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13 Songs That Elegantly Capture What It’s Like Being An INTJ

Years ago, I read 13 Songs That Elegantly Capture What It’s Like Being an INFP, loved it, and knew that I’d write the INTJ response to this article one day. Well, it’s been… ahem… years since then, but better late than never, right?

Without further ado, here’s an INTJ sample playlist.

An INTJ zoning out and melting into the environment: Blue in Green — Miles Davis

The mood and emotional space presented in the legendary jazz ballad speak to the mystery and atmospheric visuals that having introverted intuition naturally grants you.

Like Introverted Intuition (Ni), the song is a solitary, wistful composition that makes you think about the city at night. Ni is all about symbolism and pattern recognition, and this somber jazz piece brings symbolic visuals to life.

An INTJ carefully and methodically plotting someone’s demise: 1812 Overture — Tchaikovsky

The critical element in this classic is the building up to the uproarious finale of the piece. INTJs are all about the slow build and long-range vision. As the melody tumbles onto the climax, it mirrors how an INTJ can see their long-range vision coming together beautifully. 

A revenge plot going off without a hitch would bring a single tear to Nietzsche’s eye.

An INTJ having an omnipotent, God-like moment of clarity: O Fortuna Carmina Burana — Carl Orff 

Metaphorical lightbulbs are a daily occurrence here in the Introverted Intuitive’s mind. Sometimes it’s something as simple as a lightbulb moment of knowing exactly what to eat for dinner (it’s often something trivial like that, unfortunately).

Nevertheless, things coming together “all at once” is something every INTJ can relate to.

An INTJ being the loner rebel in a hostile world: Welcome to the Jungle — Guns N’ Roses 

Whenever an INTJ walks into a party, this song is the mental backdrop for it.

An INTJ indulging in an awkward obsession: Your Eyes — Peter Gabriel

An INTJ in love with an idea, hobby, or person can only be likened to the intensity of the connection that Romeo and Juliet had, the murderous passion between Mickey and Mallory in Natural Born Killers, or Lloyd Dobler’s socially unacceptable serenade in Say Anything.

An INTJ awkwardly in love: Wuthering Heights — Kate Bush

Likely, the cerebral and psychical pointed focus a Ni user directs at a potential love interest can appear completely normal and not weird at all to the INFJ/INTJ. Still, it is evident to anyone watching that the “infatuation” is nothing less than an ethereal, slightly disturbing interpretive dance that you have to really “get” not to be completely freaked out about it. 

Whenever you think about how an INTJ looks in love conceptually, please keep Kate Bush in all red doing an interpretive dance in an empty field in mind.

An INTJ indulging in Fi: Somebody That I Used to Know — Gotye 

As INTJs, we often turn to our Introverted Feeling (Fi) to process anything that isn’t explained logically. What it can quickly turn into is a pity party of regret. 

On the positive side, I notice that INTJs, in addition to ENFPs and INFPs, are most likely to be close friends with exes or at least cordial with exes. This is why this song hits so hard. 

How can someone you were tied with daily now just be a memory or stranger? It’s hard for Fi to accept this as fact.

An INTJ enjoying sensory experiences and being sensual exactly thrice per year: The Pink Room — David Lynch

In season one of Twin Peaks, the root of every character’s problem is an indulgence of some sort. Usually sex or drugs—fantasy as well. It seems that wanting “too much” becomes the downfall of almost every character in the series. 

In comes an INTJ engaging in their Extraverted Sensation (Se) grip. Drugs, sex, and violence galore. But only about once a year… if that.

An INTJ having a beautiful existential crisis: Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen

No question plagues an INTJ more than “What does it all mean?” Freddie Mercury, noted ESFP, was most likely in his Ni grip while writing Bohemian Rhapsody. 

The nihilism, the shame, and the uncertainty of life can drive any other type over the edge, but for INTJs, we live in that space daily. For better or for worse.

An INTJ in nature and finally at peace: Blue — Joni Mitchell

Somber. Aesthetic. Authentic. Universally principled. Melodic. Justified steely feels. It hits both Se and Fi simultaneously. 

An INTJ defending the underdog and being a champion for the weak: Fight the Power — Public Enemy 

Fi activism joins forces with Extraverted Thinking (Te) discipline. Beware the inner INTJ activist. They are unrelenting and will not quit until the job is done.

An INTJ going into unsolicited advice-giver/therapist/tough love mode: Roxanne — The Police 

INTJs, more often than not, end up in the role of mentor or psychologist to friends, not unlike INFJs. 

A combination of Ni foresight, Te straightforwardness, and Fi empathy combine for an individualized tough love session whenever our friends come to us. We want you to be great and avoid as much pain as humanly possible. 

And most likely, we will provide tough love whether you like it or not. However, if you need a softer touch, don’t hesitate to make those needs heard because if we care enough to say it, we care enough to listen.

INTJ thinking in visuals and not words: Kaleidoscope — BadBadNotGood 

Instrumental narratives like Kaleidoscope are the perfect level of sensory experience for the usually overstimulated INTJ. 

Sometimes we like lyrics, and sometimes we just want to “feel” the music, and instrumental tracks like this allow us to do that while studying, listening to music, dancing, or zoning out.

You can find the full Spotify playlist here.