Why Did Music Evolve? - 4 Hypotheses

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Music is a human universal but its survival benefits are not obvious. So why did it evolve? I sat down with professor Ed Hagen to discuss 4 hypotheses on the origins of our grooviest trait?
Huge thanks to Prof. Ed Hagen for the interview.
Huge thanks to all my supporters at www.patreon.com/stefanmilo
Sources:
Auditory Cheesecake - Steven, Pinker. “The Meaning Of Life.” How the Mind Works, Penguin Books, 2015, pp. 521-565.
Sexual Selection - Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Murray, 1871.
Social Bonding - Savage, Patrick E., et al. “Music as a Coevolved System for Social Bonding.” 2020, doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/qp3st.
Credible Signalling - Mehr, Samuel A, et al. “Origins of Music in Credible Signaling.” 2020, doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/nrqb3.
All footage from:
Getty
Shutterstock
Storyblocks
Music from:
Artlist.io
Tom Fox
Epidemic Sound
Written and Edited by Stefan Milosavljevich
Audio Editing by Margarita Varbanova

[@StefanMilo]

Big thanks to Curiositystream for sponsoring this video! Get access to it and Nebula for just $14.79 a year www.curiositystream.com/stefanmilo (best deal in town and I may have some Nebula exclusives in the works soooon!)

[@pmberkeley]

Take a look at the endocannabinoid system in humans. Our evolution seems to be deeply integrated with and reliant upon it, and music interacts strongly with it. The endocannabinoid system is what is at play with the "runner's high" - anandamide floods the body and makes you feel good. It helps regulate the human caloric intake, helps modulate our social engagement, and is involved in infant cognitive development - mother's milk is loaded with endocannabinoids. Learning is tied to the endocannabinoid system as well - it interacts strongly with the dopamine system in the brain. Rhythm is both triggered by and a result of the endocannabinoid system (think dogs wagging their tail - dogs do this when they're happy, because their endocannabinoid system is activated, and out comes the ryhthmic movement of the tail). When you put all this together, I believe music and dance are much less of a mystery, and more of a specific puzzle. All these things that interact with the endocannabinoid system, from nurturing the young (not just mother's milk but lullabies and children's songs), to learning, to social engagement (including falling in love) to running for long periods of time to surviving pregnancy, all rely on strong signaling of the endocannabinoid system. So if this system is both triggered by and results in music and dance, of course we evolved this way! The question is more, to me, what the specific order of it was. Did we have a need to run for long periods of time and that selected for a robust endocannabinoid system? Which then resulted in a highly social species? Or was it the highly social species part that came first, then the running? Etc. But definitely look into the ECS, it's a trip. Oh, editing to add a few things as I watch. 1. The highest concentration of endocannabinoid receptors in the brain speaks directly to one of the few regions of the brain with large sex differences. The region of the *body* with the highest amount of endocannaboid receptors is the *ovaries*. Men and women have very different responses to weed and to endocannabinoids. This explains both the mechanisms of sex differences in birdsong (the system even in distantly related creatures is still set up for sex differences) but also why women also do music - the human species is going gangbusters with the endocannabinoid system and if your ability to do well as a human depends on your mother having a large amount of endocannabinoids in her milk when she nurses you, and your development will depend further on her singing to you (because being sung to will improve your memory), she'll be into music too, not just dad. 2. Humans already were disconnected from grooming by our hairlessness. After witnessing an abandoned young kitten so preoccupied by a rampant flea infestation it wasn't playing normally, I now think a major evolutionary shift for us was hairlessness. If some of us were hairless, bam, we didn't need to spend so much time grooming or distracted by pests. These hairless humans would be subjected to a bunch of needs like learning (how do you make clothing, now that you're hairless), social bonding (as you alluded to), etc. So maybe that's the mechanism by which we developed such a robust ECS. 3. The reason why grooming leads to social engagement is because grooming strongly triggers - you guessed it, the ECS. Every species with grooming behavior/cleaning functions, down to single cell organisms - has an ECS. There is ECS interaction between members of the species AND between species. This is why dogs and cats get enjoyment out of being pet - it triggers their ECS. It also triggers our ECS to pet them.

[@moxiebombshell]

Yes!! Love Nebula, and of course love your videos (your book, as well!). Would love to see Nebula exclusives from you 🤩

[@HoHhoch]

Hey Stefan, in the same vein of this video, would you be interested in doing a dive into why humans have a desire to create things? Practical tools, equipment and shelter make sense; but we create many things simply because we want to, or for the satisfaction of just *doing it* even if it doesn't serve a purpose.

[@poolman20001]

Stefan! I can't believe you guys are only thinking about social reasons. Social music is just the outcome of why why like music. However, it's not the reason we evolved to love it. The reason we love it so much is because we stay in the mothers womb so long. A babies brain is huge compared to any other species, massive actually. We grow accustomed to hearing our mothers heartbeat. Also, we subconsciously remember the rhythms of our mothers walking around. Also we can hear the cadence rhythms of our mothers voices and of ghsie who talk with her. Depending on her tone is the beat of her heart. If she talks in an excited way, her heart beat will changem he tone will change, babies in the womb are smart enough to know this. It's not evolved exactly. Instead it's psychologicaly learned from being in your Mom's stomach for 265 days with a brain 3 times larger then a chimps.

[@davidbennett9691]

Before writing, a well-developed memory was essential to pass on the acquired knowledge of society. Music is a powerful mnemonic tool.

[@kaarlimakela3413]

Ah yes! Great point! Group memory, history, family recent ancestors, mythology, and I imagine group boasting as well, like cheerleading at a sports game, to raise group energy and sense of belonging.

[@Mirrorgirl492]

Indeed, chants have been passed down for thousands of years.

[@Great_Olaf5]

@@kaarlimakela3413 Don't forget flyting.

[@Robert399]

But to me that seems more like a result of our appreciation for music rather than a purpose. _Because_ we already like music, music can help us remember things.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

There's a reason the oldest Vedas are sung. If I recall correctly, there's a number of Vedic verses that no one knows what they mean because it's in an old language that didn't survive and no one knows how to translate.

[@stacie1595]

I'll always be a sucker for the social bonding hypothesis. I'm a performer and I worked for a non-profit for many years. We would travel the world and host music workshops with students and people of all ages. I can't tell you the amount of times an entire auditorium full of people that barely spoke the same language managed to burst into tears just with the power of music. I haven't felt that level of connectedness or joy since leaving the organization. There really is something so special about music and dance!

[@StefanMilo]

That’s awesome!

[@adamroodog1718]

g'day stacie, when i look at something like this kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6m2iImhhcuJmZo i couldnt agree more. its a chechen zikr. and bonding seems like its major purpose. but when i look at something like this kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHXKaWmHgppgoM0 you would have to say there is a fair element of sexual selection going on. being its a georgian lezginka at a wedding there is still a social bonding aspect to it. (they are all georgians) but it is at a wedding and its a display infront of the opposite sex with feats of strength, rhythm and sexual fitness. best of luck to you and your dog adam

[@GuyNamedSean]

I feel the same way. Like, I agree with people that think some musical elements just already existed in communication, but music as we would generally speak of it developed a social element. It became a drug for us, so we could create feelings and share them with our community.

[@codyhughes1147]

Yes! I also make a living with art. Visual and dance. And by doing so you realize so much about humanity you never thought youd learn. What symbols they revolve and evolve around. The arts are incredibly important. Creativity needs to be seen for how intelligent and needed it truly is. Without it humans would become a fraction of what they are now.

[@Nwmguy]

I'm always a sucker for an academic saying Steve Pinker is (probably) wrong

[@rlamacraft]

Really like the style of this video; the mix of interview, vlog recording, gibbons footage, other b-roll, etc feels like a scrapbook

[@StefanMilo]

Thanks Robert, I’m always trying to improve my abilities. It’s hard not coming from a film background but I try

[@xuvetyn6645]

@@StefanMilo having followed your channel for a few years, i'd say you are always improving in that aspect :)

[@semaj_5022]

Same. Really dug the presentation in this one.

[@anyascelticcreations]

I agree. Breaking it up with all the different presentations really made it easier to follow to me. 👍

[@PowerwashBrosUSA]

@@StefanMilo being a musician is opening yourself up and saying... Hey, come over here.. check out what I'm doing... I'm opening up to you and you're welcome to join me. It's a way for a person to ask for more friends.

[@TheStarBlack]

Another aspect of the social theory could be in/out group recognition. Just thinking about how tribal music tastes can be, especially during adolescence - I remember feeling kinship with literally anyone who liked similar music to me while having a certain amount of distrust of people with other tastes. To this day I feel a special bond with people who "get" the music I like, even if they're complete strangers. Maybe that's just me I dunno!

[@miketheburns]

I'd say this phenomenon branches out to all artforms. It's more of like a shortcut to getting to know someone. If they look like you or profess to enjoy the things you enjoy, you can instantly extrapolate a lot about who they are. This can obviously be dangerous as one could assume that you are a bad person just because you look different or you profess not to like the same foods or whatnot. But it is definitely something that seems to be universal to humans. The key is learning not to hate people who are different while still bonding with those who are similar.

[@hedgehog3180]

@@miketheburns Yeah it's a pretty universal thing among humans to feel more kinship with those who like and spend time on similar things.

[@wordzmyth]

Being attracted to similar music is one of the core ways adolescents build trust. They have music they share with family and new or statement music that bonds them with a peer group.

[@karenkeith7558]

@@miketheburns, on the other hand, learning the music of a different tribe is a weel-known way to expand positive social bonds. Just saying.

[@earthknight60]

I'm a bit surprised that Geladas (Theropithecus gelada) were not mentioned in the discussion of social bonding/auditory grooming. These primates form large groups and spend a lot of time making unique vocalizations that sound like people murmuring to each other. They eat grass and their hands are often being used potentially limiting physical grooming, and the idea that their vocalizations serve as a sort of auditory grooming function and social bonding mechanism has been a long-standing theory.

[@longline]

That is well interesting, thank you

[@lmonk9517]

I think that looking at other primapes would be a smarter move to understand it.

