Is there such thing as "bad taste in music"?

MoonlitSunshine · 04-20-2012, 09:04 AM

I think that whether or not one has bad taste in music depends more on how you address the things you don't like rather than the things you like. As pretty much everyone has agreed on so far, taste in music is subjective - it's all about what appeals to you. There isn't really even a definition of music that holds for all cases, so it's not like there's a "standard" to compare to.

I think it's fine to only like one type of music, hell, even just one band, provided you say that it's not that the music you don't like is bad, it's just not your thing. You may have a narrow taste in music, you might not be willing to experiment, but provided you say "hey man, that music you listen to is cool, but it just doesn't appeal to me", that's good taste. To turn around and say that everything you don't like is ****, to me, is Bad Taste, because you won't even entertain the concept that anything other than your opinion is valid.

Key · 04-20-2012, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I think a bad taste in music is one that is very limited.

I do agree with this. Especially people who will make a judgement about a band without listening to them because they are in a genre that they don't like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard the Duck

of course there is "bad taste"

i have very good tastes, everybody who disagrees that what I listen to is "good" have exceedingly bad taste in music

I'm sorry. I can't take this post seriously. And I was asking a legitimate question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle11

I don't agree with that line.

I am not super into Jazz and Avant-Garde music, but I wouldn't say anyone who listens to those genres has a bad taste in music. I think intelligent people can spot if you are generally listening to what is considered "good" and "bad".

Also, this depends on who is saying "You have a bad taste in music..." to be honest. I was told I had a bad taste in music yesterday from somebody who mainly listens to Snow Patrol, Creed and Coldplay.

I didn't mean that in a way that there is an excuse to say someone has bad taste. I was saying that when people generally think someone has bad taste, they just aren't listening to what you prefer to listen to. Looking back, I realize how confusing that wording would be.

Like....if they were listening to jazz as you noted, and you don't listen to jazz that much, you wouldn't find the music too appealing at first. The more popular judgement is to go toward assuming they have bad taste, though they just don't listen to what you like.

~~Sansa Stark~~ · 04-20-2012, 12:50 PM

Are bad taste people?

Key · 04-20-2012, 12:52 PM

I would very much like to keep this to a serious discussion and not let it stray from the question or discussion. Too many of the debate threads and such around here go off topic for no reason at all.

Paedantic Basterd · 04-20-2012, 12:53 PM

Taste isn't objective. I don't think anyone here would argue against that, however, you have to admit that subjectivity is boring.

So I look at music as being relative. For instance, while my taste may not be objectively better than a 15 year old Linkin Park fan's, I have had more experience as a whole with music, and thus have a better idea of what I like in music than the 15 year old pop punk fan. This does not "prove" any of my opinions, but it does give them weight.

**Janszoon** · 04-20-2012, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Taste isn't objective. I don't think anyone here would argue against that, however, you have to admit that subjectivity is boring.

So I look at music as being relative. For instance, while my taste may not be objectively better than a 15 year old Linkin Park fan's, I have had more experience as a whole with music, and thus have a better idea of what I like in music than the 15 year old pop punk fan. This does not "prove" any of my opinions, but it does give them weight.

So, going in the other direction, does that mean my musical opinions hold more weight than yours?

Paedantic Basterd · 04-20-2012, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

So, going in the other direction, does that mean my musical opinions hold more weight than yours?

I would generally agree with that, and definitely agree when it comes to genres or movements that I have little knowledge of, and you have a great deal more experience in.

I'm kind of a musical pushover though.

Key · 04-20-2012, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Taste isn't objective. I don't think anyone here would argue against that, however, you have to admit that subjectivity is boring.

So I look at music as being relative. For instance, while my taste may not be objectively better than a 15 year old Linkin Park fan's, I have had more experience as a whole with music, and thus have a better idea of what I like in music than the 15 year old pop punk fan. This does not "prove" any of my opinions, but it does give them weight.

I agree that the experience can weigh more, but that's probably the only thing that would have any sort of weight in this type of thing. Because there are people who are in their 20's and 30's who have the taste of a teenager nowadays i.e. dubstep etc. But then there are the people that are the same age but with more experience with music that will not listen to dubstep because they have other artists that they like far more. More for the fact that they have the knowledge of other genres and subgenres that a typical 15 or 16 year old knows nothing about.

Experience if anything will weigh more than age no matter what.

Paedantic Basterd · 04-20-2012, 01:05 PM

I never meant to bring age into the argument as a factor. Certainly an 18 year old with 6000 albums rated on RYM is going to have a better idea of what he likes than I do, even if I've had a few more years on the earth to poke around and find out.

Key · 04-20-2012, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

I never meant to bring age into the argument as a factor. Certainly an 18 year old with 6000 albums rated on RYM is going to have a better idea of what he likes than I do, even if I've had a few more years on the earth to poke around and find out.

No worries. I probably pin pointed at your post a little bit and brought age into the equation without realizing. I do agree with you 100% on experience though, as you have also pointed out in this post as well, even if you weren't aware. Especially with this line:

Certainly an 18 year old with 6000 albums rated on RYM is going to have a better idea of what he likes than I do

04-20-2012, 09:04 AM	#11 (permalink)
MoonlitSunshine Dat's Der Bunny! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,088	I think that whether or not one has bad taste in music depends more on how you address the things you don't like rather than the things you like. As pretty much everyone has agreed on so far, taste in music is subjective - it's all about what appeals to you. There isn't really even a definition of music that holds for all cases, so it's not like there's a "standard" to compare to. I think it's fine to only like one type of music, hell, even just one band, provided you say that it's not that the music you don't like is bad, it's just not your thing. You may have a narrow taste in music, you might not be willing to experiment, but provided you say "hey man, that music you listen to is cool, but it just doesn't appeal to me", that's good taste. To turn around and say that everything you don't like is **, to me, is Bad Taste, because you won't even entertain the concept that anything other than your opinion is valid. __________________ "I found it eventually, at the bottom of a locker in a disused laboratory, with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard". Ever thought of going into Advertising?"** - Arthur Dent

04-20-2012, 12:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
~~Sansa Stark~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Eyrie, Vale of Arryn, Westeros Posts: 3,234	Are bad taste people?

04-20-2012, 12:52 PM	#14 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	I would very much like to keep this to a serious discussion and not let it stray from the question or discussion. Too many of the debate threads and such around here go off topic for no reason at all.

04-20-2012, 12:53 PM	#15 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	Taste isn't objective. I don't think anyone here would argue against that, however, you have to admit that subjectivity is boring. So I look at music as being relative. For instance, while my taste may not be objectively better than a 15 year old Linkin Park fan's, I have had more experience as a whole with music, and thus have a better idea of what I like in music than the 15 year old pop punk fan. This does not "prove" any of my opinions, but it does give them weight.

04-20-2012, 01:05 PM	#19 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	I never meant to bring age into the argument as a factor. Certainly an 18 year old with 6000 albums rated on RYM is going to have a better idea of what he likes than I do, even if I've had a few more years on the earth to poke around and find out.