Your Taste in Music Sucks Because I Say So

[klunderbunker]

This is going to be something more of an editorial than a post. Also note that the bands I use are EXAMPLES and any popular band could be substituted in for them.

Two of my favorite bands are Nickelback and 3 Doors Down. They both have a similar style and are both pretty popular and successful. Both have multiple platinum albums, hit songs and have had their music used in mainstream ad campaigns with 3 Doors Down having the official theme songs for the last two Olympics and Nickelback having the theme song for Raw at the moment. In short they're both mainstream, established and popular.

However time after time I'm told by music "experts" that I have horrible taste in music or they're terrible bands and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Who in the world is ANYONE to tell me that the bands or songs I like are terrible? What makes someone an expert on music that they can say what's good or bad? Because they've listened to a lot of songs? Been to a lot of concerts perhaps? That makes your opinion more valuable than mine? Give me a break.

Of course these people know more material and history and styles of music than I do and I don't dispute that. However, what right does anyone have to say that I can't like a band or a song or a style of music because they simply say it's bad taste? Maybe those songs have a meaning to me. Maybe I was listening to them because they remind me of them. Maybe I simply like what they sound like. Now there's a novel concept if there ever was one.

In short, people need to stop saying that some bands are bad or that this band over here is better simply because you say so. If you think a song is bad then ok but if you're simply telling someone that their taste is bad because you say it is and YOU know what good music is, get off your high horse and shut up. No one wants to hear you talk other than yourself.

 

[gd]

I agree, somewhat. I listen mostly to the radio and whatnot, which likely means a bad taste in music. I don't dispute that this particular music might be somewhat shit, but I enjoy it, so it's really no biggie. For example, Keri Hilson pleases me greatly.

However, you are wrong on Nickelback, they are representiivites of Satan.

 

[Alex]

Sometimes people say your taste in music is shit because its not their style (they may like rock and you like pop etc)

I generally don't have a problem with what people listen to. (so long as its not Glee murdering a classic)

My sister and I have similar tastes in music as well as different ones (she likes more pop orientated stuff as well as British Indie bands, me I like my heavy stuff) and we occasionally try and find out why we don't like what the other does and all we can come up with is that the partuicular style of music doesn't appeal to us.


So it doesn't matter if someone else doesn't like what you listen to, so long as you like it, it doesn't matter.

 

[X]

Well sometimes your taste in music really is shit. For example, you love Nickelback. Nickelback are fucking atrocious. They're an insult to rock music, and they create some of the flat out stupidest, half-assed, rehashed music on the planet today. They pretty much represent all that is wrong with popular rock music. And don't even get me started on their lyrics, that shit isn't even arguable, their lyrics are fucking ATROCIOUS and that's just fact.

It's all a matter of opinion. People like to state their opinion as fact. That's how an opinion works, you wouldn't have one if you didn't believe it was fact. Pretty simple logic here. Sounds to me like you're just bitching because people make fun of your music taste, and rightfully so. Nickelback are like the Mason Ryan or Rob Terry of rock music. They look big and cool on the outside, but once you go beneath the surface, you realize they're completely and utterly talentless.

What a pointless and hypocritical thread. You just want to be able to express your opinion, but at the same time you're shitting on people who express their opinion just because you don't agree with it. Pot, meet kettle.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

Personally myself the only band I bash on Wz right now is A7x, I don't like the band. That is my personal music choice, I think I'm allowed to that choice to. But what I hate about music, is some ware someone will always have something bad to say about your music. I am a very big metal head, I can listen to it for hours. But I also dabble in classic music, old rock, and many others. But people label me as a devil worshiper, because somehow that is still a stigma of the metal community.

But in reality no one can say anything about the music you have playing, when you are the one with the earphones on. Who the fuck cares? Most people don't try to preach what music to listen to. I personally dislike the two bands you posted Kb, but I won't tell you hey! Go listen to this band, they are so much better. Because it is your taste, just like mine is mine.

