What does the music you listen to you say about you?

Question

I know that music can reflect personality, but in what ways? i.e. what personality traits do people who listen to rock music vs. pop or rap vs. slowcore?

Answer 1

Well, all I really listen to is Christian music. Not old hyms, like Christian rock and Christian Pop. For example, flyleaf, switchfoot. Bands like that. It would show I try to follow Christ and do have faith in God. : )

Its one of the only straightforward ones.  

Answer 2

I think it reveals a person's background, personality type, temperance, tolerance, and overall current level of exposure to environment.

The more music one appreciates, listens to, and enjoys reveals the limitations or expansion adopted as one's inner perspective of the outside world.

It is also revealing about one's present mood or emotional attitude.  Just about everyone tells how music affects them negatively or positively, and that reflects coinciding with their present mood or not.  

Hyper music - exercise, party, excitement, anticipation.

Slow music - quiet, reflective, sad, remorse, romance, softness.

Pop (semi-slow/semi-fast) - out for the day, sound for the background, "company" while at home alone or driving alone, space and time filler.

One who listens to anything at anytime for any purpose is extraordinary.  Like me! Yeah, right.

My music is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no lie.  I gotta have it.  As do so many other people I know.  It's a form of communication which gives insight to one's motivation, as well, I think.  Personal opinion, of course.  But sure a good question to get the neurons firing!  Lots of songs came up in my mind just while answering your question.  That is what we call "thought-provoking!"

Answer 3

good question, i've asked the same myself

i actually like all music - from classic to rock as long as its "good" (my own interpretation...)

my listening preferences co-incide with my feelings at the time   eg need to chill out, want to fire up etc

Answer 4

Look, we all know the stereotypes of people that listen to rap. They're usually wannabe gangstars or just socially shallow people.

R&B and Pop is more just for the 'normal' crowd that don't really take music seriously or as an interest. It's just something to listen to on a weekend or in the car.

For me, who listens to different kinds of rock from progressive, to alternative rock, to really heavy stuff as well, it's an escape and also a way to express emotion. It fills you with excitement or sadness, or even just thoughts about yourself and the world you live in, but it definitely has a different affect than pop or rap.

Anyway, the point is, because Rock is a more introverted style of music, it helps stimulate thought or emotions hence making it a style of music listened to by those that appreciate these stimulations (usually deeper people but are by all means, still 'normal')

Answer 5

In some basic ways it can show personality; like the one who likes hardcore metal is probably fond of rebellion while the one who likes gospel is probably rather religious.

But I suspect it has more to do with lyrics for a song.  For example, one who likes Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" probably has a complicated relationship with either their father or their son.  Then one who likes Rihanna's "Take a Bow" may be suffering from a heartbreak; they see the need to leave the one they were with but they are still lovesick and heartbroken for having to do so.

The songs that speak to us and elicit emotion out of us are more likely to speak of things that are present in our own lives.  And how they react in the song speaks to how we feel in the same situation in our lives.  

And then sometimes a song is just a song.  Sometimes one just likes the voice or the beat.