Discover What Your Music Taste Suggests About You

Have you ever thought about what attracts you to the music that you enjoy? What is it that makes your heart beat to the rhythm of the drum? Or what gives you those chills when a singer hits that perfect note?

We are fortunate to live in a time in which music is both plentiful and easily accessible. Of course, there’s still something special about going out to experience music in a different setting, whether it’s listening to live music at a club or digging through crates of vinyl at your favorite record store. Yet, there is no denying that streaming music has changed both the music industry and our listening habits significantly.

One of the best perks to come out of the streaming evolution is the potential of our favorite music apps to track our listening habits. Some may find this a bit “stalkerish”—and rightfully so—but there’s so many gems that you can uncover about yourself from reviewing your listening habits via your favorite music apps.

YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Spotify each has its own methods of personalizing users’ listening experiences, including providing listeners with their end-of-the-year playlist recaps. Named YouTube Music Recap, Apple Music Replay, and Spotify Wrapped, respectively, users get to revisit all of the different (or same) songs that they listened to throughout the year. In addition to recaps, each app also offers personalized playlists, song suggestions, and other recommendations specifically based on your preference patterns.

Spotify, my personal favorite, took its data tracking a step further by conducting a study on how listening habits relate to personality traits. Its research, in connection with the Five Factor Model of Personality, proved very insightful on how music can reveal so much about who we are as people.

According to Spotify’s study, here’s how the music that you love so much connects with your personality traits.

Openness: The creative and curious listeners

If you are a very creative and/or curious person, this personality trait connects you with many different genres of music. This makes sense as people with the openness personality trait often have a broad range of interests and are curious and eager to learn new things. Among the genres, there is a strong correlation with folk music, reggae, and atmospheric music that has sentimental and peaceful moods.

Songs to explore

• A song that may pull you in could be the Irish/Scottish folk song “Wild Mountain Thyme/ Will Ye Go, Lassie Go,” which has been performed by countless artists. One of the most recent versions was featured in the box-office hit Sinners, which is a beautiful version in its own right.

• Another great song that you may connect with is the classic “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley.

Conscientiousness: The listeners who love details and organization

The folks in the conscientiousness category tend to be very organized with great attention to detail. You can’t resist a good funk band or romantic singer, especially when the music is upbeat and empowering. Who can blame you? Funk music takes a particular set of skills from various instruments and singers. A good romantic song also knows how to pull the right heart strings.

Songs to explore

• You likely appreciate the electrifying “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.

• You’ll also probably find it difficult to resist Elvis Presley’s heartthrob version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

Extraversion: The social listeners who enjoy being around others

Clubs and live concerts were made especially for you extraversion listeners. You love being social and enjoying music with others. It makes you feel more energetic, more alive. Your music genre preferences can tend to be pretty diverse and may even seem opposing at times. As long as the mood of the music is sensual and/or cool, you’re going to have a good time.

Songs to explore

• You may like cutting a rug to a feel-good country song like “Life Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts.

• Or you may enjoy slowing it down with a one-on-one dance to the hip-hop/R&B love song “luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA.

Agreeableness: The caring and empathetic listeners

If you’re a very caring and empathetic person, this agreeableness trait likely carries over to how you listen to music as well. You appreciate songs that put a lot of heart into the music, such as jazz, soul, and blues. You have a special appreciation for music that is sophisticated and gritty.

Songs to explore

• You probably already know the Frank Sinatra’s classic “That’s Life”—and for good reason. Almost 60 years later, it’s still an absolute banger.

• Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” are pure vibes for you, too. You get the music, and the music gets you.

Emotional stability: The listeners who like to calm worries and stress

If you are a person who struggles with emotional stability, music may be very therapeutic for you. It can help calm the worries and ease stress. You like to listen to songs that have a lively mood, and this can fall into different genres such as soul, jazz, and country. On the other hand, if the songs have a brooding or urgent mood, then this may not work well for you.

Songs to explore

• On a tough day, try out a song like “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett.

• “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield is another good choice to keep you feeling positive.

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So, what does your streaming say about you? The next time you are having a jam session in your car or singing the stress of the day away in the shower, take a moment to ask yourself: Why do I love this song so much? Your music taste might be telling a deeper story about your personality. It’s a fun—and surprisingly insightful—way to reflect on how you move through the world. Because music isn’t just about melodies and lyrics; it’s a reflection of who we are.