It's bullshit how people tend to judge peoples taste in music, I judge bands based on talent. Not anything else, because that's what I like out of a band. Great playing = me giving your band another play.

Just tell the people the go to hell Kb, have fun with your music choices. Just remember to let it go also, because they are your friends. I personally have no trouble telling you a long ass time ago I thought How you remind me was a great song. This is coming from a man who Listens to Cannibal Corpse to Kb, so have a good day brother. Remember it is your choice.

 

[Alex]

People have a go at me for not liking Arctic Monkeys The Killers, etc and they give me long talks as to why they're good and bla bla bla. I just can't get into them and find them all to be generic and boring. However those guys think they're the greatest things since sliced bread.

One person's claims aren't going to single handedly change my opinon, X apparently hates Alter Bridge, I like Alter Bridge and I think they're one of the best bands of the past ten years, him hating them isn't going to change my opinion.

 

[klunderbunker]

And this is what I was waiting on: X to completely miss the point and do what I was criticizing people for.

Read what I said: you have no right to call my taste bad. Half of what you say is awesome makes my ears bleed. That doesn't mean it's bad for you to listen to it. You come off as some holier than thou guy stuck up on himself because he doesn't like what I like. The entire first paragraph you wrote proves that completely.

 

[lenguy]

I don't exactly agree with your choices but that's just my opinion and like everybody else has stated, its really just a matter of taste, not everybody is going to like the music you listen to. I listen to what sounds good in my ears, doesn't matter what genre it is, if it sounds good to me then I will listen to it but mostly I'm a modern rock kind of guy. There are plenty of other artists and bands I don't listen to and it could very much be the same artists or bands my friends will listen to.

I hate it when they constantly come down on me for a choice in bands I listen to, its quite the piss off. I don't do it to other people because it makes me completely sound condescending and ignorant to ones own taste, I understand everybody has different tastes in music and this is why I don't have the need to patronize people over their personal liking in music because I have no right to when they could very easily just patronize me on my tastes when in the end Its all just a matter of opinion, so why even argue over it? Agree to disagree, just ignore it.

 

[Nate DaMac]

I used like Nickelback, but the last album didn't do it for me and since then, I've kind of lost interest. The notion that their lyrics are terrible is absurd in my opinion though. The don't write anything worse than any other of the modern rock acts today. Rev Theory, Alter Bridge, etc. They're all relatively similar. If their lyrics are really that bad, I highly doubt they would be one if if not the biggest rock acts in the country right now. Not everyone wants to be intellectually challenged while they listen to music, sometimes I like simple songs that just get straight to the point.

That being said, I really don't see the appeal of 3 Doors Down. I swear the opening of every song I've heard from them sounds just like Here Without You to me now. But if that's your thing KB, by all means listen to whatever you want to.

This kind of reminds me of the whole Juggalo/ICP beef that circulates on here every now and then. Now I've stated before that it's not really my cup of tea anymore, but I used to get so much shit for listening to it. I know a lot of it comes from the Juggalo stigma since so many of them have made a bad name for us by acting like complete fucking morons, but there are a decent number of people that listen to the music simply because they like to. I used to fall into that category myself. You may think it's shit, but there are enough people who disagree to justify saying that you're full of shit.

I always strongly support my own opinions, but I hate it when people who do the same thing present it as fact. It's the most common form of a contradiction on here. "In my opinion, Muse is the greatest band in the world and that's a fact." That hurt my stomach just to type. Anyway, it may be fact that that is your opinion, but it certainly isn't a fact by the true definition. Saying Nickelback's lyrics are terrible in your opinion is a fact, but saying that Nickelback's lyrics are terrible and that's a fact is just absurd.

 

[Fizzy]

Totally your opinion. It's like food. If somebody likes chicken but you don't, you have no right to say chicken sucks. It is personal preference. I was watching an interview with Slipknot lead singer Corey Taylor. He said something that I tend to live by. Anybody who knows about Corey knows that he is a pretty insane individual, but he doesn't care. He likes something, he will flaunt that despite what others will say. "Do what you do" he said. If you like something, don't be ashamed. Listen to what you like to listen to, and if anybody disagrees with it, fuck them. If they don't like it than tell them not to listen to it. Nobody has the right to criticize your taste in music. Afterall, it is YOUR taste and not theirs.

