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#1
what do you call someone who listen to many different kinds of music?
Compound word?
Ernesto
Last edited: Sep 6, 2010
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#2
I can’t think of any word to describe what you mean.
I would say: «He / she has broad tastes in music».
PS: What do you call someone who listen to many different kinds of music?
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#3
Me neither, Ernesto. I’d say he has broad or wide-ranging or eclectic or catholic tastes in music.
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#4
SwissPete: What do you call someone who listen to many different kinds of music?
«What do you call someone who listens to many different kinds of music?»
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#5
Ahhh thanks for the answers and sorry for the gramatical mistakes, I thought I had written it down correctly.
PD:in a finite dependent clause do you use the indicative or subjunctive?
… Who listen or Who listens?
Ernesto
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#7
SwissPete: What do you call someone who listen to many different kinds of music?
«What do you call someone who listens to many different kinds of music?»
Missed that one, didn’t I?
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#8
I heard it from a recording, where a guy didn’t know what to call «someone who listen to different kind of music». So he said that
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#9
I’m still not content with «ecletic». There must be another that everyone uses everyday
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#10
We did give you other commoner alternatives, Ernesto (broad, wide-ranging).
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#11
Can the word ‘connoisseur’, meaning someone who knows a great deal about the arts and artistic products, be used here?
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#12
We did give you other commoner alternatives, Ernesto (broad, wide-ranging).
Ok, ill see if it fits =)
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#13
Can the word ‘connoisseur’, meaning someone who knows a great deal about the arts and artistic products, be used here?
Well, you could certainly describe someone as a connoisseur of music, Mannoushka. It’s not exactly the same thing, though. That suggests someone who’s extremely knowledgeable about music. Because of the high register of the word connoisseur, in practice it would tend to mean ‘high class’ music, i.e. classical music. (Unless you said, e.g., he’s a connoisseur of rap and gangsta … which sounds kind of odd)
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#14
I see! Thanks, ewie! I suddenly remembered that a connoisseur can be an expert on a thing or things not necessarily related to art. One hears of ‘wine connoisseurs’, for example.
How about a ‘music buff’? Does this term, too, connote a special taste in music?
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#15
How about a ‘music buff’? Does this term, too, connote a special taste in music?
No, this only means that someone knows a lot about music.
You can be a music buff if you only like classical music, so it doesn’t express the idea of liking a varied set of styles.
For me there is no word that fits the description, just the phrase «I like / am a person that likes all sorts of music«.
Which is true for me as I can go from Beethoven, to Jewish Klezmer, Arabic Pop to medieval choral music and end up on Italian rap mixed in with shred guitar (you should see my YT playlist ), so when someone asks me what music I like, that’s the answer I usually give (the short phrase; no one-word answer).
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#16
OK, I give up! There are no words to describe Alxmrphi’s having such varied tastes in music. Thanks, Alxmrphi, as well for opening my eyes to what there is to listen to!
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#17
what do you call someone who listen to many different kinds of music?
Compound word?
Ernesto
It’s called Eclectic, And no it’s not a compound word. At least I don’t think it is. Here is the definition of Compound Word. A compound word is formed when two words are joined together to make a new word. Here’s an example of a compound word, the words butter and fly, when you put them together they spell butterfly. You can go to thesaurus.com or dictionary.com to find the answers you seek.
Last edited by a moderator: Aug 11, 2012
We all love music.
We all have our favourite songs that we love to listen to. Singers and bands that we really care about and return to their music again and again.
But how to talk about all of this music? How to express in English your admiration for your all-time favourite singers or bands?
For English students, this can be a real challenge.
So I have prepared this simple guide to help you talk about music. In the next few pages I will show you:
- Basic vocabulary for music
- Some common words and phrases when talking about music
Then I will cover
- How to talk about the sound of music
- How to express how it makes you feel
Finally, I introduce
- How we listen to music from the past to the present
Then at the end, there is a big list of questions to help you practise talking about music with your friends or by yourself.
Are you ready? Let’s dive in.
Basic Vocabulary for Music
It’s probably a good idea to look at some basic vocabulary for music first.
We need to have a good understanding of the most basic words and phrases before moving on to more challenging vocabulary.
Note
Music is made up of a series of notes. A musical note is a sound that has a defined pitch.
Any song you hear needs musical notes. Without notes, there is no music at all.
Musical notes come in different pitches or sounds. The basic scale of music is made of seven notes — A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The basic C scale is C up to B — C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
I love the singer from Gravity 8. She can really reach all those high notes.
The guitarist in RoadRage is fantastic — he plays so fast all the notes sound like one.
Chord
A chord is made of a group of notes played together in a song.
Most chords are made up of three notes together, but there can be chords with two or four notes.
Chords have a sound that is very pleasing to the ear. All the notes played together — for example, on a piano or guitar — have a very pleasant sound that makes us think these notes belong together.
I love the piano chords at the beginning of the song Temptation — they sound so beautiful.
Harmony
Harmony is the arrangement of the notes and chords played together that has a very pleasing sound to the human ear.
We can also describe harmony as the sound of two or more voices singing together. The singers may all be singing different notes, but they all sound good together.
Have you heard the new song by Generation Z? In the chorus, they all sing together in great harmony.
Tune
This is a series of notes played together in a sequence that sounds good to our ears. We might also use the word melody, but tune is more common. All songs have a tune that we can sing along to and recognise.
In English, we might also describe a song as a tune.
I love this tune!
I can’t get that tune out of my head…
The radio has been playing this song all day.
I like the new tune by The Beats. It’s really great!
Rhythm
These are the common regular pulses or beats that we hear in the music. Rhythm is the sound that makes us nod our head, tap our feet or click our fingers.
Rhythm is the sound in music that people dance to.
All popular music has a strong sense of rhythm.
I love the rhythm to this song — it makes me want to dance.
I love the strong rhythm of the song Black Rain. It sounds like thunder.
Lyrics
Lyrics are the words to a song. There are usually two parts of the song’s lyrics — the verse and the chorus.
The chorus often has lyrics that are easy to remember and make us want to sing along with the singer or the band.
Most pop song lyrics are very simple — usually love songs or songs about friendship or positive elements in life.
But some song lyrics can be very complex or poetical.
I love the lyrics to this song — so powerful.
I love the lyrics to the songs of Meredith Jacobs. They all sound like poetry.
Chorus
This is the part of the song that is repeated again and again in the song. It makes us want to sing along.
It is easy for us to remember the words, and we feel engaged with the song when we hear it.
As soon as I hear the chorus to Wonderland, I have to start singing along with it.
The chorus to the new song by Dan White is really catchy. I know all the words and I’ve only heard it five times.
Common Words and Phrases to Talk about Music
Now we have a basic understanding of common words used in music, let’s look at some vocabulary people often use when talking about music.
Turn It Up!
Essentially, this means increase the volume or make it louder.
Imagine you are in your friend’s home and a song comes on that you love.
What would you say to your friend?
That’s right: Turn it up!
You want to hear this song louder because you really like it. You want to hear more of it.
You could also say:
Turn this one up (turn this song up)
Turn the music up (make the music louder/increase the volume)
This Song is So Catchy!
When we use the word catchy to describe a song, it means that the song’s lyrics are easy to remember. But also that the tune of the song sounds great and something that we want to sing along to.
If a song is catchy, it means that the song is very popular and any time you hear it you want to turn it up.
I Can’t Get This Tune Out Of My Head
This means you love the song so much that the tune is constantly playing inside your head. Or you are humming the tune as you walk down the street or take a shower.
You love this song so you want to play it on your music system or on your smartphone at least ten times a day.
I Love This One!
This one refers to the song or tune. You hear a song playing — could be on the radio, in a shopping mall, on your friend’s smartphone — and you love it, so you use this expression.
I Can’t Stand This Song…
And this is if you really dislike the song.
You hear this song playing, but you hate it. So you can say: I can’t stand this song!
This Band is So Cheesy…
Cheesy in English is used to describe things that we dislike or that we think are low quality. It can also refer to things that are cheap, unpleasant or corny.
So if you see a band on the TV that you think fit into this category, you can say: This band is so cheesy!
We might often describe bands that sing overly sentimental love songs or boy bands as cheesy. They are not to everyone’s taste.
This Band is Really Grungy…
Equally, we might describe a band as grungy. It means they are kind of dirty and unkempt. Their clothes are not fashionable and the singer is not even good-looking — he looks kind of ugly with greasy hair!
