ASMR vs Music: Similarities and Differences

Music and ASMR triggers have interesting similarities and differences.

Similarities include:

  • both can induce relaxation
  • both have a strong auditory component
  • both can induce a physical response (tingles vs chills)

Differences include:

  • music is auditory but ASMR triggers can be auditory, tactile, and/or visual
  • ASMR tingles may be different from music chills
  • music often stimulates emotional arousal/excitement, but ASMR triggers do not

The rest of this article will provide details to address:

  • What affects do ASMR and music have on physiology?
  • Does music stimulate or inhibit ASMR?
  • Are music chills and ASMR tingles different?

What affects do ASMR and music have on physiology?

Heart rates: ASMR has been shown to be associated with a decreased heart rate (HR).  Music on the other hand, effects the heart rate in different ways.  Slow tempo music (similar to the beats per minute of a slow or resting heart) can reduce heart rates and fast tempo music (similar to the beats per minute of an excited heart) can increase heart rates.  Furthermore, somewhat regardless of tempo, a moment of music chills during a song is associated with an increased heart rate.

Skin conductance: A positive skin conductance test can show a state of emotional arousal and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, in other words, excitement.  Interestingly, ASMR has been shown to be associated with positive skin conductance.  Although unconfirmed, this could be due to a temporary emotional arousal that occurs during the tingles.  Fast tempo music and music chills have been shown to be associated with positive skin conductance.  Interestingly, brain regions activated during ASMR tingles and music chills are similar.

Oxytocin: Oxytocin is a hormone that increases during positive personal interactions and is associated with relaxation.  It seems likely that oxytocin increases during ASMR, although there is not any published research yet to confirm this.  Listening to slow-tempo music, but not fast-tempo music, has been shown to increase oxytocin.

Cortisol: Cortisol is a hormone that increases during negative moments and is associated with stress.  It seems likely that cortisol decreases during ASMR, although there is not any published research yet to confirm this.  Fast-tempo music decreases cortisol which supports that the sympathetic activation and excitement during fast tempo music is an indication of the emotional arousal of “joy” rather than the emotional arousal of “fear”.

Volume: It is also important to highlight that the volume/intensity of a stimulus can easily alter the typical response.  ASMR triggering vocals and sounds all tend to be low volume – increasing the volume would probably switch the ASMR triggers from relaxing to non-relaxing.  Increasing the volume of slow-tempo music has been shown to increase emotional arousal and even increase grip strength.

Does music stimulate or inhibit ASMR?  Do tingles and music chills feel the same?

In general, music is absent from most popular ASMR videos.  This could be a strong and obvious indication that the addition of music does not increase ASMR, and may even decrease it.  On the other hand, some individuals report that music stimulates their ASMR.

What does the current data say?

Published data about music and ASMR:

Unpublished data about music and ASMR:

At this point, the published data and common absence of music from top ASMR video tilt the evidence towards music not being a common stimulus for ASMR.  It could be that some reports of musically-induced ASMR, are resulting from a confusion between ASMR and music chills.

As always, we need more research to learn more about the similarities and differences between ASMR and music.

In the meantime, explore some ASMR-inspired music and musicians: 

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