 

[JGlass]

There's no objectivity in criticizing popular musical taste, that's why it's critiquing. It's pretty much agreed upon that some of Motzart's work is the best music ever written, but the fuck if I'm ever going to sit through one of his symphonies without thinking about whether the jump from the balcony to the ground would kill me or just cripple me so I'll be able to get of the concert alive.

Even within one band there's room for disagreement. I'd say the majority of Led Zeppelin fans think Stairway to Heaven is their best song. I say fuck Stairway to Heaven, Over the Hills and Far Away is a much better song, and I could probably pick 20 other songs that I'd put above Stairway as well. Rolling Stones? Fuck Satisfaction and You Can't Always Get What You Want, I'll always be a Tumbling Dice fan. Green Day? I loathe Good Riddance, but I love nearly every other song on that album.

And while I love my musical taste, I know most people don't. It's a mix of semi-modern punk rock and classic rock with a few rap and pop songs mixed in. One of my favorite bands is NoFX, and I've liked them since the 7th grade when I was 13. I'm 21 now and to this day I have found one person who likes NoFX as much as I do. I'm not a diehard fan or anything, but they're in my top 5 favorite bands, but I've only met one other person who likes them as much as I do. Does that mean the world has shitty music tastes except for me and this one other guy? No, it means that I have unique musical tastes.

I hate Nickelback. Can't stand them, every one of their songs sounds the same, but they must be pretty good by popular standards because they are tremendously successful at the worst possible time to be a musician.

Taste in anything is so objective that it's nothing short of ridiculous to criticize it by saying it is "bad," and yet, we do it everyday on this forum and in real life. Hell, some people get paid to do it. Go fucking figure.

 

[X]

And this is what I was waiting on: X to completely miss the point and do what I was criticizing people for.

State my opinion? And then repeatedly say that it's just my opinion? That's what you were waiting for? I made it pretty fuckin' clear in my post that personal opinion on music is just that---personal opinion.

Read what I said: you have no right to call my taste bad.

Sure I do. It's called having an opinion. Just like you believing those bands are great is you having an opinion, me thinking they suck is my opinion. What, are you the only person allowed to have an opinion?

Half of what you say is awesome makes my ears bleed. That doesn't mean it's bad for you to listen to it. You come off as some holier than thou guy stuck up on himself because he doesn't like what I like. The entire first paragraph you wrote proves that completely.

Again, I repeatedly said it was just my opinion. Which takes your entire shit argument and throws it right out the window. If anyone is being holier than thou here, it's you. You apparently think that you're the only one entitled to an opinion. Well sorry, you aren't. I have just as much right to think Nickelback sucks as you do to think they're awesome.

Again, it's called an opinion. Get off the pedestal and realize people are allowed to have their own just as much as you are.

 

[klunderbunker]

No, you don't. You have zero right to say my taste is bad because you think some band sucks. Say they're bad or whatever but saying that I have bad taste is idiotic and makes you look like some big bully that has his head buried so far in the sand he can't see the light of day. In short, you're saying that I'm an idiot and have no idea what I'm talking about because you've decided I don't and no one has any right to do that.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Look anybody telling anybody else they have a bad taste in music is, that word I see used to often, asinine. Why?

The word taste. It's exactly the same as saying someone's taste in food is bad.

Therefore no matter how unpopular this may seem any 'opinions' on music make no sense. There is no good or bad hence no criteria upon which you can base an opinion, there is only what you like and dislike. Trying to justify that will always just be trying.

Umm in other words after reading down a bit, what a few other people have already said.

 

[Slyfox696]

However time after time I'm told by music "experts" that I have horrible taste in music or they're terrible bands and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Who in the world is ANYONE to tell me that the bands or songs I like are terrible? What makes someone an expert on music that they can say what's good or bad? Because they've listened to a lot of songs? Been to a lot of concerts perhaps? That makes your opinion more valuable than mine? Give me a break.