So we say: This band is really grungy!
Oh, This Song is a Classic!
Classic is used to describe things that are very old and have great value.
So you hear a song and you love it. The song could be old — or maybe just a very popular song from last year — and so you may regard it as a classic.
And that is when you say: This song is a classic — turn it up!
I Love This Track!
Years ago people listened to songs on vinyl records and CDs.
The songs were separated into tracks. So that is why people often refer to songs as tracks. This expression just means that you love the song.
This Song Gets on My Nerves…
If something gets on your nerves, it means it makes you feel very uncomfortable or irritable.
Maybe a song comes on the radio and you hate it. You hear it and it makes you angry because it is so unpleasant.
So you say: This song gets on my nerves!
There are many words we can use to describe the unique sounds of different types of music.
Let’s look at some of them.
Sound of Music
gentle |
soft |
strong |
loud |
rich |
deep |
distinct |
melodious |
resonant |
raucous |
brassy |
piercing |
mellow |
smooth |
thick |
shrill |
warm |
natural |
strident |
harsh |
clear |
reedy |
dark |
flat |
bright |
thin |
light |
rounded |
full |
breathy |
Exercise
Look up all the words in a dictionary and find the meaning to describe music. Be careful — many of these words have more than one meaning.
After you look the words up, try to make your own sentences to describe music you like. Try to describe music you don’t like too.
Tempo of Music
We can also describe the tempo of music. This is the speed or the rhythm of the music.
fast |
slow |
diminishing |
rapid |
double time |
lively |
brisk |
stately |
melancholic |
quick |
moderate |
gradual |
energetic |
joyful |
even |
frantic |
upbeat |
steady |
Exercise
Now look up these words to describe the rhythm or tempo of music. Again, take care of the correct meaning of these words — lively, moderate and frantic, for example, will have more than one meaning.
Make sure you find the correct meaning of each word as it is related to music.
When you find the correct meanings, try to write sentences of your own to describe the rhythm of music.
People Talking About Music
Look at the following extracts of people talking about songs or music they like.
The track starts with this really fast guitar. The high notes are piercing and loud. The guitarist picks out notes so fast it sounds frantic. It just introduces the song perfectly — full of energy.
I love the saxophone in this song. It has a really rich and resonant sound to it. It adds a great level of warmth to the whole song and at the end of the solo, it sounds mournful and melancholic.
This dance track has a clear and lively rhythm. As soon as I hear it, I feel part of it. There is a kind of sadness in the first verse, but when the singer gets to the chorus, the mood changes and it becomes more joyful and upbeat.
There is a rich and natural sound to the acoustic guitar in this tune. It has a soft sound, but it also has a very deep and warm feel to it. The rhythm is very gradual but builds into a steady, marching beat that becomes quite brisk towards the end of the song.
The piano and drums play at the same tempo. A great, crushing rhythm that sounds like thunder. Then the guitar comes in at double-speed and the rhythm picks up in rapid time. But the bass plays with a thick, smooth sound that sounds completely separate from the other musicians. It gives the song a really rounded, full atmosphere.
I love the gentle strings at the beginning of the song. They sound breathy and natural, like human voices. Then the piano plays a mellow melody, at times dark and mysterious, other times warm and light like air.
The track has a very distinct sound, but the singer’s voice is flat and reedy. At times her voice sounds shrill as she reaches for the higher notes. But the bass and drums work well together, playing in a slow and steady rhythm as one.
Read through all the extracts above. Highlight all the words that describe the sound or rhythm of the music.
Now You Try
Think of FIVE of your all-time favourite songs. They can be any songs you like.
Now describe them.
Use as much of the vocabulary from the previous exercise and use the extracts above to help you.
When you have finished writing a description of each song, read it out loud to yourself.
Describing the Effects of Music
Just as we can talk about the sound of music and how it sounds to our ears, we can also talk about the effect music has on our emotions or mood.
Let’s look at some words we can use to describe this.
calming |
stimulating |
invigorating |
rejuvenating |
soothing |
exhilarating |
inciting |
uplifting |
empowering |
restoring |
healing |
enlightening |
exciting |
frightening |
improving |
focusing |
relaxing |
stirring |
Exercise
Look up each of these words in your dictionary. Make sure you find the correct meaning of the word as related to music.
Some of the words have more than one meaning, such as calming, uplifting and healing.
When you have all the correct meanings written down in your notebook, write sentences of your own to describe the feeling of music.
People Talking About the Effects of Music
Let’s take a look at some extracts of people talking about the effect music has upon them.
If I am reading or studying, I like to listen to music that has a calming effect. So I often put on some ambient music. It has a very quiet, sometimes meditative feel about it and helps me to concentrate on what I am reading.
I am a big fan of Motown soul music. Sometimes it has a kind of gospel sound to it. If I am in a low mood I like to put on some Motown music — it can be very uplifting.
In the evening, after a hard day at work, I like to unwind by listening to some jazz music. I find it very relaxing and I can get lost in my thoughts as the soft tunes go through my mind.
If I had to choose my favourite kind of music, it would be heavy metal. The louder and faster the better. I just love the screaming guitars and loud drumming. It is very exciting.
I really like to listen to classical music. I sit down and just lose track of time. I find it very emotional and stirring.
Now You Try
Think about the kind of music you like. Choose FIVE songs or pieces of music that you love to listen to again and again.
Now write some sentences about how you feel when you hear these songs.
- What emotions do you feel when you listen to this music?
- Does it make it you feel excited? Or relaxed? Or some other feeling?
Write down all your sentences in your notebook. When you have finished, practice by saying all the sentences you wrote out loud.
How We Listen to Music
Over the years, there have been many different ways for people to listen to the music they like in the comfort of their home.
Records/Vinyl
These were most popular after the second world war. In the sixties and seventies, they were at their peak. Music fans would always buy their music on vinyl records.
They died out in the eighties but are now enjoying a renaissance.
To listen to records, people would have to buy a stereo system. These could be very expensive.
Music Cassette
Music cassettes took over from vinyl. People could listen to music cassettes on smaller, more portable machines. The Sony Walkman was popular at this time too. Music cassettes were popular in the eighties but then came…
Compact Disc/CD
The compact disc grew in the late eighties and by the nineties was the standard for all music fans.
People could listen to CDs via their stereo system. Or through a portable CD player.
Digital Download
With the advent of more sophisticated technology, it wasn’t long before people were downloading music off the internet for free. This caused great concern in the music industry, so they had to adapt.
Streaming Music
Now we have streaming platforms where we can listen to whatever music we want whenever we want. And usually via our smartphone. No need for expensive stereo equipment!
This is the way most people listen to music today.
There are streaming platforms in most countries. In western countries, these include Spotify and Soundcloud.
But many people listen to music via YouTube, as there are no fees to pay.
Now You Try
- How do you listen to music?
- Do you use a music streaming service? Or YouTube?
- Or do you like to collect old vinyl records?
Questions about Music
Go through all of these questions about music.
Try to speak out loud your answers. If you can’t do that, then write your answers down, then speak them out loud.
What kind of music do you like?
Name your favourite band or singer. Why do you like them?
How often do you listen to music?
When do you normally listen to music?
How do you listen to music?
Where do you listen to music? Why in this place?
What different styles and genres of music do you like? Why do you like these styles of music?
What kind of music do you hate? Why?
What kind of music do you listen to if you want to relax?
What kind of music makes you feel excited? Why?
What kind of music do you like to dance to?
Do you prefer songs in your language or English? Why?
How would life be without music?
How does music make you feel?
If you were a song, what song would you be and why?
Conclusion
So that is it.
This is by no means a complete guide on how to talk about music, but I hope it gives you a good start.
Please go over all the vocabulary and make notes of the meanings of these words and phrases. Make sentences of your own and speak them out loud.
The more you make an effort, the more results you will see.
I hope it was useful.
And please —as always — leave a comment in the section below.
Describe a Style/Kind of Music
You should say: whether you like this type of music (Why or why not?), what kind of music you like best, what role music plays in people’s life, and say how important you think music is for people.
IELTS Speaking Topics
Describe a Style of Music
One particular style of music I like listening to at the moment it’s what I call ‘epic’ music.
It’s probably easiest to describe it as that kind of rousing music you hear in many movie soundtracks, especially movies like Lord of the Rings and such like.
You know, it’s a mixture of haunting melodies and grand orchestral or symphonic crescendos.
