The Influence of Different Music Genres on Hearing Performance in Noise

A fast tempo and major mode music improves cognitive performance by triggering a feeling of happiness. This study examines the impact of music on hearing performance, hypothesizing that listening to happy music may improve hearing performance in noise. Sixty-three normal hearing subjects aged between 18 and 35 years old were included. The subjects were randomly assigned to three groups: happy music, sad music, and control groups. The songs composed in minor mode with a tempo of <80 beats per minute were categorized as "sad," while songs composed in major mode with a tempo of >120 beats per minute were categorized as "happy". The Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT) Test and Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) were administered before and immediately after playing the music tracks. Repeated measures ANOVA test was run to compare the changes in measurement scores before and after listening to music.

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing

Age range

18 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Istanbul Aydin University

Istanbul, 34295, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Native Turkish speakers,
Aged between 18 and 35 years old with normal hearing thresholds (pure tone average <25 dB),
No history of otologic, psychiatric, or neurologic diseases

Exclusion criteria

Treatment and study plan

Music listening

Behavioral

Happy music group listened to happy music (major mode with a tempo of >120 beats per minute).

Primary outcomes

The change in hearing performance in noise will be examined with Turkish Hearing in Noise Test after listening to different music genres.

Time frame: Before and immediately after playing the music tracks.

Turkish Hearing in Noise Test (HINT): The adaptive test protocol was followed through two JBL Control One loudspeakers. The chair was placed at a distance of one meter from the loudspeaker, at a 90° angle to each other and aligned with the participant's ear level in the horizontal plane, as described in the HINT protocol. The evaluation was performed in three conditions: noise front condition (speech and noise 0°), noise right condition (speech 0°, noise 90°), and noise left condition (speech 0°, noise 270°).

Secondary outcomes

The change in hearing performance in noise will be examined with Audible Contrast Thresholdafter listening to different music genres.

Time frame: Before and immediately after playing the music tracks.

Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT) Test: Some noise samples were Spectro temporally modulated (such as a siren sound). The patient was asked to press a button when they heard the siren sound (Zaar et al., 2024).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Istanbul Aydın University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Apr 25, 2025
Registry last updated: Apr 25, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed