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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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Music Research Topics: 40 Topic Examples for Paper or Essay

Music Research Paper Topic Examples

Music Research Paper Topic Examples

Music is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures, touching the depths of human emotions and shaping societies throughout history.

It is a dynamic field with many facets, making it a fascinating subject for research and exploration.

This article provides a treasure trove of music research topics. Each topic offers a unique lens through which researchers can analyze the art form that harmonizes our world.

music research paper example

40 Topic Examples for Paper or Essay

music equipment

  • The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems
  • Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities
  • The History and Significance of the Suffragette Movement
  • Cybersecurity Threats in the Age of Digital Transformation
  • The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health
  • The Role of Women in STEM: Breaking Barriers
  • The Economics of Renewable Energy Adoption
  • The Evolution of Urbanization and Its Effects on Society
  • The Cultural Significance of Traditional Foods
  • The Globalization of Pop Culture: A Double-Edged Sword
  • The Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Designer Babies
  • The Impact of Mass Media on Political Discourse
  • The Art of Storytelling: Its Power in Literature and Film
  • Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity Preservation
  • The Influence of Music on Emotions and Behavior
  • The Role of NGOs in International Development
  • The Future of Space Exploration and Colonization
  • The Psychology of Addiction: Causes and Treatment
  • The Evolution of Artificial Life: From Turing to Deep Learning
  • The Importance of Financial Literacy in Modern Society
  • The Historical Development of Human Rights
  • The Impact of E-Commerce on Traditional Retail
  • The Intersection of Art and Technology in the Digital Age
  • The Rise of Populism and Its Implications for Democracy
  • The Benefits and Challenges of Remote Work
  • The Cultural Significance of Festivals and Celebrations
  • The Philosophy of Mind: Dualism vs. Materialism
  • The Influence of Gaming on Cognitive Skills and Social Behavior
  • The Role of Education in Promoting Gender Equality
  • The Implications of 5G Technology on Communication
  • The Ethical Considerations in Animal Testing
  • The Evolution of Language and Communication
  • The Impact of Artificial Sweeteners on Health
  • The Cultural Exchange in World Literature
  • The Challenges of Cyberbullying and Online Harassment
  • The Role of Sports in Building Character and Leadership
  • The Importance of Early Childhood Education
  • The Psychological Effects of Color on Human Behavior
  • The Intersection of Religion and Science: Debates and Harmonies
  • The Socioeconomic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

How to Write a Good Music Research Paper

1. introduction.

Engage the reader with a compelling start. You can use an anecdote, a thought-provoking quote, or an interesting fact related to your music research topic. The goal is to pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.

music notes

Provide context for your research topic and explain its significance. This is where you introduce the broader issues or themes related to your case and explain why it’s worth studying.

State your primary research question or thesis. This is the heart of your introduction, where you clearly define the specific focus of your research.

Briefly outline the scope of your paper and the topics you will cover. Give readers an overview of what to expect in the coming sections.

Present your central argument or hypothesis. This statement should be concise and clear, summarizing the main point of your research.

2. Literature Review

A literature review is a critical component of research, as it provides an essential foundation for a study. It serves to summarize existing knowledge, identify gaps, and establish the context for the research. 

After reviewing relevant literature, researchers can build on past work, avoid redundancy, and ensure that their research contributes new insights.

It also helps in shaping research questions, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies. A comprehensive literature review adds credibility and depth to research, making it an indispensable step in the research process.

3. Methodology

The methodology section outlines the systematic approach used to conduct the research, ensuring its rigor and applicability.

Data will be collected from a diverse sample of participants through structured surveys and in-depth interviews.

The study aims to recruit participants with varied musical backgrounds, age groups, and experiences to gain a comprehensive perspective.

Quantitative data will undergo statistical analysis, while qualitative data will be thematically coded to unearth patterns and insights.

4. Analysis and Findings

In this section, you present the outcomes of your research, for instance, on the psychological and emotional effects of music.

analysis and interpretation

Your quantitative analysis reveals significant correlations between musical genres and distinct emotional responses.

Notably, participants report should elevate feelings of joy, nostalgia, and relaxation in response to specific genres.

The qualitative findings should enrich your understanding, emphasizing the significance of individual preferences and contextual factors in shaping emotional experiences.

5. Discussion

Here, you interpret the implications of your findings, demonstrating music’s profound impact on emotional well-being and cognitive processes.

The observed correlations between specific musical genres and emotional states underscore the therapeutic potential of music, offering new avenues for stress reduction and memory enhancement.

Mostly, this substantiates your central thesis that music is a potent tool for improving mental and emotional health, supporting the idea that it extends beyond entertainment.

However, it is crucial to acknowledge the study’s limitations, including potential biases in self-reporting and the cross-sectional design.

6. Conclusion

In the conclusion section, the research should shed light on the remarkable influence of music on human psychology.

Your findings highlight music’s significant role in shaping emotional well-being and cognitive processes.

Specific musical genres should evoke distinct emotional responses, indicating music’s potential for therapeutic applications in stress reduction and memory enhancement.

The study should underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between music and the human psyche.

After harnessing music’s emotional and cognitive effects, you can explore innovative interventions to enhance psychological well-being.

While your research provides valuable insights, it is essential to acknowledge its limitations and encourage further investigation into the multifaceted dimensions of music’s impact on the human experience.

7. References

References validate the credibility and academic rigor of your research. After citing reputable sources, you demonstrate that your work is built on a foundation of established knowledge and research within the field.

References provide evidence to support your arguments and claims. They show that your research is based not solely on your personal opinions but on existing and expert opinions.

Properly citing sources helps you avoid plagiarism, a serious academic offense. Plagiarism involves using someone else’s work without giving them credit, which can lead to academic penalties and damage your reputation.

References serve as a guide for readers interested in delving deeper into the topic. They can use your reference list to access the sources you consulted, promoting further learning and research.

References provide context for your research, allowing readers to see how your work fits within the broader academic conversation. This can help establish the significance of your research.

8. Appendices

appendices

Appendices are essential in research to provide additional information, such as raw data, charts, or lengthy explanations, without cluttering the main text.

They enhance comprehension and allow readers to explore details at their discretion.

9. Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments in research papers serve several vital purposes.

First and foremost, they express gratitude and recognition for the contributions of individuals, organizations, or institutions that supported the research.

Acknowledgments enhance transparency by disclosing financial support, resource access, or partnerships. They demonstrate ethical research practices and ensure that potential conflicts of interest are disclosed.

Acknowledgments play a vital role in maintaining research integrity, respecting intellectual contributions, and building a sense of academic community and collaboration.

Josh Jasen working

Josh Jasen or JJ as we fondly call him, is a senior academic editor at Grade Bees in charge of the writing department. When not managing complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In his spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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25 Most Popular Music Research Paper Topics for Writing

25 Most Popular Music Research Paper Topics for Writing

Research papers aren't just for history class or the social sciences. Research papers can be assigned in any course, and that includes music class. The world's musical traditions are fertile ground for research, but because we have been conditioned from childhood to think of music as entertainment rather than a subject for academic research, it is often difficult to come up with interesting and effective topics for a music research paper. Fortunately, music research papers are often more fun to write than other types of research paper because they have such a wide range of interesting topics to explore. 

Choose from these stellar popular music research paper topics

Are you stuck looking for a music research topic? Well, you're in luck. We have twenty-five music research paper topics that will spark your creativity and get you started with your next paper. You can pick up one from this list, you can combine several of them, or maybe you will get inspired by this list and come with several topics on your own. In any case, make sure that the popular music topic for your research paper is interesting to you personally, and doesn't just sound potentially easy to write about. 

1. How is music marketed by demographic? Explore the different ways music companies target various demographic groups such as age and gender. 2. How does the categorization of music affect consumer purchasing decisions? Examine how the emphasis on genre either enhances sales or limits consumer interest. 3. Does the album have a future in the streaming era? Consider whether the album can survive in an era when singles are streamed in customized playlists. 4. How has music changed over the past half century? Explore some of the major themes and developments that have shaped popular music since the dawn of the rock-n-roll era. 5. Research the most influential musicians of a specific era. By comparing and contrasting the careers of key figures from a particular era, you can pain a picture of a moment in time. 6. What makes music "classical"? How we define "classical" music says a lot about power and privilege. Explore who decides and what criteria get used. 7. Does music have an impact on our bodies? Research medical evidence whether music can impact human health. 8. Does music have an impact on our mental health? Examine research on the use of music for mental health and therapeutic purposes. 9. Music and children: Is the Mozart effect real? How can music education impact children's academic and social development? 10. Can music education aid in memory training and memory development? Consider the current academic research and evaluate the validity of claims for music as a memory aid. 11. How does music impact dance? Music and dance are inextricably linked. Look at some of the ways that music impacts the development of dance. 12. How does a musician become successful? Examine key routes to success and what a music student can do to set themselves up for a career. 13. What other careers does a music degree prepare a student for? Research how music degrees can set the stage for careers beyond the music industry. 14. How does music impact fashion? Look at how rock-n-roll and hip hop have shaped fashion trends. 15. How is music used in advertising? Look into the reasons that artists are licensing hit singles to sell products and how that impacts consumers' views of music. 16. Classical music vs. rock-n-roll: Which has been more influential? Examine the arguments for both sides and take a position. 17. Look into the sociology of tribute bands and consider the reasons that people would dedicate their lives to imitating other musicians. 18. It is often said that "music soothes the savage beast," and farmers often use music to calm livestock. Is there truth to the notion that music has a positive impact on animals?  Explore the research and draw conclusions.

19. Music has been an important part of war throughout history, both martial music meant to rally the troops and anti-war songs. Examine the role of music in supporting and opposing war. 20. Music vs. poetry: Can song lyrics be considered a form of poetry? Why or why not? 21. How does hip-hop support African American culture and heritage? 22. Is there a problem with the close association of country music with political conservatism? 23. Select your favorite piece of music and research the influences that played a role in its creation and development. 24. Research the processes that archaeologists have used to reconstruct the sound of ancient music. 25. How do covers transform songs? Explore how covers are created now meaning.

After choosing the topic you like the most, save this list or this page to bookmarks for further references. It is good to have a library of resources at your fingertips.

