Separating the art from the artist: The role of narratives on music enjoyment and appreciation

Abstract

This study tests the effect to which narratives influence the enjoyment and appreciation of popular music. Two experiments tested how narratives about artists influenced listener perception of their songs. Experiment 1 found that narratives about artists influence how their music is appreciated and enjoyed. Experiment 2 found that this influence was due to narratives increasing how much listeners like the artist and desire to see them succeed. The increase in enjoyment and appreciation was stronger for songs that were not as well-liked to begin with. The results suggest that narratives about creators may influence the perception of their work.