Based on real science, real data.
Musical Universe began in 2017 as a citizen-science platform. Since then, more than 350,000 people around the world have taken part, helping researchers understand how musical taste connects to personality, thinking styles and wellbeing.
What we study
Every piece of music can be described by its psychological attributes: how energetic it is (arousal), how positive or negative it feels (valence), and how emotionally or intellectually complex it is (depth). The music people prefer along these dimensions reflects who they are.
Selected research
- Greenberg et al. (2016). Social Psychological and Personality Science. Preferences for musical attributes reflect personality.
- Greenberg et al. (2022). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Musical preferences across 53 countries, with over 350,000 participants.
- Anderson, Greenberg et al. (2020). Social Psychological and Personality Science. Predicting personality from Spotify listening.
- Greenberg et al. (2015). PLoS ONE. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles.
Who we are
Musical Universe was founded by Dr. David M. Greenberg, a psychologist, neuroscientist and musician who studies how music shapes the mind.
Your data
This website itself does not collect personal information. When you start the test, you'll see full information about the study and how your answers are stored before you begin.