# Bad Taste in Music?



## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

I was having a conversation about music with a co-worker today. We wondered if a person can have bad taste in music, or is music completely subjective? Is all music valid? 

We also discussed the idea of a sophisticated palette, or one that develops to enjoy an eclectic variety of tastes.

Some folks eat burgers and fries but have no idea how delicious Pad Thai is.

We had all sorts of theories. What are yours?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I think it's fair to say there's such a thing as a refined palette, but all music is valid.


I find it helpful to consider that music is of varying degrees of importance and has different purposes for different people.


I for instance, find music at work distracting and counterproductive.


That's because if it's good, it captures my attention, and if it's bad, it annoys me (capturing my attention).


It's for similar reasons that I don't dance. If music is inspiring or fun enough to be worth dancing to, it's more interesting to me to really listen. If you're dancing, I don't believe you're listening as closely as you could be.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The concept of "taste" presumes there are choices available to the taster, and they make bad ones. Do people in other parts of the world who grow up in a traditional culture with a fairly restricted palette of music/s available to them have "taste" in music? I think not. They can certainly tell the difference between better and poorer execution of that music, but music isn't something to be "explored".

Which brings me to a second point. Perhaps "taste" is the extent to which a person explores the varieties ofmusic available. I get sucked into watching snippets of American Idol now and then, and while the performers who get well past the initial rounds are generally competent, I find very little there for me, because it is essentially anything-that-has-ever-sold-well-thrown-into-a-blender. I see little exploration. So in that sense, I don't see much "taste".

But then, like our secluded traditional cultures, do we accuse them of not having "taste" if they know of nothing beyond what they have been handed?


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## surlybastard (Feb 20, 2011)

In my perfectly idealized world there's no such thing as bad taste and all music is valid since it's all subjective and has been said better by others in this thread. That said, there are times where I'm a complete dick and break my own rules because I just can't help myself and I really should know better.

For example I was at a party recently where someone who I'd only met in passing said, without a hint of irony "Ya that first Third Eye Blind record is the greatest album of all time". I actually laughed, then I realized he was being serious, so I stopped. There was an awkward pause, then the topic shifted to something else, but he pretty much knew what I thought about his opinion.

So my point is, yes all taste is valid, and taste as a concept means completely different things to different people. I try to be 'above' such debates, but man do I ever fail miserably sometimes as the aforementioned Third Eye Blind example plainly illustrates. But seriously, he didn't say "It's a good album" which I would've just nodded (probably disagreed in my head) and nothing would've happened, he actually used the expression "greatest of all time" so I assumed he had to be kidding!


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

There's an old Latin proverb: *De gustibus non est disputandum*.
(There is no argument [discussion] in matters of taste. )

Personally I don't care what music others like so long as I'm not subjected to it!


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

To me, music has a wide scope of definition. Some of what 'grabs' me has rhythmic appeal, others, harmonic, and still more, it's the melody. Even when one of the three is absent, or nearly so, it can still work. Remove two of the elements, and some would argue that it can be called music at all, but a Samba percussion band or a good drum solo fits and I would definitely call that music (actually there is some melodic value as well, but my mind 'fills in the blanks' when listening).
Getting back to the point, I (we) tend to dismiss as 'bad taste' that which has little merit in any of those three areas, yet has some degree of wider appeal in spite of that. One example that comes to mind is 'elevator' Muzak - deliberately watered-down so as to not provoke any attention from the audience, but rather to act as a sedative.

Through the years, there has been a lot of 'lucky' stuff that has gained widespread commercial success, although demonstrating little musical virtue when evaluated by the fundamental components. The success has been attained by fan devotion (Elvis's 'later' stuff), lyrical (war protests, 'anti-everything' punk, grunge), 'generational' (hormonal?) ('boy bands', Beiber, video promotion of scantily-dressed, choreographed hot 18-year olds/ 'street thugs' wearing baggy clothes, sideways baseball hats, and huge bling), etc.

A severe case of fan devotion IMHO, is 'Should I Stay, or Should I Go' - That piece of crap should have never received a nanosecond of air-time - _ever_, but I daren't mention that in public for fear of death threats.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Krelf said:


> There's an old Latin proverb: *De gustibus non est disputandum*.
> (There is no argument [discussion] in matters of taste. )
> 
> Personally I don't care what music others like so long as I'm not subjected to it!


I agree but unfortunately we are subjected to it whether we wish to be or not via TV, radio, just walking through a mall, walking down the street or as occurred recently when the News Anchor, Weather person and Sports editor were sitting at the end of the show extolling the talents of non other than Justine "the Turd" Bieber be sure to watch him on this channel at 9:00 pm on ____________ pick whatever date feels right. News should be for news not for promoting shit.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

All of 'everything' is valid...but there is bad taste.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but if that beholder has poor taste then said beholder will be mighty happy with some crappy version of whatever noun the topic may be.


