Your favorite artist's OR artists' personality

[nschlaff]

I am very curious about whether or not you guys evaluate the personalities of your favorite artists. So I created this thread so that people can talk about their favorite artist or artists, what personality or personalities these artist(s) have, and your rationale for categorizing them in that personality or those personalities.

Does personality play a role in whether or not you accept an artist's music?

Here's an example for me:

St Vincent, an Indie artist, is INTP to me because she is very cerebral, theoretical, and lives in her own head a lot according to this interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXbdUYShXWs

 

[Vidi]

the less i know about an artist's personality the more I like them

 

[Intellect]

the less i know about an artist's personality the more I like them

Yeah, I would rather appreciate an artist purely based on their work. It's important to distinguish between someone's personal and professional life.

 

[redbaron]

It depends. Some aspects of an artist's personality can provide insight into the meaning behind the vocals or the inspiration for creating a certain song or style. In that sense I think personality can enhance (or devalue) the piece in some way.

I think music that can give personal insights or meaning lasts a lot longer in the minds and hearts of those who hear it.

I have a feeling for example, that in 30 years from now bands like Pink Floyd and Tool will still be considered pioneers of music, while the likes of Kesha and Maroon 5 (to example) will be swept well under the rug.

Pop stars seem to only really stay relevant as long as they're making music, because it's not really that they're creating a timeless, innovative piece of music. It's about the show the star puts on more than anything.

Whereas Pink Floyd fans might say, 'I love the depth and atmosphere of X pink Floyd song', Lady Gaga/Katy Perry/'insert generic pop star here' fans seem to have more of an, 'I love this star, she's so awesome I wish I could be as cool as her!'

What I'm attempting to allude to is that when personality gives meaning to already innovative music, it helps propel it helps push it into that special realm of musicianship and ageless quality - think Floyd, King Crimson, Jimi Hendrix etc.

When the music itself is more instant-gratification than innovation - cheesy beats, catchy hooks and heavy drops, the personality ultimately decides whether the music is popular or not. It might be, 'liked' by a lot of people regardless, but I really see the successes of pop stars as more to do with the fact that they are somewhat an embodiment of what people want to (or wish they could) be like. The music itself fades over time.

Quirky people like Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga etc. seem to get by more on personality than musical ability. That's not to say they don't have musical ability, but it's not really what propels them into stardom.

 

[redbaron]

I think Bernard Purdie kind of gives an example of what I mean. He's an amazing drummer, and he'd be respected as such regardless of his personality. But his personality adds a flavour and allows you to make a real connection to what he feels as he plays, and it makes hearing and watching it that much more interesting and meaningful.

At least that's how I interpret it. I think that music is a literal interpretation of an artist, and that it's impossible to separate the personality from the music they're creating - because what they create is their personality given tangible form.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8DsNo4KB6Y&

 

[Proletar]

What is art?

 

[Puffy]

Well, for some music the artist's personality or philosophy is integral. There's pop music, like Red Baron says. But I think you can be a cultural icon and still be an innovator. When I listen to Brian Eno, Captain Beefheart, David Bowie or Devin Townsend, for example, I find it hard to separate their personalities or philosophies from the affects of the music. They're just more visible as artists, in the same way Andy Warhol is in visual art, or Roman Polanski in film.

I think most music would benefit from a study of the artist's life though, just opens more pathways for interpretation.

I am very curious about whether or not you guys evaluate the personalities of your favorite artists. So I created this thread so that people can talk about their favorite artist or artists, what personality or personalities these artist(s) have, and your rationale for categorizing them in that personality or those personalities.

Robert Fripp and Captain Beefheart are probably my two favourite musicians. Fripp, I know literally nothing about. Beefheart, I'd probably peg as an ESTP.

He sounded like a childish man, to be honest - bossy, prone to tantrum, a compulsive liar about his own life - but in part that's why I like him. A childish perspective is un-assimilated; when I first listened to his music it was totally unfamiliar, like I had to learn everything anew with all my old expectations put to the side. The lyrics are idiosyncratic and highly personalised to the point of sounding nonsensical sometimes, the music is riddled with discord and inconsistencies. He was pursuing a private space, I think, both in terms of his art and the direction of his personality, and that's what his music is for me really.

 

[Absurdity]

AWW YEAH

 

[Ostriker]

I actually just started a thread a few days ago explaining how I can't not consider an artist's personality when judging their music. Perhaps you saw it.

My favorite musician is Chad Urmston from the bands Dispatch and State Radio. He is an enigmatic, eccentric individual with incredible charisma on stage. Off stage he has a rather humble disposition, clearly a goodhearted and down-to-earth person. His intelligence and creativity are apparent in his songwriting.

He seems, however, slightly out of touch with reality in that some of his beliefs can be overly grandiose and idealistic. For example he is absolutely obsessed with social activism, having started several charities and activist groups for fans to get involved in. Nonetheless he is a very interesting person and a fun performer to watch. I'm pretty sure he is an INFP.

Spoiler

On stage (song starts at 1:20):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsNAJN8mmns

Off stage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=553mUdPk6ko

 

[snafupants]

AWW YEAH

Kanye's such a whiny bitch. Make sure the Auto-Tune is turned on for the prince.

Spoiler

Dark Twisted Fantasy was all right.

 

[Absurdity]

Kanye's such a whiny bitch. Make sure the Auto-Tune is turned on for the prince.

