This study investigates the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) tools and the creative abilities of music practitioners within the context of globalization and technological advancements that are transforming creative industries. Through a quantitative analysis, the study assesses how AI tool usage influences creative output. By surveying music practitioners from diverse backgrounds, it captures their experiences and perceptions of AI technologies in music creation. Grounded in cognitive science and diffusion of innovation theories, the research also empirically examines the relationship between AI technology acceptance and creativity perception, while considering the role of socioeconomic factors. Regression analysis was used to explore the relationships between key variables, ensuring robust and reliable results. The results suggest that AI technology acceptance is significantly correlated with creative performance, particularly among individuals with formal music education and experience using music composition software. However, socioeconomic factors such as age, gender, and professional background also influence how extensively AI is utilized in the creative process. These findings provide new insights into AI’s role in creative industries and offer data to inform music education and technology training policies.

This study examines the association between listening to music at home and subjective well-being, using data from 14,162 respondents in the China General Social Surveys conducted in 2015, 2017, and 2021. Among the respondents, the average happiness score was 3.958. Regression analyzes indicate that frequent music listening is significantly associated with higher happiness levels, with coefficients of 0.384 in the baseline model and 0.570 in the model with control variables. Robustness checks performed across different models support these findings. Instrumental variable analysis, using Mandarin proficiency, yielded a coefficient of 0.212, indicating a robust association despite a slight reduction in magnitude. Heterogeneity analyzes showed consistent associations across genders, religious beliefs, and regions, with slightly stronger associations observed for females and non-religious individuals. Mediation analysis identified mental health and class identity as significant mediators, contributing to a total association of 0.146. These results highlight the positive correlation between music listening and well-being, suggesting the potential value of integrating music resources into well-being strategies.

Cultural and religious diversity has become a defining feature of societies worldwide. Although religious music serves as a powerful medium for fostering intercultural understanding, it remains underexamined in educational research. This systematic review analyzes studies published between 2016 and 2025, identified through comprehensive searches of SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ERIC databases. Eleven peer-reviewed studies meeting thematic criteria were selected for in-depth analysis. Findings revealed persistent challenges in religious music education, including policy ambiguity, teacher identity constraints, and limited resources. The review identifies a shift from traditional knowledge transmission to experiential pedagogies, leading to outcomes such as emotional resonance, intercultural understanding, moral self-regulation, and student agency. It also highlights structural gaps in longitudinal research and a significant underrepresentation of religious music traditions from Eastern Europe and other non-Anglophone regions. A practice–outcome heatmap developed in this study uncovered unexplored links, particularly regarding student agency. Future research should investigate these underexplored pedagogical–outcome pathways and address current geographic and cultural imbalances by incorporating regional traditions—such as Eastern European choral and sacred music—into global academic discourse.