Music That Makes You Dumb?

[Lowk]

CalTech grad student named Virgil Griffith has conducted an interesting (albeit somewhat unscientific) study relating music preferences with SAT scores. While SAT scores are criticized for not accurately determining intelligence, the results show that the “smartest” students’ favorite musician is Beethoven, with an average SAT score of 1371, and at the other end of the spectrum is Lil’ Wayne, with an average score of 889.

Other bands at the top of the scale are Counting Crows, Radiohead, and Sufjan Stevens. Check out the full image of the results after the jump:

Surprisingly, no style of music stands out above the rest, but rather most bands fit within the 1000 to 1150 score range. Another question is whether music can be legitimately associated with smarts.

Music That Makes You Dumb? | BeatCrave - Music Blog, MP3 Downloads, Videos, News, Giveaways

It may not be accurate, but notice as the quality/complexity of the music increase so does the SAT score of the listener.

funny things i noticed...

gospel has the lowest score and techno the highest score attached

and i now have a visual reference for evidence in my case that listening to lil'wanye makes you a idiot ( and because the average SAT score is so low, they wont think to call bullshit on the semi professional looking chart)

[Occido]

So...

I listen to Metallica which is roughly 1076-1100, and I listen to Beethoven which is about 1356-1400.
So does that mean my "score" would average at about 1200..ish?

[Zeste]

Wait, are these scores from the same year?

I see bands like Counting Crows and Nirvana in there.... and then bands from today.

So, I am guessing that nerds just listen to older, gayer music?

[Erumaron]

Because most of those scores fall into such super genius nerd levels!

[Grimmlokk]

Think it's just what people listed as their favorite bands, Zeste.

Anyways, it's obviously given the title it has for shock value and to get your attention, when it would more accurately be called Music Dumb People Like. You don't start out smart and get stupid because you listened to Aerosmith. You started out dumb and Aerosmith was right up your alley.

[Lowk]

Originally Posted by Grimmlokk

Think it's just what people listed as their favorite bands, Zeste.

That was my interpretation as well.

[Vatoreus]

Originally Posted by Grimmlokk

Think it's just what people listed as their favorite bands, Zeste.

Anyways, it's obviously given the title it has for shock value and to get your attention, when it would more accurately be called Music Dumb People Like. You don't start out smart and get stupid because you listened to Aerosmith. You started out dumb and Aerosmith was right up your alley.

lmao <3

[Lollipop]

My music taste has many multifaceted aspects as with my outlook to most things. I wonder how one would configure a score for such. However, we really do not know how accurate this study is. I think it does raise some interesting questions such as if our intelligence determines the type of music we listen to or is it just personal choice.

[Zeste]

I worded my statment pretty poorly. I mean to say, it seems like there are much more modern, recent artists on the low end, and older more "established" artists on the higher end

You have TI, the Used, Beyonce, Akon, on the lower end, all which I'd consider late 2000's "popular" artists. And then on the higher end, alot more Ben Folds Five, Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, which I'd consider bands that were most popular a decade or two ago.


I thought it would be important to know if the scores sampled were all from the same year, or if its a collection of scores over the last decade.


I just don't see you walking into a what, 11th grade classroom today and the high scoring kids are like "yeah, David Bowie rocks!" and the dipshits are like "Yeah, I really enjoy T.I. and Akon!"

[Occido]

Knowing The Used personally (I went to high school with them and they lived down the street) I can say that where they are on this chart is being very generous.

[banubus]

Originally Posted by Occido

Knowing The Used personally (I went to high school with them and they lived down the street) I can say that where they are on this chart is being very generous.

It isn't the bands iq being displayed though i'm sure the chart does correspond to in some way.

[Zeste]

Originally Posted by Occido

Knowing The Used personally (I went to high school with them and they lived down the street) I can say that where they are on this chart is being very generous.

Don't the Used have some roots to utah/provo?

edit: You're from Orem? I wiki'd them =D

[Lollipop]

Originally Posted by Zeste

I just don't see you walking into a what, 11th grade classroom today and the high scoring kids are like "yeah, David Bowie rocks!" and the dipshits are like "Yeah, I really enjoy T.I. and Akon!"

I'm in high school and from observation most idiots at my school would probably know every popular song and have no fucking clue who Pink Floyd is. The popular kids are usually the dumbest, or at least the girls play to be. The band geeks usually seem to be the most well rounded, eclectic music taste, most well-read and appreciation for the classics. As a side question what do you guys think about girls that play it dumb?

[Ether]

There are so many confounding variables in this study that to make a direct causal link between intelligence and your favorite music is ridiculous. The music you listen to is largely influenced by your society, people around you etc. rather than the inherent qualities of the music itself. Given that plus the fact that the SAT is a much better test of education rather than intelligence, I think the study is a more accurate reflection of the education levels of listeners of a particular type of music.

What this means is that someone who is well educated doesn't hear Beethoven and think "wow, this is really complex and well made, I like it," it means that people who are well educated and better off economically are more likely to be exposed to Beethoven. Your kids in the ghetto/trailer parks aren't going to have parents that are familiar with Beethoven because they aren't well educated and a part of society that values classical music. It's a cultural thing (and thus connected to socioeconomic level).

Nice study to use to hate people's music preferences and form broad stereotypes, though

[Lowk]

Originally Posted by Zeste

I worded my statment pretty poorly. I mean to say, it seems like there are much more modern, recent artists on the low end, and older more "established" artists on the higher end

You have TI, the Used, Beyonce, Akon, on the lower end, all which I'd consider late 2000's "popular" artists. And then on the higher end, alot more Ben Folds Five, Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, which I'd consider bands that were most popular a decade or two ago.


I thought it would be important to know if the scores sampled were all from the same year, or if its a collection of scores over the last decade.


I just don't see you walking into a what, 11th grade classroom today and the high scoring kids are like "yeah, David Bowie rocks!" and the dipshits are like "Yeah, I really enjoy T.I. and Akon!"

CalTech grad student named Virgil Griffith has conducted an interesting study relating music preferences with SAT scores.

Since the study was done by a current grad student by himself, it would imply that the information was collected recently and not compiled over a long period of time. (years)

When i was in high school I didn't know a single person that listened to Bowie, i'm not sure when it happened but Bowie has gained a lot recognition since the years i was in high school. Anyone who loves music seems to bring up his name when the topic comes up nowadays for me.

that leads me to this thought....

Look at some of the bands that are at the front of the pack at the top, Radiohead, Beck, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and of course Beethoven( im not overly familiar with alot of the other names but interject if my point is off); these are all bands that make music in the sense as of a art form. When you look at the opposite side of the scale with your Lil'wayne, Beoynce, Garth Brooks, Bon Jovi, Taking Back Sunday these are the anti-art (I'm lacking a better real word here) The music they make falls into my mental category of record company overly produced to sell a marketable product to the largest demographic that isn't hard to understand and is more or less disposable.

So what i am saying is, i can see the chart representing is a higher SAT score being able to recognize and comprehend and appreciate music as a art.