For decades, music has been heralded as the ultimate workout companion—an almost magical stimulant that can elevate mood, sharpen focus, and enhance mental performance during exercise. From the pulsating beats of EDM to the soothing strains of classical compositions, countless gym-goers and athletes have claimed music acts as a psychological booster, propelling them beyond physical and mental barriers. Yet, as a comprehensive new systematic review and meta-analysis led by scientists at the Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body, and Brain at the University of Jyväskylä reveals, the empirical evidence scrutinizing music’s cognitive and emotional effects during acute exercise presents a far more nuanced narrative.
The rigorous examination, published in the reputable journal Frontiers in Psychology, synthesizes data from ten meticulously selected experimental studies that investigated whether listening to music genuinely influences executive functions—those higher-order cognitive processes such as attention regulation, inhibitory control, and working memory—alongside affective responses, meaning changes in positive or negative feelings, during short bouts of physical exertion. Notably, the studies focused exclusively on acute exercise settings, thereby concentrating on immediate psychological effects rather than long-term adaptations or training outcomes.
Contrary to widespread assumptions, the meta-analytic results yielded no uniform benefits of music on cognitive capabilities or emotional states during exercise. Instead, the aggregated data pointed toward an inconsistent pattern with considerable variability tied to context-specific parameters. This divergence in findings underscores the complexity of disentangling music’s role amidst the multifaceted psychological and physiological changes sparked by physical activity, challenging the oversimplified idea that music universally enhances exercise experience.
One pivotal moderator that emerged from the analyses is exercise intensity. During high-intensity workouts, the cognitive and affective advantages traditionally attributed to music appear to diminish markedly. When physical effort approaches maximal levels, physiological demands might overshadow external stimuli like music, diminishing their capacity to influence executive control or mood. This attenuation of music’s effects under strenuous conditions suggests a threshold beyond which sensory distractions are less likely to penetrate the narrowed attentional focus required for intense physical performance.
Equally important, participant demographics notably influenced outcomes. Older individuals demonstrated even smaller or negligible responses to music during exercise as compared to younger cohorts. The researchers speculate that age-related changes in sensory processing, cognitive flexibility, or emotional responsiveness could underlie this attenuated reactivity. Such findings call into question one-size-fits-all prescriptions regarding music use, highlighting the need to tailor auditory interventions to the unique neuropsychological profiles of exercisers across the lifespan.
Moreover, the review illuminated how experimental design variations contribute to divergent results. Differences in how executive functions and affective states were operationalized and measured—ranging from neurocognitive tests to self-report mood scales—further complicated cross-study comparisons. The lack of standardized methodologies undermines the ability to draw decisive conclusions and underscores the critical need for harmonized protocols in future research investigating psychophysiological interactions during exercise.
Dr. Andrew Danso, who spearheaded the investigation, articulates the essential take-home message: “Music is often treated as a one-size-fits-all tool for improving exercise experiences, but when we looked carefully at the evidence, the effects were somewhat inconsistent. What seems to matter is the situation, how intense the exercise is, who is exercising, and how outcomes are measured. Without that context, broad claims about music’s benefits during exercise are not always supported.”
This insight prompts a paradigm shift from the conventional marketing and anecdotal endorsements of “motivational playlists” as universal enhancers. Instead, the application of music during physical activity must take into account contextual variables such as exercise modality, intensity, individual differences including age and musical preference, and ecological validity of cognitive and emotional assessments. These multidimensional factors modulate how auditory stimuli interact with exercise-induced biochemical and neurophysiological processes.
From a mechanistic standpoint, exercise triggers complex neurochemical cascades involving dopamine, endorphins, and cortisol fluctuations, which themselves influence mood and cognition. Music, as an external sensory input, modulates overlapping neural circuits, including those linked to reward and attentional control. The interplay between these endogenous and exogenous factors is evidently nonlinear and context-dependent, explaining the heterogeneous findings compiled in this meta-analysis.
Practically, the review urges exercise psychologists, trainers, and clinicians to recalibrate their recommendations regarding music as an ergogenic aid. Instead of blanket endorsements, personalized approaches that consider an individual’s exercise goals, psychological traits, and environmental settings may better leverage music’s potential benefits—or acknowledge when it might offer limited value.
Furthermore, the findings advocate for future research to adopt more standardized and nuanced methodologies when exploring music-exercise interactions. Longitudinal studies that explore chronic adaptations, diverse age groups, and ecologically valid exercise scenarios are imperative. Such research will not only clarify the conditional effects of music but also elucidate the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms that mediate its potency or lack thereof during physical exertion.
In sum, this systematic review and meta-analysis represents a critical advancement in clarifying an often overlooked yet widely accepted assumption in exercise psychology. By emphasizing variability and context specificity, it dissuades overgeneralized beliefs and opens avenues for more sophisticated, evidence-based integration of music into exercise regimes. As scientific understanding deepens, music’s role as a cognitive and emotional modulator during physical activity will likely be redefined, moving from mythic status toward empirically grounded application.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Does music support executive functions and affective responses during acute exercise? A systematic review and meta-analysis
News Publication Date: 8-Jan-2026
Web References: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1714707
Keywords: music, exercise, executive functions, affective responses, systematic review, meta-analysis, cognitive performance, mood, acute exercise, physical intensity, aging, psychological outcomes
