As far as I understand music, there are a certain number of instruments that can play a certain number of notes that have existed for a certain amount of time. And if that is true, then at least from a mathematical perspective, we have to eventually run out of music, right? This is something I’ve been thinking about ever since I heard ABBA’s Thank You For The Music (Why? Is it going somewhere?) and now I am in search of an answer.

Fortunately, the outstanding Dr Adrian Renzo from Macquarie University was able to provide me with not one, not two, but three! I spoke with Adrian about his background in music, what music even is, and why we haven’t just run out of new songs already. This is the full conversation we had that needed to be cut down to be played on air, so if you heard part of this interview during the show then there is more to listen to if you just hit play.