I get called a music snob because I prefer to listen to independent music, mostly from my own locality but also further afield.
I can relate to this post. Liking what's popular is the most boring part of a person for me. If someone says to me "I only like popular music" I have no business with them, and people who say "modern music is crap". The internet has given us the chance to search for any music recorded at any time. Spotify, YouTube, Grooveshark, Last FM, the Guardian, the 405, Drowned in Sound, Soundcloud, Mixcloud there are countless more sites to find music.
I find the best bands come from Sweden, Canada, the US (Brooklyn, NY has a great scene), Australia. We still have a few good bands of course. The festivals I went to and the bands I saw there I hadn't even heard of this time last year! I just wish the people I'm friends with were into the same stuff.
I can relate to this post. Liking what's popular is the most boring part of a person for me. If someone says to me "I only like popular music" I have no business with them, and people who say "modern music is crap". The internet has given us the chance to search for any music recorded at any time. Spotify, YouTube, Grooveshark, Last FM, the Guardian, the 405, Drowned in Sound, Soundcloud, Mixcloud there are countless more sites to find music.
I find the best bands come from Sweden, Canada, the US (Brooklyn, NY has a great scene), Australia. We still have a few good bands of course. The festivals I went to and the bands I saw there I hadn't even heard of this time last year! I just wish the people I'm friends with were into the same stuff.
Funny you mention Sweden. They, along with Greece, have a lot of bands in the stoner rock genre that are really quite excellent. I have discovered many through Bandcamp. They also seem to be able to write stonking great southern rock better than many American bands.
As the first example off the top of my head - Dark Side of the Moon is widely regarded as A Great Album. I've always thought it was a bit meh.
But I wouldn't dismiss it as rubbish just because I don't like it.
So I think there is some scope for a bit of objectivity.
I'd agree that no-one has the right to say one taste is better than the other (within some reason!), which is precisely what makes a music snob IMO - when they dismiss someone's tastes more often than not, because its pop.
I'm certainly no fan of One Direction, but a couple of their tunes have been pretty great pop songs IMO.
Or something like Taylor Swift's new album - its an absolutely brilliant pop record.
Any real fan of music should be able to appreciate good stuff of any genre.
I wish people would desist from this idea that quality in music is entirely subjective, it is not. Your example of Dark Side of the Moon being a good example.
Taste is a subjective thing, although arguably good taste can be cultivated.
The point is that although some music may not be to your taste, that doesn't stop it being good or even great.
I wish people would desist from this idea that quality in music is entirely subjective, it is not. Your example of Dark Side of the Moon being a good example.
Taste is a subjective thing, although arguably good taste can be cultivated.
The point is that although some music may not be to your taste, that doesn't stop it being good or even great.
It does to the person who doesn't like it, which is the point.
I've been called a 'music snob' before because, yes, I am generally dismissive of chart music, but that is because I simply don't like it. Some good stuff ends up there now and again, such as Daft Punk, but now I completely ignore the charts and concentrate on music I love, such as classic rock, classical, jazz and blues. I appreciate music that takes talent to perform, which is why, although I think his music is mind-numbingly dull, I appreciate Ed Sheeran because he is talented. It's those who use autotune that annoy me.
But each to their own; right now I'm listening to the Doors, one of my favourite bands of all time. But I know some people don't like them and wouldn't like them. Some people like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith or whoever else; I'm not in any way fans of those two but I appreciate that they have fans, so I'm okay with that.
Too much is going on in the world to be arguing about music tastes. Have a great 2015 all.
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I can relate to this post. Liking what's popular is the most boring part of a person for me. If someone says to me "I only like popular music" I have no business with them, and people who say "modern music is crap". The internet has given us the chance to search for any music recorded at any time. Spotify, YouTube, Grooveshark, Last FM, the Guardian, the 405, Drowned in Sound, Soundcloud, Mixcloud there are countless more sites to find music.
I find the best bands come from Sweden, Canada, the US (Brooklyn, NY has a great scene), Australia. We still have a few good bands of course. The festivals I went to and the bands I saw there I hadn't even heard of this time last year! I just wish the people I'm friends with were into the same stuff.
Funny you mention Sweden. They, along with Greece, have a lot of bands in the stoner rock genre that are really quite excellent. I have discovered many through Bandcamp. They also seem to be able to write stonking great southern rock better than many American bands.
I wish people would desist from this idea that quality in music is entirely subjective, it is not. Your example of Dark Side of the Moon being a good example.
Taste is a subjective thing, although arguably good taste can be cultivated.
The point is that although some music may not be to your taste, that doesn't stop it being good or even great.
It does to the person who doesn't like it, which is the point.
You clearly miss the point...read the original post again.
But each to their own; right now I'm listening to the Doors, one of my favourite bands of all time. But I know some people don't like them and wouldn't like them. Some people like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith or whoever else; I'm not in any way fans of those two but I appreciate that they have fans, so I'm okay with that.
Too much is going on in the world to be arguing about music tastes. Have a great 2015 all.