

• The role of music in promoting social justice
• The impact of music streaming on album sales
• The significance of lyrics in contemporary pop music
• The evolution of heavy metal music over time
• The influence of gospel music on rock and roll
• The effects of music education on cognitive development
• The cultural significance of hip-hop music in America
• The role of music in promoting environmental awareness and activism
• The impact of music festivals on local economies
• The evolution of country music and its impact on popular music
• The use of music in advertising and marketing strategies

Classical Music Topic Ideas

• The influence of Baroque music on classical music
• The history and evolution of the symphony orchestra
• The career and legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• The significance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
• The evolution of opera as an art form
• The role of women composers in classical music history
• The impact of the Romantic era on classical music
• The use of program music to tell a story through music
• The significance of the concerto in classical music
• The influence of Johann Sebastian Bach on classical music
• The contributions of Antonio Vivaldi to the concerto form
• The use of counterpoint in classical music composition
• The role of chamber music in classical music history
• The significance of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah in classical music

Interesting Music Topics For High School

• The history and evolution of the piano as a musical instrument
• The significance of Beethoven in classical music
• The impact of Elvis Presley on US music
• The emergence and growth of the hip-hop music genre
• The role of music festivals in contemporary music culture
• The effects of technology on music production and performance
• The influence of social media on music promotion and distribution
• The effects of music on mental health and well-being
• The role of music in popular culture and media
• The impact of musical soundtracks on movies and TV shows
• The use of music therapy for individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The significance of the Coachella Music Festival in modern music culture
• The cultural significance of the ukulele in Hawaiian culture

Awesome Music Research Questions For 2023

• Should musicians be required to use their platform to promote social justice causes?
• Is music piracy a victimless crime or does it harm the industry?
• Should music venues be required to provide safe spaces for concertgoers?
• Is the Grammy Awards selection process biased towards mainstream artists?
• Should music streaming services pay musicians higher royalties?
• Is it appropriate for music to be used in political campaign advertisements?
• Should music journalists be required to disclose their personal biases in reviews?
• Is it ethical for musicians to profit from songs about tragedies and disasters?
• Should music education be funded equally across all schools and districts?
• Is it fair for record labels to own the rights to an artist’s entire discography?
• Should music festivals have more diverse and inclusive lineups?
• Should musicians be allowed to use drugs and alcohol as part of their creative process?

Fantastic Music Topics For Research

• The evolution of the electric guitar in rock music
• The cultural significance of the sitar in Indian music
• The impact of synthesizers on contemporary music production
• The use of technology in the creation and performance of music
• The influence of Beyoncé on modern pop music
• The significance of Kendrick Lamar in contemporary rap music
• The effects of misogyny and sexism in the rap music industry
• The emergence and growth of K-pop music globally
• The significance of Coachella Music Festival in the music industry
• The history and evolution of the Woodstock Music Festival
• The impact of music festivals on tourism and local economies
• The role of music festivals in shaping music trends and culture
• The effects of music piracy on the music industry
• The impact of social media on the promotion and distribution of music
• The role of music in the Black Lives Matter movement

Catchy Music Related Research Topics

• Is hip-hop culture beneficial or harmful to society?
• Is it ethical to sample music without permission?
• Should music streaming services censor explicit content?
• Is auto-tune a valid musical technique or a crutch?
• Does the music industry unfairly exploit young artists?
• Should radio stations be required to play a certain percentage of local music?
• Is the practice of lip-syncing during live performances acceptable?
• Is music education undervalued and underfunded in schools?
• Does the use of profanity in music contribute to a decline in society?
• Should music venues be held accountable for the safety of concertgoers?

Informative Speech Topics About Music

• The history and evolution of jazz music
• The cultural significance of classical music in Europe
• The origins and development of blues music in America
• The influence of Latin American music on American popular music
• The impact of technology on music production and distribution
• The role of music in expressing emotions and feelings
• The effects of music therapy on mental health and wellbeing
• The cultural significance of traditional music in Africa
• The use of music in films and television to create mood and atmosphere
• The influence of the Beatles on popular music and culture
• The evolution of electronic dance music (EDM)
• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity and unity
• The impact of social media on the music industry and fan culture

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Education Related Topics

Classical Music Research Topics

Classical Music Research Topics : Classical music, known for its historical significance, complexity, and timeless beauty, offers a multitude of intriguing research topics. Here are some classical music research topics that you might find compelling:

• The Evolution of Baroque Music: Exploring the Characteristics, Composers, and Innovations of the Baroque Era.
• Mozart’s Genius and Legacy: Analyzing the Life, Works, and Lasting Influence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9: Investigating the Symbolism, Structure, and Impact of the “Choral” Symphony.
• The Operatic Works of Giuseppe Verdi: Examining Themes, Techniques, and Sociopolitical Contexts in Verdi’s Operas.
• Bach’s Organ Music: Studying the Technical Mastery and Artistry in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Organ Compositions.
• Tchaikovsky and Romantic Ballet: Analyzing the Role of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in Shaping Ballet Music.
• Chopin’s Piano Compositions: Exploring the Emotional Depth and Artistic Innovation in Frédéric Chopin’s Music.
• Classical Period vs. Romantic Period: Comparing Musical Styles, Themes, and Philosophies Between the Two Eras.
• The Influence of Classical Music on Film Scores: Examining How Classical Compositions Enhance Cinematic Narratives.
• Women Composers in Classical Music: Recovering and Celebrating the Works of Underrepresented Female Composers.
• Symphonic Poems and Nationalism: Investigating How Symphonic Poems Reflect Cultural Identity and Patriotism.
• The Art of Fugue: Studying the Complex Structure and Intellectual Significance of J.S. Bach’s “Die Kunst der Fuge.”
• Classical Music and Mathematics: Exploring the Mathematical Patterns and Symmetry in Classical Compositions.
• The Orchestration Techniques of Mahler: Analyzing Gustav Mahler’s Innovative Approach to Orchestration.
• Opera and Politics in the 18th Century: Examining How Opera Compositions Reflect Political Ideals and Current Events.
• Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring: Investigating the Controversy, Musical Innovations, and Cultural Impact of the Ballet.
• Claude Debussy and Impressionism: Exploring the Impressionistic Aesthetics and Symbolism in Debussy’s Music.
• Mozart and Freemasonry: Analyzing the Influence of Freemasonry on Mozart’s Compositions and Ideals.
• Classical Music and Dance: Studying the Relationship Between Classical Music and Various Dance Forms Throughout History.
• Bach’s Goldberg Variations: Examining the Art of Variation and Complex Structure in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Work.

These classical music research topics delve into the depths of the genre’s history, composers, compositions, techniques, and cultural significance, offering a rich landscape for scholarly exploration and appreciation.

Steve George is Blogger, a marketer and content writer. He has B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. Read more about Mzuri Mag .

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Think Twice

Does listening to classical music improve academic performance.

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In the 18th century, Amadeus Mozart gripped the musical world with his elegantly crafted symphonies and intricate, melodic orchestral pieces. But can his music help students with studying? 

“The Mozart Effect” was first suggested in 1993 in a study conducted by psychologist Francis Rauscher at the University of California in Irvine. Students assigned to listen to a piano sonata composed by Mozart scored higher on a spatial reasoning test compared to those who did not.  

