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Personality Types and Music

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,213
MBTI Type
INTJ
By this rationale, the fans incarnate of the following bands would be:

- Bloodhound Gang: XXTP (Full disclosure: I once dated an ISTP megafan.)
- Rammstein: XXTJ (Enough said.) (Although the band might have to be categorized differently for German speakers.)
- Depeche Mode: XXFP
- U2: XXFJ

There is no need to post disconfirmatory data of the "I listen to <insert band> and I'm an X" sort as I am fully aware that no one listens to only one kind of music. However, disconfirmatory data of the "I'm an X and I don't listen to <insert corresponding kind of music>" will be appreciated, as will refinement of this quick 'n' dirty hypothesis. :)

Watch me do it anyway :D

With the exception of Rammstein I like and listen to the other three you posted. </isn't it ironic>
 

Economica

Dhampyr
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
2,054
MBTI Type
INTJ
Watch me do it anyway :D

With the exception of Rammstein I like and listen to the other three you posted. </isn't it ironic>

Watch me trap you into replying to my actual query by counting your reticence as confirmatory data. :party2: :devil:
 

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,213
MBTI Type
INTJ
:whistling:

TJ music: Powerful/commanding. Flaw: Pompous.

This could then mean ISTJs, INTJs, ENTJs and ESTJs might like similar music. The only thing I, my ISTJ and ESTJ agree on is "No Country".
 

Economica

Dhampyr
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
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2,054
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INTJ

:happy:

This could then mean ISTJs, INTJs, ENTJs and ESTJs might like similar music. The only thing I, my ISTJ and ESTJ agree on is "No Country".

:thinking: Aha! You like different kinds of powerful/commanding/pompous music. :biggrin:

---

Seriously though, I'm all for an S/N refinement of my hypothesis. Any takers? :)
 

Hellbourn3

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
26
MBTI Type
INFJ
The bands I mentioned are just examples.

Naturally, I fit my own hypothesis ;) in that I prefer pompous music. :D Hellbourn, could any of your favorite bands/artists be characterized by detractors as preachy? :)

I guess there might be one or two but with the amount of music I listen to that's virtually nothing. I should add that everyone on the forum I frequent for the most part has no idea what type I am aside from me being IN. It seems that most (after watching a video of me) view me as IN_J but even that's a little subjective. This is somewhat off-topic but if you wanna check out videos of me and see if I fit the dominant Ni mold the URL is youtube.com/pitknight13.

Actually thinking a little bit further w/in the idea one of my favorite bands is Sepultura. The unique thing about them (as far as I go) is that I don't listen to them much for musical prowess, (although I do like the riffs anyway) but more for the message. The thing is when I'd think of the "preachy" you're trying to convey, I'm looking for a carbon-copy evangelist lol. I guess from an abstract point of view Sepultura is very preachy, but they're incredibly aggressively preachy, in that any means justify the ends of freedom.

How does that work for you?
 

Economica

Dhampyr
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
2,054
MBTI Type
INTJ
Actually thinking a little bit further w/in the idea one of my favorite bands is Sepultura. The unique thing about them (as far as I go) is that I don't listen to them much for musical prowess, (although I do like the riffs anyway) but more for the message. The thing is when I'd think of the "preachy" you're trying to convey, I'm looking for a carbon-copy evangelist lol. I guess from an abstract point of view Sepultura is very preachy, but they're incredibly aggressively preachy, in that any means justify the ends of freedom.

How does that work for you?

That works great! :D I was thinking precisely of "music with a message" for FJ.

Another example of aggressive preachiness could be Bad Religion (whose vocalist/lyricist my SO believes to be ENFJ).
 

Cindyrella

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Jul 17, 2007
Messages
98
MBTI Type
INFP
Well...

I tend to like songs based on lyrical cleverness, attitude (sassiness), and sentimentality. If I can relate to it, I like it. I have never enjoyed anything that doesn't focus on delivering some kind of lyrical message in a melodic way. In other words, I have never liked metal and probably never will. I, unlike many of my peers, enjoy country music for its storytelling, sentimentality, and nostalgia. Learning my type explains very well why I was so interested in "teen pop" groups when I was younger. I always knew I wasn't interested in what any boy band member looked like, I actually liked the music for how it made me feel and how I felt I could relate to it. Irregardless of whether it is "good" music, it fed directly into what I considered ideal and valuable at the time.

Very very interesting thread which raises some interesting questions...
 