Let experts rock when you are stuck

If these topics aren't enough to get you started, there is another trick to help you succeed. You can always find someone to help you with your research paper. You can contact a paper writing service online like WriteMyPaperHub and ask a professional essay writer, "Can I pay you to write my paper like an expert?" Once you do, a writer will determine what you need for your project and will begin writing a high-quality music research paper that will address your essay topic quickly, effectively, and with exceptional research and writing. You should feel free to take advantage of services like this whenever you get stuck so you can be successful with each and every music research paper.

Learning from the best and the brightest is more than beneficial. You have an opportunity to see how professional writers elaborate on a particular topic, which references they use, how they structure the whole thing. One ordered paper can be an example for your further works for months. Also, it is proven that students these days are overwhelmed with the number of assignments, and due to continuous lockdowns and limitations have less access to libraries and other necessary resources. If you feel like the pressure is too high, don't hesitate to delegate this assignment.

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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
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  • Brief History of Music: An Introduction
  • How Music and Instruments Began
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216 Awesome Music Topics That Will Inspire Your Thesis

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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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206 Best Music Research Topics That Rock The Stage

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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

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

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

Read More:  Finance Research Topics

Music Argument Topics

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

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Contemporary Music 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

Read More:  Research Paper Topics

Classic Music Research Topics

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

Read More:  Business Research Topics

African music research topics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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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Music: Research Methods

  • Popular Music
  • Databases and indexes
  • Call numbers

Research Methods

  • Dictionaries and encyclopedias
  • Composition and Creative Music Technology
  • Music, culture and place
  • Music history
  • Music in Australia
  • Teaching Music
  • Drumming Traditions of West Africa
  • Digital collections
  • Special collections
  • Academic writing
  • Introduction
  • Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology
  • Artistic Research
  • Autoethnography
  • Creative Practice
  • Ethnography
  • Indigenous Methodologies
  • Narrative Inquiry
  • Practice as Research
  • Oxford Handbooks
  • Methodology of Music Research

Many books about research methodology introduce the reader to a range of existing methods. This page selects online resources relevant to music and interdisciplinary studies and some books only have a chapter, or a case study, that applies to music, performance or creative practice. If you are seeking a particular kind of research methodology, you can meet a librarian online , or email [email protected].

SAGE research methods online  SAGE Research Methods Online (SRMO) is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. Researchers can browse by methods to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method. Since SRMO focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it is best to use music as a keyword in order to find applications to music research. You can also use the Methods Map  to read definitions of key terminology, or to find narrower definitions for qualitative data analysis  or research design.

Sage research methods foundations SAGE Research Methods Foundations provides a concise introduction to methods and research terms for those who are new to research in general or to that particular method. While a general search can provide an overwhelming number of results, SAGE Research Methods Foundations offers a targeted list of entries to guide users through the content. The navigation menu puts the entry in context, so users can easily find more general topics related to a method or continue on to more specific sub-topics. There is an A-Z section on the innovators of methods, with profiles that evaluate their contributions. The content ranges from Participatory and Arts-Based Research, Analysis of Material Culture, Narrative Research, Autobiography to Sampling.

Cover Art

The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods includes the following entry: Music in Qualitative Research  

The SAGE Handbook of Digital Dissertations and Theses   includes the following chapter: Practice-as-Research in Music Performance 

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The Orpheus Institute Series aims to enhance and advance discourse in the field of artistic research in music and to generate future work. A number of titles in the series are found below. The library has access to all the titles through JSTOR .

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Oxford Handbooks Online   brings together the world's leading scholars to write review essays that evaluate the current thinking on a field or topic. You can search simultaneously across all handbooks by keywords. Methodologies are discussed in the following selectied chapters:

Toward a Methodology for Research into the Revival of Musical Life after War, Natural Disaster, Bans on All Music, or Neglect   by Margaret Kartomi from The Oxford handbook of music revival (2014) Music-Making As Data: Collection and Analysis   by Kristen Pellegrino from The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research in American Music Education (2014) Creating a Framework for Music Making and Leisure: Max Kaplan Leads the Way by Marie McCarthy from the Oxford handbook of music making and leisure (2017) Introduction: Situating Country Music Studies by Travis D. Stimeling from The Oxford handbook of country music studies (2017)

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Methodology of Music Research is a series published by Peter Lang in Switzerland.

Cover Art

  • Research Catalogue A non-commercial, collaboration and publishing platform for artistic research provided by the Society for Artistic Research which is free to use for artists and researchers. It aims to provide resources for teaching purposes, student assessment, peer review workflows and research funding administration.
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Research Method

Home » 500+ Music Research Topics

500+ Music Research Topics

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.

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Diverse Music Essay Topics for Students and Music Enthusiasts

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Table of contents

  • 1 How to Write an Essay on Music
  • 2.1 Argumentative Essay Topics about Music
  • 2.2 Topics for College Essays about Music
  • 2.3 Controversial Topics in Music
  • 2.4 Classical Music Essay Topics
  • 2.5 Jazz Music Essay Topics
  • 2.6 Rock and Pop Music Essay Topics
  • 2.7 Persuasive Essay Topics about Music

Music is a magical world of different sounds and stories. When we talk about music, there are so many things we can explore. Writing essays about sound lets us share our feelings and thoughts about this wonderful art. In this collection, you will find 140 music essay topics.

These topics are carefully chosen to help you think and write about sound in many exciting ways. Whether you love listening to music or playing an instrument, these topics about music for an essay will spark your creativity. They cover everything, from your favorite songs to the history of music. So, get ready to dive into the sound world with these fun and interesting essay ideas!

How to Write an Essay on Music

Writing an essay about sound can be a fun and exciting way to express your thoughts and feelings about this amazing art form. Whether you are working on college essays about music, or research paper topics on music, here are some steps to help you create a great piece of writing.

  • First, choose a topic that you are passionate about. It could be anything from your favorite musician to a specific sound genre. For a college essay about sound, you might want to share a personal story about how music has impacted your life. For argumentative essay topics about sound, consider issues like the importance of sound education or the effects of music on the brain. If you’re working on a research paper on sound, explore the history of a certain music style or the role of sound in different cultures.
  • Once you have your topic, start with some research. Look for interesting facts, stories, and opinions about your topic. This will give you many ideas and help you understand your topic better.
  • Next, create an outline for your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and keep your writing clear and focused. Start with an introduction that introduces your topic and grabs the reader’s attention. Then, write a few paragraphs that explain your main points. Each paragraph should focus on one main idea or argument. In your writing, explain things in a way that’s easy to understand. Use simple words and short sentences.
  • Also, try to include examples and personal experiences to make your essay more interesting and relatable.

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List of Topics about Music for an Essay – 40 words

Discover a world of music topics to write about in this list! From fun ideas to controversial topics in music, these essay suggestions will inspire you to explore the diverse and exciting universe of music.

Argumentative Essay Topics about Music

Dive into the world of melodies and rhythms with these essay topics about music! Whether you’re passionate about different genres or curious about the impact of sound, these argumentative essay topics will guide you to explore and express your views on various musical aspects. So, let’s get ready to write and debate about the diverse and vibrant universe of sound.

  • Is Melody Essential in Every School’s Curriculum
  • The Impact of Melody on Mental Health
  • Should There Be More Support for Local Musicians
  • The Role of Songs in Cultural Preservation
  • Does Modern Melody Lack Originality
  • The Effects of Sound on Productivity
  • Are Music Award Shows Biased
  • The Importance of Lyrics in Songs
  • Should Songs Be Used in Advertising
  • The Influence of Music on Fashion Trends
  • Does Melody Promote a Better Global Understanding
  • Should Explicit Sound Be Censored
  • Are Songs Festivals Beneficial for Local Communities
  • The Role of Technology in Melody Production
  • Is Classical Melody Still Relevant in the Modern Era
  • The Impact of Social Media on Musicians’ Success
  • Should Music Be Included in Workplace Settings
  • The Role of Melody in Political Movements
  • Are Music Streaming Services Fair to Artists
  • The Importance of Preserving Traditional Melody

Topics for College Essays about Music

Step into the rhythm of words with these research paper topics about music, perfect for college essays. These topics offer a wide range of ideas, from personal experiences to cultural impacts, inviting you to explore the profound influence of sound. They are designed to inspire deep thought and passionate writing, helping you connect your academic skills with your love for melody.

  • How Sound Influences Fashion Trends
  • The Role of Melody in Different Cultures
  • Personal Growth Through Learning a Musical Instrument
  • The Evolution of a Specific Melody Genre
  • The Impact of Songs Streaming Services on Artists
  • Music as a Form of Social Protest
  • The Psychological Effects of Melody on the Human Mind
  • The Importance of Songs Education in Schools
  • The Relationship Between Melody and Memory
  • How Technology Has Changed the Way We Experience Music
  • The Representation of Women in Music
  • Music’s Role in Personal Identity
  • The Influence of Melody on Mood and Behavior
  • The Resurgence of Vinyl Records in the Digital Age
  • The Globalization of Music and Its Effects
  • The Economic Impact of the Songs Industry
  • Melody as a Tool for International Diplomacy
  • The Ethics of Music Sampling and Remixing
  • The Role of Melody in Film and Media
  • The Future of Live Music Performances

Controversial Topics in Music

Embark on a journey through the provocative and often debated realms of music with these 20 topics on controversial topics in music. These topics are designed to stir thought and conversation, challenging you to explore the music world’s more contentious and complex aspects. From ethical dilemmas to cultural controversies, these subjects offer diverse perspectives for deep exploration and spirited discussion.

  • The Impact of Song Piracy on the Industry
  • Censorship in Songs and Its Effects on Artistic Freedom
  • The Portrayal of Women in Popular Song Videos
  • The Commercialization of Indie Melody Genres
  • The Role of Auto-Tune in Modern Music
  • Melody as a Tool for Political Propaganda
  • The Influence of Corporate Sponsors in Melody Festivals
  • The Ethical Considerations of Posthumous Melody Releases
  • Cultural Appropriation in the Song Industry
  • The Decline of Traditional Songs Forms
  • The Relationship Between Melody and Substance Abuse
  • The Effect of Digital Streaming on Melody Quality
  • The Representation of Minority Groups in Mainstream Music
  • The Debate Over Explicit Lyrics and Parental Advisory Labels
  • The Rise of AI in Songs Creation
  • The Impact of Reality Song Shows on the Industry
  • The Role of Gender in Melody Award Nominations
  • Melody and Its Influence on Youth Behavior
  • The Sustainability of the Music Tour Industry
  • The Shift in Melody Consumption From Albums to Singles

Classical Music Essay Topics

Go on an enlightening journey through the world of melodies and harmonies with these 20 music topics to research, perfect for crafting compelling college essays. These topics delve into music’s vast and varied dimensions, from its historical roots to its modern-day impact. They are designed to ignite your curiosity and inspire in-depth exploration, blending academic rigor with a passion for music.

