Lifestyle correlates of musical preference: 3. Travel, money, education, employment and health

Abstract

Several studies indicate that musical preferences provide a means of discriminating between social groups, and suggest indirectly that musical preferences should correlate with a variety of different lifestyle choices. In this study, 2532 participants responded to a questionnaire asking them to state their musical preference and also to provide data on various social class-related aspects of their lifestyle (namely travel, personal finances, education, employment, health, and drinking and smoking). Numerous associations existed between musical preference and these aspects of participants’ lifestyle. The nature of these associations indicated that liking for ‘high-art’ music was indicative of a lifestyle of the upper-middle and upper classes, whereas liking for ‘low-art’ music was indicative of a lifestyle of the lower-middle and lower classes. Issues concerning causality are discussed with reference to the likely complex interaction of numerous factors.