Learning to Listen: Musicianship and Omnivorous Taste

• In Event: 3551 - Section on Sociology of Culture Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 3. Cultural Taste and Omnivorousness

Abstract

Musicianship is an overlooked factor in the development of omnivorous taste. Working with data from the 2017 Survey for Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) we use logistic regression and negative binomial regression models to investigate the relationship between omnivorousness and playing, singing, or performing music. We find that musicianship is a strong predictor of omnivorousness. Musicians are more likely to listen to all five genre categories, including highbrow and popular genres. In line with previous studies, education is a positive predictor of omnivorous taste. These findings support conceptions of omnivorousness that emphasize a privileged or expert position rather than an innate openness (Atkinson 2011; Savage and Gayo 2011; Lizardo and Skiles 2012). We conclude with a discussion on the racial and ethnic implications of genre cluster constructions (including “highbrow”), the potential of cluster-based operationalizations and directions for future omnivore studies.

Authors

• Anna Michelson, Northwestern University

• Kat Albrecht, Northwestern University