Emotional responses to music are shaped by acoustic features, individual differences, and contextual factors

Listening to and making music is often a distinctly emotional experience. We hear emotions when we listen to music, and music also gives rise to emotional reactions. In recent decades, the relationship between music and emotion has become the focus of psychological research. This chapter introduces psychological perspectives on this topic. We discuss how and why people might respond to music emotionally, and the implications for cross-cultural universality, as well as individual differences. We end by outlining three promising avenues for future research: (1) investigating individual differences in emotional responses to music, (2) leveraging citizen science to improve estimates of cross-cultural similarities, and (3) broadening our understanding of the diverse contexts in which emotional responses to music occur, through naturalistic data collection methods. The growing literature and new advances offer valuable insights into the individual, cultural, and contextual nuances that shape how music moves us.