Humans begin recognizing music as young as 3 months old and start moving in response by their first birthday, according to the first studyto measure infant brain activity and body movement simultaneously.
Researchers recorded infants aged 3, 6, and 12 months as they listened to children’s songs and scrambled versions of those songs. All age groups showed stronger brain responses to the melodic versions, suggesting humans are drawn to musical structures very early in life. Only the 12-month-olds, however, moved more when listening to the melodic songs—swaying, rocking, and clapping. Researchers say the enhanced response likely reflects the maturing of the dorsal auditory stream—a brain pathway that eventually helps people articulate speech and maintain a beat. It’s still unclear when music-driven movement evolves into rhythmic dancing.
Explore how the different parts of the adult brain respond to music here (scroll for interactive). And watch a 10-month-old baby hear music for the first time after receiving cochlear implants.
