By Claire-Marie Scott | LTVN Reporter
Whenever I meet a new friend, one of my first questions is what their favorite music artist is or what genre of music they like best. I used to think these questions gave me an idea of who they are, but then I realized that music taste does not reflect someone’s personality.
There aren’t many studies about the correlation between music taste and personality type. According to Sage Journals, a study was done back in 2018 linking music-related posts on Facebook to personality traits. The problem with this study is it’s mostly self-reported data, which can lead to skewed results. Another study by Science Direct found that the type of music that someone listens to during adolescence or early adulthood is more likely to influence one’s preferences. But, I feel like this doesn’t tell us much.
I think it honestly comes down to how a song moves you. Some people are lyrically oriented and listen for the storyline, while others are beat oriented and pay attention to how the song sounds when listening for the first time.
I am a lyrically oriented song listener. I tend to gravitate to artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams. Do I relate to their songs? Not usually, but I think how they tell stories is beautiful, and it brings me joy to listen to. My most listened-to song on my 2023 Spotify Wrapped was “King of My Heart” by Taylor Swift. If you know anything about that song, it’s about her being head over heels in love. I wasn’t in love or a relationship at all in 2023, but the lyrics and how she sang stood out to me.
The different ways in which we listen to music can draw us into finding songs that are out of our comfort zones. Some of my close friends are big into country music, yet they aren’t from the South and don’t give off “Western vibes.” Artists like Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton have modernized country music in a way that reaches more than a certain demographic.
So, before going to judge your newest friend over what they listen to, know that music taste does not reflect personality. Music is a way to escape and interpret how an artist tells their story. Music can make us laugh, cry and can open our minds to new ideas and experiences. Try listening to a new artist or genre today. Who knows, your new favorite song might be a couple of playlists away.
