The Perception of Semantic Qualities in Music Genres: A Pilot Study

This pilot study examined how people perceive a range of music genres across five semantic qualities: professional, clear, distressing, innovative, and happy. Participants rated 15 common music genres using Likert scales in an online survey. The primary aim of the study was exploratory and methodological, namely to quantify associations between music genres and these qualities in order to inform stimulus selection for a subsequent, more focused study. Descriptive analyses revealed distinct and systematic patterns of association between specific genres and particular qualities (e.g., classical music with professionalism and clarity, metal with distressing qualities, and pop with happiness). The full dataset and descriptive results are provided to support transparency and to document the rationale for genre selection in subsequent preregistered research.