You Are Programmed To Like Certain Types Of Music

**Scarlett O'Hara** · 10-21-2012, 02:18 AM

5 Ways Your Taste in Music is Scientifically Programmed | Cracked.com

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Likewise, how you're feeling when you hear a song can completely affect whether or not you like that song. This conditioning is so strong that once it is ingrained, your brain will actually start seeking out certain types of music so that it can manipulate itself into a desired emotional state.

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...when your brain is new and still developing, it's constantly creating new and different neural pathways to perform all the mental tasks that will be required of it throughout your life. So your parents' musical preferences, whatever is on the radio, the rinky-dinky songs your preschool teacher taught you -- anything is fair game to form the foundation that will be your musical taste. And your brain pays attention, developing neural pathways to recognize the music of your culture. At age 10, you start to bonk out the music that doesn't fit in with your recognizable scheme of "good" music. At age 12, you begin to use those newly formed tastes to figure out your place in the world ("You will know us by our SPIN DOCTORS T-shirts!"). By 14, for the most part, your musical preferences are a done deal.

I found this article really interesting, because when I look back to when I was younger than 14 I listened to Techno, Trance, Hard Rock, and Classic Rock. That is what I'm still a huge fan of but only in the last ten years I got into Heavy Metal, DnB, Hip Hop, Prog and Indie. My dad used to play music all the time as I was growing up like Cream, Deep Purple, The Cranberries and Canned Heat, all bands that I still love. I'm not sure whether it means you will have preferences for certain types of chords? What do you guys think? Do you like the same stuff from your teenage years?

Another example of mine past is I still adore 90's music, are you guys the same with your early years decade?

Forward To Death · 10-21-2012, 02:44 AM

I actually saw this earlier on cracked. Great article too, I knew someone here would end up posting it.

I actually thought about it, and it kind of makes sense, too.

Guybrush · 10-21-2012, 02:45 AM

That's very interesting and I definitely think there's something to it

Of course we can form new neural pathways as adults, but I'm sure the foundations are all laid in those early years just as they are for f.ex language.

I know I still listen to music which I liked when I was a kid. But I don't think this is as simple as saying if you liked The Beatles as a kid, you'll always like The Beatles (though that may be true). Rather, I think you like the sort of stuff that Beatles did. Catchy melodies, traditional times, beautiful harmonies, songs that are happy, sad or surreal. I'd think if you grew up to be an adult only listening to Beatles, you would have a preference for that sort of stuff.

I never sought out anger in music, so I feel like very angry music (often with screamed vocals) is something I often don't quite "get". It needs to appeal by melody or harmony or something else for me before I like it.

Screen13 · 10-22-2012, 12:26 PM

So, #2 explains why after so many years I have been 80 percent been listening to Beatles/Jam/Blur styled music thrown in with some Synth Pop, Loud Hardcore Punk, Garage Punk, and the odd used album find that no sane person would really want to hear plus a small interest in cutout albums from the 70's and 80's (now found used for dirt cheap). No matter how much I try to get into more modern styles or at least Dark Ambient (although with some success, dating back to my interest in Dark Underground Music in the Late 80's). Even though it's still quite a mix, it still makes sense.

The Batlord · 10-23-2012, 10:28 AM

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By 14, for the most part, your musical preferences are a done deal.

Yeah, by fourteen, all I wanted to listen to was metal. So, my newfound love of Kate Bush, Sonic Youth, and James Chance and the Contortions doesn't really jive with that.

**Janszoon** · 10-23-2012, 10:36 AM

Man, where was this article when we were dealing with this thread?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-23-2012, 10:37 AM

I still listen to the same stuff I did when I was in my early teens, but only out of nostalgia.

For example I'm more than happy to listen to old metal albums I used to like, maybe even fill in some of the gaps by those bands of records that I didn't own at the time.

But I have zero interest in hearing any metal albums from the past 15 years simply because I was never really interested in listening to metal during that time and I have no emotional connection to any metal albums released in that period.

I've been listening to a lot of psychedelia, soul & jazz recently.
Three genres of music I've only been into a very short time and would never see myself listening to and had zero interest when I was 14.

