NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7598549.stm

A worldwide study apparently indicates a strong link between the music you like and your personality. What do you think of the results? Do their findings seem accurate for you and people you know? What they've got down for "metal" seems fairly accurate for myself and friends who like similar stuff, but I'm interested to see what other people think on this.

Summary of results


BLUES High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease
JAZZ High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease
RAP High self-esteem, outgoing
OPERA High self-esteem, creative, gentle
COUNTRY AND WESTERN Hardworking, outgoing
REGGAE High self-esteem, creative, not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease
DANCE Creative, outgoing, not gentle
INDIE Low self-esteem, creative, not hard working, not gentle
BOLLYWOOD Creative, outgoing
ROCK/HEAVY METAL Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease
CHART POP High self-esteem, not creative, hardworking, outgoing, gentle, not at ease
SOUL High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle, at ease

What do you think of the results?
Looks like a simple retelling of common prejudices.

For one, there's a very large crossover between listeners of classical and rock music.

For the other, most of the people in the "pop" category would best be described as people who simply don't specifically listen to music.

I like what I like, when I like it. Genre is irrelevant to my whims. I guess that just makes me fucking awesome pretty much all of the time.

I listen to everything on that list except for opera and Bollywood, so I'm not sure what that would say about me.

I listen to everything on that list except for opera and Bollywood, so I'm not sure what that would say about me.

Undiscerning?

Undiscerning?

Bullshit.

Cramming your tastes into one genre for the sake of being able to better pigeonhole yourself is pointless and stupid.

Bullshit.

Cramming your tastes into one genre for the sake of being able to better pigeonhole yourself is pointless and stupid.

Good point. I mean I like mostly metal (though that includes quite ridiculous amounts of sub-genreness) I also like rock, indie, some electronic stuff, a little bit of classical and the occasional bit of chart pop. According to the survey it probably looks like I'm a bit mental with all the contradictory stuff going on. But in fairness to the researchers, I think they were talking about what the most common genre of music a person listens to. Probably the vast majority of people have at least a slight lean towards a particular genre in which they like more music than in other genres. Well, most people I know, don't know if thats generalisable. I think its ok to realise that you generally like a particular sort of music more than others, though, as you say, its different if you then start pretending not to like stuff that you do actually like just to pigeonhole yourself. Because thats ridiculous.

Undiscerning?

Actually, I consider myself to be quite discerning.

Bullshit.

Cramming your tastes into one genre for the sake of being able to better pigeonhole yourself is pointless and stupid.

Exactly. I can't stand pretentious assholes who just listen to one made up genre and act as though anyone who listens to anyone else is a heathen.

Wait, I like classical and jazz...

JAZZ High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease

???

I like how "rock" and "heavy metal" are lumped together. I also like how apparently the entire generation of baby boomers who listened to and liked the music of their time have low self-esteem and aren't hard-working. I certainly know that my mother--who graduated class of '69 and listened to the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, Joplin, Neil Young, Springsteen, etc etc--and who was kicked out of the house upon graduation, put herself through college twice, became in turn a successful paralegal and an excellent psychotherapist and raised herself from poverty to the middle class life I enjoyed as a child--definitely fits that stereotype.

bah, don't believe it.

besides... the genre of music I listen to isn't on there. :p

Bullshit.

Cramming your tastes into one genre for the sake of being able to better pigeonhole yourself is pointless and stupid.

True. But every genre is so diverse (particuarly when you start getting into the whole issue of subgenres) that it's impossible to get an indepth knowledge if you stretch yourself too thin.

So that's the choice that arises. You can either have a detailed and nuanced understanding of a small number of genres. Or a broad overview of many.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7598549.stm

A worldwide study apparently indicates a strong link between the music you like and your personality. What do you think of the results? Do their findings seem accurate for you and people you know? What they've got down for "metal" seems fairly accurate for myself and friends who like similar stuff, but I'm interested to see what other people think on this.

The low self esteem part seems apt. And if you asked some people, not hard-working either.

I'm pretty eclectic. I listen to many kinds of music. I wonder what Filk says about me though.

