What is 'musical anhedonia,' the condition in which listening to music does not stir any emotions?

Music is a universal human activity, present in all cultures. Humans are said to have a greater musical ability and sensitivity to music than other animals, but some people suffer from a condition called 'music anhedonia,' in which they feel no interest in music and are not moved by it at all. Catherine Loveday, a professor of neuropsychology at the University of Westminster, explains music anhedonia:

Some people just don't like music – it may be down to their brain wiring
https://theconversation.com/some-people-just-dont-like-music-it-may-be-down-to-their-brain-wiring-263066

A study published in 2019 estimated that 5-10% of people suffer from musical anhedonia. Professor Loveday says that he sometimes asks 'What's your favorite song?' in research questionnaires or when examining patients with memory loss, and has encountered cases where the answer is 'I've never really thought about music that much.' People with musical anhedonia have no sensitivity to music and no emotional attachment to it whatsoever.

To measure musical sensitivity, the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire is used. A higher score indicates a higher musical sensitivity, while a lower score indicates a lower musical sensitivity. A 2025 study found that approximately 25% of people are hyperhedonic, meaning they are overly sensitive to music and experience an almost obsessive urge to engage with it enthusiastically and frequently. However, there is considerable individual variation in musical sensitivity.

While people who are highly sensitive to music generally experience dramatic changes in their heart rate, sweating, and breathing rate while listening to music, a 2016 study found that people with low sensitivity, the level at which they are diagnosed with musical anhedonia, showed no such physiological changes.

Of course, some people with a severe musical insensitivity have difficulty perceiving melody and harmony. This is known as amusia, a condition in which problems with activity in key areas of the brain's frontotemporal cortex result in an inability to recognize pitch and rhythm. However, there are also people with amusia who simply cannot correctly recognize music but still love music itself. Furthermore, a 2014 study found that people with musical anhedonia often have normal musical perception, able to recognize songs and distinguish between major and minor keys.

The mechanism that makes us feel good when we see music or pictures is based on the brain's reward system. The reward system is a system in which external information activates the brain's neural circuits, causing the secretion of brain substances such as dopamine, which motivates us to take various actions.

It has been found that people with a high sensitivity to music have significantly more activity in the 'music recognition brain network' and the 'stimulus reward system.' A 2018 study showed that artificial stimulation of these pathways using magnetic pulses could enhance the pleasure felt by music.

A research paper published in August 2025 by a research team at the Institute of Neurosciences at the University of Barcelona found that the brain reward system of people with musical anhedonia only malfunctions in response to music, but functions normally for other stimuli. In other words, in people with musical anhedonia, both the 'brain network for recognizing music' and the 'reward system for stimuli' function normally, but there is little or no communication between the two.

The reason for this lack of communication is unknown at the time of writing, but a 2025 study suggests that genetic factors may be involved.

Insights into musical anhedonia may also be useful for understanding abnormalities in pleasure that are not limited to music, and could be studied in relation to clinical conditions involving excessive or insufficient responses to everyday rewards, such as eating disorders, gambling addiction, and sexual problems.

'Music permeates every aspect of our daily lives, influencing people's emotions and behavior in places like commercial and medical settings. However, rather than viewing it as a one-size-fits-all prescription, we need to respect that some people find silence to be more comfortable,' Loveday said.