According to a study published in Learning and Individual Differences , students who listened to classical music during a lecture received superior marks on exams compared to their peers who did not. However, this may relate to classical music in general rather than Mozart in particular. An additional study on “The impact of music on the bioelectrical oscillations of the brain” used EEG data to measure brain activity, which suggested that music had a positive impact on brain function. The theory is that music reduces stress while stimulating happiness and arousal, which in turn helps students better concentrate on the task at hand. In the experiment, as long as the music was not too dynamic and did not become distracting, it was associated with better student performance on cognitive based exams.  

So the next time you are stressing about an exam, consider popping in some earbuds and listening to classical music. It might offer heightened stimulation to help you focus on the task at hand and get the most out of your studying time. 

https://news.usc.edu/71969/studying-for-finals-let-classical-music-help/

https://www.incadence.org/post/the-mozart-effect-explaining-a-musical-theory#:~:text=The%20Mozart%20Effect%20refers%20to,and%20their%20reactions%20when%20listening .

https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/please-explain/february-2022/please-explain-does-music-help-you-study

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02044/full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6130927/#:~:text=According%20to%20scientists%2C%20music%20that,right%20frontal%20and%20temporal%20regions

One thought on “Does listening to classical music improve academic performance?”

I noticed that every year more and more people are interested in the subject of classical music. But unfortunately very often only online. Therefore, any such information helps to revive interest in real concerts.

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Excellent Suggestions For A Classical Music Essay

In school, your teacher may ask you to write an essay related to classical music. Such a task might help you not only develop your writing skills but also increase your knowledge about music, culture, and history. Before you start writing your paper, you should come up with a specific topic to discuss. If it’s difficult for you to generate an interesting idea alone, you may look at a collection of sample topics to get some inspiration. College homework is not as difficult as may seem.

A List of Brilliant Classical Music Essay Topics

• The importance of classical music.

Explain to the reader why classical music still plays a great role in the education of modern musicians.

• The music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Discuss how Bach’s music differs from the works of other composers of his time and what makes it so great even to this day.

• People who listen to classical music.

Find some common traits of people who like to listen to classical music and discuss them in your paper.

• The life and music of Beethoven.

Investigate how the hearing loss has affected the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven.

• The usage of classical music in films.

Explain why plenty of classical pieces are so often used by moviemakers to provide musical support for their films.

• The evolution of symphonic music.

Write about the development of symphonic music from the Renaissance and to the modern times.

• Women in classical music.

Inform the reader about women who played important roles in the development of classical music.

• The talent of Mozart.

Write about the unique style of Mozart that distinguishes his pieces from the rest of classical music.

• The virtuosity of Niccolo Paganini.

Discuss the music of this highly talented musician and explain why plenty of people still call him a devil’s violinist.

• The comparison of two composers.

Take two great classical music composers and present a comparative analysis of their works in your paper.

Tips for Writing a Decent Essay on Classical Music

• Conduct thorough research.

Once you’ve selected a particular topic related to classical music, you should find and read information about it. Use your school library and the web to find the reputable literature sources to consult.

• Plan the contents of your paper.

Before you begin the writing process, it’s advisable to briefly indicate what exactly you want to include in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your text. This way, your paper is likely to be better organized and interesting.

• Write the introduction.

Make sure that the first paragraph of your paper clearly presents your topic and explains the importance of discussing it. At the end of the introduction, you should state your thesis so that the reader understands what to expect from the body.

• Write the body.

The body paragraphs should discuss different aspects of your narrow topic related to classical music. Make sure that each body paragraph presents and provides information about a separate aspect.

• Write the conclusion.

The last part of your text should restate your thesis and summarize your main points. You may also indicate the role of classical music in your life at the end of your paper.

• Proofread your text.

Once your paper is written, you should revise it and eliminate all mistakes. Repeat the proofreading several times to play it safe.

As you can see, there are many different topics related to classical music that you may learn about and discuss in your academic work. It’s recommended to select a subject of discussion that not only meets the requirements of your assignment but also draws your own interest. This way, the work on your paper won’t seem boring and meaningless to you.

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Can classical music improve your brain function? Multiple studies have proved that listening to the classics stimulates focus, lowers blood pressure and aids relaxation, all of which help students become more receptive to information as they prepare for their academic challenges.

“Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory,” says Dr. Masha Godkin, a professor of Marriage and Family Sciences at National University in San Diego.

She adds that music burrows deep and alters our very brainwaves.

Research from France’s University of Caen, published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences, found that students who attended a lecture accompanied by classical music scored significantly higher on a post-lecture test compared with those who heard no music.

“It is possible that music, provoking a change in the learning environment, influenced the students’ motivation to remain focused during the lecture, which led to better performance on the multiple-choice quiz,” the Caen researchers write. 

Do you suffer from sleepless nights before the big test? Tossing and turning can be a thing of the past when you add classical music to your bedtime routine. (Listen to YourClassical’s Sleep Stream .) Researchers at the University of Toronto found that works by Johannes Brahms, George Frideric Handel, Johann Strauss Jr. and Johann Sebastian Bach were effective sleep aids because their rhythms and tonal patterns slow brainwaves and create a meditative mood.

It apparently works even if you aren’t paying attention. A Russian study published in Human Physiology found that children who listened to classical music for an hour a day over six months while performing other tasks showed brain changes indicating greater levels of relaxation. (Listen to YourClassical’s Relax Stream .)

The Duke Cancer Institute found that music (in this study’s case, Bach’s concertos) lessened anxiety in patients about to undergo medical procedures. And a University of San Diego study found that people who listen to classical music have lower systolic blood pressure than those who listen to jazz or pop music.

Of course, there are many modes of classical music, and it’s important to choose the right pieces to foster the most effective mood. In other words, stay away from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture or John Williams’ dramatic movie scores. Most choral music, which can become a distraction, is unconducive as well.

Music that imitates the heartbeat, with 60 to 70 beats per minute (think Ludwig van Beethoven’s Für Elise ), is a good choice. And although the 1993 study detailing the “Mozart effect” on spatial reasoning that created such excitement (and CD sales to parents) has been somewhat discredited, that composer’s work is still a fine option.

Are you convinced, but still need ideas? Check out YourClassical’s playlist of the best classical music for studying .

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206 Best Music Research Topics That Rock The Stage

Music is one of the greatest sensations in human life. If you are writing a music research paper, you have to make sure that the topic is eye-catching. Most importantly, it should move and make you dance yourself. The topic that you are not interested in will not only make you weary, but the results would be unsatisfying too. That is why our writers have found music research paper topics for you to save the day. We love music very much, and so  our team  offers an Academic paper writing service , so you can trust word.

Table of Contents

Music Research Topics: History, Technical Music, Contemporary And More

Although our writers mainly offer research paper writing services , they did not hesitate for a bit when we asked them to come up with some music research topics for you. You can use any of these 206 topics for free and modify them to fit your needs and match your taste. Read on!