  • The Evolution of Melody Through the Decades
  • The Influence of Classical Song on Modern Genres
  • The Psychological Effects of Melody Therapy
  • The Role of Women Composers in Song History
  • The Impact of Social Media on Emerging Musicians
  • The Significance of Folk Song in Cultural Heritage
  • The Development of Electronic Melody and Its Future
  • Melody Censorship and Its Implications for Artistic Expression
  • The Role of Song in Film and Storytelling
  • The Globalization of Songs Genres and Styles
  • The Relationship Between Music and Fashion Trends
  • The History of Rock Melody and Its Cultural Impact
  • The Use of Songs in Advertising and Consumer Behavior
  • The Effects of Song Streaming on the Melody Industry
  • The Intersection of Melody and Political Movements
  • The Role of Songs in Shaping Youth Culture
  • The Cultural Significance of Melody Festivals Worldwide
  • The Preservation and Revival of Indigenous Music
  • The Impact of Technology on Songs Production and Distribution
  • The Contribution of Music to Mental Health and Wellbeing

Jazz Music Essay Topics

Step into the soulful and vibrant jazz world with these music topics for essays. Jazz, a genre rich in history and innovation, offers a treasure trove of fascinating themes for exploration. These essay topics will guide you through jazz’s intricate rhythms and stories, from its early beginnings to its modern interpretations. Delve into this mesmerizing music style’s legendary artists, iconic performances, and cultural impacts.

  • The Origins of Jazz and Its Early Influences
  • The Evolution of Jazz Through the 20th Century
  • Key Figures in the Development of Jazz Music
  • The Role of Improvisation in Jazz
  • The Influence of Jazz on Other Melody Genres
  • The Cultural Significance of Jazz in the Harlem Renaissance
  • The Globalization of Jazz Melody
  • The Impact of Technology on Jazz Recording and Production
  • The Fusion of Jazz With Other Musical Styles
  • Jazz as a Form of Social and Political Expression
  • The Portrayal of Jazz in Cinema and Literature
  • The Future of Jazz in the Digital Age
  • The Role of Jazz in Education and Music Therapy
  • Women in Jazz: Contributions and Challenges
  • The Jazz Scene in Different Parts of the World
  • The Preservation of Classic Jazz in Modern Times
  • The Influence of Jazz on Fashion and Lifestyle
  • Jazz Clubs and Their Role in Cultural Development
  • The Impact of Jazz Festivals on Local Communities
  • The Relationship Between Jazz and Modern Dance Forms

Rock and Pop Music Essay Topics

Rock and pop music, with its pulsing rhythms and catchy melodies, have captivated audiences for decades. This collection of 20 unique essay topics explores the depth and diversity of these influential genres. From the electric energy of rock to the widespread appeal of pop, these topics invite you to delve into the history, evolution, and cultural significance of these dynamic music styles. Whether examining iconic artists, groundbreaking albums, or the social impact of these genres, each topic offers a fascinating avenue for exploration and discussion in your essays.

  • The Evolution of Rock Songs From the 1950s to Today
  • The Influence of Pop Melody on Global Culture
  • The Role of Songs Videos in Shaping Rock and Pop
  • The Impact of Digital Streaming on the Rock and Pop Industry
  • The Significance of the Beatles in Music History
  • The Rise and Fall of Glam Rock
  • The Role of Women in the Development of Pop Music
  • The Influence of Rock Melody on Fashion Trends
  • The Changing Face of Pop Songs in the 21st Century
  • The Impact of Social Media on Rock and Pop Musicians
  • The Fusion of Rock With Other Melody Genres
  • The Role of Rock and Pop Music in Political Movements
  • The Evolution of Live Performances in Rock and Pop
  • The Significance of the Grammy Awards in Rock and Pop
  • The Depiction of Rock and Pop Songs in Movies
  • The Influence of Technology on the Production of Rock and Pop Music
  • The Cultural Diversity in the Rock and Pop Melody Scenes
  • The Role of Indie Labels in the Rock and Pop Industry
  • The Impact of Fan Culture on Rock and Pop Song
  • The Sustainability of Rock and Pop Songs in the Streaming Era

Persuasive Essay Topics about Music

Take a trip through melody and argument with these 20 music-related persuasive essay topics. Each topic, chosen for its ability to inspire compelling arguments and deep research, falls under the umbrella of musical topics for research papers. These prompts will challenge you to explore various facets of music, from cultural significance to technological impacts. As you delve into these topics, you’ll be encouraged to form strong opinions and support them with well-researched evidence, making your essays informative and persuasive.

  • The Necessity of Melody Education in Schools for Overall Development
  • The Impact of Classical Songs on Cognitive Abilities
  • Song Streaming Services and Their Effect on the Industry
  • The Role of Melody in Maintaining Mental Health
  • Songs as a Universal Language Bridging Cultural Divides
  • The Importance of Preserving Traditional Melody Forms
  • Music’s Influence on Fashion and Lifestyle
  • The Ethical Implications of Auto-Tune in Song Production
  • The Role of Social Media in the Success of New Artists
  • The Power of Songs in Social and Political Activism
  • The Benefits of Attending Live Music Performances
  • Songs as a Tool for Improving Concentration and Productivity
  • The Evolution of Melody Genres and Its Cultural Impact
  • The Effects of Background Song in Public Spaces
  • The Role of Songs in Advertising Effectiveness
  • Music’s Influence on Youth and Teen Development
  • The Relationship Between Melody and Emotional Intelligence
  • The Future of Virtual Reality Concerts in the Melody Industry
  • The Impact of Songs Piracy on Artists and Producers
  • The Role of Melody in Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication

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Music Research Paper

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Introduction

The meaning of music and dance, performance, sacred performance, chant and recitation, instruments, critical musicology, globalization, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, nationalism, medical ethnomusicology, applied ethnomusicology.

  • Bibliography

Ethnographic approaches to music and dance in the 21st century explore how modes of expression and performance practices are involved in the making of lifeworlds. Cultural production is situated in specific contexts that generate meaning as particular sonic and kinesthetic phenomena relate to discursive processes and social structures. Scholars of music and dance engage with cultural flow through dialogic encounters and interpretative analyses. These studies help illustrate how performance practices produce meanings, mediate socialities, and configure political relations.

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Ethnomusicology, which generally encompasses anthropology, dance ethnology, folklore, musicology, and sociology, situates specific theoretical issues in comparative social and historical contexts. Up to the late 1960s, the discipline explored and indexed the musical phenomena of non-Western cultures in ways that resonated with concurrent anthropological trends in area studies. Critical analysis of these approaches led to a rethinking of music in which music became not the object of culture, but rather the product and expression of human experience. In his writings on the relations between music and society, anthropologist John Blacking (1995) proposed:

We need to know what sounds and what kinds of behavior different societies have chosen to call “musical;” and until we know more about this we cannot begin to answer the question, “How musical is man?” As “humanly organized sound,” music is a bearer of meanings insofar as it exhibits and necessarily demonstrates a set of values that the society that generates it would otherwise lack. (p. 5) Relations between music, dance, and society are thus viewed as complex networks of interdependence through which a given act embodies temporal and emplaced experiences that structure social processes. Contemporary ethnomusicology pursues a rigorous analysis of how cultural production generates social significance by positioning the individual as the agent of social change through historical encounter. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Theoretical Approaches to Music and Dance

Musical and social structures mutually constitute each other through human interaction. This cultural-studies approach derives from the seminal work of Raymond Williams, who claimed that culture is not fixed as a bounded work or elite mode of production, but is instead embedded in everyday experience and activity. As a cultural materialist who challenged orthodox Marxist accounts of historical epochs or phases, Williams framed cultural practices as sites of political contestation through which groups reproduce and resist modes of domination, particularly those that critique industrial capitalism (Williams, 1977). Critical to his work are structures of feeling that configure the ways in which particular generations and social classes experience difference among social relations. These feelings beget a lived experience of a particular moment in society and history that brings meaning into the lives of individuals and the lifeworlds that they constitute. The production of cultural meaning is a fluid and dynamic process that emerges as a necessary process in which “new meanings and values, new practices, new relationships, and kinds of relationship are continually being created” (Williams, 1977, pp. 122–23).

Musical meaning is not itself generated through aesthetic critique, nor by reference to something extramusical, such as an emotion, landscape, or harmonic figure. Rather, musical elements and structures discursively relate to lived experience by an act of representation that fixes musical experiences to metaphoric and metonymic structures, forms, and works. These bounded entities are placed in a network of complex relations that can be explained through systems of representation in which musical ontologies serve as interpretive frameworks for diverse musical systems, whether Western symphonic music, Hindustani classical music, or Japanese gagaku court theater, or for categorization of musical cultures as classical, folk, popular, and traditional. Categories, however, do not necessarily correlate to an intrinsic value, but more productively relate to “how they are used and embodied in community relations to become structuring forces in musical life” (Holt, 2007, p. 29).

Ethnomusicologists today explore the discursive production of musical meaning as a contemporary response to what comparative musicologist Charles Seeger (1977) problematized as the “musicological juncture” (p. 16), or the gap of representation that occurs when communicating about one system of human communication (music) through another (speech). To redress claims that music is “untranslatable and irreducible to the verbal mode” (Feld, 1982, p. 91), ethnomusicology suggests that musical practice is less a latent mode of (artistic) representation but rather a (socially) active and engaged mode of producing reality. If speech is the communication of “worldview as the intellection of reality,” then music is the communication of “worldview as the feeling of reality” (Seeger, 1977, p. 7). What we perceive as “feelingful” occurs through the “generality and multiplicity of possible messages and interpretations . . . that unite the material and mental dimensions of musical experience as fully embodied” (Seeger, 1977, p. 91). As suggested by interpretive approaches to cultural anthropology, ethnographers study not experience, per se, but the feelingful and discursive structures through which experience occurs.

