How do you define "Good" Music?

tbh · 07-12-2005 1:49pm #1

I'm not sure where this thread should go, so please, mods, move if appropriate (which I know you'll do anyway!!)

What do you classify as "good" music? When I say something is good, musically, it mostly just means that I like it. Is that what most people mean?

for example, magpie said in the jcb song thread about nizlopi "making an album as good as" some other album - and I know exactly what you mean, magpie, but how would you say an album is "as good" as another?
(I'm genuinely interested in this, I'm not having a pop)

I suppose it's down to the individuals tastes, or are there any definable parameters for saying an album is good?

mike65 · 07-12-2005 1:53pm

Good music does'nt hurt my teeth.

Mike.

magpie · 07-12-2005 1:55pm

Interesting point. My take on it would be that if you like it yourself, then from your point of view its good, but for it to be generally accepted as being a "good" or "great" album normally a consensus of opinion builds up among people whose opinion on these things you may or may not respect (Music Journalists, Musicians, Other Music-Buyers).

Admittedly this is prone to herd-mentality, which is why whenever anyone does a "Top 100 Albums of All Time" Pet Sounds and Revolver are always in the top 2, purely because (IMHO) people have been brought up to believe that they are great records, whereas things that have been released since might be construed as better.

The ultimate example of this herd mentality (IMHO again) is Sgt Pepper, which isn't anywhere close to the Beatles best work and yet is universally revered. Its even held up as the first concept album, which it isn't. That was Sell Out by the Who.

EDIT/ same principle applies to books. Is LOTR really the best novel ever?

whiskeyman · 07-12-2005 1:57pm

It's really personal taste, although others believe chart position/popularity to be a sign of "good" music.

I believe music awards are not a sign of good music and have never bought anything on the back of number of Brits / Mercury awards etc...
These just highlight their popularity, but I mightn't like it.

spunkymunky · 07-12-2005 1:59pm

I suppose it depend what you look for in music. Some people like strong singers and harmonies others like beats and tempos etc.
Personally i play the drums and like a good strong percussion element. Also i like technical stuff on all instruments. I like to here something new everytime i listen to an album or song.
Mood is also important when listen to music or hearing a song for the first time.
A slow song on a first date might go down well and youll love it forever (well if the date goes well) but if you were to hear that song when pissed off you might hate it forever!!
So many factors really!!!

tbh · 07-12-2005 2:54pm

yeah, the points about the mercury prize are particularly well made - giving awards for any kind of art always seemed funny to me

magpie, i agree with you about Sgt Peppers, I love it but I don't think its the best ever. When I say that to my dad, tho, he said it has to be taken in context of the time it was released in.

garred · 07-12-2005 3:05pm

Don't know about music for me to be a great song=great lyrics+great music+great production. The song for me is the whole package and not just a good riff or lyrics. Jesus I'm fussy!

Spicy Lauren · 07-12-2005 3:26pm

Something that has depth and will stand the test of time.

ChuckProphet · 07-12-2005 3:49pm

Any band with a "The.." in the title is a safe enuff bet. It discounts all the boybands for one thing.

Nightwish · 07-12-2005 6:08pm

"Good music" is a personal thing, that is why there are so many different types of music.
Venerability doesnt define good music IMO. Theres a lot of crap out there thats been around decades.

Binomate · 07-12-2005 6:17pm

My definition of good music is music that requires a lot of talent, that sounds good and it sells a lot of records. This only applies to me because everyone is different.

Jimmy_Jazz · 08-12-2005 4:59pm

ChuckProphet wrote:

Any band with a "The.." in the title is a safe enuff bet. It discounts all the boybands for one thing.

Yeah - The Wurzels are a great band.

BLITZ_Molloy · 08-12-2005 5:06pm

Good music creates new genres, or pushes existing ones in new directions. Maybe it revives a genre that's been out of vogue for a long time.

KnifeWRENCH · 09-12-2005 9:37pm

i think its all to do with how people as individuals see it.i think good music revolves around my favourite bands (e.g Smashing Pumpkins,Pixies,Garbage,The White Stripes,Radiohead etc.)and bad music equals music i think is crap (e.g Westlife,Justin Timberlake,Scooter,David Gray,AC/DC,)

but i know that MILLIONS of people think AC/DC are brilliant,so for them Thats good music.and neither me nor them is right or wrong.(sorry if that sentence is bad english)

in a way,i suppose,all music is good music (unless nobody in the whole world likes it) and all music is bad music (unless everybody in the whole world likes it).i doubt theres any exceptions.