A lot of people call it motivational music as well, because they listen to it in the gym or while exercising – it kind of lifts you up and gets you going because it conjures up all sorts of powerful images in your mind.
One reason why I like it is that every piece is different — there’s more variety than in a lot of pop music or other genres and there’s often no lyrics involved. I can sometimes listen to it for hours on end without getting bored with it.
As for my favorite type of music – well it all depends on what I’m doing or how I’m feeling. Sometimes I watch videos on YouTube or you know sometimes how you just hear a song in a movie or on the radio and you like it so you check out the artist and maybe listen to some more of their stuff.
I also like some older styles of music like blues and so on, as I said it just depends – I kind of go through phases. But I guess recently I’ve been going for more music that I hear in movies than any other type, so it’s not a case of just liking pop music or heavy rock, rap or any one particular genre – it’s more a case of liking a particular song rather than preferring one genre of music.
Music is important for most people because some people feel a connection with the lyrics of a song. Or if it’s an instrumental piece it may remind them of another place or remind them of something while they listen to it.
Each person is different but obviously, some music is pretty universal.
For example, a good pop song with a catchy melody will no doubt be immensely popular all over the world. People identify with it, or they just feel good listening to it, or they enjoy dancing to it, or in some cases, a particular song may be especially poignant or associated with an event or experience and so it becomes a classic.
There are many reasons why music is important for people – but probably the biggest one is – like dance – and art – music is universal in how it touches people.
There are many different kinds of music to listen to. Some people like listening to classical music, while others prefer rock and roll. I like all kinds of music, but my favorites are classical and jazz. I love the way they make me feel emotional, and I find that they’re very relaxing and enjoyable to listen to.
What kind of music do you like to listen to while working?
I like to listen to a variety of music while working, depending on my mood. Sometimes I’ll listen to pop music or upbeat rock music to get me pumped up and motivated. Other times, when I need more focus, I’ll listen to classical or jazz music. Whatever the case may be, I find that listening to music helps me stay productive and focused throughout the day.
What kind of music do you like to dance to?
I love to dance to electronic music! It’s so upbeat and makes me want to move my body. Plus, the rhythms are often very catchy and can get you hooked on dancing for hours. I also enjoy salsa and bachata music because of their passionate rhythms- they make me feel like I can really let loose on the dance floor.
Here are some sample answers to give you some ideas and inspiration:
Sample Answer
I’m all about pop music. Of course, sometimes I enjoy playing a musical instrument too!
My favorite type is pop music — songs that come on the radio for everyone to sing along with that’s perfect for playing in the car, getting your workout off to a good start, or chilling out at home.
But of course, there are so many other fun types of music I love as well. Whether it’s jazz and rock from my high school days or songs by bands like The Beatles or Nirvana I listened to back in college.
Sample Answer
It depends on my mood and what I find more entertaining. Generally speaking, I tend to listen to pop music or rock because they are easier to get into.
My preferred genres of music break down into a few categories: indie, metal, acoustic instrumental, rap, and R&B/soul.
And sometimes I listen to other types of genres like EDM (Electronic Dance Music), Pop Rock (Top 40), Alternative Rock (Indie), Hip Hop and Country & Western and Soft Rock.
A lot of people will have only one genre that they like best but I like lots of different ones depending on how I feel at the time.
Sample Answer
I like listening to all sorts of old-timey music. From the 1927 Carter Family hit, «The Storms Are on the Ocean,» to fiddle-legend Kitty Wells’ 1959 country classic, «It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.»
But I always listen to my favorite Country Western songs every day and love listening to some of them over and over again. I spend all my time singing my favorite tunes!
Sample Answer
I like listening to everything from country music and classic rock to musical theater.
Music is a big part of my life, from singing in choirs to spending time at local concerts or paying attention to new tunes on the radio and developing a good ear for what sounds good.
The variety of musical experiences I’ve had is what keeps me coming back for more, whether it’s listening to an orchestra performing Beethoven or seeing diverse artists perform live.
The sound, mood, tone—all these things can change how you hear music so much that every time you listen it feels like something new.
Every concert feels like the first one all over again! My favorite genre has always been classic rock.
Sample Answer
I like listening to all sorts of music. Sometimes it varies depending on my mood, and other times it changes for no particular reason. But overall, I think I lean more towards the more mellow and instrumental side than other types of music.
While studying, more often than not I listen to live streams from the University of Chicago lectures currently online — that way there are no distractions in between subject matter or following along with a lesson plan.
And when I want to just unwind through some live music, The New Movement has concerts throughout the year that don’t get old at all because they never play a setlist twice.
For exercise music while running or biking outside, Spotify has the perfect playlist for me. I set that to shuffle and it feels like a never-ending soundtrack while going through my routine.
Sample Answer
I like listening to instrumental music since it teaches musicians about different genres. For example, jazz is a very expressive and passionate genre of music, with incredible improvisational ability. Orchestral music makes you think about the structure outside of what’s formally written on the page.
Rock n roll can feature full bands or just one person — each genre has unique challenges and structures to address musically. And because there are so many ways you can play any stringed instrument, an introspective look at how someone else addresses the same instrument will always be valuable.
If I’m looking for something more upbeat, then I’ll turn to some of my favorite pop songs as well as playlists that put together a variety of styles.
Follow up questions
Where and when do you normally listen to music?
The easy answer is — whenever I can and wherever I can. While I’m travelling for sure and also while I’m walking around in the street. When I’m on the internet, maybe researching and sometimes when I’m studying also. I’ll either listen to music on my phone or on my laptop depending on where I am and what I’m doing.
How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
That’s quite difficult to measure because I often listen to music while doing other things, but if I had to guess I reckon it would be around four to five hours a day on average.
Why is it easier for children to learn to play a musical instrument?
Well, I suppose it’s because it’s easier for children to learn most things. Their minds are like little sponges and soak up all kinds of new information very easily — but it might also be because they have fewer inhibitions than most adults who get very frustrated easily when they try to do something new or different. Children have fewer habits or fixed routines to overcome so doing or learning new things, in general, comes easier to them than a lot of adults.
Are there any benefits from learning to play a musical instrument?
Yes, I can think of a few; you need to learn or develop discipline and patience, learn and practice a new skill set depending on the instrument you learn to play and I suppose certain instruments might help develop physical and mental coordination, too.
How would you answer these IELTS speaking questions about music?
- Do you listen to more music now than when you were younger?
- Why do you like your favorite music, how does it make you feel?
Whilst you need to have a broad music vocabulary so that you can answer questions on any aspect of the topic, it’s a good idea to pay particular attention to words and phrases related to your favourite genre of music. There are just so many different types and styles of music that it would be poor use of your study time to try and learn vocabulary for them all.
Most of us enjoy listening to music, or even performing ourselves, which makes music questions fairly easy to answer, especially if it’s about your favourite band, singer or song.
The subject of music could come up in any part of the IELTS exam and this list of music vocabulary is equally relevant for Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening questions.
This page contains over 130 common words and phrases, together with an explanation for each one and a sample sentence to show it in context. This will help you to learn how to use it correctly.
Don’t try to learn them all. Look at my suggestions below as to the best way to use the list.
Music can be performed anywhere.
To help you create the best possible answers, I’ve included four things here:
- IELTS-style questions on the topic of music
- Sample answers
- A list of common music vocabulary with definitions & sample sentences
- Links to online reading and listening resources
You’ll find
PDF downloads of both the questions and sample answers and the vocabulary list
at the bottom of the respective sections.
The
questions relate to the Speaking test because this part of the exam offers the
broadest range of possible questions on this topic. They give the best
opportunity for me to demonstrate the vocabulary and for you to practise using
it.
I’ve
included IELTS-style questions and answers for all three parts of the Speaking
test. I’ve highlighted keywords and phrases in bold.
You’ll find
these words and phrases, and many others, in the vocabulary list beneath. There’s
also an audio to listen to the pronunciation.
Finally, at
the bottom of the page, I’ve added links to topical articles, short videos and
podcasts that will help you to improve both your music vocabulary and your
reading and listening skills.
IELTS-Style
Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common music vocabulary
is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What types of music do you like to listen to?
It depends on what mood I’m in but
generally, I like easy listening
although I am a massive fan
of country music and play
this genre more than any
other.
2) Are there any kinds of music that
you dislike?
I’m not really into jazz. It’s just not my taste in music, especially when
the musicians improvise. It sounds like they are
all playing different tunes
and there’s no harmony.
3) Do you ever go
to music gigs?