Musical experience is constituted as meaningful when social structures conjoin with individual consciousness through structures of feeling. Whereas structures suggest fixed relationships that are rigid and determined, feeling inflects the intense and personal experience of what is “believed, felt, and acted upon” (Frith, 1996, p. 252). This becomes important with regard to the construction of cultural forms, whether musical genres and styles or social categories and spaces. How people behave with regard to sound relates to what they perceive and think about such behavior. Anthropologist Alan Merriam (1964) proposed a model of musical anthropology that triangulates these axes of sound, concept, and behavior. This tripartite structure has been redressed by an interpretive analysis of dialectical processes that consist of historical construction, social maintenance, and individual adaptation and experience; in other words, an agency-centered inquiry into how people create, experience, and use music (Rice, 1987).

Feelingful experiences occur through culturally specific processes that produce and perceive sound. Recent directions in the phenomenology of acoustic phenomena argue that sound is not the property of a musical object separated from its origin, but rather, sonic significance lies in the encounter of sound as musical. Sensory dimensions of experience suggest that sonorities may be heard as affective, feelingful, and emotional when perceived as musical patterns in specific cultural contexts. Phenomenological studies suggest the ways in which people relate to each other through senses of hearing. A hearing culture may make it “possible to conceptualize new ways of knowing a culture and of gaining a deepened understanding of how the members of a society know each other” (Erlmann, 2004, p. 3). In turn, individual and social processes perceive musical encounter “not through layers of cognitive categories and symbolic associations, but with a trained and responsive body, through habits copied from others and strictly reinforced, by means of musical skills” (Downey, 2002, p. 490). Listeners’ acquired habits of assimilating sensory experience to musical systems affect them viscerally, and lived bodies are fashioned by patterns of acting in relation to music at the same time that they are responsive to sonic textures.

Performance emerges through the interaction of corporeal gestures, discursive tropes, and performative utterances in social settings that situate these actions as musical or extramusical, verbal or nonverbal, cognitive or affective, sacred or secular. These actions are held together by aesthetic principles that are represented in the social and material world, just as the social and material world is imbued with extraordinary value. Performance and listening are intersubjectively and physiologically experienced in a trained and socialized set of artistic bodily movements that reflect values and ideas (Meintjes, 2003, p. 176).

Embodied realms of experience situate cultural practices in the physiological and expressive body and the social forces that operate through those bodies. Performativity asserts the materiality of nonverbal communication and expression and the presence of the body as it is mediated by the production of sound. Whether sound is produced by a singer, a musician, or mediated by technology, the presence of the medium leaves a material trace that regulates its origin (Barthes, 1978). For example, analyses of timbre consider the grain of the voice in recording—in addition to elements of texture, attack, delay, and pitch—and interpret studio techniques as signifying practices that are deeply connected to the discursive production of style and genre (Théberge, 1997).

Embodied performance by a socialized musician or dancer suggests how bodies may be regulated or may resist forces of power (Comaroff, 1991). The discourse of bodies in motion at Greek weddings, for instance, produces the dialectical relationships and mutual dependencies that are also regulated and constrained by their repetitive power as a body politic, or collective unit. By introducing nonGreek Roma musicians at wedding parties as daulia, or drums (Cowan, 1990, p. 102), Greek townspeople exert power over the materiality of both resonant and outside bodies. As sites of reception and agency, bodies bear narratives of time and place that coalesce into corporeal memories. The ways individuals perform these narratives construct identity and differences that endow sound and movement with the capacity to represent lived experience.

As forms of social action and as meaningful activity, music and dance create and give expression to human and social experience. Epistemological concerns have critically responded to the ways in which a kinetic body and a sound dialogically compose form through performance events, structured practices, and representational strategies. Rather than treat music and dance as objects of discourse that possess meaning in and of themselves, or frame body movement techniques and sonic phenomena as abstract properties that may be reconfigured according to context, ethnographers seek to localize the very terms by which understanding and knowledge of these performative dynamics are produced.

Music Research Topics and Issues

Music plays a significant role in preserving and transmitting the world’s religions in terms of history, culture, and practice. The study of music in religious practices considers the ways in which music transforms experience into sacred meanings, narrates religious myths, and structures religious ritual and communities. The performative conditions associated with religious practice consider sacred sound not as the taxonomy of a particular belief system, but rather as a sensory spectacle through which experiences become enchanted. The sacred nature mediates by sonic utterances that may induce a phantasmagoric state of being, encode sacred language, or embody affective experience. Sound indexes religious experience through the presence of sacred instruments and the act of listening to liturgical chant. Sound also marks sacred spaces through pilgrimages and festival rituals, among other religious practices (Beck, 2006; Berliner, 1993).

The efficacy of music in sacred spaces suggests the ways in which sound may be sacred and how this sacred nature may be mediated through sonic practices. How sound conveys sacred meaning and experience in specific contexts raises ontological distinctions in that what is often perceived as musical in European and North American contexts may be considered nonmusical and sacred in other sacred spaces.

Contexts may determine how sound is received and interpreted and in what ways sound may be ontologically separate from music. Interpretation of sound also structures power relations, in which religious authority is maintained by ideological boundaries of sound seeking to differentiate between sacred practices and secular forms of expression (Baily, 2003).

Ethnographies of sacred performance practices have tended to focus on the capacity of music, dance, and ritual drama to organize religious activity through modes of social interaction that produce webs of associative meaning (Reily, 2002). Performance has been conceptualized as a medium through which participants demonstrate religious conviction and commitment; as a means to structure time, narrative, and symbolic systems; and as a mode of interaction that codifies organizational patterns and the conditions of participation in religious activity. For example, the sacred voice is a medium that binds individuals communally in religious activity. How these experiences shape and are shaped by musical practice is determined by the theological ways in which individuals engage with music and music making. More recently, ethnographers have considered ways in which religious-ritual activity depends on the act of performance in order to be perceived as sacred and, in particular, how sound and movements are mediums that frame a ritual act as sacred. As individuals negotiate moral boundaries between the sacred and the profane in contemporary contexts, the act of producing sound and movement becomes a contested arena where religious authorities judge the ethics of cultural production. Performance through music and dance may allow departure from the profane and entrance into the sacred, mark the aesthetic boundaries of secular space, or itself articulate the boundaries between the sacred and the profane by which religious practices acquired enchanted and sacred meaning.

Several bodies of scholarship have addressed musical change, religious renewal, soteriological potential, musicoreligious orthodoxy, and other related issues. These different forms of religious practice, or syncretism, may be marked through distinct genres and styles that expose moments of encounter and uneven relations of power. In colonial spaces, religious repertory may occupy cultural spaces in ways that reproduce a hegemonic religious order and erase subaltern religious practices (Comaroff, 1991). Folkloric ensembles typically relate to historical or contemporary religious practices through complex processes of aestheticization that problematically blur distinctions between sacred worship, cultural traditions, and popular culture. These distinctions are in part based on a collective memory of the sacred that is translated through aesthetic ideals. The embodiment of these ideals demonstrates how religious ideologies are manifested through bodily practices that themselves produce sacred sound, movement, and performance.

The power of sound embodied in speech patterns, or chant, may preserve and transmit knowledge and religious authority as well as mark historical change. For example, the Rigvedic texts of the Harappan in Pakistan and northwestern India are considered sacred when correctly rendered through transmission and pronunciation of Vedic hymns. Recitation of these hymns occurs through three types of spoken accent with a melodic contour dependent on the succession of accent in the sung syllables, as well as the duration of each relative pitch. The consideration of Vedic chant as the foundation of contemporary Hindustani music in South Asia is, in part, attributed to its preservation through Brahman recitation. Codification of early performance practices, such as Gregorian chant in southern Europe, began when clergy notated plainchant in order to correlate its liturgical function with the medieval Roman liturgical calendar. Compositional practices that developed from these notations are widely considered to be the conceptual and historical basis for Renaissance and late European courtly arts (Bergeron, 1998).

Some religious cultures regard practices of recitation, or the sounding of religious text, as the divine act that makes speech patterns sacred by mediating the transmission of sacred texts through the vocal performance. The significance of such performances is governed not only by the syntactic conditions such as pitch and duration, but also by audition, or the appropriate response, performed by the ethical listener (Hirschkind, 2006).

Instruments embody religious experience when endowed with the capacity to produce sacred sound. In some ritual practices, performance on a particular instrument, such as batá percussion ensembles in Cuban Santería, realizes the divine potential of the ritual event and produces religious transformation. Instrumentalperformance practice marks the shift from secular to sacred contexts; produces the appropriate performance conditions for trance, ecstasy, possession, and other states of heightened sacrality; symbolizes tropes of religious narrative and function; and transfers knowledge and participation among believers (Hagedorn, 2001; Rouget, 1985; Wong, 2001).

Sacred musical practices are often narrative—telling stories and relating myths to generate a sense of historical and religious meaning. Narrative may be considered musical through, for example, the ways in which music marks the passage of time in ritual performance and in the narrative sequence of events, or through the juxtaposition of different musical genres that layer and texture religious stories. Instruments often play a significant role in narrating epic myths with sacred content, such as within bardic traditions or Sufi mysticism. One way in which narrative components of sacred music may shape a religious community is by mediating a sense of place. The act of recalling an original event, such as an act of martyrdom or a miracle, links the event to a specific site. When enacted through song and other musico-poetic genres, the act of recall layers subsequent events to that site in ways that parse history as locally meaningful in religious communities.

During the early 1990s, musicologists readjusted paradigms in which musical performance expresses a natural mode of human existence or formalizes a universal set of aesthetic ideals (Solie, 1993). The critical inquiry espoused by “new musicology” advocated for the deconstruction of ideologies into iconicities of style that are reproduced and transformed by acts of performance. Performance practices now produce social relations that are represented in different categories of gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, generation, class and nation, and other forms of identity. Cultural meaning is discursively constructed by specific practices of signification, and links between signifier and signified are not fixed but arbitrary. These practices may construct meaningful experience in ways that depend on conventions of taste and class that are situated in a particular time and place.

Studies of place tend to be located in everyday life and explore the tactics by which people interact and engage with their environment. Gatherings, such as rehearsals among English rock musicians, are not only mediated by these practices, but also produce affective relationships to the settings in which social activities take place. Yet, as conditions of modernity separate space from place in lived experience, the physical settings of social activities are “thoroughly penetrated by and shaped in terms of social influences quite distant from them” (Giddens, as cited in Stokes, 1994, p. 1). Therefore, approaches to place, music, and dance seek to relocate cultural geographies within specific social, economic, and political spaces by addressing how individuals produce sound and movement in order “to reestablish their presence, situate events in a fixed place and time, and reembed actions within social structures” (Stokes, 1994, p. 3). Place becomes meaningful through affective processes that recognize and enable different experiences, mediate emotional relations to an environment, or produce nostalgia through acts of memory that bestow music and dance “with an intensity, power and simplicity unmatched by any other social activity” (Stokes, 1994, p. 3).