Blarobbarg · 10-23-2012, 10:37 AM

If this were the case, my musical tastes would still be crappy, because I listened to almost nothing good at 14. Now, if you want to go a slightly different direction and say that I always try to push the boundaries and listen to experimental/abrasive music because I have been raised by rebellious/anarchistic parents and my tastes are all subconscious reflections of that... I could get behind that.

**Scarlett O'Hara** · 10-24-2012, 05:57 AM

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Originally Posted by Janszoon

Man, where was this article when we were dealing with this thread?

Wow I just read that thread, that guy just couldn't get it!

Mojo · 10-24-2012, 06:06 AM

I think that some people here will be able to argue some points put forward because a lot of people here want to make that effort to expand their horizons. I think someones comfort zone, at least, is probably established by a young age.

I found the part about elevator music quite interesting. As in someone had come up with the idea of playing different music in each floor of an elevator/lift in a car park to help people remember where they are parked. I am fairly certain that this would help me and just goes to show how music can influence our memory and our thought.

10-21-2012, 02:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	That's very interesting and I definitely think there's something to it Of course we can form new neural pathways as adults, but I'm sure the foundations are all laid in those early years just as they are for f.ex language. I know I still listen to music which I liked when I was a kid. But I don't think this is as simple as saying if you liked The Beatles as a kid, you'll always like The Beatles (though that may be true). Rather, I think you like the sort of stuff that Beatles did. Catchy melodies, traditional times, beautiful harmonies, songs that are happy, sad or surreal. I'd think if you grew up to be an adult only listening to Beatles, you would have a preference for that sort of stuff. I never sought out anger in music, so I feel like very angry music (often with screamed vocals) is something I often don't quite "get". It needs to appeal by melody or harmony or something else for me before I like it. __________________ Something Completely Different

10-23-2012, 10:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	Man, where was this article when we were dealing with this thread? __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

10-23-2012, 10:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I still listen to the same stuff I did when I was in my early teens, but only out of nostalgia. For example I'm more than happy to listen to old metal albums I used to like, maybe even fill in some of the gaps by those bands of records that I didn't own at the time. But I have zero interest in hearing any metal albums from the past 15 years simply because I was never really interested in listening to metal during that time and I have no emotional connection to any metal albums released in that period. I've been listening to a lot of psychedelia, soul & jazz recently. Three genres of music I've only been into a very short time and would never see myself listening to and had zero interest when I was 14. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

10-23-2012, 10:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Blarobbarg Do good. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Posts: 2,065	If this were the case, my musical tastes would still be crappy, because I listened to almost nothing good at 14. Now, if you want to go a slightly different direction and say that I always try to push the boundaries and listen to experimental/abrasive music because I have been raised by rebellious/anarchistic parents and my tastes are all subconscious reflections of that... I could get behind that. __________________ https://rateyourmusic.com/~Blarobbarg ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　^my RYM^　｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆ (◠‿◠✿)

10-24-2012, 06:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I think that some people here will be able to argue some points put forward because a lot of people here want to make that effort to expand their horizons. I think someones comfort zone, at least, is probably established by a young age. I found the part about elevator music quite interesting. As in someone had come up with the idea of playing different music in each floor of an elevator/lift in a car park to help people remember where they are parked. I am fairly certain that this would help me and just goes to show how music can influence our memory and our thought. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

10-21-2012, 02:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	I actually saw this earlier on cracked. Great article too, I knew someone here would end up posting it. I actually thought about it, and it kind of makes sense, too.

10-22-2012, 12:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
Screen13 Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,388	So, #2 explains why after so many years I have been 80 percent been listening to Beatles/Jam/Blur styled music thrown in with some Synth Pop, Loud Hardcore Punk, Garage Punk, and the odd used album find that no sane person would really want to hear plus a small interest in cutout albums from the 70's and 80's (now found used for dirt cheap). No matter how much I try to get into more modern styles or at least Dark Ambient (although with some success, dating back to my interest in Dark Underground Music in the Late 80's). Even though it's still quite a mix, it still makes sense.