Heavy metal fans gentle souls at heart

Published on Friday 5 September 2008 09:54

HEAVY metal fans are gentle, indie music listeners lack self-esteem and lovers of pop music are uncreative, according to research by an Edinburgh professor.

The study on the links between personality and music taste has been conducted by Heriot-Watt University's Adrian North over the last three years.

He found that country and western fans are hard-working, rap fans are outgoing, and jazz and classical music supporters are innovative and bursting with self-confidence.

Contrary to the stereotype, heavy metal fans are gentle and at ease with themselves but they tend not to be hardworking.

Professor North's research into how music taste reflects personality and impacts on relationships is continuing.

He said: "We have always suspected a link between music taste and personality.

"This is the first time that we've been able to look at it in real detail. People do actually define themselves through music and relate to other people through it but we haven't known in detail how music is connected to identity."

More than 36,000 people around the globe took part in the survey, the biggest of its type conducted.