Although many individuals are exposed to different types of music, there will still emerge a preferred style that will always be on top of other music genres. Examples are rock, blues, classical, jazz or pop. You will feel at home when you listen to your favored music genre. It is your sanctuary when listening to this type of music.
Many studies have claimed that our music genre (which we always listen to) will determine certain aspects in your personality. Like for example if your preferred genre is jazz, you will have similar ideologies and behavior with people who listen to the same type of music. This claim is very interesting since it shows emphasis on the influence music genre to our personality.
A study conducted by the Professor Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University, UK tackled on Genre and Personality. The study used five personality traits for the test: openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability. Since the study was the first to show a connection of personality to the individual’s preferred style of music, the results of the study were stimulating to psychologists, musicologists and music psychologists.
The study involved over 35,000 volunteers from around the world to rate over 100 musical styles. Classical music fans have high self-esteem, are creative, introvert and at ease. Blues fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease. Jazz fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing and at ease. Rap fans have high self-esteem and are outgoing. Opera fans have high self-esteem, are creative and gentle. Country and western fans are hardworking and outgoing. Reggae fans have high self-esteem, are creative, not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease. Indie fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not hard working, and not gentle.
Rock/heavy metal fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, and at ease. Chart pop fans have high self-esteem, are hardworking, outgoing and gentle, but are not creative and not at ease. Soul fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle, and at ease.
More research studies similar to this should be conducted in order to attain reliability of the results. So now the question is… What music genre do you listen to?