LogFAQs > #877241905

myzz7 posted...

pinky0926 posted...

I find that nerd nerds have stereotypically nerdy taste in music. Usual artists that pop up in that list:

well that's not the worst taste in music. dad rock and classical music have instrumental skill on display with the core bass line and melody intact. 4 timing phrases and such. what i find concerning is the guys into today's hip hop and metal music. that's just lowest common denominator garbage on one hand and the other is chaotic noise.

Most of those artists in the list I gave are good and important artists, yes (with the exception of the guitar wankers). What strikes me though is that there seems to be an excessive preoccupation with artists who represent some level of historical significance or technical skill. Nerds like that sometimes seem to be more interested in the perceived idea of being superior than in the actual music they're listening to, a bit like wearing a fedora for the perceived idea of being "classy" without actually having a clue. The giveaway is that their music tastes read like a Top 10 list of whatever dad listened to or whatever history said is important. Concerning the classical music part, it's hard to take their interest all that genuinely because they seem to like the idea of classical music and how sophisticated it should seem to others, more than classical music itself.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm suspicious of you also if you can throw out entire genres such as hip hop or metal on the basis of comments like "chaotic noise" or lack of musicianship, when there's really so much within those genres that's stunningly beautiful, lyrical, clever, expertly constructed etc. but rarely reaches the charts. To not like hip hop is one thing, but tonot like it on the basis that it seems to inherently lacks sophistication is just plain wrong. You couldn't listen to say Gift of Gab rap and not say that his level of technical skill is really up there with the greatest guitarists around, not if you understood it.

The overall idea seems to be like "I listen to REAL music, none of that electronically produced crap", which I've only ever heard people with the most puddle deep appreciation of music say.

I feel I can say all this because that was totally me in high school. I listened to a lot of music for the pretentious reason of how sophisticated I thought it made me. Turns out no one gives a fuck if you can name 10 legendary guitar players and their greatest solos, and that comparing musical artists as if it's a sports competition is really missing the point.
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