Familiarity in Music

Although people say they look for new music, people actually prefer music that is familiar to them. This whole idea of looking for new music is a very modern one, as the variety of music available to a person in modern media has increased greatly, due to being able to stream music instantaneously now. This growth is shown in the chart below. Due to the fact that more music is rapidly becoming popular and available to new audiences, a search has begun for new and exciting music that is often seen as exciting at first, with people eager to discover new genres, artists, and sounds. However, when it comes to people’s actual preference, there is a prevailing tendency for us to gravitate toward music that is familiar, even if we assert we’re looking for something new. This phenomenon highlights humans’ preference for the familiar.

Familiarity is something that is known to us or something we have experienced before. This is a concept that influences much of our behavior and decision-making. The National Library of Medicine explains this phenomenon through what’s called the mere exposure effect, which states that “repeatedly presented stimuli are effectively evaluated more positively than novel stimuli.” In other words, the more we hear a song or artist, the more we tend to like it. This effect helps explain why we keep returning to familiar tracks even when there’s a vast amount of new music waiting to be explored. Familiar music encompasses songs, sounds, or genres that a person has listened to multiple times or heard in various contexts, such as on the radio, in movies, or at social events. These familiar songs become a part of one’s musical landscape and are easily recognized, triggering positive feelings, often evoking a sense of nostalgia or attachment.

The human tendency to prefer the familiar is also rooted in how our brains process music. Studies show the differences in neural responses to familiar and unfamiliar music. In a study conducted by Scientific Reports, it was found that the brain shows a more immediate and positive response to familiar music, as opposed to music that is unfamiliar. This quick response is linked to the brain’s reward system, which processes pleasurable stimuli more efficiently when it is familiar. In contrast, unfamiliar music may not trigger the same pleasure centers in the brain, as it is perceived as more unpredictable and harder to process. This increased cognitive effort can sometimes feel unsettling or even frustrating. The experience of hearing something new might be interesting at first, but if it requires too much mental work, we may quickly lose interest. This physiological reaction is just one more reason why we often return to familiar songs and artists instead of embracing something new.

This preference for familiar music is not just a cognitive phenomenon—it also has emotional ties. Comfort plays a huge role in why we prefer what we already know. Music is deeply tied to our emotions, and familiar tunes have the power to evoke memories and feelings of safety. For example, a song that we loved during a significant period in our life, or one we heard a lot during a season in our lives, can transport us back to that moment, bringing with it a sense of emotional security. When we listen to a song that we don’t know, we don’t have that same emotional attachment, which makes it harder for us to connect with it on the same level.

Something that is unfamiliar on the other hand results in a jarring effect. We are naturally wary of new things as an evolutionary defense mechanism. Something new could be dangerous and so we evolved to naturally be wary of unfamiliar objects or events. Unfamiliar music, especially music from a different culture or genre, can create a sense of alienation. The difference in sound, rhythm, and structure can feel off-putting, particularly if it does not align with the cultural context or musical expectations we are used to.

This resistance to unfamiliar music is particularly evident when we consider the social and cultural influences that shape our musical preferences. The hypothesis that Bruce Wexler tests in Brain and Culture—”that early wiring in the brain makes it hard for people later to accept novelty and unfamiliar experiences. Difficulty in handling the unfamiliar—people with a different skin color, different values or a different ideology, for example—” Or perhaps unfamiliar music, “is an essential feature of the often-negative interactions between cultures.” Popular music, the kind that frequently appears on the radio or is pushed by streaming platforms, becomes part of the cultural mainstream. As such, people often gravitate toward what is widely accepted or familiar in their social circles. Listening to popular songs creates a sense of connection to others, whether at a concert, party, or casual conversation. The familiarity of these songs provides a shared experience, reinforcing the bond between individuals within a group. Unfamiliar music however, requires more cognitive effort to process, which can make it harder to enjoy. The initial experience of unfamiliar music might feel disjointed or unsatisfying, as listeners try to make sense of new structures, melodies, and harmonies.

Another reason we don’t resonate with unfamiliar music is the sense of identity that we associate with our music preferences. The music we listen to is often tied to our self-concept and personal identity. People may feel that their tastes in music reflect who they are, and stepping outside of familiar genres or artists can feel like a departure from one’s sense of self. For example, someone who identifies as a rock music fan may find it harder to enjoy classical music, not because it is objectively less enjoyable, but because it challenges the musical identity they have cultivated over time.

In conclusion, while many people claim to be searching for new and exciting music, they are often more drawn to the comfort and familiarity of what they already know. People are drawn to familiar music because of the mere exposure effect, the comfort of emotional connection, the identity tied to musical preferences, the ease of cognitive processing,  and also because it reflects a shared cultural experience and a sense of identity. As much as streaming platforms and social media might make new music more accessible, it is the familiar tracks that continue to dominate our playlists. No matter how many new artists or genres are out there waiting to be discovered, though people may claim to want something new, they are often drawn back to the music they already know and love.

Links and References

“Music Streaming Services Stats (2024)” Fabio Duarte. Exploding Topics, 1 February 2024. 3 November 2124.

“The Contribution of Attention to the Mere Exposure Effect for Parts of Advertising Images – PMC” PubMed Central. National Library of Medicine, 5 September 2018. 3 November 2124.

“Our Aversion to the Unfamiliar | American Scientist” Judy Illes, Vivian Chin. American Scientist, 28 October 2021. 3 November 2024.

“Rapid Brain Responses to Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Music – an EEG and Pupillometry study | Scientific Reports” Current Opinion in Neurobiology. ScienceDirect, October 2023. 3 November 2024.