A theory of listening to music is proposed. It suggests that, for listeners, the process of prediction is the starting point to experiencing music. This implies that perception of music starts through both a predisposed and an experience-based extrapolation into the future (this is labeled "a priori" listening). Indications for this proposal are discussed and defined using perspectives from the cognitive sciences, neuroscience, philosophy, and experimental psychology. Of most importance in this theory is that listening to music constantly interacts with the creative processes.