Why is music snobbery even a thing?

completedit

Haah. As I said previously, the songs lyrically resonated with me at the time. I'm not sure if they'd do anything to me now.

chrissb8

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I find people who are almost exclusively into one genre or style of music to be quite strange. I went to school with a lot of lads who divided themselves into three groups; the rockers were into stuff like Metallica, Slayer, Foo Fighters, Green Day, punk bands; the next group were into the dreadful claptrap that was popular dance music at the time; the final contingent were into indie music - REM, Radiohead, Weezer etc.

Most of them eventually grew out of that clique or grouping they had identified themselves as being a part of. That said, you'd still see a few of the hardcore rockers wandering around the town - receding hairline, ponytail, unkempt beard; wallet chain, denim jacket, slow lumbering walk, cider face.

In every comment you post, I imagine you sprawled out on a sofa, dictating your comments to someone to type and post them on boards.

Then getting more brazen in your opinions as the 4th sherry passes your lips.

Errashareesh

Sometimes what is referred to as music snobbery is simply personal preference though. Not liking particular mainstream acts (and it is only those such acts whom people take issue with others disliking) doesn't make the person a music snob - they just don't like the acts in question, no judgement of others involved.

Capt'n Midnight

Inflationary cosmologists call all music from after the first 10^-30 seconds "post-"

Kaybaykwah

Potential-Monke wrote: »

I got about 4 bars into both of those songs and immediately knew they weren't for me. The only thing I would feel is boredom. In the interest of fairness, I tried to listen to them, skipped 10 seconds or so to see if it changed from what I expected, and it didn't, and got about 90 seconds in before turning them off. As I said I my post, it's this type of music I detest, so all I felt was disgust that this is considered good music (imo). Even the videos, ugh... It's like listening to that drunk friend who always drinks too much and ends up crying about how bad their life is (even though it's not), and you have to pretend you care.

The joys of personal opinions though. And I suppose you're right, I did feel something, but not what you expected me to feel I suspect! It's up there with David Grey for "Music to Kill Yourself To".

Taylor Swift. I'm an old guy now, and I am not insensitive to her prettiness, but I also notice how much of her output has to do with her self absorption, and it is painfully dull. I don't get the genius bit in the media, but if I were to get it, it would probably equal payola scandals and radio stations across time.

In another era, Joni Mitchell was similarly self-absorbed minus the selfie vibe of the WWW era, but produced masterpieces of wording and music. Taylor Swift's music to me is bland in the extreme. I think that the music business managed to format her despite her bravado. It's a shame really, because with some more talented people around her, she might have blossomed into something half decent.

i_surge

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Is there some sort of running Taylor Swift joke on the internet at the moment where people are reviewing her albums like she is Frank Zappa?

Whats going on these days, something gets released, take uncut gems for example, and suddenly the internet is awash with people talking about how its a life changing piece of art, you watch it and think its a fairly moderate safe piece of entertainment that you could take or leave. People keep raving about it, then suddenly nobody ever mentions it again.
Sandler was going to win an oscar at one stage. Beenpole hadnt got a patch on it I was told. Does anybody care?

It shows that music journalists should be shot. A cancer, telling plebs what they are supposed to like. You cannot really describe how something sounds. Superflous hyperbole the lot of it, compounded by the precarity of their words for clicks employment.

Reberetta

Robert Christgau is a strange one. I listened to one of the albums he recommended as a masterpiece and it sounded like the cd was stuck for an hour.

Check this out:Boardsies decide the best music albums of all-time.

The J Stands for Jay

i_surge wrote: »

It shows that music journalists should be shot. A cancer, telling plebs what they are supposed to like. You cannot really describe how something sounds. Superflous hyperbole the lot of it, compounded by the precarity of their words for clicks employment.

I would have to disagree. Check out this single review.

Rothko

Reberetta wrote: »

Robert Christgau is a strange one. I listened to one of the albums he recommended as a masterpiece and it sounded like the cd was stuck for an hour.

