"Music" as an Interest
 

We've seen it all too often, since the dawn of personal webpages and social media.

Almost everyone under the sun lists "music" as an interest, hobby, or more recently, a "like." The thing is, who doesn't like music? It seems like having "music" as an interest could be the most commonly listed hobby out there.

The fact is, some people "like" music harder than others -- whether they collect vinyl, own thousands of albums, download hundreds of tracks per week, or attend every live show. Others simply enjoy listening to music in the background, while doing work, or on the radio.

For me, listing "music" as an interest on any web profile or questionnaire should be taken seriously, and if I write it (I'm usually a bit more specific, but hey), I should think it's because I can listen to music without doing anything else whatsoever. If it's truly an interest or hobby, shouldn't it be given my undivided attention (at least some of the time)?

These people who say they "like" music and don't even have a music collection on their laptop, or lack any portable music-playing device...I don't know, I'm a bit skeptical.

What does having "music" as an interest mean to you?

It means that person has no personality and they're probably boring, everybody listens to music. You may as well list breathing.

At least say what you do with it. Whether you're a musician, record collector, gig goer, singer, interested in music trivia, writer or whatever.

I actually know two people that do not like music. It's the craziest thing. At least they admit it though. One is my dad, who gets incredibly disoriented and angry even when someone is playing background music. He also hates TV. I seriously think it could be a mental problem.

Another is my ex-roommate, who did not like music as a whole, but did like Pink Floyd.

Never figured that out.

I said everybody listens to it.
I never said everybody LIKES it.

:)

Hahahah now I'm imagining a poor person being forced to listen to music and writhing in pain. What a weird scenario. But yeah.

So, you would never just list "music" as an interest, Urbz? :)

No because I made that mistake before mentioning it during a blind date.

Never again.

Hmmm, I'm intrigued.

It was traumatic, I can't talk about it.

If u dont like music U HAVE NO SOUL !!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone likes music, but putting music as an interest could mean a whole lot more than just "liking" it. Not everyone really pays attention to bands/the music scene, which I would say is worthy of listing as an interest.

I put music as an interest. I record music on the piano all the time, and I find a lot of enjoyment out of it. I wouldn't want to find a career out of it, but I do find it to be an interest of mine if it were something I could go to school for, etc.

So I guess the question for ki, wiggums, and Norg would be whether or not you think your interest in music is more qualified than the next person, and does the fact that everyone lists music as an interest make your experience with it seem less special?

Music is a universal thing, so for me, I don't find any restraints or anything lacking when I see music as an interest. It's music, it comes with mixed opinions as does a lot of media, but I wouldn't let other people's music interests change the way I think of music. Music has a special meaning to me, as it does with everyone, so people's reasons for having music as an interest is probably far off from my own reasons, and vice versa.

Yeah, I agree with you.

But I can't help wonder about Urban's previous point that "you'd might as well list breathing" -- because to me, my "interest" in music goes well beyond an involuntarily bodily function. :)

Just as if I were listing "oil painting" or "the zodiac" as an interest, I would want people to realize that "music" to me is something studied, read about, and spent time with, beyond casual listening. The way music is marketed now, it's hard to imagine there are that many people treating the topic as seriously as we on MB do. :)

Well, a lot of that does stem from music forums and the internet in general. I find that when people have a chance to express their interests, it allows them to find something more with it and expand their horizons. The same could be said for art, and dancing, etc. It's always helpful to converse with people who share the same interests as you, because it allows for those people to learn more about what they've already found to love.

Okay, first of all, you all know I'm old. No, really, I mean like HALF A CENTURY old! I've been around a lot of music.

In school/early work around the ages of say from 17-25 I pretty much linked everything I did to music. I was (and am) a nerd: I didn't go to discos (probably cos I was ugly/nerdy/sobre and hated pop music) but I did spend my time making elaborate compilaton tapes (ask yer da), buying the best stereo equipment I could afford, at the time, buying bagfuls of records at the weekend in town, amassing a large collection. I did a three-hour weekly stint on the local community radio, then when the internet arrived I downloaded all the free music I could and then later latched onto music forums.

I started my own website and part of it was music-based. I even interviewed Judie Tzuke (who?) for the site. I went to plenty of gigs when younger (not so much now) and I was all into the heavy metal image at the time. I watched gigs on telly, watched "The old grey whistle test", "The Tube" etc, and when recordable CDs came out I started making compliations on those too. I tried to learn to play the synth --- failed; can play but really badly --- and wish I could play the guitar. I watch and listen to musicians and think how great it would be to be able to do that, though I know I never will. I just don't have the talent, nor the discipline to try to learn.

Pretty much everything I do is linked to or informed by music, so I think it would certainly go down as far more than an "interest" with me. It's part of my life, part of whom I am and if someone took music --- all music --- somehow away tomorrow, I truly don't know what I would do.

Perhaps something like that, a deep, ingrained, almost desperate love of and interest in music is more than just a casual interest. For instance, if you took someone who says they have an interest and asked them their favourite bands, and then to talk a little about those bands, if they couldn't then I would say it's more a "general interest" than a "genuine or deep interest", and I think the distinction is important, and should be noted. Is it important to you? Could you live without it? Is it something that fills every day, one way or the other, or just something else in your life that's there, you acknowledge but could easily go on without?

