Why do we listen to music?

[Flaming Death]

I was just wondering why we listen to music. why do some people become elite about music. I am sure they were born with extensive metal knowledge.

Should we just listen and create our own music? This is the only way to be non commercial. People always say this band is selling out or this band has a commercial sound but aren't all bands who have recorded an album commercial. Don't they want people to buy it or do they just record albums for non sales purposes?

We should all just listen to nothing

 

[Akronaes]

Amen.

 

[lord667]

Actually, no. Some bands really would prefer to sell 500 copies to "true" fans than 500,000 to "trendy" fans. This way of thinking has a long historical pedigree going back at least to the Metaphysical poets, for whom the "difficulty" of reading their work was a point of pride.

 

[Oceanic Motion]

Good question... to which I have no answer.

 

[chemicalburn]

It sounds good.

 

[Spirit In Black]

Just think about how boring everything would be in total silence. If it weren't for music at work I might go nuts. Everyone has their opinions of how good music should sound. Some people don't care that much and will listen to whatever MTV or the radio is playing. Some people prefer to listen to music that is more thought provoking and don't just use music as a background sound.

 

[Theli]

I think it's because music is a intellectual and emotional stimuli.
Sort of like playing games, or watching television.

 

[LordFireworm]

So I'm the only one who does it for the bitches?
Interesting.

 

[Under The Oak]

I think it's because music is a intellectual and emotional stimuli.
Sort of like playing games, or watching television.

Exactly. That's why I love emotional music with philosophical and intellectual lyrics, be it any genre, all music should have those elements, IMO. I regard it as an art form much like poetry or literature.

 

[[0hr]Sunlapse]

I think it's because music is a intellectual and emotional stimuli.
Sort of like playing games, or watching television.

thats exactly what I think. and it can be so much more.

Ive heard many elite types say that because of this I just listen to music as "entertainment" rather than art, implying that I would be inferior. "entertainment?" whatever, if you want to call it that.... but music affects everyone personally and emotionally.... listening to certain music makes me think or feel different things, etc.... I value it as art just as much as anyone else, on a personal level.... just because I don't give a shit about most "Ideoligys" and shit that other people like to throw around does not make my listening habits inferior.... I create my own ideoligys to the music I listen to, as it affects me personally.

 

[speed]

No band should consider itself elitist- music is another form of language and communication- not a purposely abstract exercise meant for a few likeminded snobs.

I think the real question is, is a band truly groundbreaking and ahead of it's time? For instance Messiaen, or Xenakis ( or i suppose Opeth for a metal example) could still be considered by many who do not understand the music, to be music that was meant for but a few whom could understand what they were trying to do, yet in actuality i think these artists were just far ahead of their time- and they will be understood. However, artists that make themseves pointlessly abstract, and are not on the precipice of anything new, other than pointless abstraction, are just totally worthless.

Being a grad student i am faced with absolutely pointless writing and research everyday. In fact i would say almost all of academia( at least in the Social Sciences) writes incomprhensible crap that holds no meaning other than to establish standing in a equally vapid academic world. I think of metal snobs the same way- they think of obscure bands etc, ( that really are not groundbreaking at all) and promote these bands etc to prove what an intelligent snob they are. Fuck them.

 

[TheDarkWanderer]

Music is another tool or 'escape' to help us pass time in our meaningless existence. Some people like art, others direct films, some listen to music. Whatever passes the time best for you.

In a perfect, evolved utopian existence based on peace and harmony would music really be necessary? I think not, our souls would be touched in different ways.

note:I am not as misanthropic and miserable as I sound, hehe. Sorry if I make no sense, I often know not what I am talking about.

 

[Tool]

I listen to music 'cuz it's pretty.

 

[lord667]

We listen to music because: as Chuck Palahniuk put it, we're "noise-oholics" and "quiet-ophobics".

We listen to music because: we were raised in a society where music is a characteristic of one's social identity.

We listen to music because: we think it's beautiful.

We listen to music because: it brings back memories.

We listen to music because: we can't avoid it. Through muzak, noise pollution and media soundtracking, it's everywhere.

We listen to music because: we want to understand it.

 

[SculptedCold]

We listen to music because: as Chuck Palahniuk put it, we're "noise-oholics" and "quiet-ophobics".

We listen to music because: we were raised in a society where music is a characteristic of one's social identity.

We listen to music because: we think it's beautiful.

We listen to music because: it brings back memories.

We listen to music because: we can't avoid it. Through muzak, noise pollution and media soundtracking, it's everywhere.

We listen to music because: we want to understand it.

You deserve hugs.

 

[R.I.P.2]

I listen to music for its ideological content and nothing else...

 

[andrew_plamondon]

I was just wondering why we listen to music. why do some people become elite about music. I am sure they were born with extensive metal knowledge.

Should we just listen and create our own music? This is the only way to be non commercial. People always say this band is selling out or this band has a commercial sound but aren't all bands who have recorded an album commercial. Don't they want people to buy it or do they just record albums for non sales purposes?

We should all just listen to nothing

Maybe the point of recording an album is actually selling it, but I feel like if someone decides to do metal, he decides not to live from his music.
Making money isn't really the point, it's about sharing things with other people.
And about the elitism : what if some people were not elitist, but because of the new ways of communication, people were accepting more shitty stuff ?
What if music IS for elitists and the other less musical stuff should be called "entertainment", just like tv ?

 

[anonymousnick2001]

I think music appeals in a pure fashion to the listener. Only when outside pressure and the strive to be superior sets in, do people start 'getting into' styles to try and distance themselves.

I have to accept the fact that kids get something out of 50 CEnt and all that shit. I'll try to convince them that Tribe Called Quest is better, but if they don't like it, they're not stupid. They just don't like it.

It sucks, though, because that means they prefer lousy beats with substandard 'gh3tt0' rhymes. But it's ultimately their preference.

Metal was never meant to appeal to intelligent people. Metal wasn't for elitists. It was for the hard and heavy who liked to have a good time.

I miss the 80's when metal was a way of life. Although now I'm glad it's not. I guess when the stereotype of drooling Neanderthal in Spandex with long hair metalhead was replaced with dark-clad black-lipgloss fuck-you elitist the-world-sucks teenager, we had to let in the good with the bad.

 

[Krilons Resa]

So I'm the only one who does it for the bitches?
Interesting.

 

[Disturbed4ntics]

Music is nothing more than entertainment.