Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

According to a recent statewide survey, secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime use of all drug substances. (Texas School Survey of Substance Abuse Among Students: Grades 7-12)

A comprehensive series of skill tests were run on 5,154 fifth-graders in all 75 of the Albuquerque, NM elementary schools. IN EVERY SINGLE TEST AREA, kids who were learning to play a musical instrument received higher marks than their classmates. Not only that, the longer the students had been playing the instrument, the higher they scored.

The American Music Conference reports that music makers are more likely to go onto college and other higher education than students that do not play a musical instrument. In fact, they are 52% more likely to attend college.


A recent Rockefeller Foundation Study discovered that Music Majors have the highest rate of admittance to medical schools, followed by biochemistry and the humanities. A recent Texas Music Educator’s Association report states that music majors in Texas have the highest rate of admittance to medical school, a whopping 66.7%. Biochemistry, the subject area closest to medicine, has a rate of 59.2%.


Tim Lautzenheiser, internationally known speaker, states, “Research shows that students who are in the school band and orchestra are traditionally in the top 25% of their class. On SAT tests the national average scores are 427 on verbal tests and 476 on Math. At the same time, music students average 465 on verbal and 497 on math. That is 38 points higher on verbal test and 21 points higher on math test. It’s not just that the top students are in music. They become top students because they are in music.


From a USA TODAY report: “Musical training can be a big help in getting to the top of business and politics, according to most congressmen and CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies. Ninety percent (90%!!) of more than 1,000 CEO’s and congressmen interviewed by McDonald’s fast food chain said playing a musical instrument as a child helped them develop “character and leadership skills.”


Another American Music Conference reports that income levels are higher in homes where people are playing musical instruments. Of the families surveyed that earn $40,000 or more, music making families out numbered non-music making families by 33%! In the $25,000-$40,000 range, music makers outnumbered non-music makers by 14.3%.å




Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter, Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter, Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter

Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarter,Supporting Evidence That Music Makes You Smarte