Music History Research Topics

• Use of songwriting in relation to the political and social situations in Nazi Germany and the French Revolution
• Musical Education between two centuries
• Evolution in the definition of music over the centuries
• Birth of Music in Mesopotamia
• Impact of Arab-Andalusian music on renaissance
• Folklore bands of wind music, a cultural manifestation of the people and for the people
• Harmonic implications studied by Pythagoras
• Music from Ancient Greek
• Importance of Music in Greek Mythology
• Song of the Sirens in the evolution of music
• Greece, music, poetry, and dance
• Athens was a center of musical poets in BC era
• Classical Greek Style Music
• Yanni: A Musician that fuses Modern and Classical Greek Music into one
• Role of Music in Greek Tragedy
• Famous musical-dramatic pieces
• Heroic poets: Arab poets that formed the bases of European music
• Performances in amphitheatres by singers-actors-dancers
• Classical musician considered himself more of a performer than an author
• Ritual dance with kettledrums around the fire: Musical Traditions of Pagan cultures
• Classification of primitive musical instruments
• Music in China
• Music in Mayan Tradition
• Apache and Native American Music
• How Africans and Columbians formed the modern American music
• The musical theory and the instruments used in Japan
• Bagaki for Japanese Emperor ceremonies
• Evolution of Indian Music
• Music in the Mughal Empire
• Anarkali: A musical myth with a royal background
• Christian Music, Hymns and Choirs

Read More:  Psychology Research Paper Topics

Technical Music research topics

• Similarity measures, including rhythmic and melodic similarity.
• Phylogenetic analysis of music.
• National Center for Music Diffusion
• Mathematical measures of rhythmic complexity and syncopation
• Musical transformations of rhythm and melody
• Automatic analysis of traditional music, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and African music
• The mathematical theory of rhythm
• Musical constructivism
• Model models (MM) and counter models (CM)
• The role of sound design in video games and its application to contemporary independent works
• Mathematical and computational modeling of musical phenomena (grouping, phrasing, tension, etc.)
• A mathematical theory of tuning and temperament systems
• Teaching mathematics through art
• Music visualization
• History of Modern Columbian Music
• Acoustic-instrumental composition, electroacoustic and sound art
• Interpretation and musical investigation
• sound production
• Transcription and music editing
• Recovery of musical heritage
• Studies of music, literature, culture, and colonial anthropology
• Music by European composers of the 16th century (Renaissance)
• Education and technology in educational scenarios of musical training

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Music Argument Topics

• Visual Media Music Studio
• Music as an important expression in the history of the world
• Conversations about music, culture, and identity
• The architectural space as a link between music and the citizen
• Music Schools for children and young people with limited resources
• Role of practice and need for devotion in learning and acing the musical skills

Read More:  Accounting Research Topics

Contemporary Music research topics

• Impact of Coke Studio: From Pakistan to take over the world
• Effects of Modern Music on Youth
• Musical Martyrs: Freddie Mercury, Amy Winehouse, Elvis Presley
• Music of Hans Zimmer
• Production and exhibition of contemporary music
• Entertainment and music centres
• Non-formal music schools
• Music and education today
• Contemporary Mexican music
• Satanism movement in modern music
• Western musical history and “modern” music
• Journey of Music: From the Medieval Family to the Modern Family
• Importance of Opera in the modern age
• Evolution of music over time: From orchestra to electric
• Self-management and promotion of independent music
• Music of electric musicians: Alan Walker, Serhat Durmus, Chain Smokers
• Modern Music, A Wonderful Expression
• The idiomatic reality of the English language
• Modern Music in the United States
• Current music pedagogy
• Music education in the twentieth century

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Classic Music Research Topics

• Classic music of South Asia
• Classic music of Africa
• Classic Arab music, the influence of Soad, Um Kalthum
• What makes classic music so important and why do we still have to reserve it?
• Music of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms
• Use of classic music in the film
• Beethoven: How he lived, composed and died
• Life and music of Mozart
• Classical music by Afro-American women
• Music in classical films
• Greatest compositions of 19-20th centuries
• Style and compositions of Einaudi
• Music during the classical period
• Classical Music Criticism

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African music research topics

• The Effects of Slave Music on American History and African-American Music
• The use of Afro-Caribbean rhythms for the construction of jazz musical moments
• African folk music of Cuba
• History of African-American Popular Music
• African diversity in music
• The study of the oral and musical traditions of the Afro-Mexicans
• Studies of African Musical History and Its relationship with modern society
• South African influences on American music
• African music in Mali
• African music: South Africa
• Music of the Middle East and North Africa

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Pop Culture Music Research Topics

• The pedagogical models of popular music
• Music throughout the decades of musicals
• Brad Paisley and Country Music
• The Effects of Music on the popular culture
• Hip-hop/rap music: One of the most popular musical genres
• The influence of rap music on teenagers
• Irish Music: Music and Touch Other Irish Dance Music

Read More:  Qualitative Research Topics

Music Theory Topics

• Genre and music preferences
• The effect of instrumental music on word recall memory
• Sample Music and Wellness
• The music industry
• The Theme of Death in a Musical 
• The Effects of Globalization on MusicMusic psychology research topics
• The potential of music therapy to develop soft skills at the organizational level
• Listening to music as a way to relieve stress for teens
• The impact of theatricality within contemporary popular music concerts of the psychedelic, glam, and progressive rock genre 
• Trying music as therapy
• How music can help students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder)
• How can music help reduce work stress and maintain a healthy work environment
• Musical manifestations of man consist of the externalization

Read More:  US History Research Topics

Music Education Research Topics

• New pragmatism in music education
• Importance and effects of musical education
• Philosophy of Music Education
• Music, a tool to educate
• Competencies in music education
• Music as a strategy to encourage children’s effective learning 
• Interconnection between music and education
• Philosophy of musical education

Read More: High School Research Paper Topics

Persuasive Speech Topics About Music

• The music is a true reflection of the essay of American society
• Music and Its Effects on Society 
• Matter Of Metal Music
• Beethoven’s Twelfth Symphony: the second movement of the symphonic essay
• Messages in music
• The benefits of music trial
• Does music affect blood pressure?
• Music Industry Research: An Epic Battle With Youtube
• Entertainment and education Via music
• Whitman’s music as a means of expression
• Music and its Effect on the World
• Music: Essay on Music and Learning Disabilities

Read More:  Political Science Research Topics

Music Controversial Topics

• Whether or not profanations in music corrupt our youth
• Drugs and rock and roll
• Piracy and the music industry
• Music censorship is a violation of freedom of expression
• Music censorship
• The use and overuse of the music

Read More:  Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

Music Industry Topics

• Freedom of expression and rap music
• Censorship in the music industry
• Influence of music on culture
• Analysis of Iranian film music
• Analysis of the Turkish Music Industry
• Analysis of the South Asian Music Industry
• Coke Studio Making and Global Impact
• The digital revolution: how technology changed the workflow of music composers for media
• Video music as matter in motion
• Acoustic and interpretive characteristics of the instruments
• The study of musical composition based on pictorial works
• Musical prosody of the interpretation

Read More:  Social Work Research Topics

Arab Music Research Paper Topic

• Arab music industry: Evolution after colonialism
• Music of Middle
• Umm Kulthum: Effects on global music
• How the Arab music still impacts Asian and American Music
• Effects of Arab music in popular French music
• Turkish and Arab Music: A Beautiful cultural fusion
• Arab Heroic Poets of Andalus and how they formed modern European music
• Revival of Arab music through electrical genre

Read More:  Medical Research Topics

Music Thesis Topics

• Film Industry Classical Music
• Finding Meaning in a Musical 
• Music and its effect on my interpretation
• How music can interact with politics
• Musical phrases and the modal centres of interest of the melody 
• Effect of ambient music on sleep trials
• Main characteristics of the musical organization
• Study Of Cadences And Other Harmonic Processes In The Light Of Consonance And Dissonance Theories
• Theoretical-experimental Study Of Percussion, Wind And String Instruments
• Recognition Of The Instruments Of The Orchestra
• Compositive Algorithms Using Unconventional Musical Magnitudes
• Development Of A Microtonal Harmony As A Generalization Of The Common Practice Period
• Mechanism related to the recognition of specific emotions in music
• Musical emotion (emotion induction)

Read More:  Biology Research Paper Topics

High School Research Paper Topics on Music

• Correlation Between Personality and Musical Preferences Essay
• Effects of Rock Music on Teenagers
• Does popular music stay popular?
• The effect of music on the interpretation of a musical
• Musical activities in a spiral of development
• Adolescents in the understanding of contemporary processes of music
• Musical activities in the content system
• Music and the value of responsibility
• Presentation of musical fragments, Performance of live or recorded musical instruments
• Life stories of composers and musical personalities such as Mozart and Beethoven
• Presentation of music related to tastes and socio-educational reality
• Exhibition of musical fragments and execution of instruments
• Presentation of different types of music, the performance of musical instruments live or recorded
• Experience composing music, with lyrics, instrumental or with sounds from the environment, what musical genre or type of sound production does it represent?
• The practice of the studied musical instruments, record the meanings that guide your performance and preparation as a student and for life
• Why is compliance with the vocal techniques of singing a duty that must be assumed consciously?
• Does all music express sound? Does every sound express a genre or type of music?
• Practice sound emission and tuning techniques
• Why is it important to make movements according to the type of music you listen to?

