Psychedelic Therapy and the Role of Music: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence on Subjective and Objective Outcomes
In this scoping review, researchers examined the role of music in psychedelic therapy.
Key Findings
Music enhances psychedelic therapy: Music consistently improved participants' emotional experiences and was associated with more meaningful or therapeutic psychedelic sessions.
Supports therapeutic processes: Appropriate music was linked to greater emotional engagement, feelings of safety, and deeper introspection during treatment.
Objective effects were less clear: While subjective benefits were consistent, there was limited quantitative evidence for objective physiological or clinical outcomes.
Music selection matters: Factors such as timing, tempo, familiarity, and cultural relevance appeared to influence participants' experiences.
Need for standardized research: The review found considerable variation in how music was selected and used across studies, highlighting the need for standardized protocols and more rigorous trials.
Based on the review, three main ways were identified in which music supports psychedelic therapy:
Enhances emotional processing – Music helps participants engage with and process emotions during the psychedelic experience.
Facilitates therapeutic experiences – It promotes feelings of safety, introspection, and meaningful or mystical experiences that may support therapeutic outcomes.
Guides the session – The timing, tempo, and style of music help shape the flow of the psychedelic experience and influence participants' responses.
Overall conclusion: Music is an important component of psychedelic therapy that appears to enhance the subjective therapeutic experience, but stronger evidence is needed to determine its effects on clinical outcomes.
Abstract
Purpose: Psychedelics have received considerable attention due to their potential in treating psychiatric disorders. The "setting" during psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is recognized as playing a central role in the experience, during which music features prominently. Although music is theorized as directing and shaping psychedelic sessions, its precise contribution to acute experience and therapeutic outcomes is unclear. This scoping review aimed to map quantitative research on the interplay of psychedelics and music by consolidating existing evidence, identifying gaps, and where possible, reporting on effects of psychedelics and music on subjective (e.g., psychological) and objective (e.g., biological) outcomes.
Method: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, relevant papers were identified through electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, Scopus) using terms associated with psychedelic compounds, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and music. Papers were restricted to quantitative studies published in peer-reviewed journals investigating human subjects within therapeutic and controlled experimental contexts, focusing on interactions between music and psychedelics.
Finding: A total of 19 papers (total human sample = 330) met inclusion criteria. Psilocybin and LSD were the most studied psychedelic compounds; no studies were found investigating MDMA and music. Characteristics of music conditions across studies have been limited. The findings suggest that music modulates the psychedelic experience through: (1) amplifying and intensifying emotions, (2) recruiting brain networks involved in meaning-attribution and visual imagery, and (3) increasing overall neural entropy.
Conclusion: Considerable gaps remain in understanding mechanisms of action and how music is delivered to optimize therapeutic response, due in part to methodological inconsistencies and small sample sizes. This review underscores the critical role of music in shaping psychedelic experiences and therapeutic outcomes.
Rowe T, Hurzeler T, Towers E, Louie E, Morley KC. Psychedelic Therapy and the Role of Music: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence on Subjective and Objective Outcomes. Brain Behav. 2026 Jun;16(6):e71533. doi: 10.1002/brb3.71533. PMID: 42348297; PMCID: PMC13297023. Read Paper
For more psychedelic news and research, visit the psychedelic health professional network homepage.