[@user-pakshibhithi10]

4:35 Those are Geladas

[@earthknight60]

@@user-pakshibhithi10 Briefly shown, but not mentioned or discussed, which is what I specifically commented on as being lacking.

[@user-pakshibhithi10]

@@earthknight60 👍

[@dachanist]

I learned to play the trumpet with a Budgie in the same room. He would chirp happily along with a good melody and squawk angrily whenever I hit a bad note. There is definitely a communication and information depth in music that non human animals can grasp. Obviously anyone who listens to music knows that there is more depth to music than just sexual selection. There is information density to Pink Floyd and Coltrane and Daft Punk.

[@thedave1771]

I adore the idea of your budgie correcting a bad note.

[@tumbler9428]

Thanks for this topic. Just a few thoughts: My family always lived with animals, like cats, dogs, birds, but also rabbits, chicken, etc. - and they all appreciate the presence of music very differently. From my experience, our cats and dogs particularly never liked it if someone played the guitar or the piano; they eventually just walk away or just sit it out, appearing rather unamused. The rabbits apparantly don't care at all. But the birds, they always loved it. The budgies e.g. even prompt or invite you to play the piano by sitting on it, pointing at it and nodding at you. It's unmistakably a request. Also, cows seem to like the sound of music, as long as it's clear and calm. And, of course, as you've already indicated, little babies already love the sound of chords and melodies, becoming happily excited about it. I also love listening to instrumental music, by myself, so for me it does not depend on words or spoken messages, nor on physical movement like dance, nor on a social aspect. Something deep in my head just immerges in the sound.

[@danaroth598]

It's somewhat common for dairy farmers to have a radio on in the barn during milking, since cows really do seem to find music interesting and pleasurable. It's so interesting to me -- I wonder what music must sound like to them! There's no reason to believe cows have a sense of rhythm, so they presumably comprehend it very differently than we do.

[@JillShaw]

You said that so beautifully .thank you 💜💙✌️

[@pansepot1490]

Reminds me that KZbin has tried to entice me with videos of a pianist playing for elephants, who apparently appreciate. If you click on one such videos, the algorithm will offer to your consideration plenty of other videos of animals that like or at least are attracted by music.

[@kaarlimakela3413]

@@pansepot1490 I came across a number of parrot videos, and they seem to have a distinct enjoyment of music. My favorites are the Cockatiel, whose voices can be very sweet, and also the Cockatoo. An Umbrella Cockatoo can get down, they are real headbangers, getting excited easily. But they do listen well and follow the tempo with vigorous motion. But Cockatoos are usually not great singers, just really great music appreciators. 🙂 My favorite common wild singing bird is the Robin. They seem to sing in complete sentences including a little fillip of punctuation at the end! ❤️

[@Nembula]

Cows give more milk if you play music for them.

[@elizagaile9374]

That gibbon singing!!! I have never heard that before, I am also very happy you got that footage!

[@eligabeivan]

Why not combine both the signaling and social hypotheses? What emerged deep in human or even primate history as a signaling behavior, was retained and even enhanced over generations of subsequent hominids as a number of adaptable social benefits were realized. May not be the simplest solution, but is human history ever so simple?

[@kaarlimakela3413]

I like that. Something emergent, that grows in complexity ...

[@oldmandoinghighkicksonlyin1368]

I agree: it's more like a combination of hypotheses. There's no single cause.

[@jerrymiller2367]

The thing about birds singing, and probably whales, wolves, and others, is that their "singing" can keep the group together even when they're out of sight of one another. They can signal information, such as territory boundaries, alarm, peaceful conditions, or a call to action. Bugle calls in battle may serve the same purpose.

[@hedgehog3180]

@@jerrymiller2367 Well it's not that bugle calls in battle may serve the same purpose, they literally serve the same purpose. European armies adopted the bugle because it was an effective tool of battlefield communication, we know this for a fact because it's fairly recent history and it's all written down. Drums are similar, they were adopted because they're an effective way to maintain cohesion in a unit by synchronizing the march. Many armies still maintain music cores in order to maintain these traditions even though music isn't used for these purposes on the modern battlefield but because the tradition has persisted we know exactly what the purpose of it was. The Ancient Romans probably also used horn instruments for similar purposes and in Mesoamerica conch shells were used for battlefield calls.

[@hedgehog3180]

Well in general with things like this it's always a combination of all three, none of the hypotheses are exclusive and the debate is more over which one was the most important, since it's hard to conclusively prove or disprove one.

[@romz1]

I think rhythm is probably the most fundemental thing in the evolution of music, think of a woodpigeons song, crickets, dripping water, crafting a stone, even walking - its like our heart beat. It's not difficult to imagine an early ancestor clapping their hands or getting a twig from a tree and hitting a hollowed out branch to mimic the sounds. The weird bit is how it affects our emotions.

