Criticizing Music Taste

Codeblind · 07-07-2013, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

I remember about two years ago, I had shared an album that I was really excited about, only to be attacked for sharing it. I was called a middle school girl, compared to someone's little sister, and felt really embarrassed.

It's OK. According to Last.fm, I have the musical taste of a 14-year-old Canadian girl.

Alice in Chains · 07-07-2013, 02:41 AM

It depends.

Of course I'm silently judging someone if I'm sitting over here, having just listened to some rad ass song by Elliott Smith and they're got a Katy Perry CD in their hand sporting it like God just shat out a golden.

But if they dig Katy, they dig Katy. That's not my problem. It's their problem, honestly. I just feel sorry for them.

But otherwise, no. I don't judge. I don't see why there's a need to judge. It's like judging someone for having a cat because you have a dog. No point.

Big Ears · 07-07-2013, 02:47 AM

If I try to engage in a conversation and the other person says I don't like this or that, it's the end of the conversation. I do not know if they think their criticism is of interest or if it is to push others away.

memycelfandeye · 07-07-2013, 03:14 AM

Musical taste can be judged in terms of how one critiques an album/artist/track, (simply saying something is bad or silly isn't enough), how open someone is to new music, (I know too many people who only like rock, only like hip hop and only have one or two albums they listen to from different genres) and in general how they look at music as a whole.

I doubt many listeners on this site or other related music forums would have ignorant taste though.

**Frownland** · 07-07-2013, 11:59 AM

It's pretty easy to judge people's taste in music, especially when they don't line up with your own tastes because that's what most will hold as a standard for what he/she would call good or bad taste. Or at least that's what I do. That being said I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) not to be a dick and tell people that their taste is outright ****. I'll still give my opinion on your favourite artist, good or bad, but that's about as far as I'll go.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 07-07-2013, 12:03 PM

As long as you can have at least half an intelligent discussion about music without saying something like 'OMG SLIPNUT RULLLLEZZZ AND IZ THE MOST BRUTAL BAND IN DA WORLD' I really don't care what you listen to.

Mojo · 07-07-2013, 01:20 PM

I think music taste is far too subjective to harshly criticise someone for theirs. Are there different degrees of criticism? Probably, and maybe some of them I wouldn't take an issue with. Whether or not I take issue probably depends exactly on whats being said.

I recognise that I judge other peoples taste in music though. I think its important for a lot of us to realise that we do this, if we do this. For me it's a reflex, if they hold dear them to music that I find absolutely zero substance in, then this is obviously clash with my own taste in music. It doesn't mean I have to verbalise this though to put them down. I would struggle to find many scenarios where I think this is necessary.

I'm happy to take the positives from any music fans passion, and take some advice and assistance from them when it comes to exploring their particular genres of interest. I will always find some criticism of them as well though. I don't appreciate people who don't have any interest in metal telling me everything they think is wrong with liking metal. I also don't appreciate the "metalheads" that criticise my music taste outside of metal, if what they are criticising is my love for a band that "isn't heavy enough". Narrow mindedness is just as big an annoyance for me as putting down someone for their taste in music.

Keep an open mind and don't pass judgement on others, and I can respect you regardless of what it is you like.

**Goofle** · 07-07-2013, 02:54 PM

I think there is a HUGE difference between "taste in music" and "how far you decided to delve, and the resulting listening history based on how pro-active you are in looking up music".

I am sure that many millions of people would enjoy a large part of the weirder/eclectic/obscure side of my listening history had they gone out and done the same thing as me and just decided to look out for as much different music as possible. Had I not done that, I would be one of those guys who says "Music nowadays just sucks" / "Taylor Swift hasn't made a bad song yet" because I really wouldn't have made any effort at all.

Therefore I refuse to judge the taste of people who just aren't that interested in looking for anything outside the radiosphere.

**Janszoon** · 07-07-2013, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

TL;DR is it okay to judge the music tastes of others, is it then okay to judge the person for having those tastes?

I think everyone judges other people's taste in music to some degree. It's only natural, if someone keeps talking about music you dislike, that you're going to think, man I do not like this person's taste in music. But obviously that doesn't mean you have to be a dick about it how you express that. And judging someone as person based on their taste in music is really ridiculous.

On a similar note, something that bugs me that I've noticed occasionally around here is people who judge other people's motives behind saying they like something. For example, claiming someone is saying they like something just to appear cool or different. Such a silly presumption to make. If someone tells me they like something, I assume that's because they do in fact like it. I'm not going to second guess their reasons for liking what they like.

**Goofle** · 07-07-2013, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

On a similar note, something that bugs me that I've noticed occasionally around here is people who judge other people's motives behind saying they like something. For example, claiming someone is saying they like something just to appear cool or different. Such a silly presumption to make. If someone tells me they like something, I assume that's because they do in fact like it. I'm not going to second guess their reasons for liking what they like.

07-07-2013, 02:47 AM	#33 (permalink)
Big Ears Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 434	If I try to engage in a conversation and the other person says I don't like this or that, it's the end of the conversation. I do not know if they think their criticism is of interest or if it is to push others away. __________________ My Journal: Rabbiting On

07-07-2013, 11:59 AM	#35 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	It's pretty easy to judge people's taste in music, especially when they don't line up with your own tastes because that's what most will hold as a standard for what he/she would call good or bad taste. Or at least that's what I do. That being said I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) not to be a dick and tell people that their taste is outright ***. I'll still give my opinion on your favourite artist, good or bad, but that's about as far as I'll go. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.* d e a f b o x

07-07-2013, 12:03 PM	#36 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	As long as you can have at least half an intelligent discussion about music without saying something like 'OMG SLIPNUT RULLLLEZZZ AND IZ THE MOST BRUTAL BAND IN DA WORLD' I really don't care what you listen to. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

07-07-2013, 01:20 PM	#37 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I think music taste is far too subjective to harshly criticise someone for theirs. Are there different degrees of criticism? Probably, and maybe some of them I wouldn't take an issue with. Whether or not I take issue probably depends exactly on whats being said. I recognise that I judge other peoples taste in music though. I think its important for a lot of us to realise that we do this, if we do this. For me it's a reflex, if they hold dear them to music that I find absolutely zero substance in, then this is obviously clash with my own taste in music. It doesn't mean I have to verbalise this though to put them down. I would struggle to find many scenarios where I think this is necessary. I'm happy to take the positives from any music fans passion, and take some advice and assistance from them when it comes to exploring their particular genres of interest. I will always find some criticism of them as well though. I don't appreciate people who don't have any interest in metal telling me everything they think is wrong with liking metal. I also don't appreciate the "metalheads" that criticise my music taste outside of metal, if what they are criticising is my love for a band that "isn't heavy enough". Narrow mindedness is just as big an annoyance for me as putting down someone for their taste in music. Keep an open mind and don't pass judgement on others, and I can respect you regardless of what it is you like. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

07-07-2013, 03:14 AM	#34 (permalink)
memycelfandeye Groupie Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Bay Area Posts: 6	Musical taste can be judged in terms of how one critiques an album/artist/track, (simply saying something is bad or silly isn't enough), how open someone is to new music, (I know too many people who only like rock, only like hip hop and only have one or two albums they listen to from different genres) and in general how they look at music as a whole. I doubt many listeners on this site or other related music forums would have ignorant taste though.