Important Albums
How important is importance to you?
I can't count how many people have recommended me albums they said are "important".
"This album is a must-have or a must-listen because it's
important!"
There are obviously many groundbreaking, legendary albums that have helped guide the course of rock history, but my style of listening to and enjoying music is to come to the albums in my collection with as much of a clear mind as I can. That is, I try not to bring meta considerations to my appreciation. I don't subscribe to the “oh this is an important album” mindset. I don’t
necessarily care if an album is important. I care more about enjoying it. There are tons of “important” albums I either don’t care for or flat-out despise.
I might like an important album, of course, but I like it because of how it sounds, not because of its importance. To me, "important" albums are like the respectable gentleman at the ball. Everyone speaks highly of him, but nobody remembers to talk to him. "Important" albums are like
Moby-Dick: everyone has heard the title and probably knows the basic story, but no one's actually read it. Or if they have read it, they have to pretend they like it because of its importance.
What say you? Important for importance's sake?