Six Types of Songs, Daniel Levitin

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A lot of people ask me what it is I mean by "The World in Six Songs." The idea is that music is crucial to the human identity and that music set the stage for the evolution of complex behaviours such as language, the transmission of information between generations and large-scale cooperative undertakings.  Below I give a brief explanation of each kind of song, and why they are beneficial to human fitness.

Friendship: Friendship songs centre around group cohesion, whether it be for war, or the bonding of different cliques in high school. For example, in prehistoric warfare, attackers would sometimes ambush another tribe using loud instruments (especially drums) to surprise the targets while they were still sleeping. Countertactics employing the use of singing may also have been used as a signal that the group was awake.  These songs serve to protect a tribe/group or succeed in the takeover of another. In the context of social groups, they provide a sense of community and belonging, bringing people together.  Two songs from our era that can be considered "friendship" songs are:

"Know Your Enemy" - Green Day

"Volunteers" - Jefferson Airplane (or if you still want to keep it modern, you could use "Megalomaniac" by Incubus. It isn't as much of a war song as a political song, but it's in the same vein).

Joy: Joy songs are associated with celebration, moments that inspire people to sing, jump, dance and shout. It has been shown that singing releases oxytocin (the hormone released during orgasm), and music listening releases serotonin (a mood-regulating neurotransmitter commonly used in antidepressants). The positive effect of singing or listening to music has also been found to have a positive effect on the immune system, which creates an evolutionary advantage.

"Just Dance" - Lady GaGa & Colby O'Donis

Comfort: This category of song provides comfort in times of loneliness, stress or heartbreak, along with the classic comfort song, the lullaby. Music written about loneliness and stress can provide us with comfort by assuring us we are  not alone in our grief or misery, aiding the recovery process. Lullabies mutually calm mother and child, and may release prolactin, while at the same time providing a bond between the two, which is beneficial for the child.

"Not Meant to Be" - Theory of a Deadman

"Use Somebody" - Kings of Leon

Knowledge: Historically, songs have been used to transmit various information such as religious texts, survival and life lessons, and even the ABCs. Studies have shown information set to song is memorized more reliably than when simple rote memory is used. Increasing the reliability of transmitted information provides the next generation with valuable information.

"The Alphabet Song"

"Disturbia" - Rihanna

Religion: Religious ceremonies and ritual go hand in hand, with music frequently accompanying a ritual. Music acts as a retrieval mechanism to guide the movements and words of a particular ritual, and ritual can allow people to stop worrying and focus on the task at hand. Music is also tied to religious ceremonies such as weddings and funerals where acts can be performed as a community, providing social bonding.

"I Will Rise" - Chris Tomlin

"By Your Side" - Tenth Avenue North

Love: Love songs serve as an expression of emotion, commitment, and honesty. They play a role in mating and bonding. Love provides an evolutionary advantage because it is altruistic, and corresponds with commitment, which leads to better care of children, which is an obvious fitness advantage. With altruism, the greater good comes before the individual, strengthening infrastructure.

"I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz

"Halo" - Beyonce

Daniel Levitin, The World in Six Songs, music, scientific research, music business, Penguin Books