JC 2K3 · 10-12-2005 2:02am

I believe that there are generally two types of music listeners. One is your average mainstream music listener. They like "everything" despite the fact they've really heard nothing beyond what's popular at the moment and are easy going about what music they like. They may develop their own personal taste in a particular style of pop/mainstream music(ie. indie pop, pop-punk etc.), but they won't really "hate" any genre or judge others' music tastes. The Second is not into mainstream music much and will likely hate a lot of pop music and possibly be angered at the "crap" the majority listen to. They probably like a specific genre of non-mainstream music, although possibly like quite a few different genres. And would have respect for those who listen to other non-mainstream music, even if it wasn't their thing. They would respect music for it's creativity, originality etc. rather than what's popular and catchy at the moment.

In any argument about what music is good and what is bad you'll have these two groups fighting, the first one saying the second is being too elitist and everyone has a right to listen to whatever music they like and the second saying that the first don't have a clue about music and are just listening to what's popular/cool. In fairness the second group probably have a lot more musical knowledge and have probably listened to a much wider selection of music than the first group, but they would tend to dismiss music too easily just because it was mainstream.

Closing Doors · 10-12-2005 11:42am

What about hidden option number 3...people who will give any kind of music a chance regardless?

John · 10-12-2005 2:24pm

Closing Doors wrote:

What about hidden option number 3...people who will give any kind of music a chance regardless?

I subscribe to this option.

JC 2K3 · 10-12-2005 9:39pm

Closing Doors wrote:

What about hidden option number 3...people who will give any kind of music a chance regardless?

They don't really exist, there are people from group 1 open to group 2's music and people from group 2 open to group 1's music, but they'll like their own music the most.

munky · 10-12-2005 9:54pm

Good music is music that makes ya feeling something.
Makes ya wanna dance/sing/cry whatever.
Music is supposed to be a form of expression and if your not feeling any emotion from it then it can't be very good.

tj-music.com · 11-12-2005 10:06pm

It can only come down to personal taste. Having said that, there is obviously a consensus that music, pushed by the record industry, is getting worse by the minute.

Setun · 13-12-2005 10:48pm

I'll respect almost any where the musician is trying to experiment or do something new, because without them where would some of the greatest music produced have originated? I think it's important that it has a level of creativity aswell and not souless recycled garbage that some shadow has written for the band.

I know many Type A mainstreamers who reject what I feel to be amazing albums. I accept it's their opinion but I notice that they don't even try understand the music or be able to see the skill in its creation, yet they go out to Golden Discs the following day and buy some Westlife record.

Eminem · 14-12-2005 5:57pm

I think all differbt kinds of music is good like Metalica, Guns and Roses , ACDC, Bon jovi, Eminem and lots more I think every 1 has there own opinion on music wat they like and wat they dint like:)

bluto63 · 19-12-2005 4:47pm

music is supposed to make you feel emotions. Like me for example, when im feeling down, i stick on some blues, angry some heavy metal, tired some relaxing music(eg pink floyd) etc....

i dont believe that good music is catchy music. For gods sake the banana phone by Raffi is catchy! And the banana phone is possibly the dumbest song ever made!(still brilliant though:p )

rogue-entity · 20-12-2005 1:59am

For me Good music is a combination of a well choosen melody, good beat that matches it, and good lyrics. While all artists will produce songs for a certain genre, good artists will often add elements of there culture to it. Bob Marley added a distinctive Jamacian twist to his music. Freddy Murcury added a little flamboyance and flair to his songs which made them particularly good. U2 adds elements of Irish culture and history to his songs.

Good music must be origional and not all copies of other peoples work. Modern day rappers like Snoop, Jay Z, Ja Rule, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams et al, all seem to produce strikingly similar songs, with the same common themes, and too similar videos. While for example K-Os and Eminem perform very different songs, with completly different themes but still in the Rap genre, this makes there work unique and chances are it is in my collection.

Good music never dies. A perfect example of this are Christmas songs like "Mistletoe and Wine", "So here it is Merry Christmas" and "Oh I wish it could be christmas". Or Bohemien Rapsody by Queen which is still played on the radio now and then.

How do you define "Good" Music?

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