Language is a uniquely human invention that allows us to communicate and differentiates us from any other species. It is a hierarchical system, with smaller units making up larger parts (Pino et al. 2023). This is analogous to another human system: music. Although they are often considered separate systems, they share substantial overlap, so much so that language could be classified as a specialized form of music (Brandt et al. 2012).
Rhythm and melody are crucial for language acquisition, affecting both grammar and semantic processing (Brandt et al. 2012; Pino et al. 2023). Politimou et al. (2019) found that preschoolers’ musical abilities predicted their phonological awareness and grammar skills, suggesting similar auditory perceptual mechanisms are responsible for both systems, at least at this developmental stage. This is consistent with findings that suggest that there is an overlap between neural networks in speech and music perception (LaCroix et al. 2015). Brain areas engaged in speech and music have overlapping auditory areas, specifically in the superior temporal gyri (STG) and inferior frontal gyrus (Figure 1A).
The brain shares processing networks, but music and speech preferentially activate different regions to varying degrees (Figure 1B). The extent of overlap depends on task demands (LaCroix et al. 2015). This shared neural infrastructure implies that training in one domain can strengthen the other (LaCroix et al. 2015). For example, music training can enhance rhythm, pitch perception, and timing abilities, which may also improve sound recognition and prosody in speech. Neural plasticity allows for these cross-system interactions, reinforcing the interdependent nature of music and language processing.
Figure 1. A) Activation likelihood estimates (ALE) identify the brain regions consistently activated across multiple studies. Results for passive music listening (blue) and passive speech listening (orange), which span the length of the STG and other small regions, are overlain. There is overlap in several regions, notably the STG and inferior frontal gyrus, suggesting shared neural mechanisms for processing both speech and music. However, distinct regions are also activated preferentially by each stimulus type, reflecting specialized processing pathways. B) Comparison between music and speech passive listening depicting regions that are preferentially activated by music or speech (LaCroix et al. 2015). Blue regions represent areas where passive music listening leads to greater activation than speech, while orange regions indicate areas where passive speech listening leads to greater activation than music. The results suggest that speech processing is more left-lateralized, whereas music processing engages both hemispheres, particularly the right hemisphere. (LaCroix et al. 2015).
Building on this interconnection, the Musilanguage model suggests that music and language evolved from a common ancestor, a proto-communication system that had both musical and linguistic features (Brown 1999, 271–300). It is proposed that this system had pitch-based communication, rhythmic patterns, and expressive prosody. This would have been similar to the tonal languages we see today, such as Mandarin or Thai. Over time, this proto-system evolved into two specialized forms of communication: language, primarily for conveying semantic meaning, and music, which focuses on emotional and social expression.
This evolutionary link has practical implications, particularly in speech therapy. Music therapy can be a useful tool in speech development (Groß et al. 2010). When both the patient and therapist engaged in singing and music-making with percussion instruments and piano, patients saw notable improvements in speech-related skills, including sentence memory, comprehension, and structural rule application. Collaboration between music therapists and speech and language pathologists for children with acquired communication impairments provides a holistic approach that supports the patient’s communicative and developmental needs (Burns et al. 2025).
Language and music are largely interconnected, making it important to consider their interplay in developmental psychology. With both systems originating from a shared proto-communication system, their overlap in cognitive processing suggests that music can play a crucial role in speech development. Children with speech impairments or delays benefit from both speech therapy and music therapy, thus cooperation between the two professions enhances patient care and welfare.
References
Brandt, Anthony, Molly Gebrian, and L. Robert Slevc. 2012. “Music and Early Language Acquisition.” Frontiers in Psychology 3 (September):327. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00327.
Brown, Steven. 1999. “The ‘Musilanguage’ Model of Music Evolution.” In The Origins of Music, edited by Nils L. Wallin, Björn Merker, and Steven Brown. The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/5190.003.0022.
Burns, James, Cecilia Keaveney, Natalia Nieto, Rebecca O’Connor, and Hilary Moss. 2025. “Collaborative Music Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology for Pediatric Acquired Communication Impairments: A Phenomenological International Perspective.” Music Therapy Perspectives 43 (1): miae026. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miae026.
Groß, Wibke, Ulrike Linden, and Thomas Ostermann. 2010. “Effects of Music Therapy in the Treatment of Children with Delayed Speech Development – Results of a Pilot Study.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 10 (July):39. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-10-39.
LaCroix, Arianna, Alvaro F. Diaz, and Corianne Rogalsky. 2015. “The Relationship between the Neural Computations for Speech and Music Perception Is Context-Dependent: An Activation Likelihood Estimate Study.” Frontiers in Psychology 6 (August). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01138.
Pino, Maria Chiara, Marco Giancola, and Simonetta D’Amico. 2023. “The Association between Music and Language in Children: A State-of-the-Art Review.” Children 10 (5): 801. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050801.
Politimou, Nina, Simone Dalla Bella, Nicolas Farrugia, and Fabia Franco. 2019. “Born to Speak and Sing: Musical Predictors of Language Development in Pre-Schoolers.” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (May):948. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00948.