# People are so judgemental with music tastes



## Repsychold (Sep 18, 2012)

This is just really annoying me and it's something I've noticed.

 Straight guys nowadays are pretty much only socially "allowed" to like two things: modern rock or hip-hop. But it gets trickier than that, obviously.

 a) No female vocalists (or other band members) allowed (except maybe Paramore, because "OMG HAILEY WILLIAMZ IS HOT!!!", according to a bunch of collegues). Listen to anything with a female vocalists- you're a fruit, get away!

 b) Must be at least somewhat current. Listen to oldies, people say you're "dad-rock" or whatever the term is that they're using now, and you're too clingy with your parents and not independent enough.

 c) If it's TOO out-there or completely unconventional, then you're a "hipster", which is apparently a label for wannabe-rebels... so, again, that's bad.

 d) If it's on the radio or mainstream at all, that's no good. Sell-out and brainwashed by the media.

 e) You will also be stereotyped based on race, how you act, dress, etc. Whites are allowed metal, blacks hip-hop mostly. Deviating could cause consequences.

 Etc., etc.,... you see how ridiculous this is getting. When all is said and done, your choice is death metal or doom metal, or hip-hop acts and rappers that nobody has ever heard of.

 For those wondering why this matters,... because I want friends who don't judge me. e_e I mean, I like mainstream rock (not too overplayed, though), and my iPod does have a few bands with female vocalists on it... I honestly hide it if my friends come around or ask to see what's on it. I hate how people turned something good like music into another criteria to judge people on. And this is the one area where straight men probably have it the worst, because they will be kicked out of a pack if they don't do it right.

 So yeah, any experience with this?


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## Greg (Sep 18, 2012)

I used to, then I left highschool and went into University, it's specifically a teen thing. When you're at a Uni/College/Institute you'll find peoples' tastes much more broadened yet at the same time very refined.


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## Heliophobic (Sep 18, 2012)

This is so horribly untrue it's incredible. I honestly don't know where to start.

Where the fuck do you live, man?


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## Horny Sceptile (Sep 18, 2012)

Or you could do what I do, if somebody calls me for the music I like [rock music] Just say 'I dont care what you think I like it, is there a problem?' they usually dont reply.


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## Traven V (Sep 18, 2012)

I think it usually depends on the social circle.


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## Vaelarsa (Sep 18, 2012)

What kind of middle school are you attending?


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## Artillery Spam (Sep 18, 2012)

I've got a friend who'll get into actual arguments with people because of the bands they like. Fuck the person's personality or how they act in public, let's judge them by what music they like! 

When I asked him why he takes music so seriously, he said I wouldn't "understand". What the hell is there to understand about raging at people because they like some shitty core band that you hate? 

There are only two main things in this world that I really cannot stand: People who yell for no reason, and people who take music seriously.


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## Demensa (Sep 18, 2012)

That's absolutely insane! I hang around with people that accept all music.


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## aqxsl (Sep 18, 2012)

i'll admit music taste can influence my first impression of somebody to an extent


if they listen to a wide range of music or stuff that's a bit more out there, it's usually a sign that we think more alike/ it serves as a good gauge as to how open-minded a person may be (i made many of my greatest friends through music interest; literally ended up meeting my best friend purely because we both like Gentle Giant).  


but the shit you mention is shit.  people with absolute opinions on music, let alone anything, are the worst


it blows my mind that people feel compelled to argue semantics over MUSIC of all things;  seriously what even is music?


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## Repsychold (Sep 19, 2012)

Saliva said:


> This is so horribly untrue it's incredible. I honestly don't know where to start.
> 
> Where the fuck do you live, man?


I'm in the USA. Not saying where.

 And trust me, I wish it was so horribly untrue that it was incredible. I wouldn't have posted if I didn't notice this shit.

 I admit, a lot of it is online or *shudders* Facebook. BUT I've heard people (college-age) IRL saying stuff like this. A lot of it does apply to a guy caught listening to anything with a female in it (unless it's a scantily-clad female in a music video). As I said, the one area straight guys have it bad is being only allowed to like certain music.


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## Heliophobic (Sep 19, 2012)

Artillery Spam said:


> I've got a friend who'll get into actual arguments with people because of the bands they like. Fuck the person's personality or how they act in public, let's judge them by what music they like!



I know music taste is subjective and all, but ignoring how fans of certain genres generally act is ridiculous.



> There are only two main things in this world that I really cannot stand: People who yell for no reason, and *people who take music seriously*.



People take music seriously because it is, believe it or not, a form of art.



