The Introduction provides an overview of the book’s contents, scope, and key themes. In addition, it introduces Daniel Levitin’s personal relationship with music, his experience in the music industry, and his academic experience in psychology.

In 1969, at age 11, Levitin listened to music on headphones for the first time, and the quality and impact of the sound deeply affected him. He retained a passion for music into adulthood, dropping out of college to be in a locally successful rock band. In addition to performing, Levitin worked as the band’s producer, so when it broke up, he transitioned to working as a producer for other artists. During his time in the recording industry, Levitin was mentored by many highly skilled sound engineers and worked alongside internationally famous musicians. His interest in the technical aspects of music and recording, and his questions about the characteristics that determine whether music will be enduringly popular, motivated him to return to academia and study psychology at Stanford University.

Formal music theory intimidates many people, although practically everyone can appreciate and enjoy music. Music is part of all human cultures worldwide and every human society throughout history. Like other human behaviors, such as language, music is likely the product of