The evolution of musical taste.

[Thanatopsis123]

I'm curious. What do you all thing about the evolution of musical taste? People keep bringing up how so many on these boards look down on others for their taste (whether it be because they think the other's taste is not developed or cannot understand how it has gotten where it is).

A few questions:

What do you think of people who's taste in music hardly ever changes? They listen to the same bands for years, never branching out within or outside their favorite genres.

Many seem to hate music listeners that have shallow reasons for their tastes. What about those that have deep reasons but a love for a genre/band you hate?

Is there a pinnacle in this evolution?

 

[Caelum Adustum]

From personal experience I think evolution in taste of music is necessary, but it probably would matter less to someone who considers music as "entertainment."

Evolution is important, for me, because I am seeking something.

 

[FauxPerspicacity]

From personal experience I think evolution in taste of music is necessary, but it probably would matter less to someone who considers music as "entertainment."

Evolution is important, for me, because I am seeking something.

ditto or I agree

 

[Episteme]

Well, I think everyone's musical taste does evolve. For example I got into metal with the help of nu-metal...heh...heh...
Then I started getting into the more extreme/underground side of metal with the help of Inflames as such(around the time that Colony was released). Then I got deeper and deeper, starting to like death metal etc...Most of you would know the process.
This happened in the duration of 4 years, so really I'm not as much a metal expert as most of you here.

I'm continuously seeking something new for me to listen to everytime(thus my downloading sprees on DC++). There's nothing wrong with liking a band for a long time, it's not stagnant. Your tastes may evolve but there'll always be an artist where your heart will always be in. For example, for me it's Opeth. I've been listening to them for 3 years yet I never get tired of them(their older albums seem to be more towards my taste) but at the same time I'm not afraid to explore the other ends of music whether it be Jazz, Electronica, Ambient, Classical.

 

[Nico]

I for one, don't understand people who listen to the same thing for 4-5 years, especialy when it's something as redundant as Pantera. I know far too many people that at every gathering, the exact same CD goes on, week by week, year by year. I can't understand people who have no desire to evolve their taste.

Personaly, I've only been listening to extreme metal for over a year, so my "taste evolution" has been pretty recent and quick, but even before then I was never content listening to the same bands for months on end.

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Is there a pinnacle in this evolution?

"The Safety Dance," Men Without Hats.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Well the music I listen to tends to be that which best represents where I am at that point in my life. I am always progressing as a human and therefore my musical tastes is always progressing. And just like my past memories my past musical tastes remain with me, even if their significance decreases. Anyways I'm way to destracted to go any fruther in depth at this moment...

 

[AjDeath]

Well the music I listen to tends to be that which best represents where I am at that point in my life. I am always progressing as a human and therefore my musical tastes is always progressing. And just like my past memories my past musical tastes remain with me, even if their significance decreases. Anyways I'm way to destracted to go any fruther in depth at this moment...

Everything he said.

Also, I hardly listen to the bands that got me into metal anymore. Pantera, old Metallica, Six Feet Under, you know the drill. I am not an adolescent anymore and prefer more thought provoking material. Except for Grave that is.

 

[Episteme]

It's normally the bands with music that invokes more thought and emotion that sticks with you longer than bands with novelty.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

It's normally the bands with music that invokes more thought and emotion that sticks with you longer than bands with novelty.

Yes.

 

[DE]

I have incredibly shallow music taste. I listen to bands for the music really, and tend not to know anything about them or their viewpoints. I don't read interviews or anything, I just listen. It suits me fine, but I can definitely understand people who delve further into things.

I don't actually really actively listen to music either... as in, I don't really pick it apart and think "oh that's a good riff" or something, I just listen to it.

*dons flame-proof suit*

 

[AjDeath]

I have incredibly shallow music taste. I listen to bands for the music really, and tend not to know anything about them or their viewpoints. I don't read interviews or anything, I just listen. It suits me fine, but I can definitely understand people who delve further into things.

I don't actually really actively listen to music either... as in, I don't really pick it apart and think "oh that's a good riff" or something, I just listen to it.

*dons flame-proof suit*

Well, I am a cynical and crtitical person by nature, I pick things apart. Lyrics, even if they are unintelligeble are a big thing for me. Bad or shallow lyrics is bad metal IMO.

