We experience frisson when something radically unexpected happens in music that triggers our fight-or-flight response. Part of this response is the release of adrenaline, which causes our skin muscles to contract and make our body hair stand on end (i.e. goosebumps). It feels good when music gives us goosebumps because our brain releases pleasurable dopamine. Its thought that this occurs because of the relief we experience when our brain realizes, after the momentary fear response, that its “just music” and there is no real danger. We reward ourselves for avoiding a threat that never existed!

There are three leading theories of why this response to music evolved among humans:

1. It encourages pro-social behavior: Cognitive scientist Matthew Sachs’ groundbreaking research suggests that music more broadly, and frisson in particular, evolved because they encouraged empathy and enabled group formation.
2. It encourages infant caregiving: Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp’s work suggests that our frisson response may have evolved because cold chills caused by infant cries encouraged parents to physically go to and hold infants in order to warm up.
3. It serves no evolutionary purpose: Psychologist Steven Pinker argues that music, and therefore also frisson, have no evolutionary purpose. Frisson is simply a “bug” in our reward system that musicians use to give us auditory pleasure. 

The short answer is that frisson and ASMR are different but related. Expert David Huron conducted a recent study on ASMR vs. frisson and concluded that they are both subcortical fear responses, but triggered by different stimuli. Anecdotally, ASMR responders report a more calming, “tingling” sensation while musical frisson responders report a more energizing, goosebumps response.

Nope. Research indicates that 50-60% of the general population experiences music-induced frisson, in contrast to 80% of music lovers and 90% of musicians. Studies also indicate that women are more likely than men to experience frisson.

After reviewing thousands of listener frisson moments, our team has found that certain passages tend to be MUCH more popular and reliable than others. These more universal moments have consistent acoustic and structural features.