Yes of course, that is a given for any font.
Take the handwritten ones out of the discussion for a moment, What I’m wondering is, when would someone choose a narrower note head vs fatter one, etc. Are there any objective decisions that can be made or is it purely a matter of your mood on any given day?
I think it’s difficult to quantify, as it just depends on how a particular font or project strikes you.
But honestly, I think we can obsess about fonts where the vast majority of users (even musicians) wouldn’t see the difference, or if it were pointed out to them, they wouldn’t care.
So most music fonts are fine, and it’s more about the skillful engraving. Except for Opus. Don’t use that. /hot take
Now, wait a minute… some of my best work happens to have been made with Opus.
…
Oh, right. I don’t care about music fonts. – Never mind.
Yea totally, well I just like them all pretty much for different reasons and really have a hard time deciding which would be the “best” one. I was just curious if publishers or other types of customers have expressed particular concerns or preferences?
Publishers will tend to have a ‘house style’, and so require the use of a particular font, if for no other reason than consistency across their works. Same with text fonts.
As long as the font doesn’t get in the way of reading the notes…
do we know if there is any objective reasons behind their house style choices?
“This is the way we’ve always done it, and it ain’t broke, so we don’t want to change it.”
I don’t speak as an insider here, so maybe someone more experienced can weigh in. But I know that the older and more established the choral publisher in the US, the more entrenched they are in their system (almost always Finale, and often using Maestro).
Yes. There isn’t. 
You might be able to say “this font is softer”; “this font is heavier”; but whether that’s what you want for a particular thing is entirely up to you.
I just come to release my latest handwritten font, a little sister to The Copyist font family: Rhapsody
https://norfonts.ma/product/rhapsody-fonts-for-dorico/
Again! “Groove Fonts for Dorico” my newest SMuFL jazz font for Dorico.
https://norfonts.ma/product/groove-fonts-for-dorico/?fbclid=IwAR2jemnw8nWnO0ZKtMSTUvZKhFwiOd2dkwgAwbaBDnWXBPF-XCEKY41Z4Vc
I’m working on a new engraver SMuFL music font which’s coming soon, “Divisi”… will keep you tuned about it.
There’s lot of work on making an engraver font than on a handwritten font…I maybe wrong…but anyway it’s relative, it actually depends on the quality and usability of the product.
Scordatura is an elegant engraver music font with a thick appearance, yet more robust than some other music fonts, but more accurately representing the look of a smooth engraved music featuring almost 2397 glyphs. Scordatura can be used for modern sophisticate Pop or Rock, Jazz Bands, Piano and Vocals, Choirs, Marching Bands, and all types of musical ensembles even Symphonies! Scordatura comes with a unique subtle individuality, but with a softer and fatter look which make it great use for school manuals and education materials. It looks fun and easy, and will not scare your students! Scordatura works with Dorico™ Pro version as an alternative to Bravura font.
Ekmelos is a music font compliant with SMuFL.
It has been initially designed for use in conjunction with Ekmelily and ekmelib to provide mainly accidental symbols for the notation of microtonal music. Meanwhile, it includes over 2000 glyphs of several groups (clefs, noteheads, flags, rests, articulations, dynamics, ornaments, playing techniques, etc.).
More infos here
My two newest music fonts for Dorico: “Da Capo” and “Da Capo Light”, two SMuFL featuring almost 2800 symbols. The overall design is inspired from some old classical piano books I’ve on my library since I was 10 years old. The two fonts are available here :
Just thought I’d update this page with the Finale SMuFL fonts, which haven’t been mentioned here.
The installers install a lot of fonts, including ‘legacy’ non-SmuFL ones, so you’ll need to weed them out afterwards. Also, lots of JSON files for Text fonts, which is pointless.
I compiled a free SMuFL fversion of “Cap1800” here:
https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/ruoT43rQKiUhZuvXU5neE4lDh1h.zip
Thanks to @eddjcaine for introducing this font.
Not me!
A new addition to the list of this thread, Mezza & Mezzo SMuFL Fonts:
Nordine has developed a new font: SCHERZO (SMuFL). It’s not based on any particular publisher’s typeset, but to me it blends a Henle-esque style with some elements of Finale’s Engraver font mixed. It is definitely one of my favorites. Check it out at NorFonts’ website: SCHERZO (SMuFL).
Please check my new SMuFL release!
Two new SMuFL fonts: ‘CONCERTO’ & ‘CAPOSCORE’ - Dorico - Steinberg Forums