[@k0lpA]

We like to recognize patterns and be able to predict them so it would make sense that percussions tickle our brain, we analyze the pattern then once we get it we can predict it and get a bit of dopamine for it because it's usually good for us to be able to predict patterns. Even if we don't get the full pattern just knowing when it repeats or being able to tell when one drum will be played is kinda comforting. Notes are basically just really fast percussions. If you hit a drum about 78 times per second it would sound like the lower E string of a guitar. I think what makes us feel emotions when notes are played either one after the other or in a chord is similar to percussions, if you play a note and the same note an octave higher, it's like if you hit a drum at a steady rate and another one twice as fast, which is very predictable and thus sound "right", although a bit boring. I think what makes a chord sound happy or sad is how complicated it is, to an extent, too simple like just octaves and it doesn't make us feel much emotions but sounds right and too dissonant and it doesn't sound sad it just sounds wrong.

[@CorwinFound]

Information storage! How much easier is it to remember a rhyming poem over a plain list. Add it to song and even more memorable. Most of our evolution happened before we had any external memory (writing or even infographics), so mnemonic devices would have had huge survival benefit. Maybe not the initial catalyst for song but a quick way for it to evolve in complexity once any language is available.

[@achaeanmapping4408]

I think a good example of this is the Iliad, where thousands of lines where memorized by rhapsodes, storing the history and myths of the Greeks through music.

[@AmyKSpreadborough]

As a musician who once put a ridiculously long poem to music in order to memorize it, I wholeheartedly agree. To this day, nearly 40 years later, I still can recite the whole thing.

[@TheRst2001]

Yes good one, sea shanties that set a timing for pulling rope or sails etc

[@Akrafena]

@@AmyKSpreadborough can you please recite the poem?

[@AmyKSpreadborough]

@@Akrafena "They chained us each to a column stone, and we were three yet each alone. We could not move a single pace. We could not see each other's face, but with that pale and livid light that made us strangers to our sight, and thus together, yet apart, fettered in hand but joined in hear t'was still some solace in the dearth of pure elements of earth to hearken to each other's speech and each turn comforter to each with some new song or legend old, but even these at length grew old, an echo of the dungeon stone, a grating tone not full and free as those of yore were won't to be. It might be fancy, but to me, they never sounded like our own." verse 3 of Prisoner of Chillon, Lord Byron. My 14-year-old self was pretty into it back in the day, lol. I may not have gotten it all correctly, but I'm still impressed I can recite it. Power of music.

[@StefanMilo]

Which hypothesis is the most plausible?

[@katipohl2431]

Trance and healing are an important aspect. Coherence of society. Trance, divination and clearvoiance can be induced by rhythmical stimulation in accordance to a changed brainwave pattern. Brainwaves of people adapt to the brainwaves of the drummer is what scientists measured. There is sound and music everywhere in our body. Here in Germany Dr. Sabine Rittner, Department for Musical Therapy / Medical branch from the University of Heidelberg, made interesting research. Evolution of music seems multifaceted but healing must be seen as an important factor.

[@bozo5632]

Adverts.

[@forksandspoons7272]

In my opinion it's all of them. I don't need to know the exact message wolves are trying to communicate. I only need to know that it doesn't bode well for me. Music evolved over time, that much is obvious. So it very well could have gained additional social functions over time. Example. We tend to prefer music that is closer to our own cultural experience, yet we still instantly recognize music as music from other cultures. Signal recognition, but not necessarily a bonding feeling, not my group, the ones I trust. I'm not a musician despite trying really hard to learn guitar and specifically during puberty. It was not difficult to see the ladies gravitating to the guy who could play guitar. We don't get to see the outcome of that gravitation. Did he get with one of those ladies or not, I have no idea. Hence not a universal mating practice. Parents singing to kids is a decent counter argument. However, I pet my cat, but there's nothing sexual about it. With a sexual partner "petting" has a different meaning. That dopamine hit is always welcome in humans, one more way to get one would certainly also be welcome. Anyhow, I enjoyed this video as I have all the rest. Thanks much👍

[@nwogamesalert]

I don't think there is ANY hypothesis that covers all kinds of sound signaling or even all kinds of music. I don't consider the sounds of Gibbons, crickets or the noise and shouting of the Maoris music at all. Some birdsong which is pleasing to my ears, I could regard as getting close to something which could be called music.

[@Great_Olaf5]

I was slightly skeptical with the credible signaling hypothesis, because I've heard it before in the broader context of language origins where it tends to be discarded specifically because it is so easy to lie with language, but your point of not putting the human thing above the animals we're evolving alongside made me think about it again, as that's the exact same reason I favor the language origin hypothesis I do, the manual language first hypothesis. So many language origin hypotheses seem to have it emerging far too quickly and too fully formed, like it's some magic dividing line where we didn't have it and we were animals, and we did have it and we no longer were.

[@IReallyLikeTreessmileyface]

Caught me at a good time my friend, making spanakopitas at 3 AM slightly tipsy, love this.

[@StefanMilo]

Is that a euphemism?

[@stubbzzz]

The gibbons singing in Laos was my favorite part, so thank you for the effort

[@LeonTodd]

Been looking forward to this one. My body is ready.

[@Sveggo]

There's a really wonderful documentary called "Alive Inside: a story of Music and Memory" about music therapy and how people with dementia reacts to music. It shows how deep music and memory is connected in our brains.