I'm pretty eclectic. I listen to many kinds of music. I wonder what Filk says about me though.

why... we're superior in every form. why state the obvious.

I possess the the traits of an "indie" listener, though I am entirely a "classical" lover...then again, I greatly enjoy Tom Lehrer.

pfft or we could just accept that people will listen to what their social group listens to (and thus be affected by that culture) and be done with it

it has no electro-pop. fucking boffins

most of the people in the "pop" category would best be described as people who simply don't specifically listen to music.

so why is pop always on the radio :tongue:

so why is pop always on the radio :tongue:

same...

er...

reason...

uhm...

elevator...

o.O'

muzak...

ya know CtP... you got one creepy avatar there...

so why is pop always on the radio :tongue:
Just as JuNii said - it's there to break the silence. It's for the people who just want to hear some music, and don't care much what, as long as it's easy to listen.

ROCK/HEAVY METAL Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease

The true parts for me have been bolded. I disagree with this study. I for one, like multiple kinds of music (Rock being my favorite) and I can't fit all of these, as they contradict each other.

I like several different kinds of music. It tends to go in cycles. Right now, I'm in a Classical cycle. In a couple of months, I may be in a Jazz cycle or a Rock cycle. So I guess I have high/low self-esteem and am creative/not-creative with a tendency to being intro-extroverted. Oh yeah, and I'm hard working/lazy, too.

BLUES High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease
JAZZ High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease
RAP High self-esteem, outgoing
OPERA High self-esteem, creative, gentle
COUNTRY AND WESTERN Hardworking, outgoing
REGGAE High self-esteem, creative, not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease
DANCE Creative, outgoing, not gentle
INDIE Low self-esteem, creative, not hard working, not gentle
BOLLYWOOD Creative, outgoing
ROCK/HEAVY METAL Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease
CHART POP High self-esteem, not creative, hardworking, outgoing, gentle, not at ease
SOUL High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle, at ease

italicized what I listen to, bolded what is true for me...

SNIP

1) ambient music is rather good actually if played correctly (whilst your working) and its quite an art form that ties rather well with jazz

2) its actually one of those baths with a water jet...

Just as JuNii said - it's there to break the silence. It's for the people who just want to hear some music, and don't care much what, as long as it's easy to listen.

so anything that has a jammy beat and good catching hooks is not worthy of your attention?

I like several different kinds of music. It tends to go in cycles.

skitzo

2) its actually one of those baths with a water jet... *looks at Mario's face* so... is he sitting on the jet or... :p

so anything that has a jammy beat and good catching hooks is not worthy of your attention? considering our radio stations also include classical, jazz, blues, J-pop, etc...

so anything that has a jammy beat and good catching hooks is not worthy of your attention?
Well, generally my favorite music comes from Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner, so I'm not sure what the terms "jammy beat" and "catching hooks" mean exactly.


But from what I can guess about their meaning... Well, these "hooks" don't "catch" me, that's how I would put it.

I do occasionally take a liking to a song that isn't classical, jazz or rock, and perhaps could qualify as pop, but it's because I specifically like that one song, not because it's popular or because it's on radio.

*looks at Mario's face* so... is he sitting on the jet or... :p

he's just warming up the water for you to jump in ;)

considering our radio stations also include classical, jazz, blues, J-pop, etc...

pop station have always outperformed these stations by quite a margin though >.>

Well, generally my favorite music comes from Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner, so I'm not sure what the terms "jammy beat" and "catching hooks" mean exactly.

for example the beat and "shooby-doobe-do-whap" in this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HaAOCGb3bw)

I do occasionally take a liking to a song that isn't classical, jazz or rock, and perhaps could qualify as pop, but it's because I specifically like that one song, not because it's popular or because it's on radio.

the point I'm making is many people like pop music and as shown by the article quite a music genre (even enough to buy the albums which goes beyond the simple car ride home)

for example the beat and "shooby-doobe-do-whap" in this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HaAOCGb3bw)
You know I own three pairs of active noise-canceling headphones exactly to shield myself from things like this?