Music is one of the greatest inventions of the human race. All good music makes your heart beat a little faster and soothes your mind into peace. It has been evolving since the dawn of civilization, 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Whatever research you make about it, just make sure that it touches your heart. 

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200 Best Music Research Paper Topics For Students

Music research topics are an excellent opportunity to trace the history of the development of individual genres or entire eras. You can create an essay or research paper with an emphasis on certain stylistic features, or delve deeper into the technical aspects of album making. Also, the research topics in music allow you to learn more about popular composers, musicians, and individual bands. You can find out the history of creating certain songs or finding out the nuances of the breakup of groups.

While music research paper topics seem easy, it still requires a good outline and reliable sources to gather information. The life of many musicians is very busy, so certain topics for music research papers may require a more thorough analysis. For example, you will need to research the biography and all creation stages of famous music industry personalities.

Any research topic about music should be analyzed, and only verified facts added. You should also avoid using emotional coloring and bias. And don't forget about formatting. Any interesting music topics require clear structuring into paragraphs, lists, and subheadings.

By popular genres & styles

Individual styles are especially appreciated in research paper topics on music. You can choose the genre or group that interests you. This will allow you to get additional motivation and focus more on facts. The main challenge in this case is to find authoritative sources.

• The impact of rock and roll on the modern music industry.
• The basic concepts of creating musical songs.
• Rock performers and their popularity in society.
• Reasons for the negative attitude towards the rock vocalist.
• Rock musicians and problems with the law.
• The nuances of alcohol addiction of rock musicians.
• The main features of creating rock songs.
• Musical agitation as the main motive of rock songs.
• The main reasons for making rock songs.
• Symbiosis of rock and classical music.
• Rock performers and popular musicians.
• The analysis of the creative personality on the example of Kurt Cobain.
• The modern musical trend in culture.
• Top 10 most popular metal groups.
• Why has metal music become so popular?
• The mix of traditional music and heavy metal.
• Analysis of lyrical constructions of metal performers.
• The symbiosis of musical instruments in metal music.
• The analysis of seventh chords in the construction of metal songs.
• The influence of metal on other genres.
• The symbiosis of metal and pop music.
• The influence of metal vocalists on American culture.
• The symbiosis of genres as the reason for the creation of metal.
• The modern icons of the metal scene.
• The best metal bands in the last thirty years.
• The analysis of the dynamics of the popularity of metal bands.
• The modern concerts on the example of metal bands
• Female vocalists in pop music.
• The reason for the creation of numerous female musical groups.
• Pop music as a tuning fork of public morality.
• Why is pop music degrading?
• How can pop music be used to improve college grades?
• The nuances of using pop music in contemporary American culture.
• How can pop music be used to improve mood?
• The symbiosis of pop music and rap culture.
• How does contemporary pop music affect young people?
• The study of pop music in the context of the social culture of Harlem.
• The classic examples of pop artists.
• Madonna: the most popular popes of personalities.
• The analysis of the popularity of Britney Spears.
• Pop icons of the past decade.
• Hip-hop as the basis of the movement for social equality.
• The origins of hip-hop and the reasons for its popularization.
• How does hip-hop affect contemporary pop artists?
• The analysis of hip-hop performers on the example of the best vocalists of the decade.
• How does hip-hop allow athletes to train?
• Modern hip-hop and new musical trends.
• The symbiosis of hip-hop and metal music.
• How does hip-hop motivate people for sporting achievements?
• The analysis of hip-hop performers on the example of female vocalists.
• Modern hip-hop and its impact on youth.
• The main aspects of the integration of hip-hop music in the modern community.
• All technical aspects of creating hip-hop music.
• The classic approach to the formation of hip-hop motives.
• The analysis of the structure of hip-hop songs.
• The best hip-hop artists of the last decade.
• The stages of the formation of jazz as a separate musical genre.
• Why is jazz so popular these days?
• The nuances of studying jazz musical combinations.
• How Jess influences the structuring of student learning.
• The nuances of jazz performers in modern America.
• The best American jazz performers.
• Jazz as the most structured musical theory.
• How can you quickly learn to create jazz compositions?
• The influence of jazz on the cultural and political elite of the United States.
• Can jazz replace other musical styles?
• Jazz fusion as an example of musical prowess.
• The technical aspects of creating a pentatonic scale in a jazz style.
• The selection of jazz musicians.
• The development of jazz in the United States.
• The main reasons for the popularization of jazz in modern society.
• Blues and its influence on the development of the music industry.
• The symbiosis of blues and jazz.
• Can the Blues be compared to classical music?
• How do contemporary artists use the Blues in pop music?
• Historical context creation of blues compositions.
• How does the Blues affect rock music?
• Can the Blues help students learn?
• How blues musicians are developing in the USA.
• Can blues be used as a springboard for classical music production?
• The best US blues artists of the last 20 years.
• Blues performers of the last ten years.
• The influence of the blues on the formation of other genres.
• The analysis of the statistical popularity of the blues.
• The critical aspects when creating Blues compositions.
• The selection of blues parties when creating music.
• The influence of classical music on pop culture.
• The classical music and the best composers of the last century.
• Beethoven and his best works.
• How did Mozart influence classical music?
• Is the symbiosis of jazz and classical music possible?
• The structure of making classical music.
• The stages of the formation of classical music in modern society.
• Can you replace pop culture with classical music?
• How does classical music affect the psychological state of people?
• The classical music and symbiosis with opera.
• The basic concept of the analysis of classical music.
• A technical comparison of the mastery of classical composers.
• The choice of classical music for the mood.
• The classical music and its influence on rock culture.
• The main technical aspects of creating a score.

The region is important for those looking for musical topics for research paper. Most genres of European music and some information about composers are open to general use. If your research topic on music is aimed at analyzing the Arab countries, then you will need more time looking for reliable information. The fact is that not all Muslim archives are in the public domain.

Western music

• The features of musical motives of Western music.
• The history of Western music with real examples.
• How has Western music changed over the past two hundred years?
• Is it possible to combine Western music with European motives?
• The features of the use of traditional Western musical instruments.
• How do Western countries use music for meditation?
• Western music in the context of modern society.
• The role of Western music in the life of native people.
• How melodic is oriental music?
• The stages of the formation of Western music in American culture.

European music

• European music and modern trends.
• British pop bands and their worldwide popularity.
• How popular are German pop bands in the USA?
• European music and national musical instruments.
• How does European music affect well-being?
• The analysis of European music with specific examples.
• Top 10 of the greatest European musical groups.
• The analysis of European music on the example of instrumental groups.
• The best pop music performers in Europe.
• How does pop music influence the development of culture?