[@Hollylivengood]

You have got to watch a couple of videos of our high school bands doing drum offs. It's not an official school competition, it's not during a game, there's no purpose for it, just every high school in the US has a drum line, and they get together to drum against the opposing school's drum line. First three minutes for the one side, then the other. Then something more complicated for the one, then the other. It goes on until they march toward each other with insanely complicated moves with their drum majors. Definitely territorial. It ends when one side just can't one up the other, but usually the winning side walks over to the losers to shake their hand, and they all play together. This is really amazing, this bonding of music and chanting.

[@laurajaneluvsbeauty9596]

On a deeper level music is a vibrating pattern like every other natural thing in the universe. We are literally the universe, conscious, experiencing itself. It’s absolutely fascinating

[@nikswildlife]

Great video! imo the social bonding hypothesis makes the most sense but as always in nature I think it is a mix of everything.

[@jessestreet2549]

look up "Caveman" starring Ringo Starr.

[@nikswildlife]

@@jessestreet2549 I never in my life saw a more disturbing trailer

[@mariotrejos7236]

I think the main value of music is emotional, specially to reduce stress and ease interaction with the group. Hence the special musical contexts war, playing, accomplish tasks like gathering or hunting and then the potential exploded with languague and instrumental development when the physical impact of beat and rhythm was used symbolically

[@warrendourond7236]

Great video! The answer is D, all of the above. I believe most of the time traits that solve multiple problems win out over those solving singular problems.

[@ninomiskulin9286]

I swear the best feeling in the world is when Stefan uploads new video

[@tyrowolfe3034]

Adore this type of content, thank you for providing the historical context (through your other videos about human pre-history), then also diving into all of the left over questions no one really answers in an accessible way. Really appreciate it, love this stuff.

[@ronhilton4294]

When learning music we are told to play it with feeling. I cannot think of an emotional state that cannot be expressed with music. We gravitate to music because it speaks to us.

[@WhiteWolf126]

"Play with feeling" is horrible advice. To get good at music you need to practice, practice and practice.

[@hedgehog3180]

Well this is definitely not a universal experience among humans, those with alexithymia like me would be completely unable to do that since we can't intuitively figure out what we're feeling. Music can help me access feelings but having played guitar myself I wouldn't be able to sit down and play something based on my feelings, I'd just be blank if you asked me to do that.

[@WhiteWolf126]

@@hedgehog3180 There's no such thing as "playing music with feeling". No real music teacher would tell their student to "play with feeling" since it means nothing. If someone gives that "advice" concerning music then they are not worth listening to. You won't find a single professional musician who thinks "play with feeling" is good advice.

[@ronhilton4294]

@@hedgehog3180 so you can't feel the difference between john denver's leaving on a jet plane and rage against the machine's killing in the name of? That's mind blowing. I feel for ya!

[@ronhilton4294]

@@hedgehog3180 Most people have difficulty expressing exactly how we feel. Why we say "I feel like crap" instead of "I feel tired, achy, depressed" etc. For me I wound up in an anger management back in 87. It help me to gain an emotion vocabulary. And it took a lot of work/ practice. Here in Canada that kind of help is close to free. I bet in the US it's far more expensive but I would suggest some sort of group therapy may help. Just to put it in perspective the dictionary lables emotions as emotions and there are thousands of them.

[@chrisbflory]

Woke up at 4am Monday morning dragging myself to work… sees new Stefan Milo video posted… thumb breaks the speed of light clicking… gonna be a good day. Thanks, Stefan.

[@lightbeingform]

Music is a great example of an evolved trait by which we can understand that evolution is not an arrow shooting into a determined destiny, but a twining branching growth that reaches and rots in different directions, sometimes simultaneously

[@UATU.]

You’ve given me a lot to think about while practicing beginner banjo. I’m pretty sure awkwardly plunking strings off-beat alone in my apartment excludes all the possible theories, especially the one about sexual selection.

[@stevejohnson3357]

I noticed somethin recently. After 24 Feb there were a lot of performances of the Ukrainian Anthem and all of a sudden, it made me start to tear up. It is an emotional expression of who Ukrainian people are and during a time of tragedy, it brought everybody in to that feeling.

[@geraldinegaynor1360]

It’s like when you hear people singing the songs from World War 2, it brings back the feelings that they had then. Music seems to bypass the logic and go straight to the feelings. That’s what music is all about.

[@hedgehog3180]

That would support the social cohesion theory, since it's making us connect deep emotions with symbols of specific groups and making us feel part of those groups, though it also supports other ideas like how music can be a great stress relief in hard times.

[@kostaborojevic498]

Corrupt and failed state, thats Ukraine.

[@EvilMaxWar]

Here is an idea regarding our love for rhythms. Long distance running seems to have been an important part of our ancestors lives. Keeping the rhythm while you run really seems to help. If you listen to music while jogging and the rhythm fits with the pace of the run you can achieve some kind of trance that helps you overcome fatigue. I feel like there is some brain and body mechanism here that might have helped our running ancestors. Could also have helped groups of people run together by all keeping the same rhythm.

