If Majors Were Music Genres: A JMU College of Business Edition

Every major at JMU’s College of Business has its own personality. And if you think about it, each major is like its own music genre—distinct in style, appeal, and vibe, if you will. As someone who’s spent plenty of time observing my peers (and occasionally debating whose major is the hardest), I couldn’t help but imagine what genres these business majors would be if they lived in the world of music.

Here’s my lighthearted take on JMU’s College of Business majors as music genres :)

Management: Classic Rock 🎸

Reliable, steady, and a little bit of everything—that’s management, the classic rock of business majors. Just like bands like The Rolling Stones or Fleetwood Mac, management majors know how to keep the show running. They’re great at teamwork, big-picture thinking, and rallying others around a common goal.

Sure, they might not dive deep into the technical nitty-gritty, but they’re the ones who keep everyone on the same page, making sure the “band” stays together. If you’re looking for a major that’s versatile and universally respected, management is your Stairway to Heaven… get it.. Haha. 

Finance: Country Meets Hip-Hop 🤠🎤

Finance majors have a unique balance of tradition and ambition, so your playlist is a mix of country and hip-hop. You vibe with Morgan Wallen for steady, down-to-earth tunes but switch to Drake when it’s time to get in the zone and hustle. Your soundtrack reflects your grind: calculated and confident.

Accounting: Indie Pop or '80s Throwbacks 🎤📊

If you’ve ever met an accounting major, you know they are all about precision, order, and structure—much like the genres of indie pop and ‘80s throwback music. Accounting majors don’t need flashy trends to stand out; instead, they rely on consistency and timeless classics that never go out of style. You’re either indie pop- or an 80’s/90’s lover - there is NO in between.

Artists like Vampire Weekend, Tame Impala, or CHVRCHES provide the perfect backdrop for accounting majors as they sit down with their spreadsheets and focus on the numbers that keep a business running smoothly.Indie pop is also often introspective, and there’s a certain introspective quality in accounting, too. It’s a major that requires you to look at things from every angle and understand the bigger picture of a company's financial health. 

The throwback ‘80s vibes match the energy of accounting students who might find themselves crunching numbers with a burst of enthusiasm (thanks to a caffeine-fueled study session) or reminiscing about simpler times during an end-of-week celebration. There's a balance in these throwbacks between structure and excitement, much like the work-life balance accounting majors strive to find between study sessions, internships, and social time. 

Marketing: Pop 🎤

Now, as a marketing major, I don’t find myself fitting into this educated guess - however through my four years at JMU I think it’s all but obvious marketing majors live for trends, so it’s no surprise your playlist is all about chart-topping pop hits. Taylor Swift? Check. Sabrina Carpenter? Check. Your love for catchy hooks and vibrant beats mirrors your knack for creating content that grabs attention. Your music taste is as fun and versatile as your career path.

 What makes pop music (and marketing) so compelling is how it taps into the zeitgeist—the current moment in culture. Pop music is often at the forefront of trends, just as marketing majors are responsible for staying on top of the latest cultural shifts and technological advances. Whether it’s TikTok dances, influencer marketing, or a viral hashtag, pop music and marketing thrive on being in the know and making sure their content is timely and relevant.

Economics: House/EDM

If you’re an econ major there’s a good chance you’re someone who appreciates the structure behind the chaos. That’s exactly what makes house and EDM such a fitting soundtrack for economics majors—just like these genres, economics is all about creating order and understanding within a complex system. 

Also econ majors use models to predict the behavior of individuals, firms, and governments in response to different stimuli, much like how EDM producers use structure and loops to build their tracks. The music becomes a way to explore the relationship between cause and effect, similar to how an economics major explores the impact of different policies, decisions, and changes within the economy. Also it seems like the most (in the kindest way) dry and bland major possible… so you need music with spice to give you personality ✨ 

-But no hate, I love all EDM.