Why Are We Wired This Way?

Why does a driving bass line send me over the moon?
I can play them over and over until it drives those around me to flee.

The Perry Mason theme makes me sway to & fro involuntarily.

When Jimi Hendrix hits a particularly high note with an almost screechy quality to it, or Santana eliciting a cry of sorrow.

There is some thing that is hardwired within me. Similar to the need to be loved. It is something I was born with.
Some people get the same thrill when looking at art, or reading a book or working with their hands.

What evolutionary purpose does it serve?
I suspect it is twofold.

On one hand it is symbolic language allowing for sharing, communicating. And this furthers movement of the species.
On the other it is the exploratory arm of evolution, looking for the next big thing.

In my heart though where I feel it the most acutely, it just feels right.

Sometimes the satisfaction is by myself. I write something particularly good...a tasty lick. I play a piece well. Sometimes it is in front of an audience. An audience also adds to the mix the energy that people bring. The back and forth sharing between the stage and the crowd can be electric; almost as good as sex.

We also know that songs with a beat that mimics the human heartbeat makes us dance involuntarily.
So there are physiological as well as mental considerations. But there seems to be something from the ether that connects us to music.

There is pattern matching, complete this sequence sort of puzzles throughout a musical piece. Our brains look for conclusion, closure. So we anticipate endings or phrases. And then when a new song is heard we look for familiar themes or use of dynamics. And we attempt to learn this new pattern as quickly as possible. Some of us focus on the lyrics, others the music.

Whatever the cause, I am wired this way.