Live data from Hacker News

High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

musicthatmakesyoudumb.virgil.gr

1–10 of 31 posts

Re: High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

#2
Considering every musical genre is at or below my final SAT score (1380/1600), it could only mean:

1. SAT's are not an indication of intelligence. 2. There is no correlation between type of music and SAT scores. 3. All music, including Beethoven, makes people dumber.

Author claims this is funny? What's funny? People that listen to Soca, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Gospel make the dumbest students? Here's a correlation, which diaspora pioneered all four of those musical genres?

This is inaccurate. I love Lil Wayne. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed Beethoven.

Re: High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

#3
post #2

Considering every musical genre is at or below my final SAT score (1380/1600), it could only mean: 1. SAT's are not an indication of intelligence. 2. There is no correlation between type of music and SAT scores. 3. All music, including Beethoven, makes people dumber. Author claims this is funny? What's funny? People that listen to Soca, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Gospel make the dumbest students? Here's a correlation, which…

It means no such thing. The fact that a correlation exists on average doesn't necessarily mean anything for an individual.

Re: High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

#4
That's nonsense. I know at least 50 people with 1400+ SATs (on a 1600 scale) and only one of them is really into classical.

That statistic is wrong on so many levels. In particular, SAT scores correlate to the level of education, which correlates to the wealth of the family, the area they live and, therefore, the music they would be exposed to.

Re: High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

#5
post #4

That's nonsense. I know at least 50 people with 1400+ SATs (on a 1600 scale) and only one of them is really into classical. That statistic is wrong on so many levels. In particular, SAT scores correlate to the level of education, which correlates to the wealth of the family, the area they live and, therefore, the music they would be exposed to.

Which only confirms the correlation. The author clearly points out he does not intend any causation.

Re: High SAT = Beethoven; Low SAT = Lil Wayne

#8
This is broken in so many ways. Of course the music listened to by the largest number of people is going to correlate to a more average SAT score. The children that regularly listen to classical are those with parents who either intentionally expose them to it at home (which means that they are likely well-educated) or have them take music lessons (which indicates both a concern for their child's mental development as well as above-average financial status). So music and SAT scores are largely influenced by the same factors: education and money.

Also, as someone who spent over a decade of my childhood playing classical piano, I'd suggest that the vast majority of college-age kids who have Beethoven on their "favorite music" list are smart kids just trying to appear to be even smarter. Notice how no other composers, modern or classical, are listed; Beethoven is to classical music what the Beatles are to classic rock and Jay-Z is to hip hop: a generic name for someone to pull, the Java of composers. If I was listing what instrumental music I do listen to, I'd be putting up names that define the styles I like. Philip Glass? Branford Marsalis? Ludovico Einaudi? Sure. Beethoven? Negative.

The only thing I can possibly attest to is the lyrical / instrumental dichotomy. Sometimes it takes a certain kind of mind to appreciate some instrumental music; you have to be able to sit and analyze it, recognize the patterns / progressions, etc. That's why I could see popular bands like Radiohead, U2, and even RATM to a certain extent, doing better than other groups in their genre.

Post reply on HN