Preferences for Music Genres

[FreeDiver]

For me, there are 2 type of music. Music I like, and music I don't like. My taste in music doesn't really fit into any genres for se.

 

[Progster]

I must confess I’ve drifted towards lyrics in foreign languages over the last decade or so.
Don’t dislike lyrics I can understand per se, but they do distract from the music in a way that is a little frustrating.

I listen to a lot of music from various countries of the world, often with folk influences. I find that well-written, well-sung lyrics can really complement the music - I can't imagine Pink Floyd without the lyrics for example - without the lyrics they would never have had the success that they had. On the other hand, lyrics can really detract from the music if they are poorly written, or too dominant, or the vocals are not good, and the internet is flooded these days with very mediocre music with poor vocals. One needs to sift through all the mediocre stuff to find the occasional gem.

 

[Giraffes]

It seems we have similar tastes.

Yes i enjoyed the Swanage Jazz festival many many years ago, i went for three years twice on my own and once with 'friends', my local pub has a weekiy Jazz evening that's free entry but has a donation collection after the first set, have been to the 606 club in Cambridge and the Stables in Wavendon, highlight of life preformance wise was hearing Dave Brubeck play, do you like Charlie Parker? Clint Eastwood produced/directed a good film about him called Bird, i like Whiplash about a jazz leader instructor and a drummer (i love Buddy Rich) musically enjoyable but the story line for me is challenging, no funds to explore 'up and coming' talent in London act. but discovered 'Gregory Porter' from listening to Jazz FM also love Chet Baker, sorry for the long reply but hey you hit one of my obsessions Lol
Oh help me here why is it the expected that audiences listening to Jazz tend to be reserved and sit quietly????i love to express and move when hearing music and yes (this is shocking!!!!) even dance, i've had so much judgement for not fitting into these presumed or real behavoirs!!!! but being ME and never fitting in anyway have always expressed my experiences my way.

 

[Karamazov]

I listen to a lot of music from various countries of the world, often with folk influences. I find that well-written, well-sung lyrics can really complement the music - I can't imagine Pink Floyd without the lyrics for example - without the lyrics they would never have had the success that they had. On the other hand, lyrics can really detract from the music if they are poorly written, or too dominant, or the vocals are not good, and the internet is flooded these days with very mediocre music with poor vocals. One needs to sift through all the mediocre stuff to find the occasional gem.

haha!
Yes, every so often I spend an hour or two following my nose through YouTube’s recommendations below the video descriptions, always skip most songs proffered within 20 seconds: usually on the basis of poor/inappropriate vocals.
First line of the lyrics being a cliched phrase within the genre always gets my finger itching for the skip button.

Have found a few songs that have become favourites that way too though.

 

[SusanLR]

I can't live without some type of music playing almost all the time.

One of my obsessions as a toddler was a big box of 45's and a one record at a time, plastic child's
record player. I'd sit on the floor playing songs all day.
That was in the late 50's and the box of records were popular songs for that era.
So I grew up liking easy listening and pop music until the 80's came along.

My taste changed to 80's rock. Just didn't like the romantic, soft stuff anymore.
I think due to disappointed romances.
Classic rock of the late 70's and 80's is my mainstay yet.
Music went to nothing I liked in the 90's.
So classic rock channels are playing anytime I am in the car.

At home I like alt ambient music playing all day in the back ground.
It isn't distracting, it is calming, I can do housework or take a nap with it. No lyrics.

 

[Rasputin]

Yes i enjoyed the Swanage Jazz festival many many years ago, i went for three years twice on my own and once with 'friends', my local pub has a weekiy Jazz evening that's free entry but has a donation collection after the first set, have been to the 606 club in Cambridge and the Stables in Wavendon, highlight of life preformance wise was hearing Dave Brubeck play, do you like Charlie Parker? Clint Eastwood produced/directed a good film about him called Bird, i like Whiplash about a jazz leader instructor and a drummer (i love Buddy Rich) musically enjoyable but the story line for me is challenging, no funds to explore 'up and coming' talent in London act. but discovered 'Gregory Porter' from listening to Jazz FM also love Chet Baker, sorry for the long reply but hey you hit one of my obsessions Lol
Oh help me here why is it the expected that audiences listening to Jazz tend to be reserved and sit quietly????i love to express and move when hearing music and yes (this is shocking!!!!) even dance, i've had so much judgement for not fitting into these presumed or real behavoirs!!!! but being ME and never fitting in anyway have always expressed my experiences my way.

