I live in a rural part of a deep blue Northeast state and have been thinking about this a lot. Most of my surrounding area is predictably liberal college towns but the town next door to me is very MAGA and I have to drive through it to get to the highway. Honestly, I want to know what it takes to get those people to leave so that we can secure and expand a safe haven here…
The musical instrument thing is transitory and depends entirely on the instrument.
Pre-relationship; in a popular band playing a more traditional instrument like guitar with a bunch of also attractive people (or at least part of a cool local scene) = hot
In a relationship and/or solo bedroom producing any kind of electronic music and/or buying lots of synthesizers, drum machines or grooveboxes = not hot
Also note how low “clubbing” is on the least attractive list, so no, DJs and electronic musicians who perform live don’t get a pass