I love listening to live music and go to local gigs at least once a month. I only go
to concerts by top bands once in a blue moon as I live a long way from the big music venues.
4) Have you ever been in a music group or a band?
I
was a vocalist in my church
music group for several years
and also sang in the choir
when I was in school.
5) Does your country have a
traditional type of music or dance?
Folk music and Morris dancing are both traditional
in the UK. The music for this type of dancing is often played on the fiddle and accordion, with a drum
to give the dancers a good rhythm
and beat.
Do you enjoy going to live music gigs?
Part 2
Describe your favourite music
group or band.
You should say:
- what group or band is it
- what type of music they play
- how long you have been listening to their songs
and explain why you like this music
group or band.
I
like many different groups but
the one that comes top of my list has to be Bruce Springsteen and the E Street
Band.
I
first heard their music way back in 1980. I had a boyfriend who had one of their
albums and I was a fan from the first track I heard. I’ve been
listening to them ever since. The song
that really hooked me was “The River”. It’s still one of my favourite songs of all time. It has a slow,
haunting melody and beautiful
lyrics.
In
those days, very few people in my country had heard of Bruce Springsteen but
all these years later his band
are often on tour here and they
play sellout concerts around the world. His
nickname is “The Boss” which shows how much people respect him and his great
music.
Although
the E Street Band are essentially a rock
band, there are strong influences of folk, rock and roll, blues
and country in their music
which helps then appeal to a wide audience.
I
was once given two tickets to one of the band’s
concerts at Cardiff Arms Park
rugby stadium; a great venue. They were a Christmas present and I took my sister along with
me. It’s the only time I’ve seen them at a live
gig but it’s an event I shall never forget. What a wonderful experience.
We sang along to all the songs.
The
highlight of the show was when they performed “The River. At the end, the band stopped playing and Bruce
led the audience in singing the
chorus over and over again.
It was amazing and a very special moment. I actually found it quite moving as
that was the song that had
started me as a fan all those
years ago and there I was singing it with him. There was silence when it
finally ended and then the applause
started and went on for what seemed like forever.
It’s
hard to put in words why I like Bruce Springsteen and his band so much. I think it’s because their lyrics are so real while most of
the songs have a strong melody that stirs your soul. That’s
the best way I can put it.
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band are a famous US rock band.
Part 3
1) Is it important to listen to
music with other people?
I think that listening to
music can be both a social experience and a personal one. Young people in
particular like chilling out
with friends while listening to their favourite tracks. There’s also something special about attending a live gig with your mates and singing along to the familiar tunes with all the other fans.
I’ve only ever been to a
couple of music festivals but
what I remember as much as the bands and
the fantastic music was the atmosphere of the events and that was created by all
the people who were there.
On the other hand, you can
enjoy music just as much when listening on your own. The fact that everywhere
you look there are people walking around wearing earphones or headphone
seems to be proof of this. So, in conclusion, I would say that while it’s nice
to share music with others, it’s not especially important.
2) Why
do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of music?
That’s
something I’ve never really thought about but I suppose it’s because they grew
up listening to different types of music as styles change over time.
Speaking
for myself, there are many talented new bands
and singers that I enjoy listening to. I often buy their albums and download
them onto my MP3 player, but
there’s nothing quite like the music I loved when I was in my teens. Perhaps it’s
as much to do with the memories it brings back as the music itself.
That’s
how I see it and I guess that many other people probably feel the same.
3) Do you think that music should
be a compulsory subject in schools?
I
do believe that music should be taught in schools. This is for several reasons.
Firstly,
it’s important to develop children’s creativity and music is a great way to do
this. They should be encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument, but it’s valuable if they just enjoy learning
and singing a few songs
together.
Secondly,
making music is an excellent way of teaching youngster how to work together in
a fun way and most of them enjoy performing to their friends.
Finally,
most schools put on concerts
and other musical performances. Taking part in these gives children confidence and
they are an important part of the curriculum.
While
older children may drop the subject for exams, having school choirs and orchestras provides
other opportunities for them to continue their interest in music.
Children who learn to play a musical instrument at school often enjoy playing for the rest of their lives.
Click this link to get a PDF download of these practise questions & sample answers.
Download PDF Now
Music Vocabulary
* Important
- Do not try
and learn this list of music vocabulary.
- Identify
the vocabulary you find useful for answering practise questions about this topic.
- Record
these in your vocabulary notebook and practise using them regularly.
I recommend that you create
your own answers to the Speaking questions on this page. You will find many
other IELTS-style practise questions by searching online.
For help on how to learn
vocabulary, what to learn and how to record it, visit these pages:
How to Learn Vocabulary for
IELTS
Top 6 Types of IELTS
Vocabulary & Topic Word Lists
Music Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Music Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
Set 1: Music genres
There are
many different styles of music around the world. These are some of the
mainstream genres but do add others to your own music vocabulary list if there
are particular styles you like that aren’t included here.
music genre – a distinct type or style of music
— My favourite music genre is rap.
pop – popular music; music liked by a
broad range of the population
— Pop songs are enjoyed by lots of different types of people
because they have a good rhythm, a catchy melody, and are easy to remember and
sing along to.
rock music
– music that is based on amplified instruments, especially the electric guitar
and electric bass, and characterized by a strong bass line and strong rhythms
— The Rolling Stones play some of the
best rock music ever written.
heavy metal – a type of highly amplified
harsh-sounding rock music with a strong beat, characteristically using violent
or fantasy imagery
— I like some rock music but find heavy metal a bit too loud.
rap – a
type of music in which the words are not sung
but are spoken in a rapid, rhythmic way
— Whilst I’m not a great fan of rap music, I do think it’s amazing how they speak so fast and
remember the words.
country music – a
form of popular music originating in the rural southern US. It is a mixture of
ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, banjo, guitar, and
pedal steel guitar.
—
There’s a great country music venue
in my town where everyone dresses up as cowboys when they go to gigs.
jazz – a style of music that is generally
loud and rhythmic, where the musicians often make the music up as they go along
—
Louis Armstrong is still a popular jazz
musician many decades after his death.
reggae – a form
of music with a distinct beat that originated in Jamaica and is still
associated with the Caribbean
— Bob Marley was the first internationally known reggae musician.
blues – African-American
music that expresses grief or sorrow about injustice and a longing for a better
life
— Did you know that the blues
is named after the expression ‘to feel blue’ which means to be sad or
depressed?
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
traditional music – songs and tunes particular to a country or region which have been performed over a long period of time, usually several generations
— Traditional music is part of our culture and should be preserved.
folk – traditional music which included
songs written a long time ago and new songs written in the old style
—
We have some talented young folk
musicians in my country who love performing songs from the old days and writing
new folk songs for our generation.
classical music – a form of music developed in Europe mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries by musicians highly skilled in musical composition
— I find that classical music
really stirs up the emotions and I particularly enjoy listening to Beethoven and Bach.
opera – a
musical play, often very dramatic, in which most of the words are sung
— I’m not a fan of opera
as I really don’t like the style of singing.
musical – a play or film that
uses singing and dancing in
the story but also includes a lot of spoken dialogue
— Although there are lots of great new musicals being written, I still love West Side Story the best.
instrumental music – music where you
just hear instruments playing and there is no singing
— I’m not happy when they play instrumental music on my favourite
radio station as I like to be able to sing along the lyrics.
easy listening
– a type
of music that is not complicated, is pleasant to listen and doesn’t need much
of your attention
— When I
get home in the evening I put on some easy
listening to help me relax after a busy day.
background music – music that is playing while something else is happening
— My friend likes to have background music on while she’s
studying but I need a quiet place to work.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 2: Musical instruments & playing music
If there are any traditional musical
instruments popular in your country that you might want to talk about, add them
to your own music vocabulary list.
instrument – something you play to make music
Some common instruments:
piano
guitar
electric guitar
drums
violin / fiddle
cello
flute
electric keyboard
banjo
double bass
saxophone
trumpet
clarinet
accordion
recorder
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
traditional
instruments – a type of instrument that
has been played for many generations or that was popular in the past,
often unique to a country or region
— A sitar is a
traditional Indian musical instrument.
to take up (a musical
instrument) – to
begin learning a musical instrument
— I’m going to take up the guitar.
to read music – to understand and follow written
musical notes
— I’m so glad I learnt to read music when I had piano lessons as
a child because it really helps me now that I sing in a choir.
to play by ear – to play without reading the
musical notes
— Many talented musicians can’t even
read music and only play by ear.
