There are scientific benefits to listening to new music.

[Stuck listening to the same old songs over and over? You might want to treat your brain to music you’ve never heard before. It’s good for you. Check out this article from Pitchfork. – AC]

Listening to new music is what we do all day here at Pitchfork. But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes (OK, a lot of the time) it can be tempting to just throw on an old favorite rather than dig into something fresh. On this week’s episode of our podcast, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Reviews Editor Jeremy Larson to talk about the science behind why it’s difficult to engage with music you’re unfamiliar with–and also why it’s worth it.

Listen to this week’s episode below, and subscribe to The Pitchfork Review for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also check out an excerpt of the podcast’s transcript below. For more, check out Jeremy’s article “Why Do We Even Listen to New Music.”