Routledge - The Memetics of Music: A Neo-Darwinian View

Explore the connection between cultural evolution and musical structure with The Memetics of Music by Routledge. This work builds upon the foundation laid by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 classic, The Selfish Gene, which introduced the concept of the meme. This book examines the theory that human culture consists of particulate units called memes. Much like biological genes, these cultural replicators move through communities via imitation and face mutational-evolutionary pressures over time. By applying a Neo-Darwinian view to music, the text investigates how musical elements function as units of transmission. Whether you are studying music theory, evolutionary biology, or cultural science, this book provides a deep look into how musical structures evolve. It offers a scientific perspective on how musical ideas are passed down, changed, and preserved within human society through the lens of memetics.