Aesthetics and Music is a fresh, provocative exploration of the key concepts and arguments in musical aesthetics. It makes an eloquent case for a humanistic, meritocratic and genuinely aesthetic conception of music and musical understanding. Anyone interested in what contemporary philosophy has to say about music as an art will find this thought-provoking and highly enjoyable book required reading.

Thinkers discussed range from Pythagoras and Plato to Kant, Nietzsche and Adorno. Areas of music covered include classical, popular and traditional music, and jazz. This updated edition features new material, including three new chapters on the evolutionary perspective, words and music and music and language. There are guides to further reading, and new dialogues with some contemporary thinkers and musicians.

‘In this new edition of Aesthetics and Music, Andy Hamilton explores music and philosophy, moving beyond Eurocentric perspectives. I was fascinated by how the book challenges the idea of music as disembodied sound or abstract language, focusing instead on its embodied, multisensory and cultural dimensions.’ * Aruán Ortiz, Composer and Pianist, USA *
‘Andy Hamilton's revised Aesthetics and Music, which includes dialogues with fellow philosopher musicians, is a timely reminder that we should question more, and think.’ * John Potter, Singer and Writer, UK *

Andy Hamilton is Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Durham University, UK. He writes for the contemporary music magazine The Wire, and is a jazz pianist.