Asian music

• Asian music: the example of ethnic trends.
• The influence of Asian music on world culture.
• The main musical instruments of Asia.
• Can you compare Asian music with European motives?
• How has Asian music changed over the past hundred years?
• The nuances of creating Asian music.
• How does Asian music influence contemporary cinema?
• The best Asian performers.
• Top 10 Asian vocalists who have conquered the whole world.
• Do national instruments influence the creation of Asian music?

By history periods

You can use music appreciation research paper topics to analyse a specific period in history. Baroque, Renaissance and other eras are especially relevant for research as they allow you to see the history of the development of music. You can concentrate on a specific time period and the most famous composers.

• Medieval music and its influence on the Crusades.
• The major trends in the medieval music industry.
• The influence of kings on the creation of medieval music.
• The main musical instruments in medieval Europe.
• Musical instruments in Central Asia during the Middle Ages.
• What kind of music was popular in the Middle Ages.
• How difficult was the life of a musician in the Middle Ages?
• The analysis of medieval music on modern examples.
• How has contemporary music influenced pop culture?
• Historical aspects of the creation of medieval music.
• The influence of medieval music and culture.
• The rhythmic pattern of medieval music.
• The medieval music during the feast.
• The influence of medieval music on classical music.
• The medieval music channel and musical comparison.

Renaissance

• The dawn of musical culture during the Renaissance.
• The analysis of Renaissance music with specific examples.
• How has Renaissance music influenced contemporary pop culture?
• The analysis of Renaissance music as a constructive masterpiece.
• The nuances of Renaissance music and, most importantly, musical instruments.
• How difficult is it to reproduce Renaissance music in today's environment?
• The analysis of structural compositions of the Renaissance.
• Renaissance music as a tuning fork of public morality.
• How has music changed since the Renaissance?
• Can Renaissance music be used to create a modern instrumental ensemble?

Baroque Age (XVI-XVIII)

• The influence of politicians on the formation of music during the Baroque period.
• How has Baroque influenced contemporary instrumental music?
• The nuances of musical constructions during the Baroque period.
• How has the baroque influenced modern instruments?
• The nuances of the Baroque in the context of the complexity of musical compositions.
• The main effect of the Baroque in contemporary music.
• The historical aspects of the creation of the Baroque as a separate genre of music.
• The influence of the Baroque on the creation of contemporary musical groups.
• The analysis of the structure and musical motives of Baroque in detail.
• Baroque in contemporary music.
• The nuances of creating songs in the Baroque style.

Classical Age (XVIII-XIV)

• The Classical Age of music in modern society.
• How did the Classical Age influence the formation of musical trends?
• The general concept of the Classical Age in instrumental music.
• The nuances of creating music based on the Classical Age.
• How did the Classical Age influence the creation of pop culture?
• The theory of creating musical compositions on the example of the Classical Age.
• The general factors of the Classical Age in instrumental music.
• The main trends and popular instruments of the Classical Age.
• The main musical compositions of the 14th century.
• The main factors in the creation of musical compositions in the 13th century.

Romantic Era (XIV-XX)

• The Romantic Era and its impact on contemporary music.
• The main principles of structuring music into the Romantic Era.
• Features of creating instrumental compositions in the Romantic Era.
• The Romantic Era and modern music trends.
• The main factors influencing the Romantic Era in the music industry.
• Key figures in the music industry and their passion for the Romantic Era.
• How did the Romantic Era form the modern style?
• How has the Romantic Era influenced rhythmic music?
• The Romantic Era in the music industry.
• The main aspects of the formation of the Romantic Era in musical culture.
• Making marching music in the Romantic Era.
• Features of creating musical compositions.
• The technical aspects that influenced modern romantic motives.

Modern Era (XX-XXI)

• Jazz music as a phenomenon of the modern roar the influence of the modern era on instrumental music.
• Technical aspects of hip-hop and Reggae.
• How is contemporary classical music created?
• Can modern music genres be combined to create something new?
• Why is the modern music industry stagnating?
• The aspects of contemporary music.
• How does instrumental music affect culture?
• Contemporary music and technical innovation.
• How is contemporary music created?
• The nuances of creating hip-hop albums.

How To Write On Music Related Research Topics

By choosing topics about music for an essay, you get the opportunity to prepare a detailed paper work with facts, genre nuances and detailed biographies of famous musicians. You need to stick to the formatting and your outline. Find reliable information for music history research topics and talk about the emergence of certain genres.

Music business research topics are especially important, as you need to consider not only the stylistic but also the commercial nuances of the bands. For example, you can prepare detailed data on annual music tours or album sales.

All music appreciation presentation topics require detailed factual focus, which can be difficult for many people. If you are not ready to do it yourself, then we can help you.

Our service will solve your problem with music research topics high school. We also guarantee that you will get a good grade. We will help you organize all the nuances so that your music history paper topics become a reason for pride and high scores.

An Inspiration List

• popular music | Description, History, & Facts | Britannica
• History of music
• Music History from Primary Sources
• Brief History of Music: An Introduction
• How Music and Instruments Began

Music History Paper Topics

Table of contents

• 1 Music Theory Topics
• 2 Music Education Research Topics
• 3 Great Research Paper Topics on Classical Music
• 4 Interesting Topics about 20th Century Music History
• 5 Research Paper Topics on History of Jazz and African American Music
• 6 Classical Music Topics

Musical history is important not only because it shows the development of this art, but it also deals with the historical and cultural context of an era. Music is one of the most significant cultural phenomena of each generation, and it has imprinting of social values of the society it was created in.

Writing research proves the student’s writing skills and his ability to analyze and perform information, his original perspective with supporting arguments. This is a list of good and relevant 2023 music history paper topics that will inspire you and help to choose the particular vector to deliver your thoughts.

Music Theory Topics

Many of the research paper topics are based on theory and as such, have a huge role in all of this. You may need to worry about classical music, genres and so much more. These research paper topics will help you get the job done in less time and easier than ever before. All of these research paper topics are common and appealing, and they will make your research paper writing better than ever.

• All about harmony
• Understanding rhymes
• Presenting melodies to beginners
• What is composition?
• Basics and details about music theory
• What is a key signature?
• Explain the texture of the music
• Scale explained to a professional
• What is an interval?
• Explain counterpoint
• What is an extended chord?
• What is musical notation?
• A proper ear training method
• All the chord symbols explained
• What is the range?

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Music Education Research Topics

A research paper of this kind is probably going to be very interesting and appealing. It is based on proper and detailed music research and even musicians. Of course, these research paper topics are never easy if you fail to find a lot of sources. But you can try to find an interesting topic and start with your work today. We have covered 15 of the best ones you will want to consider for your next research paper on classical music or any other.

• Why is music education so important?
• Most successful methodologies when it comes to teaching tunes
• Differences in teaching music in 21st and 20th century
• Your experience with the lessons
• Why students should attend music education classes?
• Can you become successful with this form of education?
• What are the biggest problems of modern music education?
• How you can make music education better?
• Which classical music topics you are fascinated with?
• Can music help you study harder and better?
• Do the perks younger generations get from music?
• Benefits older people get from music
• How music education will change in the future?
• Best places to have music education in the world
• How you would teach someone about music?

Great Research Paper Topics on Classical Music

Classical music is the basis of any artistic development; it influences popular art as well and is a crucial element of the history of art. It shows the trends and innovations made previously and their relativity to the modern state of affairs.