[@kostaborojevic498]

Makes sense but you mean walking right? I doubt our ancestors ran marathons mate....

[@EvilMaxWar]

@@kostaborojevic498 Evidences seem to point that our ancestors, starting with Homo Erectus, became Persistence hunters. This involves running for hours straight.

[@kostaborojevic498]

@@EvilMaxWar you are right my bad.....

[@eisirt55]

​@@kostaborojevic498 We are designed to run very long distances in order to run down our prey just as wolves do today . Humans and wolves are persistance hunters .

[@anyascelticcreations]

I saw a video where every time a small child would sing, the family's Rotweiler would start to howl. This reminded me of the way that wolves and lions sing together to show that they are not alone. The dog howling seemed to me to be showing the world that the child was not alone. If so, and if the dog recognized the child's song as a howl, and dogs evolved to be with us, I think it is very likely that ancient dogs and ancient humans once used their voices to howl together.

[@RM-yw6xe]

"Fellow Earthlings." That was so beautiful.

[@mctulkyviperbit6166]

I have a theory, and I came up with after watching a college football game. Y’know when you hear music and it gives you goosebumps sometimes? That might just be because it’s triggering a primal reaction within you, allowing you to be motivated. What if music began as a way for us to control sounds in a way that makes us better at fighting? Or even better at any physical task? That brings me back to the football game, and how when the band played its music, the team began to play harder, faster, more aggressive. And even I became “pumped” as one says. So maybe music, in its primal form, was chanting, banging, and howling used simply to make the listeners better at being physical.

[@dougsinthailand7176]

Thank you, Stefan, for a fascinating exploration. May I posit? We don’t have instincts like the birds do, but we descended from those creatures who did. Perhaps what we have is an echo of those instincts. We were a species of primates who perhaps instinctively used song in the way that most birds do. Then as we developed intelligence, we gradually lost our instincts. Yet retained the culture.

[@StefanMilo]

Yeah I think our modern music has little in common with its earliest roots. Our intelligence has allowed to it to become so much more. But you’re right I think initially, the very first beginnings of music has to have been similar to the complex vocalisations of other animals. I don’t see why our song would need a fundamentally different origin to that of a whale or gibbon.

[@frojojo5717]

I think we have all the basic same instincts as animals, maybe more, we have more complex brains after all.

[@whiteegretx]

Humans are definitely highly instinctual animals. We're just more complex. Saying that humans aren't instinctual puts us on some strange, non-existent pedestal.

[@FrikInCasualMode]

Have you ever jumped at a sudden noise? Yelped in fear after seeing a snake or a spider? Felt you heartbeat quicken when a huge dog you can't see starts barking angrily somewhere close? That's all instinct. We have full suite of it, and we use them all the time. We fear the darkness. We smile when we see someone we like. We start fidgeting when we're nervous and need to find an outlet for tension.

[@anyascelticcreations]

I agree that we have echos of many instincts and that this may be one of them. Some of the comments here argue that we do have intincts, and we do. But from what I've seen, we do have echos of instincts too. For example, when I worked in customer service years ago I noticed that without fail, people tended to all go to the register to check out at the same time. So much that it was predictable. I realized that we still have a herding / flocking / schooling instinct that is barely more than an echo now. Certain physiological things, (like when we can get pregnant), often follow the cycles of the moon too - but not everyone does and few people realize this. I believe that to be another shdow or echo of how our species once was. I think it is very likely that humanity's deep desire for music is a rther loud echo of what it was originally for. Loud because most people feel the desire strongly and actively pursue it. But echo because we no longer conciously remember what it was for.

[@joeshmoe8345]

Another next-level hit, thanks for sharing this post with us boss!

[@grantlawler8106]

Absolute banger! Keep up the good work Stefan, I really love your content.

[@BoMcGillacutty]

Gibbon's 'singing' are spectacular. Little eerie but entirely captivating.

[@longline]

Excellent piece presenting each hypothesis really clearly, thank you. And the b roll is amazing throughout! I'd love to get a deep dive on all of prehistoric bone flutes and that some time.

[@Pixxelshim]

You are a terrific guide through such interesting subjects. Thank you.

[@coolintruddle]

I am always stoked to see one of your videos pop up on my subscription page.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

Music can hit many different sweet spots, but I think one of the most interesting versions is the intimidation one. It's about looking tough and perhaps most importantly _sounding_ like your group is much bigger than it actually is. A lot of instruments (and especially our oldest instruments) are incredibly loud and carry a long ways. It isn't just about striking fear into other humans, but perhaps also signalling to other animals that your group is very big and that predators better avoid the group for their own sake. I can definitely see humans gathering together after darkness falls around their campfire and trying to make as much coordinated noise as possible to scare away any predators that might think of snatching one or two of them in the night. The coordination of the noise would indicate to the potential predators that this isn't just a collection of individuals, but a group that will actively defend each other and attack any predator brave enough to try to snatch one of them. And if you can make your group sound much bigger than it actually is, even better - especially as after dark, animals that don't rely on sight for hunting will be out prowling. And the coordination of producing that music would also reinforce social bonds within the group. I'm sure anthropologists have already thought about all of this.

