A music psychology scholar studied the relationship of the type of music we listen to and our personality. Dr. Adrian North has discovered that our musical preferences are indeed tied to our personality. His study is based on 36,000 participants.
Heavy Metal
If you’re a heavy metal fan, you’re said to have the following attributes:
ü Gentle
ü Reserved
ü Low self-esteem
Although heavy metal fans have low self-esteem, they are comfortable with themselves. They are also delicate, just as classical music lovers are – but they are younger.
Indie Rock
This kind of music shows you have the following personality:
ü Lazy
ü Creative
ü Headstrong
Also the same as people who love heavy metal music, indie rock fans have low self-esteem. They are also open to experience new things, which is why they are considered more skillful in music.
Classic Rock
If you like rock, but not the indie type, just classic rock, you’re one with the following traits:
ü Self-centered
ü Easygoing
ü Not hardworking
As classical rock has songs with intense life experiences, you also tend to use music to normalize and control your mood.
Rap or Hip-Hop
If you like either rap or hip-hop, you may have the following traits:
ü High self-esteem
ü Not very friendly to the environment
ü Outgoing
These people enjoy every kind of activity related to music, including dancing and singing along. If you like rap or hip-hop, you don’t want to be confined in your headphones; you like sharing your music with other people. As an extrovert, you like to blurt out what’s on your mind without really thinking.
Punk Rock
If this is your preferred music, you’re:
ü Energetic
ü Low on empathy
ü Intense
As you can see, rock music is not created equal. Depending on the rock variety you like, your personality will correspond to it.
Other Music Types and Your Personality
According to Dr. North, here are the other musical preferences and what they say about you:
ü Folk, Blues, or Jazz Music: Reflective, very creative, and open-minded
ü Country Music: True to one’s self, very empathic, extroverted, and hardworking
ü Pop Music: Not too creative, worrier, outgoing and likes to socialize, and with high self-esteem
Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, the co-author of Dr. North’s study, says that our personality can change with music. For instance, a person who is aggressive can become even more aggressive if he or she listens to a certain type of music that encourages this attitude.