Humans groups, from all places and known times, gather together for music-making – dancing and singing. Music-making is not only at the core of human sociality but is also used in a number of medical fields, a true human universal. There is scientific evidence that singing and dancing together have a multitude of social, biological and cognitive effects. For example, group singing lead to lower stress levels, it relieves anxiety and elevates endorphins. It is also known that adults who move together synchronously to a regular beat experience increased levels of cooperation, trust and attraction. Furthermore, moving an infant synchronously with an adult markedly affects the infant’s expression of pro-social behavior towards the adult. These few examples are illustrative of a growing body of evidence that point to an underlying biological motivational basis for music-making. In this talk I explore the antiquity of music-making and the evolved capabilities that allow its expression.  Singing and dancing have separate evolutionary roots with singing resting on humans’ propensity for complex learned vocalization combined with unique breath control.  The ability to move together in time or rhythmic entrainment, on the other hand, relates to the ability to manipulate the entire body whilst moving bipedally, and to the adaptations involved in running. I will discuss why intentionally moving together in time in a rhythmic fashion was one of the most important actions ever performed by our ancestors in deep time.