1E-Music and Personality

A

We often have stereotypical images of rockers as

rebellious, classical music fans as quiet and modest, and lovers of rap as talkative and outgoing. But is it really true that our musical tastes show our personalities? According to recent research from a university in Edinburgh, it is.

B

Professor North, who did the research, says that people often express their identity through the kind of music they listen to, the kind of clothes they wear, and their hobbies and interests. So it isn't surprising that people's tastes in music say something about their personalities.

​C

researchers interviewed more than 35,000 people

from around the world, asked them about their musical tastes and gave them personality tests. But did the research show that our stereotypical images are right? Here are some of the results:

C

• Lovers of indie music aren't very confident, gentle or hard-

working, but they are very creative.

• Country and western fans are hard-working and not shy.

•Rap fans are outgoing and confident.

•Fans of pop songs aren't creative, but are hard-working, gentle and outgoing.

•The best fan to be is a soul fan, because they are creative, confident, outgoing and gentle!

​D

Perhaps the most surprising result was that classical music fans and heavy metal fans have very similar personalities. People think of heavy metal fans as being very sad and unhappy. But like classical fans, they are in fact easy-going and creative, not very outgoing.

E

Professor North says that the results explain why so many people are good friends with people who like the same music. Heavy metal fans in Sweden have more in common with heavy metal fans in Brazil than with, say, Swedish fans of pop.

​F

The results also explain whv some of us are so passionate about what we listen to, since music is likelv to be closelv linked to our personality. However, the research doesn't say what people who listen to lots of different types of music are like. Perhaps they are perfectly balanced! So, what does vour music sav about you?

L​isten to the song. What is the musical style?