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Global musical diversity is largely independent of linguistic and genetic histories

Author

Listed:
  • Sam Passmore

    (Keio University
    Australian National University)

  • Anna L. C. Wood

    (Association for Cultural Equity)

  • Chiara Barbieri

    (University of Zurich
    University of Zurich
    University of Cagliari)

  • Dor Shilton

    (Tel Aviv University
    Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

  • Hideo Daikoku

    (Keio University)

  • Quentin D. Atkinson

    (University of Auckland)

  • Patrick E. Savage

    (University of Auckland
    Keio University)

Abstract

Music is a universal yet diverse cultural trait transmitted between generations. The extent to which global musical diversity traces cultural and demographic history, however, is unresolved. Using a global musical dataset of 5242 songs from 719 societies, we identify five axes of musical diversity and show that music contains geographical and historical structures analogous to linguistic and genetic diversity. After creating a matched dataset of musical, genetic, and linguistic data spanning 121 societies containing 981 songs, 1296 individual genetic profiles, and 121 languages, we show that global musical similarities are only weakly and inconsistently related to linguistic or genetic histories, with some regional exceptions such as within Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Our results suggest that global musical traditions are largely distinct from some non-musical aspects of human history.

Suggested Citation

  • Sam Passmore & Anna L. C. Wood & Chiara Barbieri & Dor Shilton & Hideo Daikoku & Quentin D. Atkinson & Patrick E. Savage, 2024. "Global musical diversity is largely independent of linguistic and genetic histories," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48113-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48113-7
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