Someone repeating "pop-pop-pop-musikk" for five minutes. Ehr.... How can people even listen to this? It's somewhere between a low-speed marine engine and a poorly tuned V4. Even though I see it's a "meta-pop", but I don't imagine taking it as more than parody; I guess mainstream pop is more diverse.


the point I'm making is many people like pop music and as shown by the article quite a music genre (even enough to buy the albums which goes beyond the simple car ride home)
For some, probably. But most pop music consumers simply don't care. At least, none of them IRL has ever tried to defend their preferences other than "I just want to relax, not to dive into the music".

pop station have always outperformed these stations by quite a margin though >.>
maybe because 'pop' music tends to be more appealing to the masses than other forms.

and what of grindcore, eh?

Wait, I like classical and jazz...

JAZZ High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease

???

correlation rather than deterministic, presumably

For some, probably. But most pop music consumers simply don't care. At least, none of them IRL has ever tried to defend their preferences other than "I just want to relax, not to dive into the music"

sounds more like reggae:wink:

and since when have RL people been worth getting opinions from?

maybe because 'pop' music tends to be more appealing to the masses than other forms.

well you can hardly blame music for sounding good now can you which only further reinforces the idea that its more than just noise

sounds more like reggae:wink:
Maybe. But it's what pop listeners tell me, that they can't be bothered to pay too much attention to music, as other genres require.


and since when have RL people been worth getting opinions from?
Since the Internet has been conquered by "They call themselves Anonymous..." ~Fox.

well you can hardly blame music for sounding good now can you which only further reinforces the idea that its more than just noise
and what's your point? the fact that it's more than 'just noise' means it cannot be used as noise?

I like what I like, when I like it. Genre is irrelevant to my whims. I guess that just makes me fucking awesome pretty much all of the time.

^ This

What the List haasnt got Folk whats you personality if Ya listen to Folk

I just quoted my prefered music styles to comment on how I think its BS.


CLASSICAL High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease

I do have high self esteem so thats accurate, but I am very outgoing. I also wouldnt call myself at ease, as my temper is essentially a hair trigger. Speaking of loosing my temper....

ROCK/HEAVY METAL Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease

Im sorry, but this one pisses me the fuck off. Id wager they didnt even do "research" on this one, they just said "Hey, people who like rock and heavy metal have always been stereotyped as lazy, self loathing, crude drug addicts, lets just say that we found it was true!"

Fuck that shit. I have very high self esteem, am hard working, and very very outgoing.

I like how most of the mainstream music genres got labeled as having many good personality traits, but the more fringe groups generally were labelled poorly.

Fuck off BBC. Your research is made of fail.

I like what I like, when I like it. Genre is irrelevant to my whims. I guess that just makes me fucking awesome pretty much all of the time.

I'd have to say the same about myself. Of course, you would as well. :p

I like what I like, when I like it.
Same.
Further, i like it less the more ubiquitous it is. *That* says a bit of my "personality".

I guess I have mulitple personalities:
JAZZ High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
INDIE Low self-esteem, creative, not hard working, not gentle
BOLLYWOOD Creative, outgoing
ROCK/HEAVY METAL Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7598549.stm

A worldwide study apparently indicates a strong link between the music you like and your personality. What do you think of the results? Do their findings seem accurate for you and people you know? What they've got down for "metal" seems fairly accurate for myself and friends who like similar stuff, but I'm interested to see what other people think on this.

Summary of results

Highly inaccurate.
Apparently, I've got high self-esteem and low selft-esteem, I'm gentle and not gentle, and am hard-working and not hard-working. The only thing all music seems to have in common is that it makes the listener creative...

Rubbish.

and what of grindcore, eh?

Well, since grindcore has evolved from crust punk, it probably fits under "rock".

I like how "rock" and "heavy metal" are lumped together.
Save your indignation for when it is called for. The story says that the study used "104 musical styles." The results were simply condensed for the BBC story, to make the information readier for mass consumption as a "topic of interest."

Anyway, I like the study for this reason:
"The general public has held a stereotype of heavy metal fans being suicidally depressed and of being a danger to themselves and society in general. But they are quite delicate things."
He makes them sound like flowers or butterflies.