The sound of longevity: music and technology for healthy ageing

A growing body of research is focusing on how music, technology, and neuroscience can converge to promote healthy ageing and counteract pathological decline. In particular, music interventions for older adults have been garnering increasing attention, with numerous reports showing positive effects of music on various health outcomes, including psychological well-being, cognitive function, physiological responses, quality of life, and overall well-being. In this context, the European Interdisciplinary Council on Ageing (EICA) in collaboration with the "Age-It" project (Ageing well in an Ageing Society), specifically, the work package 1 of Spoke 8, run by the University of Bari, and the "RAISE" project (Robotic and Artificial Intelligence for Socio-economic Empowerment) run by the E.O. Galliera Hospitals, Genoa, Italy, convened a 2-day meeting in June 2025 to review the state of the evidence on the relationship between music and health. Speakers were tasked with exploring how music, neuroscience, technology, and environmental design contribute to understanding ageing and to developing interventions that support healthy ageing. This report presents the Executive Summary of the proceedings of this meeting.