Book 10, Question 65
Why Can a Favorite Song Give You Chills?
A favorite song can give you chills because music you love can make your brain release feel-good chemicals! Surprising or powerful moments in a song can set off goosebumps. Not everyone gets chills, and that is normal.
More fun facts
- The shiver of goosebumps some people feel from music is called frisson, a French word meaning shiver.
- When people heard their favorite songs, brain scans showed their brains flooding with dopamine, a chemical linked to reward.
- A deep brain area called the nucleus accumbens, sometimes called the pleasure center, lights up during these moments.
- The brains of people who sometimes get chills from music seem to be wired a bit differently.
- The brain's dopamine system is very old and is active in many animals while they eat.
Sources: BBC, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Does everyone get music chills?
No. Only some people get them, and their brains seem wired a little differently.