Repsychold said:


> I'm in the USA. Not saying where.



Yes, because I will go to your house and rape you if you tell me what state you live in.



> And trust me, I wish it was so horribly untrue that it was incredible. I wouldn't have posted if I didn't notice this shit.
> 
> I admit, a lot of it is online or *shudders* Facebook. BUT I've heard people (college-age) IRL saying stuff like this. A lot of it does apply to a guy caught listening to anything with a female in it (unless it's a scantily-clad female in a music video). As I said, the one area straight guys have it bad is being only allowed to like certain music.



Start hanging out with people over the age of fourteen.

Also stop giving a shit about what people think of you. Unless they just flat-out beat you up if you listen to music outside of that imaginary circle you care so much about, who fucking cares what they think? Why should you?


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## Rotsala (Sep 20, 2012)

Don't you know the whole point of listening to music is to prove your superior tastes to the plebians


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## Conker (Sep 20, 2012)

Tell your misogynistic friends to listen to Halestorm as Lzzy is fucking awesome.  Oh, and In This Moment. That singer has a great voice as well, though I don't know her name off the top of my head.

I wish I had more to contribute to this here thread. I've always just listened to what I like and people with different tastes can go on having different tastes. But I like sampling different kinds of music because music is amazing and I always want more. 

I didn't see you post your age, but it really seems like you're in middleschool or high school, as this cliquey shit is prominent there. Once you're done with that, people do stop giving a sweet shit about what you listen to, for the most part. I really don't like rap, so if I'm driving with a friend who plays rap to piss me off, I'll bitch and moan a bit. But oh well.


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## TeenageAngst (Sep 20, 2012)

My friends have never expressed these views, but I'll give personal anecdotes in an attempt to add something to the dialog.

I don't like female singers in most genres because they're not good singers for rock/metal. You have down-tuned guitars, heavy beats, chugging riffs, and instead of a falsetto or a powerful masculine overtone it's a girls voice. It just breaks the mood. Now some bands can pull it off well, like Heart did a good job and Lacuna Coil is absolutely awesome all the way around, not the least of which is their female singer. They don't play "traditional" metal though, it's more complex and stylized and the feminine voice fits it very well.

I listen to a lot of old stuff. Rush, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Bad Religion, NOFX, Pennywise, Styx, random 80s classics, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Alice in Chains, etc. One of my first dates was taking a chick to a Foreigner/Styx/Def Leppard concert. No one calls it "dad rock" outside of CE, and even CE won't touch Bowie, Dylan, or Rush with that label because they're dignified and talented artists that transcend the test of time.

Hipsters in my opinion listen to mostly electronic artists for the irony and obscure folk groups/singer-songwriters. If people don't like hipsters it's because they're fake nerds. If people don't like their music it's because it's bad music. There's usually a *reason* they're so obscure.

Let's face it, radio rock does suck, unless you REALLY like Nickelback and Three Days Grace.

That last part's kinda true, I know a lot of black guys who catch s*** for being punks of metalheads and I know a lot of white guys who enjoy R&B or hip-hop, although they're never really called on it so much as people just assume they're a doofus.


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## ElectricBlue1989 (Sep 20, 2012)

Greg said:


> I used to, then I left highschool and went into  University, it's specifically a teen thing. When you're at a  Uni/College/Institute you'll find peoples' tastes much more broadened  yet at the same time very refined.


_
*HA!*_

In college, there was a little song going around that went something like this:

_â™ªSi oyes tecno,
Marica eres, 
Marica eres...â™ª_

Translation: _If you listen to Techno, you're a fag, you're a fag.
_
So that belief that this bull ends in high-school is, well, bull... to an extent. It depends where you go after high-school.

I was the only obvious hard-rocker in my class. I rocked the retro vibe ("vintage" tees, long hair, bracelets, etc.,) to the point that one of the most annoying guys in the class yelled, _Hey! Led Zeppelin!_ I was more surprised that this dyed-in-the-wool reggaeton-listening douche actually knew what *Led Zeppelin* is! 

Though I gotta say that if people had a question on a certain old song, they came to me. I felt proud. ^^

I reached a point in which I just don't care anymore and just pump up the volume if I believe the song is good (I'd do it more often, but I gotta take care of the car speakers...). Let there ribbing. Come at me, bro!


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## Conker (Sep 20, 2012)

TeenageAngst said:


> Let's face it, radio rock does suck, unless you REALLY like Nickelback and Three Days Grace.


