The Science of Goosebumps and Music Chills

Why do we get goosebumps in the first place? Do they serve any purpose?

Written and created by Mitchell Moffit (twitter @mitchellmoffit) and Gregory Brown (twitter @whalewatchmeplz).

Mitchell Moffit

Gregory Brown

Further Reading --

Goosebumps

Music Frisson

[wildmikefilms]

Getting goosebumps from music is one of the best feelings in the world! So about the part where you said its because of something unexpected happening in the music creating a subconscious fear response. I get goosebumps from amazing songs that iv listened to thousands of times and i know every single beat. i also get goose bumps from really emotional parts in movies as well

[infinite-e]

i know im listening to a great song when i get music chills

[SaxophoneMiner]

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

[youthculture]

I get chills even when I've heard a piece of music many times before, so I doubt that frisson comes from unexpected changes

[SaintPuppetS]

I have chills when i hear good lyrics combined with music so i doubt it's fear respond.

[Nimbus]

how many languages can a person speak? Is there an objective limit or is it all subjective?

[funpin]

when we sleep why do we sometimes feel a falling/dropping sensation when lying still.

[dirtheart]

I get goosebumps when I hear bass drops or strong emotional parts of songs, and it feels GREAT. ^^

[amanigraham]

I get chills and some goosebumps when I listen to music. I love music!!

[finallyproved]

goosebumps are amazing gesture your favourite song is hitting you hard

[elenigl]

When your favorite song plays and the beat goes up.Best feeling in the world

[neojso]

Yes I sometimes have goosebumps when I experience "awesome" music or song or scene. The effect would decrease (but doesn't disappear completely) if the experience repeated too much...

Great job!

[AritonaPaun]

I have 2 questions: Why do we have itches (for no apparent reasons, not like a wound healing), and why do we feel the need to scratch?

[michaellake]

The live version of “Deadhead” by Devin Townsend gives me goosebumps EVERY time and I genuinely want to give people that same feeling with the music I write

[punrejina]

Anyone gets goosebumps everytime when you immediately go to the toliet and poop as well?

[AsapSCIENCE]

Often, repeated exposure to a stimuli will dampen the effect, but few experiences are as important for survival as fear is. Like pain, fear is resistant to habituation; we need to endure lots of 'false alarms' in order to be prepared for the one instance when it matters! Keep in mind that this 'fear' isn't conscious fear. It's a subconscious, instinctual response that you can't control. Granted, we aren't suggesting that this is the only theory - just an interesting one!

[skaklez]

question: whats the number before infinity?

[kkc]

My 6th grade science teacher was so big on the "I don't know YET." She was one of my favorite teachers of all time

[TheMrTomkennedy]

Whenever I get goosebumps listening to music it's usually because I understand how the musical effect was created and I'm wowed by how the musicians achieved this so successfully. It's like a long chain of events suddenly links in my mind, which gives me goosebumps. Does that help?

[BratzDoll]

It's spiritual genius. Hints the connection to our ancestors! 💯