This paper critically reviews the history of programming languages for music, distinct from computer music as a genre, by drawing on discussions from sound studies. The paper focuses on the universalist assumptions around pulse-code modulation and the Unit Generator concept established by the MUSIC-N family, which established a lineage of role between composers and scientists which tends to turn
composers into consumers. The paper concludes that programming languages for music developed after the 2000s present alternatives to the often-invisible technological infrastructures surrounding music, such as formats and protocols, rather than solely aiming to create novel musical styles.