Sexuality Stack Exchange Archive

How common is music during sex?

As a musician I sometimes find that having music on while having sex can enhance the experience, doing anything from providing a rhythm to match while thrusting to just enhancing the overall experience by lending a different atmosphere/ambiance/mood. (Also the lyrics to some songs can be quite “encouraging”.)

How common is this? In particular, is anyone aware of research/studies involving music during sex?

I would be particularly interested in any studies correlating certain musical genres, bands/songs, or orchestral works with arousal and/or sexual satisfaction.

Assumptions: Sexual activity taking place in private (i.e. not having sex at a concert)

Answer 94

TL;DR: Given the right music, it has effect due to dopamine & off-set thoughts, not due to Testosterone.

What effect does music have on us? How does it affect sex?

In this news article from the Associated Press, reformed by MSNBC; it is mentioned that Robert Zatorre and Valorie Salimpoor of the McGill University in Montreal wrote in the journal Nature Neuroscience that instrumental music produces a dopamine response. So, without even requiring voice, music will make you more satisfied. During sexual intercourse, this dopamine response thus results in extra enjoyment.

Another reason, besides dopamin, is that music helps you off-set your thoughts from thoughts that have a negative effect towards your relation; you don't want to be thinking about the problems in your life. Given the right choices that put your thoughts on the actual sexual intercourse, without being uncomfortable can surely help. Surely avoid the radio or your personal collection, but try romantic collection albums...

Are there other related studies? Do they have effect?

At the Nara University of Education in Japan, they have discovered a relation between Music and Testosterone levels. A group of students was asked to take a pause of 10 minutes and then listed to music in 30 minute intervals. After each interval, they captured the saliva to be used in the measurement. The notable result of this study is that the the testerone levels of males significantly decreased where-as the testerone levels of females significantly increased, remarkable is those that listened to silence had nearly the same testerone levels before and after. Some types had more influence compared to other types of music.

Sadly, while Testosterone affects development, it has barely any physiological or sexual effects.

But yet I mentioned because it is an interesting read none-the-less.

Answer 112

What I think of it is that music being a sound wave, can intereact with your own brain cycles and induce some types of behavior, so in a sense it can influence sex. What I also think is that some types of music can induce a more seductive state than others, regardless of the country of culture. But there are also some types of music specific to some culture.

Jazz for example, happens to be in the general case, particularly smooth jazz. Obviously one can argue, that some tunes of deep or funky house do the same.

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