SuperServal

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Jul 15, 2007
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INFJ
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Cindyrella said:
I always knew I wasn't interested in what any boy band member looked like, I actually liked the music for how it made me feel and how I felt I could relate to it. Irregardless of whether it is "good" music, it fed directly into what I considered ideal and valuable at the time.

This brings up a very interesting point about INFPs: supposedly we are always sifting external entities through our internal value filter to see if we like/agree with whatever it is we are in contact with. And it seems like some INFPs do, in fact, do this with music. I'm not sure if I have ever done that, though. I usually latch onto songs that make me vividly remember the setting of a certain time, including my relationships with certain people at that moment and the general atmosphere of the time. For example, The Decemberists and The Shins will always make me recall my first semester of college. When I listen to certain albums by those bands I instantly feel the excitment I felt at making new friends and trying new things at that time in my life. I can sometimes even smell the autumn leaves of the college campus. In this regard, I think that a lot of my repeated music preferences are dictated by my NF side.....especially the F. And though this actually has little bearing on what new music I may search out (b/c I have yet to become attatched to new music...I'm in the process of attatching), it might cause me to search out artists that are similar in some ways to the artists that I already have nostalgic value attatched to. And any music is fair game, so in that sense, I don't think I search out music and latch onto it based on how it falls in my "value sifter." But I can certainly understand why and how people would do that. Geeeez...music is so fascinating!

.....And what do you guys think of this little test thing?: The Do-Re-Mi's of Personality - What your music tastes say about your personality: take an online personality psychology quiz about music
 

niffer

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ENfP
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8w9
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp

96 % enjoys reflective and complex music
64 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music
74 % enjoys fun and simple music
96 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music

People with high scores on the reflective and complex music-preference dimension tend to be open to new experiences, creative, intellectual, and enjoy trying new things. When it comes to politics, they tend to lean toward the liberal side. Wisdom, diversity, and fine arts are all important to them. When it comes to lifestyle, high scorers tend to be sophisticated, and relatively well off financially. After a hard day of work, if they're not listening to music or reading a book, they enjoy documentary films, independent, classic, or foreign films.

People with high scores on the energetic and aggressive music-preference dimension tend to enjoy taking risks and engaging in thrilling experiences. They also tend to be dominant, imaginative, and energetic. They tend to be politically liberal, and believe that freedom, independence, and excitement are important aspects of life. When it comes to lifestyle, lovers of edgy and aggressive music, tend to come from the middle to lower classes. As for media entertainment, they're likely to enjoy watching action, science fiction, fantasy, war, and horror movies.

People with high scores on the fun and simple music-preference dimension tend to be sociable, forgiving, happy, reliable, and athletic. When it comes to morals and values, they tend be conservative, and consider family, salvation, and discipline important life values. On those days when the cable's on the fritz, they enjoy reading fashion or sports magazines, and watching a major motion picture, musical, western movie, or comedy movie.

People with high scores on the energetic and upbeat music-preference dimension tend to be extraverted, relaxed, romantic, creative, and physically active. Friendships, freedom, and social recognition provide their lives with meaning and guidance. For a good party, fans of energetic and upbeat music, are the ones to call. Compared to people who do not like energetic and upbeat music, they tend to enjoy watching action movies, science fiction movies, gangster/mobster movies, comedy movies, and erotic films.

pah.
 

Splittet

Wannabe genius
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Jun 12, 2007
Messages
632
MBTI Type
INTJ
78 % enjoys reflective and complex music
64 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music
6 % enjoys fun and simple music
4 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music

I liked this test.

People with low scores on the fun and simple music-preference dimension tend to introverted, unconventional, and artistic. When it comes to morals and values, chances are that they lean toward the liberal side, and consider beauty and inner harmony important principles in life. When selecting a movie to watch, they prefer suspense movies, cult movies, or foreign films.

People with low scores on the energetic and upbeat music-preference dimension tend to be introverted, less assertive than the average person, and detail oriented. As for politics and values, they tend to lean to the conservative side, and value intellect, ambition, and high art. When it comes to lifestyle, low scorers on the energetic and upbeat dimension often come from the middle and upper classes. When they're not reading, they're probably watching a romance movie, classic film, or western movie.
 

The Ü™

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That is so funny, because I love classical, opera, and new age, but I hate blues, soul, and R&B.

As a result, this test was not very accurate.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
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There's definitely a loose correlation.

I agree -- loose correlation, but so many environmental influences on someone's musical tastes that at best one could suggest broad "categories" that might be more appealing to a particular archetype.

And musical tastes seem to change/expand with age.
 