While I understand where you're coming from, and agree in some respects, you're asking questions that I can give you answers to.

There are people more qualified than you to discuss the quality of music. No one can tell you what you should or should not like, but they can tell you what is of high quality and what isn't.

For example, my girlfriend, back when she played regularly, was one of the best cellists in my part of the state. She was first chair in her college orchestra, she was asked to play for all sorts of occasions, invited to play in China, she has played with acts like the Trans Siberian Orchestra, etc. Very good cellist, with a long background and education in music. She can listen to music, pick out all the instruments, and relay back the difficulty level of them, how well people are in tune, how well the singing is in tune with the band...all sorts of things. She's qualified to give an objective opinion on the quality of the music, due to her extensive background in music, her incredible ear for music, and her education in music.

So, there are people who can tell you about the quality of the music, and how good it is. However, to dismiss someone's musical taste is silly, as everyone is entitled to like what they want. It's like I always say about wrestlers...feel free to like who you want, just don't try to tell me they're good because you like them.


P.S. - My girlfriend really likes the band Nickelback, which proves even those with an ear for quality can like shitty music.

 

[Dave]

I think it is really funny when people tell me that I have bas taste in music. I call it “Music Snobbery” and although it used to annoy me a couple of years back, I honestly do not care what others think about my music choices at this point. There was a time in my life when I bought an iPod and would fill it with crap I didn't even like so that if people were skimming through the songs I had on there, they wouldn't comment on “how bad my taste is”. One day I just stopped and told myself that it wasn't me who had to re-think their opinions on music, it was others.

Let me make this clear, I have never told someone that they had bad music taste. You know why? Because it is so trivial that it makes me want to cry when I think about the needy person who used to fill his iPod up with utter bullshit to escape persecution for liking certain sounds.

And when you think about, that is exactly what it comes down to. I don't think you have control over which sounds you have. I am of the opinion that you can train yourself to like different genres by constantly listening to them and it is the same for any other sound in your ear. I mean, if you have a crying baby at home and someone visits, they are likely to be put off by the sounds of the crying but to you, it is just another sound. To me, that is what music comes down to. I have, what many would call, a “bad” taste in music but that is my bag. For example, I know that xfear likes punk music like the Sex Pistols and such. To me though, there is no bigger waste of sound than punk music. That being said, I am not going to say it is “bad” because it doesn't appeal to me. That is the epitome of being selfish, in my opinion.

I listen to music and I love it. The great thing about music is that it is completely subjective and I will never get so wrapped up in popular opinion again that my music choices are not my own. Music is supposed to be bad. Without being bad, we wouldn't know what good is.

 

[TSG]

I used to be like this. I have lightened up somewhat. I have my own opinions and others do to. But sometimes music really does suck. It's either a case of people having talent but not using it and making stupid and horrible music, or people just not having talent and covering it up with studio recording techniques and autotune. This is when I come out and say "they suck." There is really no way around it, and I'll even toss out an example or two.

Lil' Wayne is one I catch crap for most for not liking. Yeah, he does have talent. He proves it on Drop the World and No Love and other songs. But for the most part he gives no effort and puts out crap like Lollipop and A Milli, and other club-banging hits that suck and talk about nothing but "money and hoes" that I could easily write myself. Then there is the fact that his voice is atrocious and he tries to hide it with autotune which just makes it even worse. This is why I have no problem saying Lil' Wayne sucks.

Taylor Swift. Her songs have cute little meanings, yeah. They mean a lot to certain people, yeah. But it's all she writes about, and meanwhile cannot sing live at all. She's a horrible live singer, and she tries to cover it up with her fancy studios. But it doesn't work live. She sucks.

Justin Beiber. He writes nothing but tween pop hits that belong in teenage clubs and tries to pass off his pre-pubescent voice as singing. I don't buy it.