[@rocketxiv4980]

This works in-practice, can confirm I had a solo wilderness experience where I had a large pack of wild canines following me in the dark and I could see the reflections of light in their eyes at a distance, lurking in the dark, avoiding the light i was in a clearing, but not a big one, and I had no way of keeping them from going wider than the clearing and encircling me I didn’t have my firearm loaded bc i had already spent the ammo on missed shots earlier in the day and I wished I had some kind of spear or bayonet but alas none of that either besides the empty rifle I had a pretty decent bluetooth speaker, with some strong bass subwoofers, so i quickly unpacked it and I started playing music and singing along, very percussive stuff, i think it was the skyrim ost or something similar with taiko drums anyways i put it at full volume and started chanting and jumping up and down, it seemed to confuse them because they recoiled and fled, looking around frantically for the source of the extra noise with enough battery on the speaker for like 12-16 hours of music, i was able to rest in peace for 8 and leave in the morning (i found tracks all around my camp about 100 meters out, but the music made them think i was awake and in a large group maybe?) i theorize that most dangerous animals like moose or grizzly bears avoid you if you’re loud and percussive enough on-approach

[@kipmay5101]

Loved this video. Stefan Milosavljevich your videos are great and keep getting better and better.

[@bigapplebucky]

The frequent lack of definitive conclusions in many of Stefan's videos might be the best thing about them.

[@andiwaters1888]

I just found you on Nebula. Happy to see you have a channel! Loved all I have seen so far!

[@travisheldreth5021]

Performance is not integral to music. Being alone and playing music is profoundly satisfying and healing. It restores strength to the mind.

[@dustsky]

This is such an intriguing subject! And the imagery made it that much more captivating to watch. Also, it opens the door to contemplating other ubiquitous activities that bind us together in our journey on this rock.

[@TCobra190]

I watched this earlier this week on Nebula. Fantastic. Thanks Stefan!!

[@kyleinnes4963]

Your videos are so great and genuinely moving to me

[@elib7906]

Man you've been producing such high quality content for so long this channel deserves 3x the followers

[@sarahcurtis693]

Thank you for your intelligence, sensitivity and creativity.I enjoy your videos and learn from them. Your hard work and great care are appreciated.

[@kaarlimakela3413]

Fascinating as always, Stefan! What I have noticed is how you seem to always go the extra mile in presentation and effort. Always thoughtfully worked out and thought provoking. This music subject is stimulating. Mom played piano and guitar, and was a great singer. When we'd all sing together it was a warm feeling for sure. Better than any other singing flat out. Here's quirky thing. When mutual strangers practice individually online or in small groups, and then come together in a Flash Dance Mob, this must say something about a larger sense of belonging and really vibing with strangers. Like singing along at a concert feeling so connected, well it was for me when I'd go see Insane Clown Posse. Cuz we got Much Clown Love. ❤️✌️👵

[@uncletoad1779]

Absolutely fascinating! Thanks again, Stefan!

[@matiasdanielvenditti1358]

Thanks for this amazing work, Stefan!!

[@Nabium]

The real mystery isn't why we like music, but why the moose outside my house liked Tom Waits, but not any other music I would play.

[@erikakirkbride1485]

Love your content, thanks Stefan

[@michaelmillielydia]

This was beautiful. Thanks Stefan!

[@johnsorrelw849]

"Our fellow Earthlings'... Hadn't heard that before used for all the other species on the planet. I love that.

[@ozzy2361]

Your videos always make me feel deeply existential but also inspired because of the incredible history of human evolution.

[@matuvarela3760]

When I was 16 I went to a military school. We used to march around a square all sincronized, it was hard the first months. We loose the rythm of marching, we get tired and frustrated by different things. But sometimes the music company came to the school and when there was music we were motivated, we didn't get tired, we march more sincronized and in top of that when you march signin the anthem it was amazing. Is weird, Im not a fanatic of the homeland an all of that, I was there because of the title and studies that were free, most of us were there because of that. But in that moment, with music, the anthem, all your fellows doing it. That was an incredible bump of motivation to break through that moment of stress. If you march 6 hours arround the square without any music you feel like your legs weights 4 tons, but if in that moment start the drummer and trumpets you can march for 6 hours more with all the energy. Is weird... the power music. Also I have read that the people who makes hard jobs they sing too make it more tolerable and keep the motivation. Maybe thats the reason why we like it, it makes you feel better no matter how hard it is your situation.

[@TropicalEcho]

I wish you could post more. Your videos are extremely interesting. Great job ❤️

[@nuirueu]

I always thought music was just an evolution of storytelling. Maybe our ancestors started to use sound effects like drums to embellish the storys, and it just evolved from there.