Llenyd

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Jul 17, 2007
Messages
60
MBTI Type
INTP
This is actually something I've been thinking about a lot lately after reading about music and the INTP in this profile over at INTPc. One of the parts I found interesting was:

Ultimately, however, music forms a vital, central role in awaking the underdeveloped Fe shadow in the life of an INTP.

...

The mystery of emotion is also evidence in the INTP's use of music. He always chooses to listen to music which suits his current emotional state...

I listen to most genres (excluding country) and when I listen to music I like to evoke a particular mood or emotions. While I don't actively dislike pop/Top 40 music, I usually avoid it as it doesn't make me feel anything and it isn't particularly interesting or complex. To me, it's the musical equivalent of plastic. I also tend to prefer live recordings as studio polish often scrubs out a band's character.

I still generally like my music to have some complexity and melody, though. I don't care for music that is too amelodic, eg gangsta rap, metal subgenres with pure screaming, and some techno can be too monotonous. I do like some screaming in my music, though. It's the "new dissonance"; it adds tension and texture to the music. I particularly like screaming woven with clean vocals, bands such as Haste the Day and Underoath.

Ultimately, though, what I listen isn't really dependent upon the thematic elements of that genre, but rather by the mood it sets.
 

Sona

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TenebrousReflection

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For purposes of this response, consider these the views of an INFx where x probably = P :)

In examining my own music tastes its pretty clear that feeling is the primary factor in if I like a song or not, but there are some songs I like on the basis of their creativity and thought provoking content and a few that I like based only on the musical content. At the end of this message, I'll include links to samples form a bunch of my favorite bands and would welcome feedback on how others (especially NFs) react to the same types of music I enjoy.

Question for INFXs.
Do you find any modern pop or alternative music emotionally powerful and moving? If so, do you have any specific songs you highly recommend? I try to understand the appeal of American alternative music, but whenever I try to actually listen to any of it, I simply feel nothing and I'm curious if its maybe that that type of music appeals to S, T or E types but not N, F or I (I'm not sure how I/E relates in this, but Es do seem to have different tastes).

Well...

I tend to like songs based on lyrical cleverness, attitude (sassiness), and sentimentality. If I can relate to it, I like it. I have never enjoyed anything that doesn't focus on delivering some kind of lyrical message in a melodic way.

Lyrics are important to me too, but I look for different things in them. I like lyrics that either make me feel, make me think, or make me laugh.

In other words, I have never liked metal and probably never will.

If your dislike of metal is based on lyrical content and what is traditionally seen as "metal" in the states (Metallica, Megadeth etc), I'd recommend giving some metal from overseas a try. I'll include a few links to some of my favorites at the end of this message...

I, unlike many of my peers, enjoy country music for its storytelling, sentimentality, and nostalgia.

I like some country songs as well. Mostly the sad stuff with a story. Stuff from artists like Garth Brooks, The Mavericks, Lonestar, and a few others like that.

SuperServal said:
.....And what do you guys think of this little test thing?: The Do-Re-Mi's of Personality - What your music tastes say about your personality: take an online personality psychology quiz about music

49 % enjoys reflective and complex music
24 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music
9 % enjoys fun and simple music
2 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music

Most of my musical preferences were not represented or only represented as a large category so the results are not very accurate.

And now, heres a list of bands I like divided by ones I relate to and ones that I don't strongly relate to but still have a strong emotional or thought provoking quality.

Descriptions not in () are how the artists describe themselves, () are my added comments.

Bands I relate to
Beseech - Metal / Gothic / Rock
Blackmore's Night - Alternative (Medieval)
The Cruxshadows - New Wave / Electronica / Gothic
Delain - Metal / Gothic / Alternative
Elis - Metal / Gothic / Rock
Krypteria - Rock / Gothic / Metal
L'Ame Immortelle - Gothic / Rock / Industrial
Liv Kristine - Pop / Classical / Rock
Persephone - (Neo-Classical)
Sirenia - Gothic / Metal / Rock
Visions of Atlantis - Metal (Symphonic Metal)
Within Temptation - Gothic / Rock (/Metal)
Xandria - Gothic / Metal / Rock

Bands that I don't really relate to very strongly but are still emotional and/or thought provoking.
Chamber - Acoustic / Alternative / Classical
Epica - Metal (Symphonic Metal)
Echoes of Eternity - Metal / Gothic / Thrash
Elane - Folk Rock / Gothic / Indie
Faun - Folk / Gothic / Alternative
Hagalaz' Runedance - Folk / Alternative / Ambient
Korpiklaani - Metal / Folk / Thrash
Nebelhexe - Alternative / Gothic / Folk
Nightwish - (Symphonic Metal)
Omnia - Folk / Gothic / Alternative
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2007
Messages
7,312
MBTI Type
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I'm an INTJ and I was ready to refute you until you changed our probable preference from Rammstein to "Powerful/commanding music" and "pompous". U2 is probably my favorite band and they are all three of those things.

