Omnivores versus Snobs? Musical Tastes in the United States and France

Abstract

Two theories structure debates on socioeconomic variation in aesthetic tastes. The “distinction” hypothesis, developed in France, claims that high-status people shun popular culture. The “omnivores” hypothesis, developed in the U.S., states that high-status people like high and popular culture more than others. Do these propositions reflect real difference between the two countries, as indicated by comparative research, or differing theoretical traditions? This research offers some support for each view. Examination of survey data on musical tastes reveals very similar organizations of aesthetic judgment in the U.S. and France, with highbrow tastes predicting omnivorousness in each full sample. In France, however, highbrow tastes are associated with exclusiveness among older cohorts, suggesting that once real differences in tastes between the two countries have been blunted by historical change.