Now, you have examples of good artists. I may not like Britney Spears, but she has a talented singing voice. I am a huge Doors fan, but maybe it's not for everyone. The music might not be what people like, Morrison's voice isn't the greatest in the world to some people, they may think it's too scratchy. But it's clear the group is talented.

The way I see it, I'll let people have their opinions because I have mine. But sometimes there are clear examples of suck that need to be pointed out, because they are un-deniable.

 

[Hawkeye]

I'm always catching hell from my friends about the type of music I like. The fact of the matter is, I can pretty much tell from their musical tastes that they're afraid to go against the grain and try something else because everything they listen to is generally accepted as "Good Music". Javier always listens to hip-hop, mainly stuff you won't hear on the radio, much more explicit and in my opinion hard to understand. Greg listens to classic rock and that's it. Zepplin(sp?), Metallica, The Who, basically he's been listening to the Rock Band soundtrack his entire life. They can usually agree upon one another's music tastes,but when it comes to me I get all the heat. I mostly listen to pop music, boy bands, Katy, Rihanna, Britney and some rock and hip-hop, mostly upbeat stuff. They like to call it "gay music" and dismiss my tastes immediately and I just don't get it.

By the way, what is up with all the Nickelback hate? It seems like it's acceptable even in pop culture to hate on Nickelback and I never understood why. There's a "rejected fatality" from the new MK that has the victim being forced to listen to Nickelback for 10 hrs straight.(Heard this from my brother, who lies to impress people so you may have to research that one.) Confirmed. It's at the :32 mark of this vid

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

As a gentleman of a certain age now, this is a topic close to my heart. I was still at school when Indie, Grunge and 'Rave' music came on the scene and the amount of fellow students that dropped bands they had followed for years was laughable, even more so because they would then turn around and decry others for still liking said bands. As I generally state when asked, I have a wide array of musical tastes but I wouldn't be a big fan of modern day R&B (the yodelling on what seems like every note to me really grates with me) or classical (apologies to your good lady Mr Fox). Having said that there are still exceptions in both these genres that I think are cracking.

Musical taste is a great term because it is a TASTE - I hate peas but I'm not going to leave the table or insult someone if they happen to like them.

Oh, and on the Nickelback debate - I'm with you KB, I've seen them twice - once opening for Bon Cheesy and in their own right. Yes, to musical gurus, NB and BJ are generic bands but I can discern their sound and I enjoy most of their stuff. So what if it's bubblegum - I like bubblegum.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

In my High School, what music you listened to defined who you were. It was at the time when "Moshers vs Scallies" was the big thing and all rock music fans were hated by the rap fans, and fights broke out all the time.

It was a pretty hard time actually. I was always one of the popular kids with alot of friends and a member of the school football team but once I started listening to rock music it was like you were disowned by those people who had been your close friends for years. I couldn't understand it. I ended up making some new friends but it was the time when people would literally shout abuse each other just for what music they liked.

It was pathetic. Once we all grew up a bit, almost every single former friend apologised and the situation went back to how it was initially, with me being one of the popular kids again, but for those couple of years it was horrible. People should not be judged on what music they listen to. What does it matter if someone has something playing in their headphones that you do not like? I couldn't give a shit if you listen to Justin Fucking Bieber....its your choice.

My music taste now is very varied. It has put me in a strange situation of almost anyone I know being able to find some stuff on my ipod that they like. But almost anyone can tell me that my music taste sucks because there is so much on there that they DONT like.

For example, I listen to metal, indie, grunge, gangsta rap, nu-metal, trance, reggae, rock, and some pop. So a fan of any of these genres can find things they like, but often hate alot of it.

I couldnt give a fuck. I love music, and I love a hell of a lot of it. So, I really do not care what people think of my music tastes, I know its fucking good.