talented
– to be naturally skilled at something
—
I never got the hang of playing an instrument even though both my
parents are talented musicians.
to
be musical – have a
skill in or a great liking for music
— My friend Sally is very musical and can play several different
instruments.
self-discipline – the ability to make yourself do things you know you
should do even when you do not want to
— You need
a lot of self-discipline to learn
the piano as you have to practise every day and play boring scales.
sense
of accomplishment – to feel
like you’ve achieved something you can be proud of
— Bernie
felt a real sense of accomplishment
at passing his Grade 2 flute exam.
vocals – a part of a piece of music that is sung
— My parents met in a band. Dad was a guitarist and Mum sang vocals.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 3: Musicians
musician – a person who plays a musical instrument, especially as a
profession, or is musically talented
— It was Jai’s ambition to be a professional musician and play in a famous
orchestra.
bass player
– someone who plays the bass
conductor
– the person who leads the orchestra
guitarist
– someone who plays the guitar
keyboard player
– someone who plays the keyboard
pianist
– someone who plays the piano
drummer
– someone who plays the drums
cellist
– someone who plays the cello
violinist
– someone who plays the violin
vocalist
– someone who sings
— Phil Collins was unusual in being both the drummer and lead vocalist in a band, the famous Genesis.
choir
– a group of singers singing together
— Lulu really enjoyed singing in the choir, especially when they performed at concerts.
orchestra – a large group of musicians who play many
different instruments together and are led by a conductor
— Jason was delighted when he was asked to play violin in
the school orchestra.
band – a group of people who
sing together and also play instruments
— I was so excited to be asked to play
bass guitar in the new band.
group – a collection of people
who sing together but do not necessarily play instruments
— All the groups performing
in the contest were excellent and it was hard for the judges to pick the best.
composer
– a
person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation
— My favourite classical composer is Mozart.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 4: Live music
a performance
– the act of entertaining other people by dancing, singing, acting or
playing music
—
The choir gave a wonderful performance at my sister’s wedding.
a gig
– a performance of a band
— My new band is playing their first gig at the weekend.
a show
– a performance,
especially involving music
— I’m
going to my kid’s school this evening to watch them perform in a show.
live
music – music
performed in front of an audience
— We have many clubs in my city and
I often go along with friends to listen to live
music.
Collocations:
- live show
- live
performance - live gig
music festival – an organized event, typically lasting several days, featuring
performances by various musicians, singers and groups
— I try to go to at least one music festival each summer.
concert – a performance of music by one or more
musicians or singers
— My orchestra is going to perform at a concert organized to raise money for charity.
stage
– a raised platform on which musicians, actors or entertainers
perform
— I felt nervous when I walked out on stage and saw the large audience waiting to hear me sing.
venue – the place
where a public event such as a concert happens
— The disused warehouse was
the perfect venue for a rock
concert.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 5: Recorded music
recording / recorded music – music that has been
stored on a record, CD, computer, etc., so that it can be heard again
— I
have recordings of many of my
favourite bands stored on my computer.
MP3
player – an electronic device that can store and play digital audio files
— I always carry my MP3 player with me so that I can listen
to music whenever I want to.
headphones
/ earphones – an electronic device that fits over or in the ears for
listening to music
— I wear earphones
to listen to music on my MP3 player while I’m out jogging.
album – a collection of recordings issued as a single item on
CD, record or another medium.
— I can’t
wait for my favourite band’s new album
to come out.
to download tracks – to obtain music from the internet
— I heard a great band at the gig
last night and I’m going to download
some of their tracks.
speakers
– a piece of electrical equipment for playing recorded sound, through which the sound is played
— The jazz album I got for my
birthday sounds amazing
through my new speakers.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 6: Describing music &
songs
a song
– a
usually short piece of music with words that are sung
— My favourite Ed
Sheeran song is “Thinking Out Loud”.
lyrics – the
words to a song
— Leonard Cohen wrote some
of the best lyrics of all time and
many artists still perform his songs today.
a melody – the main tune in a piece of music that is often played or sung more than once
— I had
trouble picking up the melody of the
new piece we started learning at choir rehearsal today and will practise it at home.
a tune
– the musical part of a song, especially one that
is pleasant and easy to remember
a catchy tune – a tune or a song that’s easy to
remember and stays in your mind so that you find yourself humming or singing it
— I heard a really catchy
tune of on my kid’s TV programme this morning and I’ve been humming it all
day.
piece of music – a musical composition, especially but not necessarily an
instrumental one
— My piano teacher has given me a
new piece of music to learn before
my next lesson.
taste in music – the music someone likes
— My boyfriend and I have the same taste in music and go to live gigs
whenever we can.
rhythm
– a regular, repeated pattern of sounds
— I love the rhythm of
reggae music.
beat
– a characteristic
rhythm in some types of music
— Rap music has such a distinctive beat.
harmony – a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being
played or sung at the same time
— One of
the reason I enjoy country music so much is because many songs have lovely harmonies.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
to be out of tune – to play or sing slightly wrong notes
— My dad likes to sing along the radio but is so out of tune that it sounds terrible.
to be in tune – to play or sing with the correct pitch
— Before the performance, the guitarist tightenend the strings of his guitar so that it was in tune.
to have a great voice – to sing well
— I think my friend should enter the singing competition as she has a great voice.
to be tone deaf – to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music
— I’d really like to able to sing but I’m tone deaf so I don’t think there’s much chance.
chorus – a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a song
— The choir sang lots of well-known songs and encourages the audience to sing along to the choruses.
upbeat – cheerful or lively
— If I’m feeling sad I put on some upbeat music and feel better almost at once.
nursery rhyme – a simple traditional song or poem for children
— I can still remember many of the nursery rhymes I learnt as a child.
lullaby – a quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep
— If my baby wakes up in the night I just sing him a lullaby and he soon goes back to sleep.
sing to sleep – to make someone feel sleepy by sing them a gentle song
— My mum used to sing us to sleep when we were young.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 7: Music & the emotions
passionate –
to feel strongly about something
— I’m passionate about playing the saxophone.
to cheer
up – to cause to feel better
— Upbeat music always cheers me up if I’m feeling down.
relax / chill
out – to become less tense or
anxious
— After a stressful day at
work, I lie in the bath listening to classical music as this helps me to chill out.
energise
– to
make someone feel energetic or eager
— Reggae music energises me so that’s what I Iisten to
when I feel sluggish and need motivating.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 8: Other music vocabulary
rock band – a group of musicians that play rock
music
— One of the great things about
living in Manchester is that all the top rock
bands perform here.
pop star – a famous singer or musician who performs
pop music
— Many teenagers have the dream of
being a pop star as they want to be rich and famous.
famous – known about and recognized by
many people
— The Beatles are one of the most famous bands ever to have existed.
frontman –
lead singer of a band
— Roger Daltrey has been the frontman of The Who for over 50 years.
fan – a person who admires, supports or follows a person, band or team
— I’ve always been an Elvis Presley fan even though he died before I was born.
huge
following – to have a large number of fans
— Modern pop stars have a huge following
which they communicate with on social media.
to go on tour – to go on a planned series of performances around a region
or country
— I hope my favourite band go on tour again soon as they put on an
amazing live show.
sellout – a performance or sports event for which
no more tickets are available because it’s so popular
— The Bruno Mars concerts were a sellout at every venue on the tour.
record company
– a business that makes and sells musical recordings
— Our band
is getting well-known across the country and we’re hopeful of getting signed by
a record company.
record label
– a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and
music videos
— You know you’ve hit the big time if you get signed up with
one of the big record labels such as
Sony.
hit the big time
– to become successful and/or famous
— After winning the TV talent show, Shelley hit the big time and was soon singing
in huge venues around the world.
a hit – to be popular; a record that sells lots of copies
— “Happy” was a massive hit for Pharrell Williams.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
the charts – a list of individual songs or musical performances ranked in order of number of sales or downloads over a specific period of time which indicates their popularity
— Ariana Grande’s new record is brilliant and I’m not surprised it’s made it to No.1 in the charts.
to sing along to – to join in singing
— My favourite songs in the charts are always the ones you can sing along to.
a sing-song – to sing informally, often with other people
— I have wonderful memories of my gran playing popular songs on the piano at family get-togethers and everyone joining in for a sing-song.
music-lover – someone who really enjoys listening to music
— I can’t say I’m a great music-lover although I do enjoy listening to the radio when I’m driving.
applause – approval or praise expressed by clapping the hands together
— The applause continued even after the band had left the stage.