As individuals perceive what takes shape around them, they participate in the construction of a soundscape, or an environment structured by the perception and reception of sound. Soundscapes are differentiated not only by dynamics of power, class, and difference, but also by sentimentality, or the emotional and affective relationships that constitute a sense of place (Feld & Basso, 1996). An acoustemology of sound analyzes the sentimental relations to place that are embodied by sound production and reception among, for instance, Kaluli people in Papua New Guinea. Through interlocking, overlapping, and alternating singing that mimics bird calls in the rainforests, Kaluli voices index the natural environment; mediate places as sites of memory; and express an ecological sense of self, place, and time (Feld, 1982). Acoustic environments have also been critical to the historical progression of musical form in bourgeoisie European society and the displacement of instrumentalists to the role of musical interpreters. Early performance practices were comprised of extramusical, literary, or narrative material that was, in part, marked by a musician’s individualized embellishment of musical material.

In the 19th century, the concert room emerged as a performance setting that aestheticized the impression of immediate contact with the music as a listening ideal. Musical practices shifted to uphold universalist aesthetic ideals not only through listening appreciation, but also in celebration of a composer’s genius. Dramatic structures were communicated by composers such as Beethoven through “the abstract logic of pure form” and the formal properties of the music itself in ways that privileged structural-listening practices in European art music. Thus, the commodification of musical knowledge and musical emplacement fetishized sonata form in the historical development of instrumental Western art music (Leyshon, Matless, & Revill, 1998).

The commodification of musical place in a globalized world has induced a certain anxiety among critical musicologists over the ways that disembedding music and dance practices stimulates desires for authenticity by late-capital consumers in a hegemonic economic order. While the capacity for music to travel has augmented an appreciation for place and dismantled cultural borders, the poetics and politics of this have problematically differentiated relations between self and other. World music, and related configurations of art music, ritual, folk and ethnic genres, and world beat and roots music (Aubert, 2007), are authenticated by conditions of place. By privileging the geographically local as authentic, the particular can be naturalized in ways that fetishize locality through terms of belonging. The act of splitting sound from its source and reproducing it depends on uneven processes of representation that contest cultural rights and negotiate various modes of ownership (Feld & Basso, 1996). Styles associated with world music then demarcate community by linking dispersed places and allegiances that, through subjective identity, allow the strategies by which individuals register difference (Erlmann, 1999).

The globalization of world music has also been critiqued as a pastiche, or a process of reconfiguring time and space that detemporalizes the encounter between self and ethnographic others into an event beyond history, or perhaps at the horizon of a certain historical moment. For instance, the production and consumption of alternative folk rock links different historical moments into one bounded cultural space, while world-dance music may layer disparate local styles into a repetitive, temporal sequence (Erlmann, 1999). Cultural interchange and interaction in popular music thus depends upon a concept of culture that binds territory to groups in ways that demand the political engagement of cultural critique. Whereas narratives of cultural interchange such as hybridity, creolism, and syncretism tend to privilege myths of origin, postcolonial analyses encourage new approaches that no longer engender forms of being by binaries of self (self and ethnographic other), place (here and there), and time (then and now), but rather by a third space that is constituted by these boundaries.The circulatory relations of cultural flow have furthered understandings of how historical consciousness may undermine essentializing cultural strategies. Studies of the black Atlantic (Gilroy, 1993) address how black popular music and dance styles shape and are shaped by particular African retentions and situate the Atlantic as a site of crossings, mediations, and exchanges that continually reconsider the cultural flow of African and African American expressive forms.

In response to large-scale processes of migration, globalization, and transnationalism that destabilize structures of belonging, critical approaches to place have also emphasized the production of locality through cultural practices. Tropes of place may uneasily mark displacement from an imagined structure of belonging, for instance when tropes of the crowd and the machine in the South African vocal genre of isicathamiya signify a sense of nostalgia for rural agricultural economies among populations who migrated to cities in search of labor opportunities. Another example can be found in how the mapping of memory fragments onto musical events, instruments, and kinship narratives of a retired Jewish community in Liverpool, England, shapes collective relations that in turn construct an immigrant neighborhood whose identity is nurtured by newly mediated and localized imaginaries of home and community. Locality may also be produced by sound-engineering practices that index a particular place and authenticate a musical style through the technological reproduction of sound in specific performance conditions such as “live” Austin country music (Greene & Porcello, 2005).

Gender and sexuality analyses situate performers and their texts within specific musical worlds and examine how these worlds produce gendered ideologies through performance practice, singing style, repertory, performance events and occasions, lyrics and elaborations, and instrumental practice. Thus, gender and sexuality are mutually constitutive of cultural experiences, and also mutually construct processes of subjectivity and alterity in ways that have been binarily opposed to biological explanations of lived experience. As a method of cultural critique, gender and sexuality studies analyze the ways in which ideology is maintained and transformed through the performance of a gendered self. These studies also examine the ways that musical practices mediate social relations as variously gendered—masculine, feminine, and perhaps hyperreal. Because gender theorists have understood sexuality as constitutive of gendered norms, distinctions between gender and sexuality have been largely premised on identity construction as theorized in psychoanalytic discourse. Lacanian theory argues that linguistic signs triangulate the enlightened self from its other in ways that destabilize a sense of identity by the desire for an object that might represent such identity. By reading social and cultural texts for hidden and repressed desires, critical theorists reveal conditions of heteronormativity that shape and are shaped by cultural practices. Ultimately, gender and sexuality studies suggest how social distinctions may be magnified rather than ameliorated by the performative act of music making and structured movement.

A substantial body of literature has been devoted to highlighting and documenting women’s contribution and women’s roles in musical performance. As professional entertainers, as dramatic personalities, and as audiences, women convey social values and transmit cultural meanings in ways that may be different from those performed by men. The expression of sentimentality by women through forms and repertoires, such as sung poetry among Bedouin women in upper Egypt, resist, maneuver, and maintain patriarchal norms of modesty, honor, and shame that have been typified in Mediterranean studies (Abu-Lughod, 1986), whereas songs sung by Berber women in northern Morocco strategically empower potentialities of marital life (Magrini, 2003). Performance events and contexts have been analyzed with discourses surrounding these practices through elements of lyrics, style, technology, and appropriate behavior. These suggest how identity may be encoded and performed as masculine, feminine, or ambiguously gendered. Postmodernist approaches to the paradigmatic relations between musical and social structures have produced seminal readings of the gendered hierarchies in composition, such as immanent relations between the masculine and the feminine in sonata form (McClary, 1991), formulations of the Western music canon, constructions of ontological difference through gender (Solie, 1993), and the potential of music itself—as a performance rather than as text, to disrupt the masculine musicological narratives within which it is often contained (Abbate, 1991).

The broad compass of vocal performance in different registers constructs gendered and sexualized identities by embracing some, and refusing other, conventions of style and genre. Voice may characterize a range of erotic and emotional relationships among women who sing and women who listen in ways that “resonate in sonic space as lesbian difference and desire” (Brett, Wood, & Thomas, 1994, p. 28). This sapphonicvoice is found in operatic practices by female singers who assume “pants” roles, or castrato male roles sung by women, as well as other singers and singing personalities (Brett et al., 1994). Koestenbaum (1994) argued that the brea between registers is a gendered split that emplaces a voice between male and female. The ways in which the brea is negotiated may be “fatal to the act of natural voice production” (p. 220) when gender and sexuality are transferred beyond normativity, such as the sapphonicvoice’s synthesis of register; this replaces its splitting, or the falsetto register’s failure to disguise this break. The combination of different registers may refuse vocal categories and polarities of natural and unnatural, and may establish interpretations of female desire, male desire, and the relations of class, age, sexual status, and identity through vocal performance (Koestenbaum, 1994).

The performance of gender engages with the kinds of subjects that musical and dance performances engender, both onstage and among audiences, and the ways that such performance relates to everyday life as lived, embodied, and theorized. For instance, a feminized atmosphere at a wedding in Morocco is not dependent on the presence of female dancers, but rather on the performance of femininity among communal relations that may differentiate between gender, sexuality, and class. Perceptions and representations of Asian American femininity have shifted due to North American taiko performance that represents social space through gesture, movement, and the presence of women in drumming practices. In post-Apartheid South Africa, Zulu ngoma song and dance is critical to the performance of masculinity and the anxieties of retaining the presence of individualized expression and stylized body movement in the midst of unemployment, an AIDS epidemic, and a history of violence in KwaZulu-Natal (Meintjes, 2003).

Critical race studies examine how constructions of difference on the basis of body type and color are perpetuated by the representation of essentialized metaphysical conditions. Concepts of race are linked to the emergence of modern scientific inquiry into the natural world and are largely considered a product of Enlightenment thought and observation. The late 18th century produced a world “observed, processed and remapped on the imagination of Europe” (Radano & Bohlman, 2000, p. 13) in which race and music constituted logics of difference that categorized the natural world and sought to make it understandable. Moreover, racial discourse contributed to the formation of musical difference as human difference was mapped onto musical difference, that is, to the object of music itself. The epistemic model that measured harmonic relations on a mathematically proportionate scale and unified differences in pitch influenced Enlightenment thought on the structure and substance of not only resonating, but also racialized bodies. How music participates in the construction of race and racial imaginaries ultimately raises ontological questions of whether music itself represents these qualities, or whether our understandings of music are shaped by and through racial relations.

Racial constructs are connected to music through structures of understandability, that is, the capacity of sound to signify and communicate meaning, and through materiality, or the technologies, objects, and bodies that represent music and musical histories through particular ideologies (Brown, 2007). For example, the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner claimed that the language of European opera and vocal music was degraded through the inability of European Jewish composers to fully control the language of music, which Wagner instantiated in terms of 19th-century German universalism that was first and foremost predicated on language and an assumption that music instantiates comparative linguistic properties. Elsewhere, race interacts with other systemic hierarchies, such as the historic provision of wedding and court entertainment by Jewish musicians in predominantly Muslim worlds situated along the Silk Road, from Bukharan weddings in central Asia to the Abbasid and Omayad caliphates of the 11th century. Categories in which instruments function as a racial mapping of power relations may be critiqued by participants themselves, such as Karnatak and Hindustani musicians who negotiate caste systems in South Asia that distinguish between the permissibility of Brahmin performance on the Karnatic vinalute and the delegation of instrumental performance on untouchable leather-skinned drums to less privileged castes. Conditions of difference, shaped by cultural practices, help to better understand relations of power in systems based on class, caste, kinship, religion, and other forms of belonging and ownership.

