Musical taste and personality linked?

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Minstrel

Minstrel

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Musical tastes and personality type are closely related, according to a study of more than 36,000 people from around the world.

The research, which was carried out by Professor Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University, is said to be the largest such study ever undertaken.

It suggested classical music fans were shy, while heavy metal aficionados were gentle and at ease with themselves.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7598549.stm
 
Nikolokolus said:
What the hell? No "punk" category?
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Yeah, that's a little odd. "Punk" though is one of the least well-defined genres, IMO. In my experience, it's largely used to exclude stuff a self-recognized punk fan doesn't like. ;) "Green Day? What crap...they're not punk."
 
Indie: Low self-esteem, creative, not hard working, not gentle

They had to do a study to figure this out. Just go to a Modest Mouse/Arcade Fire/Death Cab For Cutie/The Decemberists show.
 
Minstrel said:
Yeah, that's a little odd. "Punk" though is one of the least well-defined genres, IMO. In my experience, it's largely used to exclude stuff a self-recognized punk fan doesn't like. ;) "Green Day? What crap...they're not punk."
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Yeah, the word has been co-opted recently to mean something it definitely wasn't for me -- Punk is: Buzzcocks, Dead Milkmen, Blackflag, Ramones, etc.
 
Nikolokolus said:
Yeah, the word has been co-opted recently to mean something it definitely wasn't for me -- Punk is: Buzzcocks, Dead Milkmen, Blackflag, Ramones, etc.
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Hehe. I have a friend who would disagree violently with you on Dead Milkmen and Black Flag. Pretty much every time I ask a punk fan which bands are seminal to the genre, I get a different list.

IMO, the best punk band ever was the Violent Femmes. Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Clash, Ramones are all great too.
 
Minstrel said:
Hehe. I have a friend who would disagree violently with you on Dead Milkmen and Black Flag. Pretty much every time I ask a punk fan which bands are seminal to the genre, I get a different list.

IMO, the best punk band ever was the Violent Femmes. Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Clash, Ramones are all great too.
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One of my favorite "punk" bands is Television. But most people today wouldn't call them punk.
 
Nate4Prez said:
One of my favorite "punk" bands is Television. But most people today wouldn't call them punk.
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Yeah, I generally think of them as art rock. But again...I don't really worry about the "punk" label. Good music is good music, no matter what it's called.
 
What a load of bullocks.

What about us blokes who listen to more than one genre?
 
MikeDC said:
I read an article the other day that was pretty critical of the standard personality test in the first place. Yeah, here it is.
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Agreed. Looking at the list from Minstrel's articles I would say the music you listen to is based more on your mood then personality altogether with. I wouldn't ever describe myself as someone who has "High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease" personality, but I love Blues, Jazz and Funk music. But when I'm feeling particularly depressed, or unmotivated, I found I prefer to listen to 'Indie' or Rock music, because it fits my mood better, "Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, not gentle, at ease." I used to think music could change my mood, but most of the time my mood picks what music I listen to.
 
Minstrel said:
Hehe. I have a friend who would disagree violently with you on Dead Milkmen and Black Flag. Pretty much every time I ask a punk fan which bands are seminal to the genre, I get a different list.

IMO, the best punk band ever was the Violent Femmes. Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Clash, Ramones are all great too.
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Well, to be honest Black Flag sucked ass musically (as did the milkmen), but I loved their energy.
 
According to the article, I am outgoing and introverted, have high self-esteem and low self-esteem, am creative and not creative, hardworking and not hardworking, at ease and not at ease.
 
While I cannot attest to the value of personality tests, I'm pretty sure the study was going by primary/favourite genre, not every genre you listen to. If you have no primary genre you listen to, it probably doesn't apply to you.
 
since I worship the RHCP and had no idea where to put them in those categories... I'm gonna go ahead and just assume I'm outgoing though.. being how 80% of the categories had that as a choice.
 
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