- a round of applause – an outburst of clapping from an audience to show approval
— The audience gave the choir an enthusiastic round of applause as they came on to perform.
to be into / not into – to be interested in or involved with / to not be interested in
— I’m really into folk music but not into jazz at all.
to improvise – create and perform music, drama or verse spontaneously or without preparation
— I don’t enjoy listening to jazz when it’s improvised as it sounds like the musicians are all playing different tunes.
once in a blue moon – hardly ever
— I’m definitely a music-lover but only go to live gigs once in a blue moon.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Click this link to get a PDF download of this list of music vocabulary.
Download PDF Now
Ways to Improve Your Music Vocabulary
One of the best
ways to improve your music vocabulary is through reading. Watching topic related YouTube
videos and listening to podcasts is also hugely beneficial.
Here are some
online resources I recommend.
Music Articles
These online publications contain music news and related articles. Most music genres have their own publications so search for those that particularly interest you, e.g. «Jazz magazines» or «Jazz articles».
Pitchfork
BBC News — Music
The Guardian — Music
TED Talks
I love TED Talks. They are short videos
with a powerful message and are generally very interesting. They’re ideal for
improving your vocabulary and give valuable listening skills practise.
Search TED Talks — Music to help you improve your music vocabulary. It will take a bit more searching to find something relevant than with some other topics but it’s worth seeing what you can find.
All Topic Vocabulary
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Have you ever wondered if people judge you based on your favorite music genre? Or are you guilty of doing this yourself?
When it comes to meeting new people, it’s always interesting to know what kind of music they listen to. Sometimes you immediately bond when you find out you both have the same favorite artist. At other times, you might dislike someone because you hate his preferred music genre.
Then again, a person’s taste in music does not reflect anything about his personality. Or does it? Is judging someone based on their musical preferences smart or shallow?
Music is part of cultures all around the globe. Whether it’s an African tribe jamming or a DJ playing the mainstage of Tomorrowland, we all listen to music. It’s part of our lives. Naturally, there have been many studies on music vs. personality!
Do you know who you are?
Spoiler alert: yes, there’s quite the link between both. There’s a lot of different studies out there, using a few different personality models. Let’s check out two important ones.
A first example is the well-known “Myers-Briggs Type Indicator” (MBTI). It’s a test that defines your personality as one of 16 possibilities.
Your “type” is made up of 4 traits, resulting in 4 letters. For every letter, there are two possibilities, resulting in 16 possible combinations in total.
First, it tests whether you are more of an extravert or an introvert, resulting in the letter E or I.
Next up, the test identifies your perceiving function, being either sensing or intuition. So the second letter of your personality type is either S or N.
Your way of judging decides the third part of your type. You can be a thinker or a feeler, resulting in T or F as your third letter.
Finally, the test decides whether you prefer using your perception or your judging (letters two and three). Resulting in the fourth letter being either P or J.
This whole process results in your personality type. To summarize:
- Extraversion vs. Introversion
- Sensing vs. Intuition
- Thinking vs. Feeling
- Judging vs. Perception
Examples are ENTP, ISFJ, INTP and so on. All traits or preferences described above have long and deep explanations, but let’s not get too sciencey here. Anything important is explained per genre below.
The Big Five
Another model used for testing is the “Big Five” model. It describes your personality based on five broad dimensions:
- Openness to experience
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
Lots of fancy words, but one thing is important for you to know. Your openness to new experiences and level of extraversion are the biggest influences on your musical preferences.
Now that you had a crash course in personality models and tests, let’s get down to business: what does your favorite genre say about your personality?
Music genre vs. personality
Pop
As a fan of pop music, your personality stands out from the rest (which is also the case for metal fans). You are on the opposite side of the spectrum in relation to metal fans though.
If you love to listen to chart-topping pop songs, you are quite the extravert but you may lack in creativity.
If you love pop, you can also be turbulent or nervous from time to time. But let’s be honest, who isn’t? Unless you’re one of those cold-blooded psychos.
Still, as a pop fan you maintain a high self-esteem and have no problem with a day of hard work. When it comes to the MBTI there’s a big chance you are either ESFP, ESFJ, or ISFP. Check out the description above and find out if it matches!
Rap & Hip-hop
As a fan of hip-hop music, you are proven to be outgoing, a trait of true extraverts. Just like your pop-listening friends (unless you don’t want any fans of pop as friends) you love to be social and go out to party.
Besides your energetic and rhythmic vibe, you also display a pretty high self-esteem. Speaking of high self-esteem in relation to hip-hop reminds us of a special someone. Kanye West, anyone?
When it comes to the results of the MBTI test, there’s not a single type that stands out above the rest. But that does certainly not mean it’s a dull genre, on the contrary. Hip-hop may very well be the single most personality driven genre. After all, a lot of times it comes down to just a guy or girl with a mic.
Most personality types listening to this genre are extraverted and prefer sensing over intuition. Simply put, when it comes to processing new information, you prefer information that is in the present, tangible and concrete.
Rock
Listening to rock means you are an intuitive person. This means you have no problem trusting information that is not directly related to your senses. You like to associate it with other information and are interested in future possibilities.
When it comes to challenges, you are both relaxed and flexible. Sounds like everyone’s favorite employee!
Of course, there are quite a few different kinds of rock. If you’re a fan of the classics (high five!), chances are you’re a hard worker, at ease with yourself and you love nostalgic vibes. Not being a fan of the classics could be regarded as a felony, but to each his own.
On the other hand, indie rock enthusiasts turn out to be on the opposite side. If you’re a fan of indie, you are probably a little lazy, while sporting lower self-esteem (maybe you could borrow some from Kanye). However, as an indie rocker you are more creative than other people!
As a rock fan, there’s a big chance you are an ENTP (or something along those lines) personality, which is usually referred to as being a “debater”. Maybe it’s because of that rebellious rock spirit.
Metal
The traits possessed by metal fans are distinctive, and turn out to be the opposite of pop fans (whoa, big surprise here).
If you like throwing up the horns you are mostly introverted and very intuitive. This means you live in a world of ideas and reflection, and new information does not have to be tangible for you to interpret and process it. Sounds nice!
Even though the music itself can be heavy or dark, this certainly can’t be said about you. According to the tests, as a metal fan you are quite the gentle person! You’re also really creative.
Music psychologist Adrian North says metal fans are “the same kind of person” as classical music lovers. If only a bit younger.
Your love for fast, loud and heavy music does not necessarily mean you only listen to brutal Death Metal bands. Few can resist the pleasures of classic acts like Motörhead or Metallica!
Classical
Do you appreciate classical music? If you do, you have good intuition and a healthy amount of self-esteem.
Being intuitive means you tend to trust incoming information that is less dependent on the senses. Instead you consider future possibilities or try to find patterns. The nice amount of self-esteem speaks for itself!
The classical music cliché is true as well: fans of this genre are usually smarter than other music lovers. This is known as “The Mozart Effect”.
Is pop too dull for you? There’s a big chance it is. Being a fan of classical music means you have a personality that loves complex symphonies and compositions.
You can be a great creative mind, and you see listening to music as a theatrical experience. A trait you share with metal fans, by the way. Who would’ve thought?
R&B
R&B attracts a lot of outgoing, extraverted listeners. If you are a fan of R&B, you are someone who truly follows their heart!
You have no problem showing your emotions. Especially emotions inspired by the music. Random fact: apparently, you are not the biggest fans of green energy and are perfectly fine with the current use of fossil fuel.
Sounds like you? Global Warming is real, you know. *Trump voice* just kidding, it’s something the Chinese invented.
EDM
EDM spans a wide range of genres, but there’s a few different traits that appear amongst fans of all kinds of EDM.
Fans of electronic dance music are outgoing and social. This should not be a surprise, as these days EDM is widely accepted all around the world.
It’s a new kind of pop, directly competing for radio playtime. Songs that make mainstage crowds go crazy can now be heard playing on your mother’s favorite radio station.
Of course, your outgoing personality comes in handy if you plan to attend a festival or two during the summer. There’s a chance you aren’t the gentlest person while out there on the festival grounds though. But to be fair, we all hate it when you’re standing in a crowd and a group of people tries to push past you on their way to the front line.
The “fast, loud and heavy” attributes found in heavy metal also make an appearance here. Just think of some bangers by Skrillex or Diplo; you can’t hold back the crowd when they drop.
