This study investigates the relationship between typicality, a musician’s image and music evaluation by adolescents. We pay particular attention to adolescents’ sensitivity to the (un-)conventionality of the music and the musicians. First, in the theoretical part, we reveal the variable “typicality” (with the extremes conventional vs. unconventional) as an important parameter for the development of adolescents’ evaluation of music. Second, in the experimental part, we investigate the influence of a conventional and unconventional image of a musician on music evaluation by using an unknown piece of pop music. The image is introduced via two different cover stories about a fictitious band and compared to a control condition without cover story. The evaluation of music is used as the dependent variable. Results show a medium effect size (d = 0.67) for a positive value judgement by an unconventional musician image. Accordingly we give a preview of further research methods and designs. The consequences of our findings for identity formation are discussed in the context of the theories of social identity and self-categorization. We assume that group processes of distinction and identification control music perception and evaluation. In this process, in-groups are characterized by shared norms and attitudes and enable the evaluation of unknown music to be predicted. We suggest that the processes of music perception and evaluation are affected by the image of a musician.
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