Check this out:Boardsies decide the best music albums of all-time.

What album was it?

Reberetta

Rothko wrote: »

What album was it?

Honestly can't remember; it must have been ten years ago now.

Irish_rat

Good albums will always come to the core, the best 100 album ever lists are generally pretty good.

However for certain sub genres, there is a lot of talent on bandcamp for lesser known artists.

CrankyHaus

Kaybaykwah wrote: »

Taylor Swift. I'm an old guy now, and I am not insensitive to her prettiness, but I also notice how much of her output has to do with her self absorption, and it is painfully dull. I don't get the genius bit in the media, but if I were to get it, it would probably equal payola scandals and radio stations across time.

In another era, Joni Mitchell was similarly self-absorbed minus the selfie vibe of the WWW era, but produced masterpieces of wording and music. Taylor Swift's music to me is bland in the extreme. I think that the music business managed to format her despite her bravado. It's a shame really, because with some more talented people around her, she might have blossomed into something half decent.

This is the nature of the business nowadays. Everything is over produced to the point of being a bland homogenous slime. It's rarely bad in the way manufactured pop music used to be. Instead it's technically quite good, with eclectic influences from various genres evident in the sound and advanced technologies applied to all aspects of it, but it is derivative and kind of soulless.

I actually worked at a Taylor Swift gig before and she is a talented musician who gives it a serious lash to put on a good show. I agree she could have been more.

Kaybaykwah

CrankyHaus wrote: »

This is the nature of the business nowadays. Everything is over produced to the point of being a bland homogenous slime. It's rarely bad in the way manufactured pop music used to be. Instead it's technically quite good, with eclectic influences from various genres evident in the sound and advanced technologies applied to all aspects of it, but it is derivative and kind of soulless.

I actually worked at a Taylor Swift gig before and she is a talented musician who gives it a serious lash to put on a good show. I agree she could have been more.

Yes. And it leaves us with the impression that there is not a lot of good music, but I hear a lot of good indie stuff about. Tons.
It doesn't get the airplay since the major labels foist the bland stuff with a steady regimen of brown envelopes to the station directors.

Kaybaykwah

I live on a lakefront in a suburb of Montreal. On the weekends, I hear this, for lack of better word, "music" played on boats by kids all day long.

Said music is a sort of yodel by Hispanics of both genders, apparently agonizing in a robotic voice. The songs never vary.

Suckit

completedit wrote: »

People act as if liking music is a personality trait. What is up with people listening to dad rock thinking they're the judge and jury about what makes some music better than others

What's "dad rock", and why does it sound like you are attempting to be music snobby about it?

LETHAL LADY

I've really diverse taste in music so I'd hazard a guess and say it's boring people??

Errashareesh

Suckit wrote: »

What's "dad rock", and why does it sound like you are attempting to be music snobby about it?

That's the thing. So often, those who complain about snobbery and smugness are guilty of the very same thing in reverse. See: moaning about atheists, craft beer drinkers, musos, Apple fanboys/girls and calling anything they didn't like "hipster" a few years ago. Like the vegan bogeyman, I find there is more sneering in relation to these apparent snobs, than the "snobs" sneering themselves.

Temptamperu

Strumms

Music is something that’s gotta resonate with your heart, mind and soul.... if you find an artist, genres, voice, album whatever that you love and you have a connection with, enjoy it... I don’t find that with general ‘poppy’ chart shît, personally. Can’t explain it, just however my brain is wired.

I don’t begrudge anybody liking whatever. You could pay me 500 euros to watch a Beyoncé show, or I’ll pay for my own ticket to go see Wilco, The National, Luke Doucet, Justin Routledge, A Girl Called Eddy, I’m going with those guys, more than just entertainment, a show and music that resonate with my taste, what I enjoy... can’t explain any of it... then if I could it’s boring...