Music moves us, says neuroscientist Dr Daniel Müllensiefen

What’s on your music playlist is as important as your physique when it comes to impressing a lover, according to research released today. The Science behind the Song study – carried out by leading neuroscientist Dr Daniel Müllensiefen, from the prestigious Goldsmiths, London University – confirms that we are just as likely to be turned on by the music we listen to during an intimate moment as by how our partner feels or smells.

The new research from Spotify also reveals that:

• Over 40% of people say that listening to music is more arousing than touch during sex, with Dirty Dancing named the best soundtrack in the bedroom
• When it comes to seduction, the oldies are still the best, with Marvin Gaye, Serge Gainsbourg and Barry White voted top of the list, and
• 1 in 3 of us can name a song we consider even ‘better than sex’.

The leading digital music streaming service has changed the way we consume music today and so they commissioned Dr Daniel Müllensiefen to examine the longstanding relationship between music and romance to see if our tastes and listening habits had changed accordingly. 

Dr Müllensiefen, senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths, and co-director of the unique Music, Mind and Brain course, said: “This new research reveals that listening to music is now considered just as important in the bedroom as other more animalistic sensations such as sounds, touch and smells, demonstrating that the connection between intimacy with a partner and music is as strong as ever.”

Music has long played a part in affairs of the heart – and the findings show thatpeople will even change their usual listening tastes in order to seduce a prospective partner. Men are more likely to bend their tastes to win over a lady, even those who listen to extreme genres such as punk or metal, will go for safer, more typically romantic songs to woo. 

The research also uncovers the top tracks that get lovers feeling flirty on the dance floor and frisky in the bedroom. And it seems there’s only one man for the job – Marvin Gaye. The seductive sounds of the soulful singer saw his classics Sexual Healing and Let’s Get it On take first and second place on the top 20 list of tracks to get you ‘in the mood’.

However, if you’ve tried to seduce with your romantic song-list and still flopped at flirting, fear not as 1 in 3 surveyed could also pick a track they considered better than sex.  Iconic tracks by legendary British rock band Queen were most likely to get music fans going, with four of their classic anthems featured in the top 20 list of tracks respondents considered ‘better than sex’. Bohemian Rhapsody took the number one spot and Don’t Stop Me Now, I Want to Break Free and Who Wants to Live Forever alsofeatured.  Sex on Fire by the Kings of Leon and Robbie Williams’ Angels came high up the list…..but the biggest surprise of all in the list, has to be Agadoo by Black Lace!  

Dr Müllensiefen commented: “The majority of the songs selected in this category possess similar epic qualities suggesting a greater emotional impact on the listener.  The songs are typically longer in length with dramatic musicality.”  

Typical traits of the best songs for romantic encounters were revealed by respondents as tender, cheerful, low-key and happy and these are demonstrated throughout each of the top lists those surveyed were asked to suggest tracks for:

• Best songs for a romantic dinner
• Best songs for a flirt on the dance floor
• Best songs for seduction or to ‘get you in the mood’
• Best songs to play in the bedroom

Each list contains a number of classically romantic hits, with romantic movie theme tunes featuring heavily such as Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, Ghost and Titanic.  This confirms Dr Müllensiefen’s theory that the majority of our romantic music choices are influenced by how music and romance are consistently reflected in the media.

Dr Müllensiefen observed: “Most people have a good knowledge of what songs represent romance – mostly from film and TV references – and then use this music to communicate implicitly their intentions in a romantic situation. Music is a very effective tool for communicating romantic intentions because it has such a great impact on human emotions.”