Smart or shallow?
So, we’ve talked about a few different genres, each with their own attributes and personality traits. It’s clear that asking about someone’s musical taste might give you an idea of that person’s personality.
But please, don’t go and delete all your contacts because you can’t seem to enjoy their Spotify playlist. Most people listen to more than one genre, and you should too! It might not change your personality, but has quite the list of benefits.
Remember: while our preferred music might give you a first impression, it’s not supposed to divide us. It’s supposed to unite us!
Does your favorite music genre match your personality according to this list? Let us know in the comments, or subscribe for more musical facts straight to your inbox!
The links between personality traits and musical taste haven’t been explored much, but some studies confirm that they’re indeed related to some degree. Others say not so much. Learn what research says about the relationship between who you are and what you listen to.
Personality Traits and Musical Tastes
In one study, researchers asked more than 36,000 participants worldwide to rate more than 104 different musical styles. They also filled out Big 5 personality inventories and provided information about their favorite music. The results indicated that personality and musical taste are indeed linked, but other individual differences factor in, too. Here are some of the personality traits the study linked to certain musical styles.
- Pop. Extroverted, honest, and conventional. Although pop music lovers were hardworking and had high self-esteem, researchers suggest that they are less creative and more uneasy than those enamored by other musical styles.
- Rap/hip hop. Despite the stereotype that rap lovers are aggressive or violent, the researchers found no such link. However, the rap fans tended to have high self-esteem and were generally more outgoing than fans of other styles.
- Country. These fans typically identified as hardworking, conventional, outgoing, and conservative. Although country music frequently centers on heartbreak, people who prefer it tended to be emotionally stable. They also ranked lower than others in openness to experience.
- Rock/heavy metal. Rock and heavy metal often project images of anger, bravado, and aggression. However, this study found such fans to be gentle, creative, and introverted. They also tended to have low self-esteem.
- Indie. Fans of the indie genre registered as introverted, intellectual, and creative, but less hardworking and gentle than fans of other styles. Passivity, anxiousness, and low self-esteem were other notable personality characteristics.
- Dance. Those who preferred dance music were typically outgoing, assertive, and open to experience but ranked lower than others in gentleness.
- Classical. The study’s classical music lovers were generally somewhat introverted but at ease with themselves. Creativity and healthy self-esteem were common among them.
- Jazz, blues, and soul. Extroverted with high self-esteem. They also tend to be very creative, intelligent, and at ease.
The study further suggests that people define themselves through music and use it as a means to relate to other people. This explains why people sometimes feel defensive about their taste in music: A criticism about their music feels like a criticism of them.
People can make accurate judgments about an individual’s levels of extraversion, creativity, and open-mindedness after listening to 10 of their favorite songs.
Predictions of Personality Traits
The results of a study by psychologists Jason Rentfrow and Sam Gosling suggest that the music people listen to can lead to surprisingly accurate predictions about their personalities.
For example, extroverts preferred heavy bass lines in the study, whereas those who enjoy more complex styles such as jazz and classical music are creative and have higher IQ-scores. Rentfrow and Gosling have extended their studies to look at specific facets of music linked to preferences.
Cognitive Styles and Musical Taste
Another study found that the music you enjoy might be connected to how your brain processes information. The researchers suggest that people have two ways of responding to the world: based on social cues (empathizing), and based on preset conceptions of how people think they should respond (systemizing).
Empathizers were likely to enjoy mellow but emotionally rich contemporary music ranging from indie rock to country to folk. Many have careers in the arts or helping professions, and they preferred soft music that evokes strong emotional responses.
In contrast, systemizers gravitated toward math and science. They were drawn to structural complexity, often liking classical, jazz, and world music and complex, intense, energetic, upbeat music.
Not all research supports the idea that personality traits play a role in determining musical preferences, however. One 2017 meta-analysis found that personality traits played very little of a role in accounting for these individual differences.
Music’s Functions
Music is an important way to express identity. One study further suggests other key psychological functions:
- Improving performance
- Stimulating curiosity and imagination
- Amplifying certain moods or emotions
The study indicated that gender, age, social class, and cultural background also play important roles in musical taste.
A Word From Verywell
The next time you’re putting together a playlist for your commute or workout, consider how your personality might be reflected in your song choices. Try listening to styles of music that you don’t normally prefer; research suggests that this can have a lasting positive impact on the brain.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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North AC. Individual differences in musical taste. The American Journal of Psychology. 2010;123(2):199-208. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.2.0199
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Rentfrow PJ, Gosling SD. The do re mi’s of everyday life: The structure and personality correlates of music preferences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2003;84(6):1236-1256. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.6.1236
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Schäfer T, Mehlhorn C. Can personality traits predict musical style preferences? A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences. 2017;116:265-273. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.061
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Chamorro-Premuzic T, Furnham A. Personality and music: Can traits explain how people use music in everyday life? British Journal of Psychology. 2007;98(2):175-185. doi:10.1348/000712606X111177
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Wong PCM, Chan AHD, Roy A, Margulis EH. The bimusical brain is not two monomusical brains in one: Evidence from musical affective processing. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2011;23(12):4082-4093.
Additional Reading
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Greenbert, DM. Baron-Cohen, S, Stillwell, DJ, Kosinski, M, and Rentfrow. PJ. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles. PlosONE. 2015. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131151.
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North, AC. Individual differences in musical taste. The American Journal of Psychology. 2010; 123(2): 199-208. doi: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.2.0199.
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Schafer, T & Mehlhorn, C. Can personality traits predict musical style preferences? A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences. 2017 116: 265-273. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.061.
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Wong, PC, Chan, AH, Roy, A, and Margulis, EH. The bimusical brain is not two monomusical brains in one: Evidence from musical affective processing. J Cogn Neurosci. 2011; 23(12): 4082-4093. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_00105.
- Rentfrow PJ, Goldberg LR, Stillwell DJ, Kosinski M, Gosling SD, Levitin DJ. The Song Remains the Same: A Replication and Extension of the MUSIC Model. Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal. 2012;30(2):161-185. doi:10.1525/mp.2012.30.2.161.
By Kendra Cherry
Kendra Cherry, MS, is the author of the «Everything Psychology Book (2nd Edition)» and has written thousands of articles on diverse psychology topics. Kendra holds a Master of Science degree in education from Boise State University with a primary research interest in educational psychology and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Idaho State University with additional coursework in substance use and case management.
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1. a fan of music
2. at home, relaxing, travelling, leisure
3. mood savor, revitalize, recharge, mood recover, cheer me up
4. blue, stress, sense of accomplishment
5. all types, classical, country music, pop music, love music
6. as long as its good one, its fun
7. touches my heart, excitement
8. rhythm, lyrics, harmony, catchy tune, seductive melody, soothing
9. different tastes, getting popular, famous singer
10. I tried to learn
11. self-discipline, determination, passion
12. recorded, live music
13. MP3 player, mobile, computer
Posted by:
RAJASHISH CHAKRABORTTY |
July 22, 2016 at 12:51
1. Yes, I love to spend my leisure time listening music.
2. Well, there is no special category that I am following most. but for sure I have preference based on my mood. Normally I’m a huge fan of classical music with soft melodies. These are always refreshing my mind. During working alone like cooking, cleaning household staffs I listen to rock songs with high volume which brings a lot of energy.
3. To be honest there is no drastic changes. I noticed few mere changes for instance I have now more interest on English song which was never in my favorite list.
4. Of course I do. Logically people from different generation will have taste variation. Depending upon the maturity, music stars of their own age, impact of globalization as well as technological development in music industry will divide younger and older generation.
( It will be a pleasure if anybody review my answer and give a band score)
Posted by:
Hero7 |
July 22, 2016 at 16:22
Yes, I love music very much because first , listening to music helps me to clear up my mind second, it improves my mood when I am unhappy.
Posted by:
Dildora |
July 22, 2016 at 17:50
1, To be honest, i don’t like music, I’d rather watch movies or game shows. However, it’s good for me sometimes when I’ve got stressed in my work.
2, I used to listen music from secret garden which has no lyrics, because i like some music makes me feel so deep and I dislike to listen rock anyway.
3, yes, of course. When i was a child, i listened music on TV or in school which the contents were towards to the happiness and love in school,with friends and family; but now i listen more about lovers and sadness in love.
4, it depends, for example, in my family, although my parents just like some old songs in the war time because they were grew in that moment, my friends’ parents like the young music as my friend and me too.
