The International Year of Sound is a global initiative to highlight the importance of sound and related sciences and technologies for all in society. The International Year of Sound will consist of coordinated activities on regional, national and international levels. These activities will aim to stimulate the understanding throughout the world of the important role that sound plays in all aspects of our society. As well, these activities will also encourage an understanding of the need for the control of noise in nature, in the built environment, and in the workplace.

Sound plays an important role in all human activities and applications of acoustics are found in almost all aspects of modern society. Subdisciplines include aeroacoustics, audio, signal processing, architectural acoustics, bioacoustics, electro-acoustics, environmental noise, musical acoustics, noise control, hearing and psychoacoustics, physical acoustics, speech, ultrasound, underwater sound and vibration. Sound is an essential part of communication between humans - in the form of speech, as a sound of warning, and also in music and creative sounds. However there is a concern about too much sound, which then becomes noise and needs to be controlled to ensure acceptable and safe living and working environments.