Your controversial opinions/thoughts on music

[The Walrus]

Yeah, that's true. For me it's just so annoying now because I've spent so many years entrenching myself within metal communities but nowadays I don't identify that heavily with any one musical subculture. Diehard metal fans bug me, diehard rap fans bug me, etc. - I'm just open to almost anything these days outside of extreme metal, and can never dabble in one spot for too long before wanting to hear something new and fresh from another style. So for me personally now it's like I have no musical home, except in DTF roulettes 

[DoctorAction]

My father always quoted some music teacher guy who spoke to him in his formative years.

"There are only two types of music: good music and bad music."

I believe the originator meant that all genres of music are valid. My father, however, has always used it to say that some pieces of music are objectively good or bad.

I've always thought that there are infinite purposes of music, and these are created by individual listeners. I don't like Take That but they completely serve the purpose that the lady in my office that loves to joyfully sing along to them on her morning commute has for them. I love Meshuggah but they won't serve the afore-mentioned purpose at all.

[SoundscapeMN]

"Rap Isn't Music"

[The Walrus]

CO: Tom Englund and Evergrey are two of the most overrated boring names in prog music

[romdrums]

CO: Tom Englund and Evergrey are two of the most overrated boring names in prog music

Michael Bolton could replace Tom Englund in Evergrey and I doubt people would notice right away.

[Stadler]

My father always quoted some music teacher guy who spoke to him in his formative years.

"There are only two types of music: good music and bad music."

I believe the originator meant that all genres of music are valid. My father, however, has always used it to say that some pieces of music are objectively good or bad.

I've always thought that there are infinite purposes of music, and these are created by individual listeners. I don't like Take That but they completely serve the purpose that the lady in my office that loves to joyfully sing along to them on her morning commute has for them. I love Meshuggah but they won't serve the afore-mentioned purpose at all.

I've always put a lot more focus and meaning on the intent of the artist (meaning, only the artist could say whether a piece was "good" or "bad", as in, how close did it come to my vision?) and the reception of the work.  I watched my kid for years get SO MUCH JOY from Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift that I could hardly ever find it in my heart to criticize it as "bad".  It just didn't connect with my (like Bob Dylan, who is one of the icons of music for the past 50 years, and a "voice of a generation").  Now she's expanded to liking Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Journey, a TON of 80's rock, and even Kiss and Iron Maiden.  I don't know; I just think it's not for any one person to say.

[Lethean]

Stadler, I totally agree with the last part of your post.  But, I also think there's a time and place to express your dislike of something.  If someone were to tell your daughter that Miley Cyrus is bad or sucks while she was a kid enjoying it - not the time/place.  If people on this forum talk about it amongst themselves - not in response to someone saying they like Miley Cyrus - I generally think it's fine (depending on what they're saying, of course). 

I don't know if I'm expressing myself well.  Basically - it's not always "elitist" if a group of fans of whatever (metal, prog, "real" country, etc) are talking together about what they don't like.  That dislike might be part of what led them to find their common interest music, so it's part of a shared experience.

[Stadler]

I don't disagree; I talk a lot about what I don't like (Radiohead!  Grace Under Pressure!)    But I try very hard not to use words like "shit!" and "sucks!" and "horrible", and use words that relate to ME.  "Unlistenable", etc.  I can express my dislike without disparaging the intelligence, taste, listening skills, etc. of others.   Someone here - I forget who it was, I forget what artist we were talking about, but it wasn't that long ago - called into question my listening skills when we were talking about a certain artist.  Really??  Is that necessary?  I don't think so, especially given the science that is more and more telling us that what I as an individual see, hear, taste, smell, and feel may not be the same as what another sees, hears, tastes, smells and feels, even if the stimulus is the same.   Laurel and Yanni.   

(And no, I'm not referring to good-natured tomfoolery.  I love to bust balls as much as the next guy - maybe more, in person - but there ARE people that believe their listening skills are superior and that their taste in music is superior.  I say "billshot" to that.)

[TAC]

Hannah Montana was awesome!

[Ben_Jamin]

I used to listen to Aqua when I was small. Mariah Carey, Spice Girls, and many other pop artists whom were big at the time. I only heard those because I lived with lived with girls whom listened to that a lot.

My Dad enjoyed more metal and rock back then, so I would hear those songs as well. My favorite was Tom Sawyer.

For me, I wouldn't tell a kid their music taste sucks or anything of the sort because they're impressionable, even believing their peers when they say something sucks to fit in and not be the outsider. I've experienced this with Coheed and Cambria, I used to deflect them due to Claudios vocals and others laughing and at the time would've laughed at me for liking them. Now, being older, wiser and not giving a shit about what people say about me, I'm enjoying them a lot.

I don't know what it is, but if we didnt have these notions about music, people wouldnt be afraid to enjoy those styles.

Imagine if animals could understand us and we told them their music sucks.