Racial conventions of blackness, whiteness, and other morphologies play a critical role in ideological distinctions of music as rational and intellectual, or as orally transmitted, communal, and embodied. The naturalization of certain structures as African retentions, such as improvised movement, antiphonal oppositions, and repeated cycles of interlocking rhythmic patterns, reinforces the putative inseparability of music and dance in the African diaspora (Meintjes, 2003). This becomes problematic when what is musical and universal is defined against conceptions of blackness as physical and embodied.Yet, performance practice and histories may join as lived experience in ways that affirm how blues practices in African American working-class communities in the southern United States influenced the emergence of jazz, gospel, soul, R&B, rock, hip-hop, and other black vernacular music. The problem of race translates into a cultural critique in which creative strategies destabilize the tropes through which they emerge by means of intertextuality, subversion, and other signifying techniques (Radano & Bohlman, 2000).

Ethnicity, like other forms of difference that participate in processes of exclusion and inclusion, is constructed on the basis of shared beliefs in a “common ancestry, memories of a shared historical past, and elements in common, such as kinship patterns, physical continuity, religious affiliation, language, or some combination of these” (Shelemay, 2001, p. 249). Musical and dance practices instantiate ethnic relations by performing social boundaries that reproduce and subvert ideologies; these relations simultaneously also produce meanings, that is, “a patterned context in which other things happen” (Waterman, 1990, p. 214). Ethnic identity is often discussed in terms of minority relations and population movements that are themselves predicated on political difference. Often, ethnic boundaries “define and maintain social identities which can only exist in context of oppositions and relativities”; thus, ethnography can engage with how “actors use music in specific local situations to erect boundaries, maintain distinctions between us and them, and use terms such as ‘authentic’ to justify these boundaries” (Stokes, 1994, p. 6).

Cultural nationalism is a complex process by which institutions and actors integrate diverse populations into structures of national belonging. Ethnography investigates the ways in which music and dance practices—and the discursive spaces that are dialogically created and inhabited by such practices—generate national imaginaries in local contexts. Early forms of nationalism celebrated the universal claim to a single shared language and a set of particular customs and traditions situated in an ethnonational framework. Scholars have since criticized collective national identity as a product of state apparatuses that seek to reify lived experience into internationally recognized forms. Thus, the invention of tradition has been linked with nation-building projects in which state power emerges through the performance of national imaginaries and the efficacy of imagined communities (Askew, 2002). The extent to which symbolic production produces and sustains state hegemony through particular genres suggests whether these processes might be “multivalent, multivocal, and polyphonic” (Askew, 2002, p. 273) and how agents and institutions are involved in negotiating, defining, and contesting that which constitutes the nation. Musical ethnographies reveal the strategic shifts that characterize nationalist projects, ask whether events coincide with or interrupt official ideologies, illustrate why specific forms are chosen to represent the nation, and address how issues of authenticity and preservation are managed in these endeavors. Though global capital flow, access to electronic media, and transnational migration of people have decentered and deterritorialized processes of nationalism, the mediating structure of the nation continues to relate how people cross lines of difference through local transactions and cultural production.

Representation of the nation through music depends on a belief in the representational potential of music, that is, music’s capacity to embody a cultural whole that exists prior to its mediation. The production of national symbols, therefore, depends upon a modern discourse that is represented by cultural mediation. This discourse emerged from Johann Gottfried Herder’s claim that based national identity on the common narratives and histories of a given people and, in particular, on the capacity of language and folksong to represent such shared experiences. Herder’s proto-nationalist theory is comprised of a geographic model where music marks a place, such as the landscape of the nation, an acoustic model whereby sound distinguishes the nation as a whole, and a narrative model in which music encodes stories that represent the history of the nation (see Bohlman, 2004). The quintessential image of the nation, or a “preexisting entity that is more indefinite than definite,” is reflected by national music, “for whom it becomes the task to bring out as much of the definition as possible” (Bohlman, 2004, p. 83).

Conversely, nationalistic music does not harbor relations among a nationalized people, but rather services competition between nation-states. Nationalistic music secures the geographic identity of the nation-state by marking borders and producing alterity through the production of national difference. Alterity may be differentiated on the basis of class, race, ethnicity, and gender dynamics that exclude those whose presence prescribes the need to regulate desires and who trigger ambivalence as a condition of modernity. The marking of borders is instantiated by a presentation of the nation that embeds power in performance, or through a means of communicative interaction in which the act itself is privileged over that which it mediates. Thus, nonverbal performance may communicate messages whose meaning is located in elements of sound and movement and in dialogic interaction between performers and audiences, or between modes of modernity—contingent on the specifics of the temporal and spatial moment.

Early studies of population movement addressed patterns of assimilation and acculturation through theories of culturecontact that failed to engage with political disparities and the contradictions of multiculturalism in modern societies. More recent approaches redressed these patterns as a postmodern condition that negotiates instantiations of nationalism, transnationalism, and displacement through the appropriation of expressive culture and the making of political alliances among transnational populations (Garofalo, 1992). However, the rigidities and essentialisms of diasporic identity created by multiculturalism may articulate or contradict the politics of national, postcolonial, and minority identities even as they stress emergent forms of culture, uneven relations of cultural hybridity, and ambivalent relations to national homelands (Ramnarine, 2007). Contemporary diaspora studies thus emphasize the “newness” of the diasporic experience, and address political belongings and further substitutions as historically specific and shaped by a historical consciousness. Fragments of this consciousness are inscribed within an in-between space by which immigrants may register a sense of loss, exile, and rupture through cultural production. Diasporic music making may thus be a practice of everyday life in local communities by individuals making strategic choices through music festivals, individual biographies, song texts, musical instruments, and intellectual movements. Politically articulated readings of these social relations and creative processes reveal economies of desire in colonial encounters, performances that mourn and remember ancestors, intercultural borrowings in African-Peruvian theater, or state interventions in the creation of broader diasporic groups (Ramnarine, 2007).

Studies of popular culture and music have helped to differentiate between experiences of voluntary and forced migration. The actions and behavior of refugees affect how groups produce and give meaning to their music as they negotiate loss and trauma, and pursue a state of stability that is represented by resettlement. For instance, Vietnamese refugee communities in the United States tend to display a preference for love songs and Western-oriented popular music that convey anticommunist nostalgia for a pre-1975 period of French, U.S., and Japanese colonial influence in Vietnam (Reyes, 1999). Other histories of dispossession and violence have prompted ethnographers to consider the social construction of place, self, and other through aesthetic experience as a means for understanding the performative capacities of particular histories and repertories of violence and “the ensuing meanings violent performances carry for victims, perpetrators, and witnesses alike” (McDonald, 2009, p. 59).

Future Directions

Medical ethnomusicology seeks to integrate disciplines of music; health sciences; integrative, complementary and alternative medicine (ICAM); the physical and social sciences; medical humanities; and the healing arts through integrative research and applied practice. Research in music, medicine, and culture recognizes the dynamic and diverse practices by which specialized music and sound phenomena function as therapeutic strategies and as a means to cure illness and disease. Ethnomusicological discourse has demonstrated the extent to which specialized music emerges from a spiritual or religious ontology and is practiced in ritual or ceremonial events. When music combines with or functions as prayer or meditation, it may constitute preventive and/or curative practices that can be situated among a set of local medical practices. Medical ethnomusicology focuses on the performance of healing and the culture of health in order to better understand disease and illness, health and healing, as well as the performative nature of diagnosis, treatment, and healing. Recent studies and interventions include locating sites of ritual healing in ngoma practice among disparate communities; correlating beliefs about spirit possession to the intricacies of indigenous health care systems in Tumbuka communities; advocating and critiquing how the decline of HIV infection rates in Uganda correspond to the use of local musical traditions that support medical initiatives; engaging with science and religion through a focus on music, prayer, meditation, and healing; and the ways that these processes intimately link with transformational cognitive states in Tajikistan (Koen, 2008).

Applied ethnomusicology refers to work in the public sector that encourages the advocacy, curation, documentation, education, and performance of music and dance. These efforts apply the perspectives, principles, theories, and methods of ethnomusicology to encourage public awareness and participation in broadly defined fields of cultural practice. Advocacy engages with public-policy issues, such as arts access and participation, artists’ rights, censorship, intellectual property, and cultural heritage through institutional and noninstitutional efforts. The Society for Ethnomusicology debates and assumes positions on the ethics of music and fair use, music and torture, and the rights of human subjects in scholarly research. Cultural initiatives facilitate opportunities for performers and performance practices through festival and concert organization, recording and documentary film production, and museum exhibitions.

Efforts to document and archive materials are encouraged through the acquisition and digitalization of archives, collaboration between institutions, improved access, and the support of scholarship, publications, and public programs. Public education and outreach develop curriculum at the primary and secondary levels; establish performance ensembles and programs to nurture skills; and foster audiences and public awareness through the promotion and distribution of related events, productions, and publications. Performance of music and dance by specialists is encouraged not only as a research method in observing participants, but also as a means to preserve, transmit, and produce communities based on knowledge production and creative expression.

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EDITORIAL article

Editorial: the impact of music on human development and well-being.

\nGraham F. Welch

  • 1 Department of Culture, Communication and Media, University College London, London, United Kingdom
  • 2 Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
  • 3 School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
  • 4 Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Editorial on the Research Topic The Impact of Music on Human Development and Well-Being

Music is one of the most universal ways of expression and communication for humankind and is present in the everyday lives of people of all ages and from all cultures around the world ( Mehr et al., 2019 ). Hence, it seems more appropriate to talk about musics (plural) rather than in the singular ( Goble, 2015 ). Furthermore, research by anthropologists as well as ethnomusicologists suggests that music has been a characteristic of the human condition for millennia (cf. Blacking, 1976 ; Brown, 1999 ; Mithen, 2005 ; Dissanayake, 2012 ; Higham et al., 2012 ; Cross, 2016 ). Nevertheless, whilst the potential for musical behavior is a characteristic of all human beings, its realization is shaped by the environment and the experiences of individuals, often within groups ( North and Hargreaves, 2008 ; Welch and McPherson, 2018 ). Listening to music, singing, playing (informally, formally), creating (exploring, composing, improvising), whether individually and collectively, are common activities for the vast majority of people. Music represents an enjoyable activity in and of itself, but its influence goes beyond simple amusement.

