Researchers reveal links between musical taste and personality traits

After a study of more than 36,000 people around the world researchers have concluded that musical tastes and personality types are closely related.

LONDON // You are what you eat, reckons the old maxim. But you might also be what music you listen to, according to new research. After a study of more than 36,000 people around the world, researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh have concluded that musical tastes and personality types are closely related. Most surprising, perhaps, is that the research finds that lovers of classical music have an awful lot in common with fans of heavy metal. While devotees of Mozart and Beethoven might generally be older and more conservative in their lifestyles than lovers of Megadeth and Kiss, the two groups have personality traits that are remarkably similar, according to Adrian North, a psychology professor who headed the project. "One of the most surprising things is the similarities between fans of classical music and heavy metal," he said. "They're both creative and at ease but not outgoing. The general public has held a stereotype of heavy metal fans being suicidally depressed and of being a danger to themselves and society in general. But they are quite delicate things. "Apart from the age differences, the two groups were virtually identical. Both were more creative than other people, both were not terribly outgoing, and they were also quite at ease with themselves." The researchers used the internet to ask people around the world about aspects of their personality and to rate 104 different musical styles. Marked similarities emerged between followers of the same type of music regardless of where they lived on the planet. "It's almost as if these musical types transcend national boundaries," says Mr North, 37, a self-confessed enthusiast for independent, or indie, bands. "All the jazz fans, for example, had a lot more in common with another jazz fan in another continent than they would with a fan of a different musical style in their own country." Among the findings were that virtually all music lovers were deemed to have quite creative personalities with three notable exceptions ? fans of chart pop music, disco and easy listening tunes. While the research ? the biggest of its type ever undertaken ? is still continuing, Mr North said the early indications are that fans of jazz and soul music have the most desirable personality qualities, such as high self-esteem, an outgoing nature and creative instincts. "It's as though people are choosing the music to tell the world something about themselves," he said. "People often define their sense of identity through their musical taste, wearing particular clothes, going to certain pubs and using certain types of slang. "It's not so surprising that personality should also be related to musical preference." Lovers of Bollywood music, soundtracks to India's prolific film industry, for instance, were found to be among the creative, outgoing types along with aficionados of reggae and rap. Opera lovers were found to be gentle while dance lovers were not. Followers of both indie and heavy rock were deemed to have low self-esteem while those who like country and western music were described as hard-working. The attempt to define personality characteristics from musical taste, however, has not brought universal approval. Susan Nickalls, a classical music reviewer for The Scotsman, told the newspaper: "What do you do if you like hip-hop, jazz, classical and rock - does that mean you are schizophrenic? "How can you say that everyone who goes to an opera is creative? This guy should research something serious. I like heavy metal and I like classical and I like opera. I like Whitesnake, and my favourite operas include Tosca. "When the heroine throws herself off the battlements, heavy metal people might say that's the equivalent of bashing your guitar on stage." Earlier, UK researchers attempted to discover if listening to different types of music could affect driving styles and concluded people who listened to country music were most likely to be caught speeding. Reggae and hip-hop fans were also more prone to break the speed limit, according to the survey of 2,000 motorists, while the popular song to accompany a trip in the car was ? not surprisingly, perhaps ? Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell. Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of the Saga insurance group which commissioned the research, said: "Interestingly, the research shows that, although certain types of music are often thought of as having a relaxing effect on the listener, there is no proof that this results in a more tempered driving style." Mr North, meanwhile, is continuing his research and any music lovers wishing to participate can do so by completing a questionnaire at www.peopleintomusic.com [e-mail]