For the vast majority of us, music is a major part of our daily lives. We’re not just talking about the perfect playlist you curated for your workouts, or the songs that get you dancing in the car even in the middle of the world’s worst commute. Chances are, you hear some music in an elevator, inside a store, or blasting out of your neighbor’s apartment. It sometimes fades into the background and goes unnoticed, but music consistently has an effect (usually positive) on people, animals, and even plants.

And while the sounds of different cultures vary greatly, the human response to music is largely universal. One study found that the range of emotions we experience while listening to music and the way in which it improves our cognitive functions are more or less consistent across countries.