And thats all that matters



P.S. As for Nickelback? I like them. "How You Remind Me" was one of my favourite songs for a long while. They arent amazing in everything they do, but I have 3 of their albums and enjoy them. There is nothing wrong with Nickelback at all

 

[Dagger Dias]

Makes sense to me, KB. Everyone has the right to like the music that THEY like. I listen to rock and rap mainly, a little bit of everything else on the side, basically everything but country is what it comes down to. I realize people out there like country, so I don't put them down for listening to it. I might make fun of it a little and call it dumb, however I still let them like the things they like. These same people then come around and call my taste in music terrible because they think 80s hair metal bands are lame. Right, so I don't have the choice to like the music genres that I happen to like? I'll in return tell them off. People who don't like certain types of music have the right to dislike them, but they should not put down the taste in music of others who DO like that type of music because we ALL have the right to listen to whatever we want to.

 

[Daniel]

I've never seen or heard a compelling argument made for objectively looking at the quality of music. You wanna know why? Because it doesn't exist. Musical quality can only be looked at subjectively. One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that. But please, if you think you can, set out a list of criteria for what is objectively high quality music. And then I'll tell you how you're wrong.

That said, I reserve the right to mock you for your music choices. Take my friends for example. We all have differing music tastes. Some like metal and a variety of 'cores. Some like dubstep. I like folk and large, lyrically ambitious music. I mock them for liking dubstep and metal, they mock me in return for having a The Smiths t-shirt. They can say I have bad music taste, as long as they are not saying it objectively. Saying "you have bad taste in music" is a far cry from "your music taste is categorically bad".

You can have all the training in music you want. You can be the best damn composer in the world. You can have some kind of self-professed "incredible ear for music". But at the end of the day, if someone says "Nickelback are good", all you can say is "I respect your opinion, but I don't think so".

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Makes sense to me, KB. Everyone has the right to like the music that THEY like. I listen to rock and rap mainly, a little bit of everything else on the side, basically everything but country is what it comes down to. I realize people out there like country, so I don't put them down for listening to it. I might make fun of it a little and call it dumb, however I still let them like the things they like. These same people then come around and call my taste in music terrible because they think 80s hair metal bands are lame. Right, so I don't have the choice to like the music genres that I happen to like? I'll in return tell them off. People who don't like certain types of music have the right to dislike them, but they should not put down the taste in music of others who DO like that type of music because we ALL have the right to listen to whatever we want to.

Fan's of Country should not be putting down '80s Hair because Country had such an influence on Rock Ballads, basically by hating on Poison, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith etcetera they're hating on their own genre. In the same way, any rock fan should not slag off blues or country because without blues and country, Rock N Roll would not exist and any variable or evolution of R'n'R would never have happened.

 

[Post]

I consider myself pretty snobby sometimes when it comes to music, but that is strictly for me. I know what I like and am going to listen to it.

My wife has completely different music taste than me. I actually hate most of the stuff she listens to. All top 40 crap and flavor of the month bullshit. But she likes it so I keep my mouth closed. I don't want to piss on her parade.

 

[DethMetal]

KB, you're one of the coolest cats on here, but your point isn't quite clicking for me. For the most part, I'm a metalhead. I listen to bands from Metallica to Amorphis, even non-metal bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Hell, I can't stop listening to Cradle of Filth right now. I'm sure a lot of people will tell me that Cradle sucks. Some dude got on me the other day, "Why you listenin to dat? You satanic??" I say, "Fuck off." I disagree with 'em, but that is their opinion. They're wrong when they say that Cradle or metal in general doesn't take talent. That is what pisses me off, yet they treat whoever the fuck the new rapper is today like a martyr. I hate rap(modern day, I'll occasionally listen to Outkast or whatever). They can't tell me I'm wrong for not liking it, because it's my opinion.

Personally, I think Nickelback sucks. They're songs are repetitive and the lyrics are ugh. However, you like them; your opinion. I don't; my opinion.

My cousin listens to rap and disney shit. I'll tell him his musical tastes suck, and I have every right to. why? Because it's my opinion.If one says that a musician with with talent is talentless, fuck them. However, if they don't agree with my style of music and think that it's asinine, that's they're opnion, and they're entitled to it 100%, as I am to tell them that theirs is equally atrocious.

It's an UN-winnable battle. I stopped caring if some wanker doesn't like my style of music years ago.