 

[MFJ]

I'm always looking for new sounds, right now I'm into lesser known USBM like Leviathan, and it's some amazing stuff. However, I never really lost my taste for the more mainstream stuff that most people tend to disregard now. I can still enjoy the new Dimmu album and Children of Bodom and then go right to something like Blut Aus Nord, without any real changes in enjoyment, although a different kind of it.

I agree with you. I've spent a long time listening to Black and Folk metal, and just recently I have branched out into deathier stuff and some prog. I think it's really horrible if someone stays in the same genre for years... almost every kind of music is appealing if you just look at it right. And by the way, your sig fucking rocks.

 

[MURAI]

I'm curious. What do you all thing about the evolution of musical taste? People keep bringing up how so many on these boards look down on others for their taste (whether it be because they think the other's taste is not developed or cannot understand how it has gotten where it is).

A few questions:

What do you think of people who's taste in music hardly ever changes? They listen to the same bands for years, never branching out within or outside their favorite genres.

Many seem to hate music listeners that have shallow reasons for their tastes. What about those that have deep reasons but a love for a genre/band you hate?

Is there a pinnacle in this evolution?

I dont see what's wrong with listening to the same bands for a long time. Doesn't that mean you truely like that band therefore you wont get sick of them that easily? There are some bands I liked that I grew out of quickly but some of them I have stuck to them for 3-4 years and probably I will like them for more years to come. I do explore other bands in other genres but not constantly really. I like to enjoy small group of music at a time than a whole bunch of bands at once.

The most annoying type of listener is who takes music only as image or a fashion but if they truely like music that I dont get I can still accept that.

Well, if you get to some point you will probably feel bored since you feel you almost heard everything there is to find.

 

[MURAI]

I think it's really horrible if someone stays in the same genre for years... almost every kind of music is appealing if you just look at it right.

Every kind of music? You cant be serious some music has no content at all. I am not saying whatever music I dont like is weak but some music is worthless.

 

[GONETribalchemy]

Well the music I listen to tends to be that which best represents where I am at that point in my life. I am always progressing as a human and therefore my musical tastes is always progressing. And just like my past memories my past musical tastes remain with me, even if their significance decreases...

Agree too.
Eventhough there are some bands I listen to since years, some 5, a few 10 and even less 15 years, and still look for their upcoming releases with the same enthusiasm. But tastes evolute, no doubt, the needs too, and the rest of the collection rotates often, in order to gather musical styles and releases that fit, add more items of the same bands, remove some other, and never let forgotten items rest in the dust, some other metalheads are looking for them.
/...

 

[MFJ]

Every kind of music? You cant be serious some music has no content at all. I am not saying whatever music I dont like is weak but some music is worthless.

thats exactly why I put the word "almost" in my post

And totally, I agree with you. Most electronic music (besides Ulver and etc.) and 99.9% rap... its just weak and shallow. And I say 99.9% because I can rarely enjoy rap that has an actual political or real message, but these days its harder to find than the fucking Loch Ness Monster. Rap isn't aimed at my "self" so I don't care.

 

[demon talented]

From personal experience I think evolution in taste of music is necessary, but it probably would matter less to someone who considers music as "entertainment."

Evolution is important, for me, because I am seeking something.

I completely agree with this, especially the discernment between people who value music as art and people who value music as a form of entertainment.


As for people who like different genres from myself, I'd say that a large majority of genres will have some real, respectable artists. How many of them, and what percentages of respectable artists out of the whole genre, etc. will vary from genre to genre. I would have a hard time mentioning respectable hip hop artists, but I don't doubt they exist. The mainstream garbage of hip hop is so artless that it would be easy to dismiss the whole genre, but I don't it would be accurate. In general, I try to be able to discern good artists from bad in genres to which I'm not particularly inclined, so at least to have some sort of appreciation.

 

[Ashen Cold]

I started my Metal listening with mostly power-metal, which went into melo-death and then quickly into black-metal, then back to power-metal, then prog-rock-metal, then back to black.

 

[stefan86]

Interesting thread. My music taste is constantly evolving and I enjoy that. I went the "usual" path by starting to enjoy the more accessible songs of Maiden and Metallica about 3 years ago (I'm 17 now). I slowly began to like more and more aggressive and extreme music, such as In Flames (I hate them badly now) and Children of Bodom (still acceptable but not near my favourite band no more).

Today I'm liking more and more progressive and "hard-to-listen-to"-ish music. But I'm trying to never limit myself and listen to whatever I enjoy. My fav bands today are Nevermore, Opeth, The Crown, Death and Testament.