Ya know, I do like those bands, but do most radio stations really play that much Nickelback? My local station doens't play them that often unless they have a new single out. Then they overplay that for a week or two and go back to their normal rotation of all sorts of rock music. I don't think any of it sucks, save maybe when they play Pantera. I can't stand them.


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## Heliophobic (Sep 21, 2012)

Rotsala said:


> Don't you know the whole point of listening to music is to prove your superior tastes to the plebians



This nigga knows what's up.

Also... _*plebeians_, you fucking pleb.


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## Bread (Sep 21, 2012)

But it's hard not to be judgmental sometimes when people out there are actually supporting this 
[video=youtube;4bEDM4bsfWg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bEDM4bsfWg[/video]


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## Magick (Sep 22, 2012)

I've seen and met people who do get too worked up over the types of music that other people like, it gets quite irritating when they start acting like certain types of music are superior (Surprisingly, the kinds they listen to *Rolleyes*) My high school in my home state had a few twits like that, but I seemed to be an exception to them for whatever reason, because the few people who weren't my friends knew I wasn't into the same type of music as them but they seemed to be fine with it, but when it came to someone else who had different tastes in music they got on their twat-ercycles and went off on their tangents. People can be pretty damned confusing when it comes to things like music, when it really boils down to personal opinions and individual thoughts.


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## greg-the-fox (Sep 22, 2012)

It seems strange to me that people group music by activity. Like this music is for partying, this is for relaxing, this is for driving in the car, this is for studying, etc. And it blows people's minds when you listen to certain music "out of context". Like people will mock you for listening to electronic music casually, even though they go to raves.


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## Heliophobic (Sep 22, 2012)

greg-the-fox said:


> electronic music



There's that fucking term again.


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## ShÃ nwÃ ng (Sep 22, 2012)

I'm only judgmental because there are people that have horrible taste in music.


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## Heliophobic (Sep 22, 2012)

ShÃ nwÃ ng said:


> I'm only judgmental because there are people that have horrible taste in music.



Horrible taste in music isn't quite as unbearable as horrible knowledge of music.

You know. The people that rip individual songs from youtube or call everything with bass "DUBSTEB XD". That shit is absolutely irredeemable.


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## Repsychold (Sep 23, 2012)

Conker said:
			
		

> Halestorm


I love Halestorm. <3 


			
				Conker said:
			
		

> I didn't see you post your age, but it really seems like you're in  middleschool or high school, as this cliquey shit is prominent there.  Once you're done with that, people do stop giving a sweet shit about  what you listen to, for the most part.


I've been in uni for a few years now and people still seem to do it... =\ Mostly online, but IRL too. The "you listened to a female- are you gay????" thing. And we all know that being gay is considered bad for a guy. So yeah.


			
				TeenageAngst said:
			
		

> I don't like female singers in most genres because they're not good  singers for rock/metal. You have down-tuned guitars, heavy beats,  chugging riffs, and instead of a falsetto or a powerful masculine  overtone it's a girls voice. It just breaks the mood. Now some bands can  pull it off well, like Heart did a good job and Lacuna Coil is  absolutely awesome all the way around, not the least of which is their  female singer. They don't play "traditional" metal though, it's more  complex and stylized and the feminine voice fits it very well.
> 
> I listen to a lot of old stuff. Rush, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Bad  Religion, NOFX, Pennywise, Styx, random 80s classics, Bob Dylan, David  Bowie, Alice in Chains, etc. One of my first dates was taking a chick to  a Foreigner/Styx/Def Leppard concert. No one calls it "dad rock"  outside of CE, and even CE won't touch Bowie, Dylan, or Rush with that  label because they're dignified and talented artists that transcend the  test of time.


I personally like both genders in terms of rock vocals, but each their own. Maybe it's seen as a sign of girlyness to like them. =\ I don't need music to be agressive or heavy, but I know some people only like that. 

Also, what's "CE"??


			
				ElectricBlue1989 said:
			
		

> In college, there was a little song going around that went something like this:
> 
> _â™ªSi oyes tecno,
> Marica eres,
> ...


Are you from a Spanish-speaking country? [/offtopic]

And you're definately right. Hell, I'm sure some adults are judgemental on this shit too. My family and parents are a bit, now that I come to think of it. The whole "people grow up after graduation" is, unfortunately, untrue.


			
				Shyfox21 said:
			
		

> I've seen and met people who do get too worked up over the types of  music that other people like, it gets quite irritating when they start  acting like certain types of music are superior (Surprisingly, the kinds  they listen to *Rolleyes*) My high school in my home state had a few  twits like that, but I seemed to be an exception to them for whatever  reason, because the few people who weren't my friends knew I wasn't into  the same type of music as them but they seemed to be fine with it, but  when it came to someone else who had different tastes in music they got  on their twat-ercycles and went off on their tangents. People can be  pretty damned confusing when it comes to things like music, when it  really boils down to personal opinions and individual thoughts.