• The Innovation of J. S. Bach in comparison to other composers of the era;
• Early music history and the development of musical instruments;
• Baroque music, main techniques, cultural meaning;
• Classical composers and film industry;
• Medieval Europe’s music and the influence of the Catholic Church;
• Strings instruments used in classic Greek songwriting;
• Classical German composers of the 18th century and their impact on further musical development;
• Mozart vs Beethoven: comparing main techniques, style and influence;
• The Deep analysis of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony;
• The role of wind instruments in an orchestra;
• How technology influenced classical melody;
• Discovering the effect classical music has on a person’s perception;
• Romantic period of the 18-19th centuries and its influence;
• The phenomena of Mozart, his style and innovation.
• The origins of classical composing.

Also, there are some more  history research topics for college students  that you can use for your college assignment.

Interesting Topics about 20th Century Music History

The 20th century brought a great variety of different musical styles, new forms of expression, and phenomena, such as popular artists, etc. There were so many innovations that one might need help with a research paper . Here are 15 music history topics that deal with the main events of the 20th century.

• Melody Development Between two World Wars
• The origins and main characteristics of country music
• How Drugs Contributed to the Development of psychedelic rock?
• Nirvana phenomenon and grunge rock
• How does radio contribute to pop songs?
• Development of the music industry: Pros and Cons of Capitalistic Perception of an Art
• Origins, influence and cultural value of Rock’N’Roll
• Comparing rational and irrational branches of the 20th century
• The connection between pop and folk melodies
• How has technology affected the new sounds of the 20th century?
• A postmodern approach to traditional songwriting
• Digital sound and the use of electronic instruments
• Freedom of the performer and the new means of the expression
• Rock, its styles and aspect
• The key features of popular songs and the message it brings

Research Paper Topics on History of Jazz and African American Music

Jazz and African American music are one of the most exciting phenomena of the 20th and the 21st century. It has a great influence to this day and has rooted in different genres.

It is crucial not only for the USA culture but for the whole music industry. Jazz is a complex and unique style that has a strong and particular influence, as well as conceptual history. It is only beneficial to write or order a research paper on this matter. Here are 15 paper topics on music history relating to it:

• The role of improvisation in Jazz performance
• L. Armstrong, his innovation and influence on the development of Jazz
• Jazz, its History and Legacy to African American culture
• How has Jazz affected American culture?
• African American musical techniques, origins, lyrics, and style
• The concept of liberation and blues
• Jazz, Blues, and the concept of identity
• Miles Davis and his influence on Jazz
• Jazz techniques in modern popular songwriting
• The phenomena of Kansas City Jazz
• Slavery, memory, and tribal roots in African American melody
• The historical context of Jazz, and its resemblance to society’s problems
• Cultural appropriation of African American tradition
• Comparative analysis of Jazz and Hip-Hop
• Jazz innovative structures and the concept of freedom

Classical Music Topics

A research paper on classical music is something you will have to write at some point. See, classical music is extremely popular and has been with us for a long time. Music research is nice and loaded with details. Hence, it is easy. All of this means that your research papers are mandatory and going to be impressive. You still need to worry about conducting proper custom research for all your research papers and even if you have to invest days into music research and find rare facts.

• All about the music of Johann Sebastian Bach
• Why this music is so important?
• Main differences compared to African music?
• All variations of the classical music
• Music and life of Beethoven
• Most impressive artists of the century
• How classical music is used in films today?
• Effect classical music has on the human brain
• Is it true that classical music boosts your IQ?
• How and why Niccolo Paganini was a different artist?
• Is classical music popular today?
• Who are the people who listen to classical music?
• Compare two composers
• Mozart: The best of the best or not?
• Symphonic music: Complete evolution

Are you struggling to find good music history paper topics? It can be difficult to pick a topic that you find interesting and that you can research thoroughly. If you’re looking for more help with your essay, consider using an essay writer service . With their expertise and resources, they will help you craft a well-researched and engaging paper.

If you’re writing a music history paper and need help finding a topic, look no further. Here are some useful topics that you can use for your paper. From the Baroque Period to the Classical period, there are many interesting topics to explore. Alternatively, you can also buy history papers from reliable sources like PapersOwl, that cover interesting topics and are written by experienced writers.

When looking for a good topic, you can always find inspiration in the artist you like to listen to, the origins of one particular style or historical era that fascinates you. If you need help with an assignment for your college, we are providing assistance for any type of task and subject. We guarantee satisfaction with completely unique paper and timely delivery.

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Music Research Topics

Published by Boni on October 31, 2022 October 31, 2022

Music is a highly influential aspect of our society today. It has been part of our lives for a long time now. As music evolves, everyone has their specific taste for a given genre, musical instrument or song. Some common genres may include hip-hop, rock, reggae or roots. The evolution of music has led to the subject being incorporated in the school curriculum.

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For any student pursuing a career in music, one of the important aspects of the degree is the research paper. Getting the right topic for your research essay is always a challenge to most students however, this article will have relevant examples you can get inspiration from.

Tips on how to Select the Best Music Research Paper Topic?

Choosing a good topic for any research paper is essential, especially if you aim to attain good results in your paper. The following tips will guide you in choosing the most appropriate music research topic. 

1. Be clear on your topic

Be sure of your topic before starting to write your paper; this means that you should have adequate knowledge of what type of research you are planning to conduct. For example, if you plan to include information about the impact of music on criminal behavior, then be sure that you have sufficient knowledge about music in criminal behavior. 

2. Use sources

Make sure that you have sufficient material to use in your paper. You should use sources such as books, journals, and websites containing information on the topic you plan to write about. These sources will help with your research, as they will provide well-written articles to develop your topic.

3. Develop sources

If you do not have any material to use in your paper, there are many places where you can get sources. In this case, you have to develop your sources. For example, if the topic is about the effect of music on plastic surgery, you can use research papers on medical concepts and statistics about plastic surgery performed by newspapers and magazines. You can also conduct interviews with experts in these areas of study; however, make sure that they are reliable.

4. Seek help from a professional

The professional help you should consider getting is that of a reviewer. A music research paper is more challenging than other academic papers; it requires greater attention to detail and a deeper understanding of your research topic. Therefore, you should get a professional from a reputable service to help you review your work before submitting it. Gudwriter has the best research paper essay writing service that gurantees you quality music research papers from our qulified team of experts.

Music Research Topics Examples

Below are some of the most popular music research topics:

Music History Research Topics

History is known for its accurate records, and this is also applicable to music research. For example, if you want to write a paper on the history of Broadway musicals, you should have information about the different shows produced in the past and their influences on performers. This will ensure that you get your paper done properly.

A list of topics relating to music history would include:

1. The history of the synthesizers

2. The history of music in the United States

3. The evolution of classical music

4. The history of pop music styles

5. The evolution of folk music in America

6. How technology has influenced the evolution of music styles

7. The development and influence of hip-hop

8. The history of European classical music

9. The history of African-American music

10. The history of Latin American music

11. The effect of the digital age on the evolution of music styles

Music Therapy Research Topics

These are brilliant essay topics that research on how therapeutic music can be in the society. Examples of these topics could be:

• How does music treat psychological conditions?
• How can you calm an individual using the theme?
• What do people love most about classical music?
• Does listening to music affect your effectiveness?
• What is the impact of music as a subject in schools?
• Can music help reduce stress?
• Can an individual use music to heal eating disorders?
• Why do most psychologists prefer using music when performing their work?
• Can music lyrics help enhance your brain capacity?
• Music and therapy
• How does music help students in education?
• Scientific research and music
• How does music help learn psychology?
• What music genre is written in different countries?
• How music affects student’s productivity

Music Theory Topics

This music category is for the music theory lovers. It may help investigate the theories in music such as characteristics of music in different eras and crucial aspects of music in societies. Great examples may include:

• Brilliant characteristics of Romantic-age songs
• How music evolved in the Baroque Era
• Who were the top compositors during the Romantic era?
• Remarkable features of Baroque-age music
• Uncovering symbols during the Renaissance-period music
• How classical music relates to medical applications
• Major music directions during the 20 th century
• What are the crucial aspects of music?
• History of modern hip-hop
• Why is it that most intellectuals prefer rock music?