Love your enthusiastic response. I was born in New Orleans and grew up listening to Jazz, music by Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain, the Neville Brothers. People in New Orleans are definitely not subdued or discouraged from moving around. I moved away years ago, but used to attend the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival annually.

I also like cool jazz music by the performers you mentioned, but I think you are more knowledgeable than I am. I think because I grew up listening to jazz and blues music that it stuck in my mind somehow, and I just don't have the same appreciation of rock and Country music. I do, however, like Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, and a few other big name performers.

The reason I started this post is a friend sent me a video of the group Europe performing, and told me that he likes all genres of music. That got me thinking and asking the question what music that I really like. The first thing that popped intoy mind was Amy Winehouse, who I thought was great. It is tragic that she is no longer with us. Anyway, I thought it was a little odd that I had such a narrow range of interest compared to my friend.

 

[Jumpback]

I like all different sorts of music but mostly older. Some of the interest is like with other things with me in that it’s a big jigsaw puzzle of similarities and influences and figuring these things out is just sort of what I do.

 

[Trophonius]

Mostly classical, but focused in a few composers. Scriabin is among my favorites, also Rachmaninoff. I've also became a fan of Tango, however I don't listen to it that often. Within popular music, some artists I like are Björk, Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel.

 

[Jumpback]

Love your enthusiastic response. I was born in New Orleans and grew up listening to Jazz, music by Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain, the Neville Brothers. People in New Orleans are definitely not subdued or discouraged from moving around.

Louis Prima is from New Orleans. Animators for “The Jungle Book” got ideas from him and his bands behavior while recording the song

 

[Giraffes]

So yes Jazz is my thing yet i love lyrics and singers...... Tracy Chapman, Bob Marley, Joni Mitchell, Frank Sinartra, Julia Fordham, music lifts my mood and i often have it on throughout the day, i find some rap and R and B hard due to the sometimes 'anti women' thead and language as for me often swearing is so sad when we have such amazing words to describe how we think and feel, just my view.

 

[WildCat]

It has been all over the place throughout the years, so a preference for one genre isn't my thing. There's a radio station I listen to pretty often that covers pop hits mostly from the 70s to today and those songs cover a wide range.

 

[8398]

I wasn't liking music until the time I could go on youtube and find all sorts of stuff, like to also have a unique picture to go with the music. No specific genre, yet all specific in a way and if I'm forced to listen to someone else's taste I get very uncomfortable like it's too expressive. If I could describe the music, its all mostly stuff to be used in animation or video game so very themed and imaginative, maybe. Before that I hated music.

 

[Metalhead]

My family describes my taste in both music and movies as “eclectic” like it is an odd thing. I listen to Frank Zappa, Dream Theater, Gentle Giant, Yes, Guns N’ Roses, Opeth, Ghost, Prince, Minnie Riperton, Donna Summer, Seikima II, X Japan, The Notorious BIG, Porcupine Tree, early Genesis, early Mastodon, some classical music (mainly Bach, Chopin, Wagner and Beethoven), early Elton John, Queen, Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, not terribly eclectic now that I look at this list.

 

[Jumpback]

I listen to a lot of music from various countries of the world, often with folk influences. I find that well-written, well-sung lyrics can really complement the music - I can't imagine Pink Floyd without the lyrics for example - without the lyrics they would never have had the success that they had. On the other hand, lyrics can really detract from the music if they are poorly written, or too dominant, or the vocals are not good, and the internet is flooded these days with very mediocre music with poor vocals. One needs to sift through all the mediocre stuff to find the occasional gem.

Not too many singers can really sing so well that the vocals can be completely dominant, but this performance impresses me a lot. Not sure if this is your thing, but sort of something that’s just impressive starting at the 2:10 mark (Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde covering Leonard Cohen with just an acoustic guitar)

 

[Progster]

Not too many singers can really sing so well that the vocals can be completely dominant, but this performance impresses me a lot. Not sure if this is your thing, but sort of something that’s just impressive starting at the 2:10 mark (Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde covering Leonard Cohen with just an acoustic guitar)

Not my kind of thing, but I do like Leonard Cohen.

 

[hatfullofrain]

I love music with interesting lyrics that tell stories or paint pictures. I think these may fall into the same genre, but I don't know what, "old school emo jangle chamber pop"

I'm a huge Justin Currie fan.

And this is beautiful. I love the words Paddy McAloon weaves together

The Idyll off Crown Circus about being in love and a broken down car. I can picture the street.

I can't end this without mentioning Lloyd Cole