What are the two main alternatives proposed for the origin of music?

• A. A spandrel (auditory cheesecake) and direct evolutionary shaping (Darwin's sexual selection, Dunbar's social bonding, Hagen and Bryant coalition signaling)
• B. Music originated solely from language
• C. Music has no origin and is random
• D. Music originated from agriculture rhythms

Answer: (A)

Two broad lines explain how music might have begun. One treats music as a spandrel—a byproduct of the brain’s auditory and language systems. In this view, the pleasure and structure of music come from neural circuitry evolved for other purposes, so music isn’t directly selected for its own function but emerges as a side effect of those systems.

The other line argues music was shaped by direct evolutionary pressures for its function. Darwin proposed sexual selection, where musical ability or display could help attract mates. Others emphasize social bonding—music helps synchronize and unite groups—while Hagen and Bryant discuss coalition signaling, where musical behavior communicates group identity and willingness to cooperate.

So the two main ideas are: music as an incidental byproduct of auditory processing, and music as a trait selected for its social and communicative benefits.