I will admit, my middle school iPod was filled with the Top 40 chart-topping hits. Some of those songs are still on my iPod, but now I also listen to a wide array of progressive metal artists, independent bands, local artists, and underground rap.
I believe the music I listen to is the best. Many friends will attest that I promote bands and artists in an attempt to expose people to what I think is the best type of sound there is, but the truth is that music is different to every person. Whether someone enjoys listening to the Top 40 hits or random independent bands no one has ever heard of, it’s their choice.
Music should be celebrated and taste should not be critiqued. Music preference is just one segment of the diversity we all should embrace. However, part of diversity is exposing people to other ideas and cultures, so they can use these influences to create their own perspective. The only music lovers deserving critique are those who close themselves off from music tastes foreign to, or despised by their own.
WKNC 88.1, a local radio station broadcasting out of N.C . State, prides itself on being unlike every other radio station. The majority of their music is independent and local bands, with various shows endorsing many different genres and artists otherwise not featured on public radio.
WKNC listeners and other independent music lovers flaunt the fact that their music is different from anything anyone has ever heard of. The more obscure the band, the cooler it is.
The problem with the independent music lovers I speak of is they close themselves off to music that everyone else likes. They are put off by bands celebrated by many people because they believe the majority of people cannot appreciate good music.
There are also the music lovers who have listened to nothing but G105 their entire life. Their iPods are populated only by the Top 40 hits in the past seven years and the sound is stagnant, even though artists change.
These mainstream music lovers close themselves off to finding music they may like better than what they are constantly exposed to. It is easy to listen to what is played on the radio, but harder to search the wide supply of music on the Internet or in local cafes to find that truly unique and satisfying sound.
The mainstream approach is no better than the independent approach to music. Mainstream listeners close themselves off to independent and lesser-known bands with uncelebrated skills and genres, while independent listeners close themselves off from mainstream music that has merit.
Both groups manage to miss the point. It doesn’t matter what type of music someone listens to. What matters is that people are open to other bands and genres while not basing any sound simply on what other people think of it. There are many mainstream bands who became famous because they are simply amazing, and even though there may be a lesser-known artist who can compose and play music at the same level, this doesn’t mean either artist is better than the other.
The fact is, music is music. Music is something different to each person listening to it. Critiquing others’ tastes or beliefs on music doesn’t benefit anyone . We all think the music we listen to is the best, because it means something to us. But if someone thinks their music is the best because they have never opened their mind to anything else, they deserve to be educated. Once exposed, if these people still prefer their mainstream or independent tastes, that is perfectly respectable. It is only important that they open their ears to the possibilities.
