Music and Exercise Performance

What meta-analysis says about music during physical activity.

Evidence in brief

Meta-analyses of music in exercise and sport report measurable effects across psychological, physiological, psychophysical, and performance outcomes, but the size and consistency of those effects vary by task and study design. A more recent systematic review has also examined aerobic exercise outcomes using controlled studies.

Music may influence perceived effort, motivation, arousal, and performance in some settings, but it is not a substitute for training, pacing, sleep, or other determinants of performance. Research results should therefore be interpreted as average effects under studied conditions rather than guarantees for an individual.

A measurable but context-dependent effect

A meta-analytic review found music associated with more positive affect, improved physical performance, lower perceived exertion, and modest changes in oxygen consumption.

Heart rate is different

The same review did not find a significant overall benefit for heart rate.

Tempo matters

Effects can be moderated by tempo and by whether the activity is exercise or sport.

What the measurement does—and does not tell us

For music and exercise performance, the most important distinction is between a measurable property of sound, a perceptual response, and a musical judgment. Those three levels can interact, but they should not be treated as interchangeable. A meter can describe a signal precisely without determining whether the change is useful or pleasant to a listener.

What the evidence can and cannot tell us

Why it matters

Understanding music and exercise performance gives listeners and producers a clearer way to separate physical sound, auditory perception, and musical interpretation.