The good, the bad, and the dirty: What does your Tinder Anthem say about you?

What is in a song choice that makes it so sweet? Is it the rhythm, the movement you feel as you dance to it in your messy room? Is it the memory that it gives you of the night you spent with your first crush? The butterflies they gave you as their hand lightly brushes yours? Or is it the feeling of embarrassment that sweeps over you as you remember that it’s your Tinder Anthem?

Ah, Tinder Anthems, one of the first things a stranger sees before swiping on you. They can make or break relationships before they even began. The animosity one might have for a particular artist can transfer to the unsuspecting profile owner. Or it can spark a conversation with a potential partner. Either way, the song you choose plays an important role in the success of your profile — which begs the question: what does your Tinder Anthem say about you?

I had tried to guess a person’s personality based on their anthems as I swiped through the app. Many of the people I saw with J. Cole in their bio had a close-up shot of themselves hugging their dog, while those with Drake had the sad boi, black and white, mirror selfie aesthetic. The artsy profiles where the first picture was them playing guitar had songs by Radiohead and Muse, while those who posed in front of an art piece tended to go for Kehlani. When I would talk to those with Drake anthems, they would give me one-word responses and dry conversations that I couldn’t add much to. Conversely, Radiohead fans would give me philosophical, five-page essay responses when I asked them what their favorite food was.

I decided to test my question on myself. The song “Just Dance” by Honne has been my Tinder Anthem for quite some time. The back and forth, slow and upbeat tempo give the song a playful feel. I had picked the song simply because it’s one of my favorites, but I realized subconsciously that it describes my personality. For this experiment, I had simply written in my description: “What do you think I’m like based on my anthem?” My favorite response was “cool and nice with a hint of spice.” My next Tinder bio. Or the tagline of a new gum flavor that I’m creating. Whichever comes first.

I  asked a few friends their opinions on anthems, and all of them said that they look at a person’s song choice to see if they have similar taste. My friend Cassandra said that some anthems have surprised her. “I’ve seen the song ‘Deepthroat’ by Cupcakke and I’m shook. I’ve seen ‘What Does the Fox Say’ and it throws me off guard.” Madison had said she usually doesn’t look up the song if she doesn’t know it, so sorry if you’re trying to promote Mindless Self Indulgence or another obscure band. It probably won’t work. Sabrina told me that the song a person chooses usually indicates what their intentions are. If they have the song “Or Nah” by Ty Dolla $ign, you definitely know why they’re on the app. This adds more to the idea that people put a lot of thought into their songs, both for their intentions and what a stranger should expect from them. Luis told me that he puts a lot of thought into his anthem because “I know people will make assumptions about me depending on the song I choose. I have a very complex music taste that varies, therefore, choosing one song won’t represent who I am.”

In the end, songs play an important role in helping strangers understand your personality. Take your time in choosing your anthem — you’ll never truly know what impression it will have on someone.

Article by Michelle Castillo 

Design by James Oh