Posted by:
nhan nguyen |
July 23, 2016 at 08:36
well i am a massive fan of music because it refresh my mind and soul.2 Actually it depends on my mood.if i am alone then normally prefer to listen sufi songs as its source of enjoyment after work either physical and mental 3 as generation gap,the advancement in technology has changed the lyrics,melody ,base and tunes of the music.4 yes, choice of music wil differ according to age Besides older people
often listen old songs .on other side younger usually enjoy rock music.
Posted by:
kulwinder |
July 23, 2016 at 13:13
1. Do you like music? Why / why not?
Yes, I am fond of music. It is simply the medicine for my mind. When I am stressed, music remove stress. When I am happy, music inspires me to be more. It always in the center of all my parties with friends. When I am sad, music takes me out glue and move forward.
2. What kind of music do you listen to? Why?
I listen to different types musics, It depends on my mod. When I am happy, I usually come to metal rock to boost up my emotion. When I need to relax, or concentrate for studying, I come to R&B. When I am feeling the sense of patriot, I turn to traditional music…
3. Has the music that you listen to changed since you were young?
Definitely yes. Due to technical advancements and computerization, music has become popular and accessible almost all the time. People can enjoy music whenever they like with portable equipment such as handy phone, ipod while music fans just did it at home if they had CD players which were not affordable to many or just in theatre.
4. Do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of music?
It clear for me that different ages enjoy different kinds of music. Young people tend take fast and strong rhythm while elders take classical one as they want enjoy great teaching rhythm, lyrics and harmony.
Posted by:
Kelvin |
July 24, 2016 at 06:21
1. Do you like music? Why / why not?
yes I like music because music very important to change my mood .
2. What kind of music do you listen to? Why?
Actually I listen to romantic music but I love clack more than romantic music.
3. Has the music that you listen to changed since you were young?
yes because I change my plan .
4. Do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of music?
yes
Posted by:
Asma |
July 25, 2016 at 11:01
1. Like many people in the world, i enjoyed listening to music so much. Music can refresh my mind. And sometimes it makes my mood better.
2. Actually i dont have any specific kind of music that i like for now. I just play what’s becoming hits on youtube.
3. Yes. When i was a kid, i enjoyed kid’s song, and then when i was in high school i enjoyed pop song. But then in my college i got influence from my friends who love rock music. And for now, i enjoy any kind of music.
4. I dont really think so. I remember when i went to concert i saw many people at my aged. Some of them are younger or older than me. And what i see nowadays music idols have fans from young to old fans.
Posted by:
Rini |
July 26, 2016 at 10:59
Yes, music is one of my favourite pastimes.
I listen to different genres of music , western classical , indian classical and film music ,rock.
As I grew up , my music taste has also changed a lot. I used to listen to simple tunes earlier and now I love more complex and subtle music.
Definitely, different generations prefer different types of music. I think people prefer music they can relate to and have grown up with.
Posted by:
sd |
July 30, 2016 at 16:04
LOVE music and always have. Mostly rock and roll, although i like and respect many different types of music.
I think about «older vs. younger» quite a bit as it relates to music. It’s a very interesting topic, obviously younger people are more into what is popular at the time, which can often be disposable and mediocre. then again, I still follow and enjoy a lot of the songs/albums/bands that I liked when I was young. I know a # of «older» people who think everything released in the last decade or two sucks. It’s a silly attitude to have.
So I’m not sure that my listening tastes have changed all that much. This is largely due to being open-minded. Being a big rock fan i do feel like the mainstream music scene has shifted away from the type of music I like the most, but I’m still always on the lookout for quality new songs and bands.
Posted by:
Jason |
August 02, 2016 at 03:49
1. Do you like music? Why / why not?
yeah, i am really into pop music, especially when i want to study, it increase my concentration, my mom always say to me how you could study with musics, dont they disturbe your concentration!?
2. What kind of music do you listen to? Why?
well, it certainly depends on my mood, when i feel unhappy, i play a dance CD and dancing boost my mood! when i come bach home after a boring day, listening to pop music make me relax, or after a stressful day, a tradition music cheer me up and gives me a sense of accomplishment
3. Has the music that you listen to changed since you were young?
surely, when i was under 18, i had limited myself to tradition and pop musics but when i went to university my views changed about diffrent muscis and i currently listen to r & b, metal, hip hop melodies.
4. Do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of music?
i want to give my grandfather answer to you, when i always want to turn up muscics vloume he says me, i’m so old to listen metal music, but if you play a pop music CD, i give you permission to increase volume
Posted by:
Reza |
August 11, 2016 at 13:49
1. Do you like music? Why / why not?
yes sure, I like it so much.It can cheers me up and increase my energy to do my work.
2. What kind of music do you listen to? Why?
I like many different types of music. I prefer old Arabic music very much also I used to listen to some English songs when i was younger.
3. Has the music that you listen to changed since you were young?
No, I think not because now i am not interesting to listen new types of music.
4. Do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of music?
Yes, because life now becomes more faster therefore the music also started to take the same direction.
Posted by:
Rose |
September 06, 2016 at 14:18
I love music and it is my favourite hobby to listen to music.Music ,i think zest up your life.
Posted by:
r |
November 12, 2016 at 10:20
1. yes, i do love listening to music, especially when i’m upset or sad. listening to some types of music like pop music can help put me in a better mood.
2. i like all types of music. i think every single song has its own unique meaning, and i can be inspired by these songs.
3. yes, listening to different types of music from other countries really helped me become open-minded and also curious about the world.
4. yes, people from different generations have different tastes in music. young people are more likely to listen to some rock and love music, while the old may be are well into some classical music or traditional music.
Posted by:
morning |
March 13, 2017 at 05:08
Do you like music? why?
I like music as because music is the language my heart sometimes and also food of my soul. Specially when I feel tensed or exhausted i need to learn/hear music.Sometime I enjoy new favourite song by new voice with a remix flavour.Basically, I hear song for getting recreation and to refresh my mind.
Posted by:
sujit kumar biswas |
April 06, 2017 at 10:01
describe a magazine article yo recently read ?
yo should say
what was the article about
when you read
how you read
what lesson u learn from it
Posted by:
Sushilgautam |
July 08, 2017 at 07:49
well i am fan of classical music, i listen music while travelling, cooking or doing some housework
As i mentioned i am fond of classical music, well while doing work out in gym i prefer to listen Rock music that give me more energy.
Posted by:
Desert Safari Dubai |
August 01, 2017 at 13:11
1-) Yes, like most people in the world, I like to listen to music. Because, to listen to the music, it gives me a lot of energy and helps me feel myself better. I prefer to listen to the music when I have stress and to achieve my goals in my life, that is, listening to music always motivates me.
2-) To be honest, there is no special category that I listen to or to follow. I listen to all kind of music which make me happy.
3-) Yes, I agree with that, the music I’ve listened when I was a child totally changed. A kind of music can be changed based on a lot of factors like age, mood savor and etc. I used to listen to love music in my childhood, but nowadays I’m preferring to listen to classical music.
4-)Yes, the people from different ages prefer to listen to various music. For example, most older people don’t like to listen to pop music
Posted by:
Koray |
April 19, 2018 at 16:50
1 )yes absolutely,I love music because it makes me feel good apart from that whenever we listen music two parts of our brain region are activated they are know as limbic and paralimbic which help us to cheer more beside this music decreases our stress harmone .
2) I have different test of music like I am found of to listen Rock,Pop,Rap song but melody songs I love the most because it has great power to connect you more deeply secondly it is soothing to our brain.
3) certainly,it has been changed in a decade just because of advancement of technology before songs were made in rudimentary versions like before producer you using simple beats and tones but since the technology has upgraded producers are using 3D effects in composition.
4) yes it is true that youngsters have different choices about song mostly they like fast music like remixe version but older people love to listen Singtel music because songs preference changes according to maturity level of a person.
Posted by:
Rahul singh |
July 23, 2019 at 23:40
Answer:
1. I am a music lover
2. I love POP music, because it’s exciting and interesting
3. No I have liked this genre since young
4. ummmm, I don’t know. but maybe i will change it a bit.
Posted by:
Klingelton Kostenlos |
August 19, 2019 at 18:02
2 . i like Ballad music , because it’s one of the «most elegant» words — not fancy, but inspiring; and make the listener feel comfortable to enjoy
Posted by:
Hồ Phúc Tường Vân |
November 17, 2019 at 01:59