The importance of music taste appreciation

02.04.2021

One topic I feel strongly about is probably the unique individuality of art and music tastes. It's impressive how preferences can vary so much between different people and how wide or narrow they can get. I think that tastes in art are probably the best examples of human individuality, creativity, and discovery. They also have the capability to unite people; have you ever become friends with someone just because you listened to the same music? It’s incredible; and so is the freedom that everybody has over finding and creating their own compositions or styles.
 
However, I feel that many people do not understand this topic well. I’ve seen many, many arguments over music tastes and which music is better or worse. This is especially noticeable amongst people who listen to more obscure music; you will often find that they call more mainstream, modern styles such as rap and/or pop inferior in simplicity, sound, and soul. This is called elitism, and in my opinion, it’s a very wrong viewpoint. Not only is it incorrect to say that some type of music is bad and another is good, but it’s also completely pointless. A simple argument with a stranger on the internet won’t change anyone’s music taste; one that they’ve been developing for many years since their childhood.
 
Obviously, there is an argument to be made that some music is just bad. However, I think that most music people consider “bad” was just badly performed. If a skilled musician would play the same composition, it’s probably going to sound much better. Another argument you can find is that if obscure music is obscure, isn’t more popular music like pop better? I think that a better way to say it would be that pop is more accessible. It’s an easily discovered and easily listenable music genre, which is why it’s so popular. A lot of pop is built around simple chord progressions, which most people will find pleasant to listen to. However, other people might find it annoying or too repetitive.
 
One final argument I’ve seen is that old music, usually from the 50s-90s is better than modern music, and that it has more complexity and love put into it. This one is easily debunked by the fact that people compare simple monthly hits to some of the most acclaimed compositions of the 20th century, such as Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin or Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones. This is not a good comparison to be made. It would be much fairer to go to the monthly charts of that time. You will most likely find the same amount of “uninspired garbage”, or whatever would be the preferred term.
 
To sum up, I think that music tastes are independent and should not be judged on or argued by anybody. Respecting someone’s opinions on such a free topic as music tastes is just a simple portrayal of human decency. Music is supposed to unite people, not separate them! What do you think?