Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional. While the underlying idea of music as a healing tool reaches back to the dawn of civilization, the formalized discipline is relatively young. People have intuitively used music for health for millennia, but its development into a structured, recognized healthcare profession is a phenomenon of the last century.
Ancient Roots of Healing Music
The understanding that music influences human temperament is at least as old as the writings of ancient Greek philosophers. Pythagoras, who is credited with discovering the mathematical ratios behind musical intervals, believed that music could restore harmony to the soul when it was out of balance. He reportedly used specific musical scales and melodies daily to help his followers adjust their emotions and prepare for rest.
Plato and Aristotle further explored this concept, recognizing that different musical modes could inspire distinct emotional responses, a notion they called ethos. Plato suggested that harmony and rhythm could penetrate deeply into the soul, influencing character and the well-being of the individual. This philosophical view held that music could serve as a purification for the soul, akin to how medicine purified the body.
Beyond philosophy, music has been incorporated into healing practices across numerous historical cultures. For instance, in ancient times, purifying choral songs called paeans were believed to save people from plagues and restore health. These applications were precursors, relying on ritual, philosophy, or spiritual belief rather than the scientific, clinical methodology that defines modern music therapy.
The 20th Century Catalyst for Formal Therapy
The transition from music as an informal healing tool to a recognized clinical field was dramatically accelerated by the World Wars. Community musicians, both professional and amateur, began visiting Veterans Administration hospitals across the United States during and after World War I and World War II. They played music for servicemen suffering from severe physical and emotional trauma, including what was then termed “shell shock” or “war neurosis.”
The positive physical and emotional responses observed in the patients were so pronounced that doctors and nurses began requesting the formal hiring of these musicians. The U.S. War Department developed a program in 1945 that used music as part of the reconditioning process for injured soldiers, integrating it into recreation, education, and physical rehabilitation. This documented success created the initial demand for specialized training, as hospital musicians required specific clinical knowledge beyond mere performance ability.
This necessity sparked the creation of the first academic programs in the mid-1940s. Michigan State University established the first music therapy degree program in 1944, with the University of Kansas initiating the first graduate program shortly after. Early advocates of this new discipline, such as E. Thayer Gaston, understood that for music to become a genuine profession, it required a structured, organizational, and educational foundation rooted in scientific principles.
Establishing Professional Standards and Certification
Following the academic launch, the profession rapidly moved to establish formal standards to ensure credibility and competence. The National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) was founded in 1950, creating a unified body with a focus on research. NAMT immediately developed standards for university-level education and clinical training, which were essential for legitimizing the field.
In 1971, the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT) was established. The two major groups eventually merged in 1998 to form the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). This unification solidified the profession’s advocacy and organizational structure. The development of standardized credentialing was a major step, moving the practice further from informal musical healing.
The Registered Music Therapist (RMT) credential was established in 1956, providing employers with evidence that a therapist met educational and clinical standards. This was later replaced by the Music Therapist–Board Certified (MT-BC) credential, administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). Obtaining the MT-BC requires completing an AMTA-approved program, including 1,200 hours of clinical training, and passing a comprehensive national examination. This rigorous structure ensures that modern music therapy is a regulated, research-backed healthcare profession.