These activities not only allow the expression of personal inner states and feelings, but also can bring about many positive effects in those who engage in them. There is an increasing body of empirical and experimental studies concerning the wider benefits of musical activity, and research in the sciences associated with music suggests that there are many dimensions of human life—including physical, social, educational, psychological (cognitive and emotional)—which can be affected positively by successful engagement in music ( Biasutti and Concina, 2013 ). Learning in and through music is something that can happen formally (such as part of structured lessons in school), as well as in other-than-formal situations, such as in the home with family and friends, often non-sequentially and not necessarily intentional, and where participation in music learning is voluntary, rather than mandated, such as in a community setting (cf. Green, 2002 ; Folkestad, 2006 ; Saether, 2016 ; Welch and McPherson, 2018 ).

Such benefits are evidenced across the lifespan, including early childhood ( Gerry et al., 2012 ; Williams et al., 2015 ; Linnavalli et al., 2018 ), adolescence ( McFerran et al., 2018 ), and older adulthood ( Lindblad and de Boise, 2020 ). Within these lifespan perspectives, research into music's contribution to health and well-being provides evidence of physical and psychological impacts ( MacDonald et al., 2013 ; Fancourt and Finn, 2019 ; van den Elzen et al., 2019 ). Benefits are also reported in terms of young people's educational outcomes ( Guhn et al., 2019 ), and successful musical activity can enhance an individual's sense of social inclusion ( Welch et al., 2014 ) and social cohesion ( Elvers et al., 2017 ).

This special issue provides a collection of 21, new research articles that deepen and develop our understanding of the ways and means that music can impact positively on human development and well-being. The collection draws on the work of 88 researchers from 17 different countries across the world, with each article offering an illustration of how music can relate to other important aspects of human functioning. In addition, the articles collectively illustrate a wide range of contemporary research approaches. These provide evidence of how different research aims concerning the wider benefits of music require sensitive and appropriate methodologies.

In terms of childhood and adolescence, for example, Putkinen et al. demonstrate how musical training is likely to foster enhanced sound encoding in 9 to 15-year-olds and thus be related to reading skills. A separate Finnish study by Saarikallio et al. provides evidence of how musical listening influences adolescents' perceived sense of agency and emotional well-being, whilst demonstrating how this impact is particularly nuanced by context and individuality. Aspects of mental health are the focus for an Australian study by Stewart et al. of young people with tendencies to depression. The article explores how, despite existing literature on the positive use of music for mood regulation, music listening can be double-edged and could actually sustain or intensify a negative mood.

A Portuguese study by Martins et al. shifts the center of attention from mental to physical benefits in their study of how learning music can support children's coordination. They provide empirical data on how a sustained, 24-week programme of Orff-based music education, which included the playing of simple tuned percussion instruments, significantly enhanced the manual dexterity and bimanual coordination in participant 8-year-olds compared to their active control (sports) and passive control peers. A related study by Loui et al. in the USA offers insights into the neurological impact of sustained musical instrument practice. Eight-year-old children who play one or more musical instruments for at least 0.5 h per week had higher scores on verbal ability and intellectual ability, and these correlated with greater measurable connections between particular regions of the brain related to both auditory-motor and bi-hemispheric connectivity.

Younger, pre-school children can also benefit from musical activities, with associations being reported between informal musical experiences in the home and specific aspects of language development. A UK-led study by Politimou et al. found that rhythm perception and production were the best predictors of young children's phonological awareness, whilst melody perception was the best predictor of grammar acquisition, a novel association not previously observed in developmental research. In another pre-school study, Barrett et al. explored the beliefs and values held by Australian early childhood and care practitioners concerning the value of music in young children's learning. Despite having limited formal qualifications and experience of personal music learning, practitioners tended overall to have positive attitudes to music, although this was biased toward music as a recreational and fun activity, with limited support for the notion of how music might be used to support wider aspects of children's learning and development.

Engaging in music to support a positive sense of personal agency is an integral feature of several articles in the collection. In addition to the Saarikallio team's research mentioned above, Moors et al. provide a novel example of how engaging in collective beatboxing can be life-enhancing for throat cancer patients in the UK who have undergone laryngectomy, both in terms of supporting their voice rehabilitation and alaryngeal phonation, as well as patients' sense of social inclusion and emotional well-being.

One potential reason for these positive findings is examined in an Australian study by Krause et al. . They apply the lens of self-determination theory to examine musical participation and well-being in a large group of 17 to 85-year-olds. Respondents to an online questionnaire signaled the importance of active music making in their lives in meeting three basic psychological needs embracing a sense of competency, relatedness and autonomy.

The use of public performance in music therapy is the subject of a US study by Vaudreuil et al. concerning the social transformation and reintegration of US military service members. Two example case studies are reported of service members who received music therapy as part of their treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological health concerns. The participants wrote, learned, and refined songs over multiple music therapy sessions and created song introductions to share with audiences. Subsequent interviews provide positive evidence of the beneficial psychological effects of this programme of audience-focused musical activity.

Relatedly, McFerran et al. in Australia examined the ways in which music and trauma have been reported in selected music therapy literature from the past 10 years. The team's critical interpretive synthesis of 36 related articles led them to identify four different ways in which music has been used beneficially to support those who have experienced trauma. These approaches embrace the use of music for stabilizing (the modulation of physiological processes) and entrainment (the synchronization of music and movement), as well as for expressive and performative purposes—the fostering of emotional and social well-being.

The therapeutic potential of music is also explored in a detailed case study by Fachner et al. . Their research focuses on the nature of critical moments in a guided imagery and music session between a music therapist and a client, and evidences how these moments relate to underlying neurological function in the mechanics of music therapy.

At the other end of the age span, and also related to therapy, an Australian study by Brancatisano et al. reports on a new Music, Mind, and Movement programme for people in their eighties with mild to moderate dementia. Participants involved in the programme tended to show an improvement in aspects of cognition, particularly verbal fluency and attention. Similarly, Wilson and MacDonald report on a 10-week group music programme for young Scottish adults with learning difficulties. The research data suggest that participants enjoyed the programme and tended to sustain participation, with benefits evidenced in increased social engagement, interaction and communication.

The role of technology in facilitating access to music and supporting a sense of agency in older people is the focus for a major literature review by Creech , now based in Canada. Although this is a relatively under-researched field, the available evidence suggests that that older people, even those with complex needs, are capable of engaging with and using technology in a variety of ways that support their musical perception, learning and participation and wider quality of life.

Related to the particular needs of the young, children's general behavior can also improve through music, as exampled in an innovative, school-based, intensive 3-month orchestral programme in Italy with 8 to 10-year-olds. Fasano et al. report that the programme was particularly beneficial in reducing hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, whilst enhancing inhibitory control. These benefits are in line with research findings concerning successful music education with specific cases of young people with ADHD whose behavior is characterized by these same disruptive symptoms (hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity).

Extra-musical benefits are also reported in a study of college students (Bachelors and Masters) and amateur musicians in a joint Swiss-UK study. Antonini Philippe et al. suggest that, whilst music making can offer some health protective effects, there is a need for greater health awareness and promotion among advanced music students. Compared to the amateur musicians, the college music students evaluated their overall quality of life and general and physical health more negatively, as did females in terms of their psychological health. Somewhat paradoxically, the college students who had taken part in judged performances reported higher psychological health ratings. This may have been because this sub-group were slightly older and more experienced musicians.

Music appears to be a common accompaniment to exercise, whether in the gym, park or street. Nikol et al. in South East Asia explore the potential physical benefits of synchronous exercise to music, especially in hot and humid conditions. Their randomized cross-over study (2019) reports that “time-to-exhaustion” under the synchronous music condition was 2/3 longer compared to the no-music condition for the same participants. In addition, perceived exertion was significantly lower, by an average of 22% during the synchronous condition.

Comparisons between music and sport are often evidenced in the body of existing Frontiers research literature related to performance and group behaviors. Our new collection contains a contribution to this literature in a study by Habe et al. . The authors investigated elite musicians and top athletes in Slovenia in terms of their perceptions of flow in performance and satisfaction with life. The questionnaire data analyses suggest that the experience of flow appears to influence satisfaction with life in these high-functioning individuals, albeit with some variations related to discipline, participant sex and whether considering team or individual performance.

A more formal link between music and movement is the focus of an exploratory case study by Cirelli and Trehub . They investigated a 19-month-old infant's dance-like, motorically-complex responses to familiar and unfamiliar songs, presented at different speeds. Movements were faster for the more familiar items at their original tempo. The child had been observed previously as moving to music at the age of 6 months.

Finally, a novel UK-based study by Waddington-Jones et al. evaluated the impact of two professional composers who were tasked, individually, to lead a 4-month programme of group composing in two separate and diverse community settings—one with a choral group and the other in a residential home, both funded as part of a music programme for the Hull City of Culture in 2017. In addition to the two composers, the participants were older adults, with the residential group being joined by schoolchildren from a local Primary school to collaborate in a final performance. Qualitative data analyses provide evidence of multi-dimensional psychological benefits arising from the successful, group-focused music-making activities.

In summary, these studies demonstrate that engaging in musical activity can have a positive impact on health and well-being in a variety of ways and in a diverse range of contexts across the lifespan. Musical activities, whether focused on listening, being creative or re-creative, individual or collective, are infused with the potential to be therapeutic, developmental, enriching, and educational, with the caveat provided that such musical experiences are perceived to be engaging, meaningful and successful by those who participate.

Collectively, these studies also celebrate the multiplicity of ways in which music can be experienced. Reading across the articles might raise a question as to whether or not any particular type of musical experience is seen to be more beneficial compared with another. The answer, at least in part, is that the empirical evidence suggests that musical engagement comes in myriad forms along a continuum of more or less overt activity, embracing learning, performing, composing and improvising, as well as listening and appreciating. Furthermore, given the multidimensional neurological processing of musical experience, it seems reasonable to hypothesize that it is perhaps the level of emotional engagement in the activity that drives its degree of health and well-being efficacy as much as the activity's overt musical features. And therein are opportunities for further research!

Author Contributions

The editorial was drafted by GW and approved by the topic Co-editors. All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the Edited Collection, and have approved this editorial for publication.