Music History Research Paper Topics

This is another field where you can find plenty of research topics to work on. History offers us the chance to examine and understand the origin of a particular music genre or issue related to music. You can pick any of the following topics for your music history research paper:

• Origin of black music
• History of musical instruments
• What is the female impact on the jazz music genre?
• Imperial Japanese and Chinese Music
• Who created the music?
• Music as it was used in the Holy Roman Empire
• Main aspects of modernism music
• How politics influenced music back then?
• Modern music culture
• Why are music studies important?
• Conventional archetypes in music
• How is music connected to important functions and events?
• Genius of Bach
• Folk music and how it impacts the population

Music Psychology Research Topics

Connecting psychology and music is not something new. However, the category has not been researched as it should be. Researchers have barely scratched the ground on the music psychology research topics. That is why this is a good topic to research on. Consider the following suggestions:

• Are sound therapies efficient?
• Does music education impact our abnormal activities in the brain?
• Does music impact our state of mind, mood, and overall mental health?
• How tones affect mental development in teens, children, and toddlers
• How does playing a piano enhance communication skills of individuals with communication issues?
• What are cultural differences in music?
• Changes in music consumption patterns in young people
• How has music changed how students think and act?
• Can music enhance your sleep at night?
• Does a specific genre of music champion for drug abuse that affects our psychology?

Classical Music Research Topics

For the classical sounds’ lovers, this is the category to research on. You can research on how this music works, when it started, its history, and the traits of the listeners. Below are some common example topics to pick from:

• What songs fall under the classical genre?
• What is the history of the classical music category?
• Is classical music impactful today?
• What role does classical sound play in Disney production?
• Most impactful classical projects
• Character traits of classical music listeners
• Role of women in the classical genre
• Are classical sounds and metal the same?
• How modern melodies differ from classical music
• Why is Mozart different from other composers in the classical genre

Music Thesis Topics

Other excellent research topics you can handle include the music thesis topics. These topics typically cover a wide range of areas in the music field from analysis of specific genres to examination of cultural implications. Examples may include:

• A comparative study of traditional music practices in different ethnic communities
• The psychological effects of listening to music on emotional well-being and mood regulation
• What is music’s role in the LGBTQ+ community?
• Examining how music is a catalyst for change in the Hip-Hop culture
• Investigating effects of music training on neural development and cognitive abilities
• The impact of live music performances on audience emotional response and engagement
• Use of music as a mnemonic device
• What role does music play in promoting cognitive development in children?
• A comparative study of traditional and digital distribution models
• Tracing the origin of jazz music and its influences from African Roots to modern interpretations
• Examining female empowerment in pop music lyrics

Music Controversial Topics

Popular music is always being criticized and is often the focus of research discussions. While this is normal and not uncommon, such criticism can also be turned into a paper used in studies. Below are some examples of topics related to popular music research:

1. The use of information technology (IT) in today’s music industry

2. The politics behind the use of the word “pop” in mainstream U.S. pop culture

3. The effect of hip-hop on today’s society

4. The origins of dance music

5. The use of metaphors in today’s music

6. The role of the internet in pop music

7. The effect of lyrics on the music style

8. The impact of sex and drugs in the creation of pop music and its stereotypes

9. The influence of the Beatles on other bands and musicians

10. How racism affected black musicians during the 1960s and has affected them today 

Music Argument Topics

This type of music research focuses on the use of statistical analysis, as well as on other methods such as opinion surveys and field studies. Below are some examples of argumentative research topics:

1. The evolution of music piracy over time

2. The impact of digital piracy on the evolution of music and other elements related to it

3. How access to free, illegally downloaded music has affected the sales of CDs and records

4. The effect of parental guidance on censorship in music lyrics

5. The role that education systems worldwide play in the promotion or censoring of certain genres

6. The importance and effectiveness of copyright laws in preventing illegal downloads

7. The impact of music piracy on the global music market

8. How the evolution of technology has affected the sales of CDs and records

9. The effect of global warming on musical genres

10. The dangers that peer-to-peer networks pose to the online security of users’ computers 

Learn the basic steps to follow in writing your research paper .

Hip-Hop Research Topics

Hip-hop is a music style that originated in the United States. Its popularity has spread globally, and its music is easily recognized nowadays. It is based on African American tradition and culture, and its roots can be traced to the blues music of the 1960s. The strong beat in hip-hop music was influenced by the funk music that was popular then.

Depending on your interest, you can conduct research on a wide range of topics related to hip hop; these include, but are not limited to:

1. The history of hip hop

2. The origins of hip-hop and its influences on the world’s culture

3. The impact of hip-hop on various aspects of society, including politics, music, and language

4. How hip hop has influenced the evolution of music styles around the world

5. The effect that hip hop and other forms of music have had on other aspects of culture around the world

6. The effect that social change, technology, and political powers have had on hip-hop culture 

7. The effect of hip-hop on the body image of women

8. The impact of hip-hop on the culture around the world 

9. How hip hop has affected the media and its portrayal of women

10. The use of sampling in pop music genres 

Debatable Music Topics

Debatable topics are those that people have different feelings about. For example, while some people think rap music is harmful to children, others believe it’s a positive influence in their lives. The same applies to other genres of music.

Below are several examples of debatable music topics:

1. The impact of MP3s and peer-to-peer networks on the sales of CDs and records 

2. The effects of hip-hop on society and its stereotypes 

3. The psychology behind the creation of pop music 

4. The use of sampling in pop music genres 

5. The impact of sex and drugs in the creation of pop music and its stereotypes 

6. The role that education systems worldwide play in the promotion or censoring of certain genres 

7. The effect of media censorship on hip-hop culture 

8. The influence of the law on music genres, such as hip-hop, rap, and rock-and-roll 

Music Appreciation Research Topics

Many people enjoy music and want to learn more about worldwide music styles. If you are interested in pursuing a music appreciation research topic, here are some additional topics that you may explore:

1. The history of music and how it has changed the world

2. How pop music styles differ from one country to another 

3. The effects of global warming on musical genres

4. How hip-hop has shaped modern culture, such as language and fashion

5. The impact of social change on the emergence and development of new music styles and genres 

6. How the internet has influenced the evolution of music styles

7. The use of metaphors in music 

8. How technology has influenced the evolution of music styles

9. The impact of hip-hop on modern society, including politics and language 

10. How African-American music has shaped modern cultures, such as language and fashion 

Music Education Research Topics

If you are a student in a music program, you can research your music skills and improve them. Here are several ideas for topics that you could discuss:

