As if the Jazz and Classical genres weren’t a dead giveaway with regard to the more “adept” musical listener, it turns out that a new study published in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences suggests that those who prefer instrumental music are more intelligent. The study’s author, Elena Racevska, had a hunch that musical preference is tied to personality traits and that more intelligent people seek novel experiences compared to less smarter folks, which also influences their musical tastes. This particular predictor turns out to be very closely tied to the type of music a person listens to.

Racevska surveyed almost 500 Croatian students (huh?) and found that those with higher intelligence scores were associated with a preference for instrumental music, such as Jazz and Classical. Although there are other factors that play into the results (age, gender, level of education, etc.), Racevska believes that future studies might untangle the relationship between musical complexity and novelty in shaping preferences. Racevska adds, “A cross-cultural study could examine and control for influences of culturally specific ways of experiencing music, and other music-related behaviors.”

As big fans of the Jazz genre, we wholeheartedly agree! However, not necessarily for the same reasoning. Our view is that the complexity in Jazz, Classical and other instrumental music requires a more disciplined, well-rounded and conscious observer compared to the typical Pop music fan. The hooks and forms can be much more subtle in instrumental music, which ultimately makes the listener have to work harder to really “hear” the composition. For Pop fans that are continually hit with the same cardboard, cookie-cutter style compositions there is a loss of detail in listening and this really makes most “intelligent” music pass right over their heads.

Let’s face it, most people don’t typically start listening to the Jazz genre right off the bat–they generally have to work their way up to it, much like passing different grades in school. In essence, there is a sort of a prerequisite listening required to be able to approach the higher forms of music. Most that listen to Pop music will never get it, but some who eventually transgress this (mostly boring) genre will seek out more in-depth musical experiences, which ultimately leads its way to Jazz, Classical and many other deep musical paths. The great thing about Jazz and Classical is that once the listener arrives here, the real musical world is just beginning!

So basically, our take is that everyone can and should up their IQ immediately by putting on some good Jazz music. What have you got to lose?