In another life, TH, we would have been best friends.

^ This is the part where our lives intersect. Although, I was only about 11.

The topic of my next thread...;) j/k.

It never ceases to amaze me how often I asked my English students (when I was teaching) what kind of music they liked. 99% of the time, they could only mention two or three bands by name. I would blame it on technology and culture (primarily that Turks have a looooong history of music and it has been plagiarized again and again), but when I read posts like yours, I really think they just don't get it.

Sadly, I've been spending a considerable amount of time on dating sites :P

I can't help but chuckle a bit, because every single girl I've come across lists music as an interest. I think I'm becoming a music snob, or just a jerk, hehe.

Well you joined the site, so that pretty much makes you both! ;)

Haha, I accept it! How do you guys and gals feel about people saying they love all types of music? Sometimes, to keep things simple I'll say that, even though I certainly don't mean it. But I do listen do a wild variety of music.

There are a few people here (Janszoon, Jackhammer, Bob, Goofle etc) who could make that claim, but I think in the main it's too easy. There are bound to be genres you don't like --- personally, it's hiphop/rap, jazz, punk, black metal and quite a few others, though I do like many different genres of music --- and to say you like "all" music (unless you're like those above and a few others here who genuinely can make that boast) is I think an indication you don't have a clue what sort of music is out there, the depth and breadth and diversity of it.

So you like "all" music do you? Including Mexican death-jazz rap carnival punk folk? What'ya mean, what's that? Case proven.
:rolleyes:

That sounds like it would be pretty awesome to be honest.

Samples!!!

I found myself discussing music with an old lady the other day who asked what kind of music I like. That's the perfect scenario where saying "all types" is fine. I'd rather not get into a heated debate with an old lady about music genres.

Though, I suppose it could have been entertaining trying to explain my odd synth-heavy electronic crazy stuff I make to her.

Not everyone listens to music. There were a couple of lads at my college who didn't really seem to join in discussions about music, when asked who they liked they said they didn't listen to any music at all. We used to joke that their music collection was just a load of blank tapes.

They were both practicing Muslims, not sure if that was the reason for it.

For me, "Music" as an Interest means that you search for something new all the time. You're trying to find your favorites, you're trying to compare with what you've already heard. You don't stop on the "Mainstream" station and eat everything serving by media without second thoughts.

I like that thought. That's how you treat your other interests, after all, right?

:beer:

I completely agree, Music is an intrest if you can listen to it without doing anything else, enjoying it or studying it

I'm in the same boat--I actually love most types of music. The only styles
I don't listen to are country/western and reggae; mainly because to my ears,
there's a 'sameness' within those genres that keep me from exploring them deeper.

That's a bit of the old cliché to say that "All <insert music style> sounds alike."

Looking at music as an 'interest,' I think a large part of it is dedication; par example, ever since I stumbled across Mad Rapture, I've been trying to find more artists like them, to the point that I will lose hours of time browsing Bandcamp.

On the other hand, it also requires knowledge. Not necessarily historical knowledge, of who did what when, but of chord progression, common riffs, and what things that make songs truly unique. In short, you don't need to be a walking library, but you should have a reason for liking the music that you do.

For me, I know I'm an addict every time I have a stressful day; there's nothing like that craving for that one album after you get home from work, to tell you that music is your drug. I had that just the other day, and I ended up blasting MC Solaar throughout my house all afternoon.

Music is an interest when your mind is thinking about music or listening to music more often than when it's concentrating on something that isn't musical would make you a viable candidate for having it as an interest or hobby.

Plus you can be making the music, collecting it, composing, etc. Anything to do with music could count as this interest because it's such a broad term.

Music is one of my main interests because I have a lot of money spent in buying my instruments and I would like to get my money's worth. I also obsess over things quite a bit, and music falls under that category.

I love music. I play the guitar, and my (alphabetically sorted) CD collection fills a medium sized box from IKEA.
Everyone "likes" music. It's scientifically proved that music activates a special part of the brain when you listen to it. But having music as an interest is something bigger. It's when music is a part of who you are, when you wouldn't manage to live fully without it.

I can truly say I love all types of MUSIC.

for me its means relaxing, ore i music to study, to daydream on, music whenn you eat dinner, music to support me. thats whats music mean to me

When I was a teenager back in the 90's music was my life. My only concern was the "scene". Right now I'm more laid back, but music is still important to me. Usually I listen to music everyday on good stereo equipment (because I believe that quality is important) and I own more or less 300 albums.

what kind of music do you listen to people?

I agree with Briks... music is a part of my being, my days off are spent searching for new music, reading about music, while listening to music... I dunno what music does to others but I know it opens places in my heart, my brain, it can bring me to the lowest place I have ever been with one chord, it can bring me to the highest place with a great hook.. I spent many days as a teenager locked away in the darkest of places with only John, Paul, George and Ringo.. When people say they "like" music but aren't crazy about it I just don't understand that as a statement...

music is also a part of my life

sorry for my bad grammar

Seriously. How can people just casually enjoy music? My co-workers are like this. One of them has like 10 songs on his ipod and he's happy with that. It's kinda crazy.