How Music Works

David Byrne reflects on his lifelong involvement with music, acknowledging it as a happy accident that became a significant part of his identity. He muses on the ephemeral nature of music, its profound ability to alter perceptions and emotions, and its contextual dependency, emphasizing that music’s impact and meaning changes based on where and how it is experienced. Byrne explores how various factors like performance, distribution, and environment shape one’s reception of music.

Byrne clarifies that his book is not an autobiography but a collection of insights drawn from his extensive experience in music recording and performing. The chapters, which are nonsequential and cover distinct aspects of music and its context, examine the influence of technology, the places where people listen to music, and external factors that make music resonate with listeners. He intentionally steers clear of music’s physiological and neurological effects, focusing instead on how music is crafted and received.

Byrne expresses his disinterest in the ideological and stylistic aspects of music. He seeks patterns in music creation, distribution, and reception, examining how these elements have influenced his work and, potentially, the work of others. Byrne concludes by asserting that understanding music’s inner workings does not diminish enjoyment but rather deepens appreciation, as music evolves in its uses and meanings.