Musicologist Nolan Gasser on What Determines Musical Taste

Why do we love some musical styles and dislike others? And what does the music we love reveal about our personality? Nolan Gasser sets out to answer those and other questions in his new book “Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste.” Gasser oversaw Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project, which created an algorithm to recommend music for listeners based on the specific characteristics of the songs they played. His new book draws on psychology, sociology and musicology to explain the elements that dictate and inform musical preferences. We’ll talk to him about his work, and we want to hear from you: What musical patterns, styles or genres move you?