Like pop? You're surely promiscuous

New Delhi: What kind of music do you like? Think twice before you answer. For, your taste for music is found to define your lifestyle, sexual behaviour and even financial status.

A research done at the University of Leicester has given new insights about linkages between one's taste in music and their various behaviours like sexual promiscuity, criminality and drug use.

The research shows followers of hiphop and dance music are more likely to have had multiple sex partners over the last five years and were among the biggest drug-takers. The people that like club music are also found to take drugs. On the other hand, people who prefer adult-pop and classical music are more likely to pay off their credit card bills on time.

"It comes out in the study that, in these types of music, fans score worse in various behaviours, such as criminality, sexual promiscuity and drug use," BBC quoted Dr Adrian North, the man who led the research, as saying.

The researchers interviewed about 2,500 people in this study. They answered questions on their living arrangements, political beliefs, education, work and pastimes. The researchers, however, acknowledge that some of these findings are related to age and social class.

It shows fans of every style of music are prone to taking drugs, with those who preferred DJ-based club music topping the list. Blues buffs are the most likely to have received a driving penalty.

Fans of musicals come out as the most mild-mannered group, with the lowest level of drug-taking and criminal acts. They also drink less regularly than other music fans, and are among the most likely to do charity work. As many as 34 per cent of fans of musicals like Grease do regular charity work.

The study also revealed strong links between one's educational qualifications and musical preferences. People with a PhD or Masters are more likely to enjoy opera, jazz, blues or classical music. Hip-hop fans were the most likely to have attended a fee-paying school.

In terms of financial status, fans of adult pop and classical music were found to be the most well-off. They are even more likely to pay off their credit card bills each month than the less solvent fans of hip-hop, rap, dance and club music.