The social contexts in which people create, perform, perceive, understand and react to music have been neglected by psychologists. This book provides an authoritative, up to date and comprehensive guide to the social psychology of music. It represents the first attempt to define the field since Farnsworth's book of the same title published in 1969, including the new areas of medicine, marketing, and education in which the social psychology of music has direct applications in the real world. After an opening review chapter, the remaining 14 chapters are divided into six sections; individual differences; social groups and situations; social and cultural influences; developmental issues; musicianship; real world applications. Several of these chapters are ground-breaking reviews published for the first time. Aside form psychologists and music educators, The social psychology of music will appeal to musicians, communications researchers, broadcasters, and commercial companies.