Since the ancient civilization, music therapy has already been believed to have therapeutic mechanisms which can help to soothe a person's mind and body. In Paleolithic period, people assumed that the human behavior is affected when listening to music.

Further researches discovered that music has the ability to regulate moods and emotions. It improves the brain's performance and creates activities that alter the structure of the brain such as amygdala, hypothalamus, insular and orbitofrontal cortex that modulate the heart.

In the late 20th century, after the World War 1 and 2, physicians, musicians and psychiatrists considered that music might be an effective way to treat patients in various kind of settings. Massive numbers of veterans who experienced both physical and emotional trauma from the wars were given music therapies by musicians. The patient's responses led to the high demand of trained hospital musicians.

Scientific foundations of medicine was innovated and the foundations of music in therapy was given the permission for the advancement of the said remedy. In the 1940's, due to the increasing demand for music therapists, institutes for musicians needing training before working in the hospital were established. Ira Altshuler, a psychiatrist and music therapist, introduced music therapy in Michigan.

Willem van de Wall, known for using music therapy in state-funded facilities, and Thayer Gaston, the father of music therapy, was significant in moving the profession forward. Colleges like Michigan State College, University of Kansas, College of the Pacific, The Chicago Musical College and Alverno College offered the earlier music therapy curricula to teach musicians.