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Blake, Wm. The Progress of Poesy; a Pindaric Ode; Page 1- Title-Page. 1797.

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Researchers have mapped out how various music genres trigger specific bodily sensations, in a new understanding of music’s physical impact. 

Sad songs evoke feelings in the heart and stomach, while aggressive songs stimulate responses in the head. Happy and danceable songs are felt in the head and feet.

The study involved 2,000 participants from Europe, North America, and China, with the study’s author stating, “Music’s influence on the body is universal.”

Lauri Nummenmaa, study co-author: “Certain acoustic features of music were associated with similar emotions in both Western and Asian listeners. Since these sensations are similar across different cultures, music-induced emotions are likely independent of culture and learning and based on inherited biological mechanisms.”

Vesa Putkinen, lead researcher: “People move to music in all cultures, and synchronized postures, movements, and vocalizations are a universal sign for affiliation. Music may have emerged during the evolution of human species to promote social interaction and sense of community by synchronizing the bodies and emotions of the listeners.”