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

We are very grateful to all the contributing authors and their participants for their positive engagement with this Frontiers Research Topic, and also for the Frontiers staff for their commitment and support in bringing this topic to press.

Biasutti, M., and Concina, E. (2013). “Music education and transfer of learning,” in Music: Social Impacts, Health Benefits and Perspectives , eds P. Simon and T. Szabo (New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc Series: Fine Arts, Music and Literature), 149–166.

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Keywords: music, wider benefits, lifespan, health, well-being

Citation: Welch GF, Biasutti M, MacRitchie J, McPherson GE and Himonides E (2020) Editorial: The Impact of Music on Human Development and Well-Being. Front. Psychol. 11:1246. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01246

Received: 12 January 2020; Accepted: 13 May 2020; Published: 17 June 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Welch, Biasutti, MacRitchie, McPherson and Himonides. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Graham F. Welch, graham.welch@ucl.ac.uk ; Michele Biasutti, michele.biasutti@unipd.it

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Music Research Topics

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

Music Research Topics

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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An research paper examples on music is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.

Some signs of music research paper:

  • the presence of a specific topic or question. A work devoted to the analysis of a wide range of problems in biology, by definition, cannot be performed in the genre of music research paper topic.
  • The research paper expresses individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue, in this case, on music and does not knowingly pretend to a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.
  • As a rule, an essay suggests a new, subjectively colored word about something, such a work may have a philosophical, historical, biographical, journalistic, literary, critical, popular scientific or purely fiction character.
  • in the content of an research paper samples on music , first of all, the author’s personality is assessed - his worldview, thoughts and feelings.

The goal of an research paper in music is to develop such skills as independent creative thinking and writing out your own thoughts.

Writing an research paper is extremely useful, because it allows the author to learn to clearly and correctly formulate thoughts, structure information, use basic concepts, highlight causal relationships, illustrate experience with relevant examples, and substantiate his conclusions.

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If you’re looking for general information on MLA or APA citations , the EasyBib Writing Center was designed for you! It has articles on what’s needed in an MLA in-text citation , how to format an APA paper, what an MLA annotated bibliography is, making an MLA works cited page, and much more!

MLA Format Citation Examples

The Modern Language Association created the MLA Style, currently in its 9th edition, to provide researchers with guidelines for writing and documenting scholarly borrowings.  Most often used in the humanities, MLA style (or MLA format ) has been adopted and used by numerous other disciplines, in multiple parts of the world.

MLA provides standard rules to follow so that most research papers are formatted in a similar manner. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the information. The MLA in-text citation guidelines, MLA works cited standards, and MLA annotated bibliography instructions provide scholars with the information they need to properly cite sources in their research papers, articles, and assignments.

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APA Format Citation Examples

The American Psychological Association created the APA citation style in 1929 as a way to help psychologists, anthropologists, and even business managers establish one common way to cite sources and present content.

APA is used when citing sources for academic articles such as journals, and is intended to help readers better comprehend content, and to avoid language bias wherever possible. The APA style (or APA format ) is now in its 7th edition, and provides citation style guides for virtually any type of resource.

Chicago Style Citation Examples

The Chicago/Turabian style of citing sources is generally used when citing sources for humanities papers, and is best known for its requirement that writers place bibliographic citations at the bottom of a page (in Chicago-format footnotes ) or at the end of a paper (endnotes).

The Turabian and Chicago citation styles are almost identical, but the Turabian style is geared towards student published papers such as theses and dissertations, while the Chicago style provides guidelines for all types of publications. This is why you’ll commonly see Chicago style and Turabian style presented together. The Chicago Manual of Style is currently in its 17th edition, and Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations is in its 8th edition.

Citing Specific Sources or Events

  • Declaration of Independence
  • Gettysburg Address
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Speech
  • President Obama’s Farewell Address
  • President Trump’s Inauguration Speech
  • White House Press Briefing

Additional FAQs

  • Citing Archived Contributors
  • Citing a Blog
  • Citing a Book Chapter
  • Citing a Source in a Foreign Language
  • Citing an Image
  • Citing a Song
  • Citing Special Contributors
  • Citing a Translated Article
  • Citing a Tweet

6 Interesting Citation Facts

The world of citations may seem cut and dry, but there’s more to them than just specific capitalization rules, MLA in-text citations , and other formatting specifications. Citations have been helping researches document their sources for hundreds of years, and are a great way to learn more about a particular subject area.

Ever wonder what sets all the different styles apart, or how they came to be in the first place? Read on for some interesting facts about citations!

1. There are Over 7,000 Different Citation Styles

You may be familiar with MLA and APA citation styles, but there are actually thousands of citation styles used for all different academic disciplines all across the world. Deciding which one to use can be difficult, so be sure to ask you instructor which one you should be using for your next paper.

2. Some Citation Styles are Named After People

While a majority of citation styles are named for the specific organizations that publish them (i.e. APA is published by the American Psychological Association, and MLA format is named for the Modern Language Association), some are actually named after individuals. The most well-known example of this is perhaps Turabian style, named for Kate L. Turabian, an American educator and writer. She developed this style as a condensed version of the Chicago Manual of Style in order to present a more concise set of rules to students.

3. There are Some Really Specific and Uniquely Named Citation Styles

How specific can citation styles get? The answer is very. For example, the “Flavour and Fragrance Journal” style is based on a bimonthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal published since 1985 by John Wiley & Sons. It publishes original research articles, reviews and special reports on all aspects of flavor and fragrance. Another example is “Nordic Pulp and Paper Research,” a style used by an international scientific magazine covering science and technology for the areas of wood or bio-mass constituents.

4. More citations were created on  EasyBib.com  in the first quarter of 2018 than there are people in California.

The US Census Bureau estimates that approximately 39.5 million people live in the state of California. Meanwhile, about 43 million citations were made on EasyBib from January to March of 2018. That’s a lot of citations.

5. “Citations” is a Word With a Long History

The word “citations” can be traced back literally thousands of years to the Latin word “citare” meaning “to summon, urge, call; put in sudden motion, call forward; rouse, excite.” The word then took on its more modern meaning and relevance to writing papers in the 1600s, where it became known as the “act of citing or quoting a passage from a book, etc.”

6. Citation Styles are Always Changing

The concept of citations always stays the same. It is a means of preventing plagiarism and demonstrating where you relied on outside sources. The specific style rules, however, can and do change regularly. For example, in 2018 alone, 46 new citation styles were introduced , and 106 updates were made to exiting styles. At EasyBib, we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our styles and opportunities to add new ones to our list.

Why Citations Matter

Here are the ways accurate citations can help your students achieve academic success, and how you can answer the dreaded question, “why should I cite my sources?”

They Give Credit to the Right People

Citing their sources makes sure that the reader can differentiate the student’s original thoughts from those of other researchers. Not only does this make sure that the sources they use receive proper credit for their work, it ensures that the student receives deserved recognition for their unique contributions to the topic. Whether the student is citing in MLA format , APA format , or any other style, citations serve as a natural way to place a student’s work in the broader context of the subject area, and serve as an easy way to gauge their commitment to the project.

They Provide Hard Evidence of Ideas

Having many citations from a wide variety of sources related to their idea means that the student is working on a well-researched and respected subject. Citing sources that back up their claim creates room for fact-checking and further research . And, if they can cite a few sources that have the converse opinion or idea, and then demonstrate to the reader why they believe that that viewpoint is wrong by again citing credible sources, the student is well on their way to winning over the reader and cementing their point of view.

They Promote Originality and Prevent Plagiarism

The point of research projects is not to regurgitate information that can already be found elsewhere. We have Google for that! What the student’s project should aim to do is promote an original idea or a spin on an existing idea, and use reliable sources to promote that idea. Copying or directly referencing a source without proper citation can lead to not only a poor grade, but accusations of academic dishonesty. By citing their sources regularly and accurately, students can easily avoid the trap of plagiarism , and promote further research on their topic.

They Create Better Researchers

By researching sources to back up and promote their ideas, students are becoming better researchers without even knowing it! Each time a new source is read or researched, the student is becoming more engaged with the project and is developing a deeper understanding of the subject area. Proper citations demonstrate a breadth of the student’s reading and dedication to the project itself. By creating citations, students are compelled to make connections between their sources and discern research patterns. Each time they complete this process, they are helping themselves become better researchers and writers overall.

When is the Right Time to Start Making Citations?

Make in-text/parenthetical citations as you need them.

As you are writing your paper, be sure to include references within the text that correspond with references in a works cited or bibliography. These are usually called in-text citations or parenthetical citations in MLA and APA formats. The most effective time to complete these is directly after you have made your reference to another source. For instance, after writing the line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…,” you would include a citation like this (depending on your chosen citation style):

(Dickens 11).

This signals to the reader that you have referenced an outside source. What’s great about this system is that the in-text citations serve as a natural list for all of the citations you have made in your paper, which will make completing the works cited page a whole lot easier. After you are done writing, all that will be left for you to do is scan your paper for these references, and then build a works cited page that includes a citation for each one.

Need help creating an MLA works cited page ? Try the MLA format generator on EasyBib.com! We also have a guide on how to format an APA reference page .

2. Understand the General Formatting Rules of Your Citation Style Before You Start Writing

While reading up on paper formatting may not sound exciting, being aware of how your paper should look early on in the paper writing process is super important. Citation styles can dictate more than just the appearance of the citations themselves, but rather can impact the layout of your paper as a whole, with specific guidelines concerning margin width, title treatment, and even font size and spacing. Knowing how to organize your paper before you start writing will ensure that you do not receive a low grade for something as trivial as forgetting a hanging indent.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s a formatting guide on APA format .

3. Double-check All of Your Outside Sources for Relevance and Trustworthiness First

Collecting outside sources that support your research and specific topic is a critical step in writing an effective paper. But before you run to the library and grab the first 20 books you can lay your hands on, keep in mind that selecting a source to include in your paper should not be taken lightly. Before you proceed with using it to backup your ideas, run a quick Internet search for it and see if other scholars in your field have written about it as well. Check to see if there are book reviews about it or peer accolades. If you spot something that seems off to you, you may want to consider leaving it out of your work. Doing this before your start making citations can save you a ton of time in the long run.

Finished with your paper? It may be time to run it through a grammar and plagiarism checker , like the one offered by EasyBib Plus. If you’re just looking to brush up on the basics, our grammar guides  are ready anytime you are.

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  25. How to Cite Sources

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