Music versus Personality

[canuck31003]

A study reported on bbc.co.uk suggests a link between the type of music a person enjoys and personality. They looked at 36,000 people internationally.

BLUES: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease
JAZZ: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL MUSIC: 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

Source: Heriot-Watt University

For the most part the above seems fairly accurate when I think of the music I like. But because I like multiple genres some characteristics are contradictory eg. if you compare classical and jazz one says "introvert", the other "outgoing".

Anywhoo, something to think about while you're listening to your favourite tunes....

[campy]

I've got some discs of jazz musicians playing classical music (Bach, Strauss). I wonder where they fit in? Is that music for outgoing introverts?

[Cody MacArthur Fett]

Uh . . . I doesn't have an "all of the above" option.

[TransWarpDrive]

Considering I like jazz, classical, rock/heavy metal*; and chart pop, that must mean I'm one crazy mixed-up character...
Seriously, though: I don't put much stock in this type of "personality study," because with 6 billion or so people on this planet of ours, there's always someone whose musical tastes are such that he/she doesn't fit into any of these profiles. We humans are a complex lot, emotionally; so much so that some of us defy classification. IMHO, it's just not that simple.

(*Mostly rock; I'm not much of a heavy metal fan.)

[jeriddian]

Having been a professional musician, I enjoy all forms with few exceptions. I think the survey should apply to non-musician types, if at all. TWD is right in that it's a little too simplistic and not really scientific, but it's kind of fun.

[GoTeamGirl]

A [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7598549.stm"]

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
Source: Heriot-Watt University

Neither of those (which are the music types I like, except 'heavy metal') sound like me. I think I'm a combination of the two, which would go like: creative, hardworking, gentle, not at ease, and not outgoing. I'm not sure about the self-esteem part. It depends.

[TransWarpDrive]

I'm also a Barry Manilow fan - what does that say about my personality?
Seriously, though: I noticed that this musical/personality quiz has no listing for personality types who enjoy Easy Listening (Manilow; Dean Martin; Bette Midler; Barbra Streisand, etc.). So how can it be a comprehensive test if it doesn't include a major category like that?
Another reason why I don't put much stock in these quizzes....