Yes thank you!


			
				greg-the-fox said:
			
		

> It seems strange to me that people group music by activity. Like this  music is for partying, this is for relaxing, this is for driving in the  car, this is for studying, etc. And it blows people's minds when you  listen to certain music "out of context". Like people will mock you for  listening to electronic music casually, even though they go to raves


This too!


			
				ShÃ nwÃ ng said:
			
		

> I'm only judgmental because there are people that have horrible taste in music.


And that's what I was getting to in the first place. Everyone has different opinions on what is "horrible", so I just don't tell people what I like, so, no judgement.


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## Llamapotamus (Sep 23, 2012)

Repsychold said:


> I've been in uni for a few years now and people still seem to do it... =\ Mostly online, but IRL too. The "you listened to a female- are you gay????" thing. And we all know that being gay is considered bad for a guy. So yeah.



I'm sorry, that sounds like a horrible environment for a university...


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## Conker (Sep 23, 2012)

Repsychold said:


> I love Halestorm. <3
> 
> I've been in uni for a few years now and people still seem to do it... =\ Mostly online, but IRL too. The "you listened to a female- are you gay????" thing. And we all know that being gay is considered bad for a guy. So yeah.


I'm hoping to see them live again come December. Not sure I'll have days off to spare yet, but hopefully I will. 

It's a shame they think that way about female singers and about homosexuality. Most people at universities are more open minded, but I suppose that depends on where you go and other factors. I love women vocalists though. I forgot to mention Nightwish in the above post, but I love them too! Rock and metal can get along fine with a female vocalist; it might not be as BRUTAL, but it can still be good. 

I guess music didn't come up much when I was in college. I knew one person who thought everything I listened to was trash and that I should grow up, but she was also one of those people that liked "indie music" and would only name obscure bands I never heard of. I gave some of those bands the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I just didn't like them.

We enjoyed whiskey and bourbon, so that's how we bonded I guess


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## 4legdmonstr (Sep 29, 2012)

Personally I think metalheads are obnoxious and elitist, they think that  metal is the best and only genre worth listening to and look down on  anyone who doesn't like it -.- no offense to you good ones, but to the  ones I described, fuck you!


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## toastedtruth (Sep 29, 2012)

I don't tend to think like this with music. Most a-holes judge my music all the time. A lot of the stuff I play regularly is quite upbeat; and someone who just happened to be listening into it calls it disco/70's-80's. Now I'll never think of those songs the same 

I'm criticised by my younger brother loads too. Yet he doesn't even like music! The closest taste he has is to soundtracks from games he plays, I mean seriously? He needs to look at himself. 
Judging people on their tastes and the artists who make songs ruin the fun in music.


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## Judge Spear (Sep 29, 2012)

People in my college just raise eyebrows at my stuff. I've gotten the dumbest reasoning for why my music choice is "bad". I remember playing DoDonPachi music on Audiosurf one time. This condescending prickwit who thought he was cool blaring his My Chemical Romance and System of a Down tells me (unwarranted) he doesn't like electronic/techno music because "He'd rather listen to something that can't be done in their mother's basement and takes real effort to produce".


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## Oly (Sep 29, 2012)

if anyone gives me shit I just smile and put on The Sawtooth Grin, Merzbow, Guilty Connector, Pomegranitefox, The Locust, maybe VSnares' Winnipeg Is A Frozen Shithole... and then people are too annoyed or dumbfounded to continue being around me.

Of course I haven't had that issue in real life for... years, really, since I just don't fucking hang around people, and online it's easy enough to just ignore.



also re: metalheads, I am one but not an elitist, in fact I think most metal sucks by default because it's pretty paint-by-numbers(oh look you can belch gutturals about death and pain over downtuned minor riffs and power chords, aren't you _special_!) but the good shit is some of the best music to exist.

Then again I tend to use sub-genre tags mroe as descriptors of a sound and not as a classification system, so like technical death metal and black metal for example, they aren't separate genres to me, they're jsut different ways of doing the same thing.
Lots of people would disagree with me that mathcore or grindcore or sludge are metal, but they so fucking are, same ideas at the core of the music, extreme heaviness, advanced proficiency with instruments, usually very fast tempos(or very slow in the case of sludge/stoner rock and related sounds)...


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