1. The effect of hip-hop on education and its impact on the language spoken by children

2. The history of rap music, from its roots to modern times

3. The composition of rhythm and blues songs and their histories

4. The musical arrangement of rap songs throughout history

5. The role that race plays in the creation of rap music 

6. How sex and drugs affect the creation of pop music and influence its lyrics

7. The influence of rock-and-roll on other genres, such as jazz, blues, and country 

8. The history of sampling and its importance in the creation of hip hop 

9. The history of copyright laws and their impact on musical piracy 

Pop Culture Research Topics

You can research pop culture’s appeal, from films and television shows to music. Below are examples of topics that may interest you:

1. The history of film, including horror and action movies

2. The psychology behind the creation of pop music and its components

3. The impact that different types of music have had on society, such as race and sex 

4. How technology has influenced the evolution of music styles throughout history 

5. The role that education systems worldwide play in the promotion or censoring of certain genres 

6. The creativity involved in the composition and arrangement of pop songs

7. How pop culture has influenced language around the world

8. The history of hip-hop and its impact on modern languages

9. How African-American music has shaped modern cultures, such as language and fashion 

10. The history of sampling and its importance in the creation of hip hop 

Rap Topics Ideas

Many people enjoy listening to rap music. If you are interested in learning more about this genre, here are several topics that you may discuss:

1. How rap music has evolved throughout history

2. The role that sampling has played in the creation of various hip-hop styles 

3. How societal changes have affected rap music and its lyrics

4. How sampling has influenced modern music styles around the world 

5. The evolution of hip-hop, including its impact on popular culture

6. How rap music has influenced the language of African-Americans

7. The political overtones behind rap music and its impact on modern society

8. The effect that sex and drugs have had on the creation of rap music and its content 

If you are interested in pursuing a research topic about music, you now have several ideas to help guide you. Remember that topics should be able to answer your research questions, so make sure to explore those ideas thoroughly.

You should also remember that research is an opportunity for personal growth. If you take the time to conduct thorough research and include quality sources in your project, you will learn more about these topics and yourself.

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A List Of Great Research Paper Topics On Classical Music

Whether you are studying some sort of music-based course, or you are currently learning about classical music as part of a history lesson, you may be required to write a research paper based on the topic of classical music. In fact, there are various other subjects that you may be studying which will require you to write such an academic paper and, if this is the case, you may be wondering what topics you can base your work on.

Choosing an era for your paper

Classical music covers a wide range of time. In fact, whilst many people may associate it with music from around the 18th and 19th-century; however, it in fact covers a time period starting at around the early 11th century, and ultimately extends right through to the present day.

Whilst this means that classical music essentially covers a period of almost a millennium, there is a particular era, known as the classical period, which covers approximately seven decades, from the mid-18th-century, through to the early 19th century. In fact, it is the difference in terminology between classical music and the classical period the often causes some confusion.

If you wish to write about the classical period, then it may be that you would like to write about famous composers, such as Mozart or Beethoven. Alternatively, you can pick any other topics relating to other eras, such as the Mediaeval, Baroque or Renaissance periods, as well as music that has occurred more recently, including the contemporary post-modern period, which began in the late 20th-century, and covers right up until the present day.

Once you have thought of an era to write about, you will then need to narrow down your topic. It may be that you wish to write about a particular piece of music, various styles, particular composers, or any other musical topic. For further inspiration, feel free to read the list of ideas below:

• German composers of the 18th century
• An analysis of the role of wind instruments in classical music
• Which nation was most influential during the classical period?
• An analysis of Beethoven’s fifth Symphony
• The life and work of Mozart
• Compare and contrast Mozart and Beethoven
• An analysis of influential classical composers who had hearing deficiencies
• What of the most important pieces of music to have come out of the classical era?
• Is there any connection between listening to classical music and an increased ability to learn information?
• What is the most difficult piece of classical music to play?

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New yale commitment strengthens ties to hbcus.

(Illustration by Eri Griffin)

Yale has announced a major new initiative to strengthen the university’s partnership with the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), whose mission is centered on the education of Black Americans.

Over the next five years, Yale will commit $2 million annually, for a total of $10 million, to establish the  Alliance for Scholarship, Collaboration, Engagement, Networking, and Development  (ASCEND), Yale Provost Scott Strobel and Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity Gary Désir wrote in a message March 5.

The new partnership is the latest in a continuing series of university commitments in response to the findings of a long-term examination of Yale’s historical role in and association with slavery, which are described in a new book, “Yale and Slavery: A History,” which is also available in a free digital version . Several other commitments and actions were announced on Feb. 16.

The acronym, ASCEND, represents the partnership's goal of achieving even greater milestones for Yale and all participating institutions. 

“ This initiative will deepen the relationship between HBCUs and Yale through bidirectional partnerships centered on research, teaching, and access for students,” Strobel and Désir wrote. “In particular, ASCEND programming will support research collaborations between HBCU and Yale faculty, provide resources for HBCU faculty research projects, and expand pathway programs for HBCU students.

“ These programs, planned with HBCU partners, commit to increasing representation and amplifying the significant contributions of HBCUs in shaping the academic landscape.”

The creation of ASCEND represents “part of the continuing work to address our history,”

Fostering excellence in teaching and research

In their message, Strobel and Désir described new programs, which will launch this spring, to create dynamic partnerships between faculty at HBCUs and Yale.

New  faculty collaboration grants  will provide funding to HBCU and Yale faculty who conduct research that transcends institutional boundaries, encourages interdisciplinary inquiry, and uses collective expertise to tackle global challenges, they said. These grants encourage faculty to combine their perspectives and scholarly strengths to create novel insights and outcomes.

Faculty research fellowships  will offer financial support for HBCU faculty members to pursue ambitious research projects at Yale for a semester or summer, enabling research collaborations, access to Yale’s collections, and engagement with other university resources. Fellows will be appointed to the appropriate academic department, program, institute, or center at Yale.

Teaching fellowships  will support HBCU and Yale faculty who form a collaborative teaching arrangement or offer joint course experiences. These fellowships will also support exploratory projects or research inquiries that arise from partnerships between HBCU and Yale faculty.

Increasing educational access

The ASCEND initiative will also expand existing pathway programs to provide opportunities to more students from HBCUs.

Beginning this year, Yale will expand the  Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program , which creates opportunities for undergraduates from around the country to explore and prepare for Ph.D.-level careers in research. Yale encourages applications from students attending HBCU partner institutions, as well as students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, are first-generation college students, or have faced significant obstacles in pursuit of higher education.

This fall, Yale will additionally increase the number of HBCU graduates who participate in  post-baccalaureate programs . Offered through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, these programs give post-baccalaureate fellows the opportunity to conduct independent research under the supervision of a faculty member, meet first-year graduate students, and participate in workshops that prepare them for application to Ph.D. programs.

To date, Yale has signed institutional agreements with five HBCUs: Claflin University, Hampton University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Tuskegee University. The university expects to add to this list of partners in the coming months.

Hampton University — which is located only a few miles from where the earliest enslaved Africans were brought, and which is home to the Emancipation Oak where African Americans gathered to hear the first southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation — “is uniquely prepared to partner with Yale in the spirit of truth and reconciliation to create and expand opportunities in research and scholarship for students and faculty from our historic universities,” said Hampton's president,  Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Darrell K. Williams.

“ The Hampton-Yale partnership will allow us to leverage and amplify our unique strengths to educate and empower scholars and leaders who are committed to bending the universe’s moral arc toward justice,” he said.

In their message, Strobel and Désir said the university’s new commitments will “build bridges between academic communities and advance representation across disciplines,” and they encouraged Yale faculty members to participate in these programs and connect with colleagues at partner institutions.

To learn more about the opportunities for faculty collaboration, visit  the ASCEND website .

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