[cramx3]

(And no, I'm not referring to good-natured tomfoolery.  I love to bust balls as much as the next guy - maybe more, in person - but there ARE people that believe their listening skills are superior and that their taste in music is superior.  I say "billshot" to that.)

I pretty much agree with you, I will add though that some trained ears can notice things others don't and I think sometimes that's where "prog snob"s can come in.  Some of which who are really into music and playing music and will criticize music that is mostly unnoticeable to untrained ears.  We see that here quite a bit from my experience and it's something I really haven't seen in other genres of music.  For example, the crowd noise in a recent DT live album that gets criticized as being fake and on repeat.  I don't think I'd ever notice nor care too much about that, but it gets a lot of criticism because some do have the ears that notice that and it stands out to them. 

[Stadler]

(And no, I'm not referring to good-natured tomfoolery.  I love to bust balls as much as the next guy - maybe more, in person - but there ARE people that believe their listening skills are superior and that their taste in music is superior.  I say "billshot" to that.)

I pretty much agree with you, I will add though that some trained ears can notice things others don't and I think sometimes that's where "prog snob"s can come in.  Some of which who are really into music and playing music and will criticize music that is mostly unnoticeable to untrained ears.  We see that here quite a bit from my experience and it's something I really haven't seen in other genres of music.  For example, the crowd noise in a recent DT live album that gets criticized as being fake and on repeat.  I don't think I'd ever notice nor care too much about that, but it gets a lot of criticism because some do have the ears that notice that and it stands out to them.

I don't have a problem with "noticing", but once pointed out, if I don't care, that's no one's bizniss.  That doesn't somehow make their opinion more valid than someone elses.  Just gives them more information to sort out. 

[cramx3]

Sure, if it doesn't bother me, who cares, but at the same time, they might actually be right.  It's something I've only seen here as my ears are not good enough to pick up on such subtleties.  It becomes mental, knowing something is off even if you can't tell, somehow makes me not enjoy it as much.  Kind of wish I just never knew about it to begin with in some cases.  And sure, most cases it has no impact on me if you hear some clickity clack that I cant.  The example of fake crowd noise kind of weirds me out though from the mental side of things and the idea of "live" isn't live, but that's a specific example.

[Stadler]

Sure, if it doesn't bother me, who cares, but at the same time, they might actually be right.  It's something I've only seen here as my ears are not good enough to pick up on such subtleties.  It becomes mental, knowing something is off even if you can't tell, somehow makes me not enjoy it as much.  Kind of wish I just never knew about it to begin with in some cases.  And sure, most cases it has no impact on me if you hear some clickity clack that I cant.  The example of fake crowd noise kind of weirds me out though from the mental side of things and the idea of "live" isn't live, but that's a specific example.

I do understand what you're saying.  It didn't change my overall impression of the band, but it always bugged me (and still does, in an insignificant way) when I heard that the live "Remember Tomorrow" with Bruce on the b-side of the "The Number of the Beast" single was actually Bruce singing in the studio over the backing track from the Maiden Japan EP.  I've never confirmed it one way or the other (though I tried once to get the boots of the five Italian shows - following the sacking of Di-Anno but before ANY songs from "Number" were written or recorded - from whence the track was alleged to have come, but failed.)

[cramx3]

Yea, same with JLB on Live at the Marquee.

[WildRanger]

I don't understand the hostility towards others music opinions.  I think it's a big reason why metal music won't be "big" anymore, there's way too much hatred within the community towards each other, sometimes because one's opinions aren't "metal enough" which is ridiculous.  Like the people in the Progpower community who shit on Night Flight Orchestra... just keep your negative and hateful opinions to yourself.  You don't need to like it, but there's no reason to shit on it.

Well, I suppose if some metal bands become mainstream and commercial and tend to achieve a bit of mass appeal, the majority of metal community will shit on them for not being metal enough (or real metal) and "selling out". They just think the essence of metal music is to be totally 'underground', anti-commercial and far from radio stations.
For example, I can imagine that most Electric Wizard, Opeth or Enslaved fans would have a hateful opinion about Slipknot (because they think Slipknot is mainstream metal for "dumb masses").

[Anguyen92]

I don't understand the hostility towards others music opinions.  I think it's a big reason why metal music won't be "big" anymore, there's way too much hatred within the community towards each other, sometimes because one's opinions aren't "metal enough" which is ridiculous.  Like the people in the Progpower community who shit on Night Flight Orchestra... just keep your negative and hateful opinions to yourself.  You don't need to like it, but there's no reason to shit on it.

Well, I suppose if some metal bands become mainstream and commercial and tend to achieve a bit of mass appeal, the majority of metal community will shit on them for not being metal enough (or real metal) and "selling out". They just think the essence of metal music is to be totally 'underground', anti-commercial and far from radio stations.
For example, I can imagine that most Electric Wizard, Opeth or Enslaved fans would have a hateful opinion about Slipknot (because they think Slipknot is mainstream metal for "dumb masses").

I don't know about Slipknot, but I would think some people would have that opinion regarding Five Finger Death Punch.