Does your taste in music shape your lifestyle?
鈥淢etal music is predominately a teenage phenomenon.鈥�
That鈥檚 what researcher Robert L. Gross wrote in a 1990 study published by The Journal of Popular Culture. Mr. Gross essentially argued that metal fans would and its subculture as adults.
But when a team of researchers led by Tasha R. Howe found that no one has tested whether Gross鈥檚 theory would hold true over time, they carried out their own study. And their findings argue otherwise.
They found that those who were growling or head-banging along to metal songs in the 1980s were 鈥渟ignificantly happier in their youth and better adjusted currently than either middle-aged or current college-age youth comparison groups.鈥�
The researchers discovered this after gathering middle-aged participants who 鈥渂oth did and did not gravitate toward heavy metal in the 1980s, in order to assess whether their life trajectories and experiences were significantly different from each other.鈥�
According to their research, the 鈥渕etalhead鈥� subculture served as a protective shield against negative outcomes in life. The team also noted that rebellious or 鈥渆dgy鈥� music might actually help adolescents develop and solidify a 鈥渃ohesive sense of identity.鈥�
鈥淣on-traditional role models may provide a sense of belonging,鈥� the researchers wrote, 鈥渁s they do not judge youth for being outside the mainstream. Instead, they celebrate it.鈥�
While alternative role models may offer a sense of belonging to young, confused listeners, another study shows that it may not necessarily be the genre that brings 鈥渕etalheads鈥� together, but rather .
In 2011, a research team led by Diana Boer of the National Taiwan University published a study that analyzed how shared musical tastes can create bonds between young people.
The team had to first identify what personality traits matched with specific musical genres. For example, a shows that listeners who prefer music with vocals are usually extraverted, while those who have a love of jazz tend to be intellectual.
But Boer鈥檚 team took that discovery a step further and argued that the music we listen to doesn鈥檛 only reflect our personalities, but the values we live by. Their study shows:
鈥淚ndividuals who reject conservative values and who endorse openness to change values like listening to rock and punk; individuals who are guided by self-enhancing and openness values tend to like popular music, such as international pop and hip-hop; and individuals with self-transcendent value priorities like listening to jazz and classic.鈥�
Based on these categories, Boer鈥檚 team found that when listeners share musical tastes, they also share values and are more likely to be attracted to each other and form social bonds and communities.
It may be that 鈥渕etalheads鈥� aren鈥檛 the only ones seeking belonging through music after all.
