10 Tips For Perfecting The Music Section Of Your Dating Profile

Foolproof ways to make potential dates swoon over your great taste, no matter what you like.

Chris Ritter

1. Make selections from all over the spectrum of genres that you like.

Via dailycandy.com

Even if your top 10 essential favorite bands are all death metal (in which case, \mm/, compadre!), if you also like classic rock or country, you should include musicians representative of those tastes, too. It makes someone reading your profile more likely to hit on something that they're into, as well.

2. It's best to stick to naming artists instead of specific albums or tracks.

Via collection-of-gifs.tumblr.com

It's fine to stick on an, "And my absolute favorite [album/song] is [x]," but maybe that would be better suited to round out "The six things I can't live without…" if you're having trouble filling up that section. It also diversifies the "six things" category, which should be a compilation of beloved things culled from all areas of your life (hobbies, food, whiskey sours, etc.).

3. And don't be all vague and list genres or decades in lieu of naming names.

Via juicecrackandchineselaundry.tumblr.com

Great, you like '80s music. Does that mean you're into Public Enemy or The Smiths or Duran Duran or WHAT? Get specific, killer! Same goes for saying, like, "punk," or "rap," or "classic rock." Tell us how you really feel!

4. Be aware of what certain artists might mean to other people.

Via d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net

While it's good to represent your taste as honestly as possible, it can be helpful to keep in mind that, this being a dating website, people are most likely going to read certain things into what music you post. So carefully consider what potential paramours might think of that Chris Brown mention, you know? And realize that people associate specific qualities with some bands – like, what sort of person likes Belle & Sebastian? Or Tool? Or ICP? There are definitely widely-held answers to those types of questions, so be mindful of what each artist you choose says about you.

5. Avoid the following overused phrases:

Via alto-en-nicotina.tumblr.com

• "I like everything."

• "I like everything...except rap and country."

• "I have really eclectic taste." – it's better to just prove it!

• "It depends on my mood."

• "I keep an open mind when it comes to music."

• "I tend to like really obscure stuff."

I guarantee that your taste is so much more interesting than any of these snoozers would otherwise have a potential date believe.

6. Don't use the space to create an insurmountably long wall of text, or you risk getting Dursted:

Via kellymagovern.tumblr.com

No one is going to read through the entire contents of your iTunes, no matter how absolutely crucial it may seem to include everything from Abba to Zappa. A huge word chunk will probably be skimmed at best, but more likely just scrolled right past. Be concise – keep things to about 10 musicians and 15 at the absolute most.

7. Yeah, this isn't an essay, but spelling still counts.

Via swaaarm.tumblr.com

As with every other area on your profile, misspellings can seem a bit dimwitted, no matter how smart you are in reality. Besides, how much can you really like "Rhiana" if you're not willing to do a two-second Google search to get her name right?

8. Feel free to name some concerts or shows you've recently attended at the end of the section.

Via i.imgur.com

This shows people looking at your profile what you're most currently loving, music-wise. It's also a good way to casually imply that you're actively engaged with your interests and into having a good time, like this cool guy right here.

9. Don't be a jerk and use the space to knock things that you dislike.

Via lunardisco.tumblr.com

This is all about what you ARE into, not what you want to chew up and spit out, Bart-style. lf you're all about bashing stuff instead of saying what you actually like, it'll make you seem negative and judgmental – and c'mon, we both know that's not what you're all about. Similarly, the phrase "Don't message me if you like [x band/artist]" is a great way to let people know that you're down with coming off as an elitist prick.

10. Put it in words, not YouTube links!

Don't just stick in a link to a video, especially without surrounding context. It's like, do you click on those in other people's profiles? Nah, I didn't think so. So don't do it yourself, either (this goes double for Barbra Streisand videos).