 

[Ostriker]

I am very curious about whether or not you guys evaluate the personalities of your favorite artists. So I created this thread so that people can talk about their favorite artist or artists, what personality or personalities these artist(s) have, and your rationale for categorizing them in that personality or those personalities.

Does personality play a role in whether or not you accept an artist's music?

Here's an example for me:

St Vincent, an Indie artist, is INTP to me because she is very cerebral, theoretical, and lives in her own head a lot according to this interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXbdUYShXWs

I find her way of explaining things so vague that it's almost annoying. Although the way she slowly opened up over the course of the interview was pretty cute.

 

[pjoa09]

John Mayer

 

[snafupants]

@Absurdity

Too funny. Right Kanye, because commercial success is always commensurate with actual merit. Weren't Nazism and Britney Spears popular at different junctures? What a wanker.

 

[Absurdity]

@Absurdity

Too funny. Right Kanye, because commercial success is always commensurate with actual merit. Weren't Nazism and Britney Spears popular at different junctures? What a wanker.

Shhhh he's an ESXP, commercial success is all that matters.

And you leave Brit out of this.

Edit: He's an ESFP.

 

[jmontroy90]

Not really, because I hear so much of an artist's personality in their music already. Lyrics are an obvious tip-off, but just the type of songs people write...the sorts of chords, the types of melodies, everything. Usually you need to whittle it down to one person's work, one person's brain. So, I can't really tell too much about the RHCP from listening to Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but I can tell you quite a bit about Sufjan Stevens or Kimbra from listening to their stuff. I could tell you mountains of stuff about Eric Whitacre from his stuff.

 

[Ostriker]

I am very curious about whether or not you guys evaluate the personalities of your favorite artists. So I created this thread so that people can talk about their favorite artist or artists, what personality or personalities these artist(s) have, and your rationale for categorizing them in that personality or those personalities.

Does personality play a role in whether or not you accept an artist's music?

Here's an example for me:

St Vincent, an Indie artist, is INTP to me because she is very cerebral, theoretical, and lives in her own head a lot according to this interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXbdUYShXWs

Almost two months after you first made this thread I want you to know that you turned me into a St. Vincent fan. So thanks, haha.

 

[Pizzabeak]

This artist comes off as ENFP to me for a number of reasons:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3EKj7Rr1Tw

If the video isn't enough, I've heard a lot of his stuff and met him briefly a couple times so that may have something to do with it. But who really knows (besides that guy that can type by watching an interview of a person)?

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I listen to a wide range of music and I can say I've only been interested in the personal lives or mentality of a few artists. This is usually for the music that I not only like but deeply resonate with and find myself coming back to.

Jimi Hendrix is one that stands out(partly because I discovered him and his music during teenage highschool years) and every song I listen to, I can't help but interpret or see the associations between his personality and inner chaos, and the music. You can see he was trying to entertain and bring to the world this great music, but at the same time he was intimately expressing himself through his voice and guitar.

I know he's internationally famous and everything, but I can't speak of or appreciate the others in the same way. He's just different.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeM78PicTNQ

 

[MsAnthropy_Indefatigably]

Two of my FAVORITE people:
Fiona Apple and Louis C.K. (He is a comedian, but nothing short of a genius--as an artist, in my eyes)

I think I would like to start a family with them. Like they can have the babies together and I'll just live there with them... be like the extra wife in that scenario. I've only heard ONE live interview of Fiona Apple and I was taken by her immediately (I've been a fan since '97, however). She's so much like myself to me and if I was a skinny vegan white girl, I would be her.... (I AM NONE OF THOSE THINGS... oh except a girl). Louis C.K. is so comforting. He just speaks what everyone would like to say but are embarrassed or aren't comfortable enough with themselves to admit these thoughts. I'm trapped between wanting him to be my dad and wanting to sleep with him... I love him.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

I prefer authentic cunning misanthropes with sharp lyrics, the ability to make an emotional connection, and produce a good sound. This is all an assumption that their music is an expression of their personality, which I believe is very valid if all of the above loose criteria are met. I find that these tend to be staples, while many, many others are merely temporary fillers. Well known examples, with "vibes" in (parentheses):

Marilyn Manson, the band, not the man (INFJ), 2003 & prior (ENTP)
Soundgarden, the earlier the better as well (ENTP)
RATM (ENTP)
Foo Fighters (ENTP)
Any manifestation of Andy Partridge (INTP)
Any manifestation of Damon Albarn (ENTP)

Spoiler

Notice a theme with the "vibes"? Ne, Fe...

I also have an appreciation for a more "unclean" sound. Examples:

The Sonics (ENTP)
The Kills (ENFP)
Primus (ENTP)
Coal Chamber (ISTP)
Psychedelic Furs (ENTP)
Siouxsie & the Banshees (INFP)

I would expect (INTP) vibes from the likes of Bowie, Talking Heads, Spacemen 3, etc.

 

[Wolf18]

I'm a fan of Joni Mitchell (1960s-'70s). I'd call her ENFP or INFP. My proof? Listen to:
"Raised on Robbery"
"Help Me"
"Twisted"
"River"

SW

 

[snafupants]

I like Prince and Miles Davis, even Joni Mitchell.

Anything emotional and sincere and self-lit and singular. I'm not against any one genre but I've only heard a handful of sincere and original country singers.

Country's stock in trade, unfortunately, is schmaltz and cheap topics like booze and promiscuity.