Does music help plants grow? Scientists say the evidence is weak
Dorothy Retallack's famous 1973 study claiming classical music boosts plant growth was never peer-reviewed and was heavily criticised.
For nearly 70 years, plant lovers have wondered if music helps their gardens. The most famous study came in 1973, when music student Dorothy Retallack reported that rock music killed her plants while classical music made them thrive.
The story stuck, but Retallack had little training in the scientific method, her work was never peer-reviewed, and scientists strongly criticised her findings. Modern studies have largely continued in the same vein, but many are also flawed: some report differences that don't exist in their data, others skip statistical analysis, and several are shaped by the researchers' own biases.
The real issue? Plants have not evolved to appreciate different music genres, so any study testing whether they do is built on a false premise.
Scientists agree there's no evidence plants can distinguish between rock and classical.
- 1973
- Study year
- Dorothy Retallack
- Author
- Music student
- Background
Why it mattersIf you thought music helped your plants grow, you can save the speaker and the Spotify subscription.
AustraliaAustralian gardeners and houseplant lovers can stop curating playlists for their greenery; the time is better spent on water and sunlight.
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