I also like soul and blues and blues-based rock. All the Stax/Volt stuff, the Atlantic soul catalog, Buddy Guy, James Brown, BB King, White Stripes, Black Keys, Robert Randolph.

I like a lot of hard rock, but not really metal as a lot of INTJs seem to. I like some of it, like Metallica, Megadeth and stupid 80s metal. But the hardcore gothic metal really doesn't appeal to me at all.
 
Last edited:

DaRick

New member
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Oct 19, 2007
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100
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INFJ
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4w5
33 % enjoys reflective and complex music
87 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music
19 % enjoys fun and simple music
12 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music

I'm not so sure whether I fit the normal ISTJ type for musical tastes. I am mostly a hard-rock/heavy-metal person, with plenty of pop leanings. I also like some (though not a lot) inflection of blues (i.e - Stevie Ray Vaughan), funk and new wave. I am indifferent to religious music, despite being somewhat religious and I abhor hip-hop (mostly) and country.

For the record, I dislike modern mainstream music. I would best describe my leanings as retro-mainstream and retro-alternative (mainly 70's, 80's and early 90's, without that excessively synthesised rubbish that dominated the 80's pop scene :( ).

My favourite artists are Guns N' Roses, David Bowie, Megadeth, Metallica, The Cult, INXS, Aerosmith, Alice in Chains, Danzig, Ozzy Osbourne (solo), Motley Crue, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Skid Row and The Offspring, plus some others that I can't currently remember. I'm a 'song' man, not an 'album' man.
 

cascadeco

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I haven't devoted the time to think about type and music, and whether there's a correlation, but I tend to think there isn't much of one - except perhaps that *in general*, S's might not be into more of your more obscure music/bands - and would stick much more to mainstream -- but in saying that, I definitely have more of the MTV generation/'types' in mind... ;-) ...which wouldn't really be represented here on the boards.

I think a lot of ones preference, though, is tied to peer influence, as well as whether or not music - as in playing an instrument or being in choir - was part of your childhood.

For example, I played both oboe and piano for nearly a decade each growing up, and quite seriously at that, and was also a member of a youth symphony. So, classical music, and rhythm, and composition, were all rather a part of me. Also, my father, much to my chagrin, would constantly play classical music records every weekend, so that's pretty much all I heard growing up. Now, I find myself listening to classical music, perhaps 25% of the time.

I think it's tied to the classical music upbringing, that makes me, in pop music/rock, be much more concerned and interested in the phrasing/rhythm/melody of a song, much more so than the words themselves. In fact, with the exception of maybe a few favorite solo artists, I usually have no idea, or don't pay attention to, the words being sung by some of my favorite bands.

There is a certain amount of nostalgia behind why I like certain bands -- for example, I LOVE much of the 90's alt-rock music, but I think half of it is because it takes me back to my youth/innocence, and my college experiences.

What I listen to depends on my mood. Surprise. :) So, there's the classical music - orchestral, as well as choral - I find myself playing Mozart and Bach's missa's quite often. There's also solo artists - Tori Amos is hands down my favorite. I've followed her through the years, and while it's taken me..time..to adjust to some of her albums that I didn't like initially, as an artist, I love her. Then there's my alt-rock -- I really love STP and Alice in Chains at times, and your other mainstream 90's stuff. Then there's more the electronic/trip-hop stuff - like Gotan Project. Then there's ethereal stuff - like Dead Can Dance/Lisa Gerrard. Then there's world music - that's my newest kick, wanting to hear new sounds. Then there's random stuff thrown in too...you get the picture. I have a LOT of stuff, and the only type of music that I absolutely hate is just noisy, angry acid rock, where I don't detect any musicality/melody, and it's simply hateful, chalk-on-chalkboard, screeching pain to my ears. :)
 

miss fortune

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hey- I hate most mainstream music and I'm an S! :)
I'm a big fan of punk music before Greenday went all pop (the Clash, the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, Bad Religion, Social Distortion....), Celtic Punk (Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, the Pogues, Sham 69), Glam in all of it's incarnations (New York Dolls, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers and Hanoi Rocks- though the last 2 are glam punk) along with classical, bluegrass, blues and Rockabilly!

I am SO not responsible for Britney Spears selling any records!
 
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