[@alfiewright1396]

Let's go stefan!! Keep up the good work my friend

[@AncientArchitects]

Nice work as always, Stefan. Not as straight forward a subject as we may think… I’ve sang my kids to sleep, I’m sang karaoke drunk at a work Christmas party, I’ve sang football chants with thousands of others to intimidate rival teams… I have a ridiculous CD collection (remember compact discs?) as I used to work in Our Price record shop years ago. I have music for just about every mental and emotional state. Brilliant video mate and I’ll watch it again I’m sure! 👍

[@nikibreska]

Damn I love your videos. Lots to ponder. Good mix of lols. Good chat in general.

[@mtolman4449]

Really enjoying your content Thank you Stephen!

[@kenhutton8305]

I enjoyed this SO much! I teach secondary school music and I capitalize on music’s emotional, social and especially neurological benefits whenever I can. Mostly through primitive drumming. I’m excited to go back through this video and pass what I can along to some young people who could certainly benefit from a bit more of a sense of how special, fascinating, and amazing it is to do this life thing. Thank you, Stefan!

[@libicoco]

Excelente episodio Stefan!!

[@M.M.83-U]

Wonderfull, wonderfull content. Balanced, nuanced and personal at the same time.

[@geofffletcher840]

Great video, love the way you present your subject. For the uneducated like me it's very satisfying to gain such knowledge.

[@Souljahna]

The gibbon singing was fabulous! Good work Stefan. The whole video was a visual treat.

[@anthonynonya]

For a remarkable channel already this is one of the best.

[@bbirda1287]

Welcome back, this one is a home run, really knocked it out of the park. Hope your book is doing well, I know doing the writing for your videos really honed your craft for that. I wish some other ytoobers would take the time to write well, but I guess the algorithm doesn't reward quality over quantity.

[@robertguildford4793]

Good stuff as always Stefan!

[@repeatdefender6032]

Dude those gibbon vocalizations are spectacular! Gave me chills.

[@Uatarreu]

This was an amazing video! Everyone loves music. At least for me, it defined (and still defines) my entire life in several different ways, but it's amazing how we never stop to think about what it actually means for our species.

[@bentufte7774]

This was a fantastic video, thank you!

[@patirving705]

so well done!!! Love this video :)

[@kennarajora6532]

The quality of these videos keep getting better and better.

[@Primarch359]

Me halfway through this video, I expect Stefan to holding a hand axe while singing to us at the end.

[@carymartin1150]

Looking forward to more videos, Stephan!

[@camerafree]

Great topic, great video. Thank you.

[@craigcollings5568]

Wow, that was interesting! And well presented. My fave channel.

[@dreamerliteraryproductions9423]

Thanks for an intriguing video! Personally, I think the joy of playing music is a big part of the experience. I don't sing very well and I'm not a very good musician, but I play several instruments and thoroughly enjoy the wondrous act of producing those sounds. And if you're in a bad mood or going through tough times, music can commiserate or console. I had a deaf friend, who although he couldn't hear the songs, could appreciate the feel of the rhythms. Regardless of your taste in music, the variety is endless...there's something to appeal to everyone.

[@johnwright5126]

This is fascinating. Thank you!

[@henobani8039]

NEW VIDEO? HELLL YEAHHH HAPPY MORNING!

[@lakrids-pibe]

08:54 That guy twerking in the street. What a gem! Haha! I appreciate the work you've put into finding footage.

[@bufboston1]

This is really a lovely video, thanks.

[@LuxisAlukard]

Banging video! Thanks!

[@stuart0898]

Another beautiful and thoughtful film

[@Arcenus237J]

1:30 minutes in and blown away by the quality of the intro

[@josecarvajal6654]

11:17 Didn´t expect to find a perico ripiao group here! awesome video!

[@vDuzz]

Another great one Stefan

[@squeezyjohn1]

I'm increasingly convinced that music is the modern descendent of a pre-language language ... and because it was significantly different to the grammatical language we ended up with, it continued to exist in parallel ... this is why we still sing at significant moments in life and why we sing to our babies. It would explain the difference between prose and poetry. And if music is older than language it would explain why it hits us emotionally more than words do.

[@abushams3336]

One factor that caught my attention; There are several groups amongst the human religions that are very anti-music. Without exemption, these are fundamentalist groups that tend to isolate themselves socially, and see other groups as 'not fit ( or worthy ) to mingle with " .. there may be a connection between these commonalities ..

[@stephensmith799]

As a Cultural Theorist, I’d be inclined to associate silence with Fatalism as a ‘thought style’ in the first instance, however there are other varieties of silence as Fadiah Alraies has shown in her brilliant Brunel University PhD thesis ‘Many Silences’

[@mikeprice4103]

Badass on how big you're channel got!

[@brycestava4465]

Awesome video Stefan. Beautiful.

[@venkataponnaganti]

Very illuminating, thank you.

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Lots to ponder, thanks!

[@carlsvensson6970]

Great video Stefan! There is a very, very interesting book called "The Singing Neanderthals" by Steven Mithen, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading. He propose that singing, talking and dancing were all part of an archaic communication form that was not based on words, but long holistic and sung sentences. Im not entirely convinced by his final conclusions, but the book is very well written and researched. Especially the neurological studies cited about the difference of speech, music and environmental sounds.

[@hugod2000]

Thank you for your interesting videos. 😊