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## FrankyNoTone (Feb 27, 2012)

We'll, its been shown that most cultures, even those who have no contact with each other, have the same basic concepts of notes, harmonies, melodies, etc. such that everyone can recognize "music" as such.

I have a broad taste in music from the heaviest death metal to Kenny G so if I don't like something, it must be bad for badness sake: bagpipes and Pat Metheny come to mind. But even there, there are exceptions like Amazing Grace, which is sublime and that song Pat did with David Bowie that was good.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

surlybastard said:


> In my perfectly idealized world there's no such thing as bad taste and all music is valid since it's all subjective and has been said better by others in this thread. That said, there are times where I'm a complete dick and break my own rules because I just can't help myself and I really should know better.
> 
> For example I was at a party recently where someone who I'd only met in passing said, without a hint of irony "Ya that first Third Eye Blind record is the greatest album of all time". I actually laughed, then I realized he was being serious, so I stopped. There was an awkward pause, then the topic shifted to something else, but he pretty much knew what I thought about his opinion.
> 
> So my point is, yes all taste is valid, and taste as a concept means completely different things to different people. I try to be 'above' such debates, but man do I ever fail miserably sometimes as the aforementioned Third Eye Blind example plainly illustrates. But seriously, he didn't say "It's a good album" which I would've just nodded (probably disagreed in my head) and nothing would've happened, he actually used the expression "greatest of all time" so I assumed he had to be kidding!


Don't feel too bad. Anyone that can unequivocally state any particular album, musician, song etc as GOAT, puts themselves out for criticism or is possibly trolling for an argument.


i like the open minded ness being exhibited, but I wonder how much of us walk the walk in this regard as soon as pop /top40/rap is brought into a discussion?
i think most ppl have at one time or another called a genre, popular band etc as "bad". We're all guilty.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Diablo said:


> i like the open minded ness being exhibited, but I wonder how much of us walk the walk in this regard as soon as pop /top40/rap is brought into a discussion?
> i think most ppl have at one time or another called a genre, popular band etc as "bad". We're all guilty.


Indeed. I do like to give quite a few opportunities to music and musicians. I didn't think Britney Spears was capable of writing anything decent until I heard Everytime (I do think the song has much more impact without the video) and apparently it was the first song that she ever wrote.

I do not have her greatest hits or anything - I promise.


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## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

Diablo said:


> i think most ppl have at one time or another called a genre, popular band etc as "bad". We're all guilty.


I'm guilty of that, usually it's rap or pop but I try to keep it to myself. I'm sure someone else out there feels the same way over the music I enjoy.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

fredyfreeloader said:


> I agree but unfortunately we are subjected to it whether we wish to be or not via TV, radio, just walking through a mall, walking down the street or as occurred recently when the News Anchor, Weather person and Sports editor were sitting at the end of the show extolling the talents of non other than Justine "the Turd" Bieber be sure to watch him on this channel at 9:00 pm on ____________ pick whatever date feels right. News should be for news not for promoting shit.


Sporting events and restaurants are the worst. I've walked out of eating establishments because I found the music unpleasant. How can you enjoy your meal when you're being subjected to music that assaults your senses and raises your blood pressure?

I attend Senior A hockey games and it was so nice when the guy who pipes in all those high volume repetitive songs had the flu. Everything was so peaceful after the whistle blew. When he recovered I was tempted to get his name and address and send him a get-sick card!


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

While there may be no such thing as bad taste in music, there is sure some real crap out there.............................


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I am a mood listener. At least that's the way I would describe myself. I have probably every type of music you can think of and I listen to them all depending on what mood I am in. Buddy Rich to Metallica. Opera, show tunes, 50's 60's Michael Jackson, Ottmar Liebert, BB King. Just depends on the mood I am in. How that relates to taste I have no idea


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I am a mood listener. At least that's the way I would describe myself. I have probably every type of music you can think of and I listen to them all depending on what mood I am in. Buddy Rich to Metallica. Opera, show tunes, 50's 60's Michael Jackson, Ottmar Liebert, BB King. Just depends on the mood I am in. How that relates to taste I have no idea


I was with you, up to "show tunes"


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

J-75 said:


> I was with you, up to "show tunes"


An yes, not many mind you. Just a few


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Taste? It's not something I really know much of anything about beyond my own. I was raised on traditional anglican church hymns, choral, liturgical music, and classical music, that's what my parents listened to, though I know they were familiar with swing dance tunes of their era because they went to "bun fights", armories dinner dances, wedding receptions, and some social events. I graduated to late '60s and early '70s rock, British invasion stuff, and blues rock, before finding jazz, and trad/folk. I still listen to it all, but my personal listening lately is mostly gypsy jazz and classical. Right now I have organlive.com playing.

I find it in poor taste to have overly loud background music in restaurants, especially when it's pop or modern rock music, which I find mostly irritating at any volume. That's less to do with the music than the management decision to inflict anything on me, though I'd hardly complain if it was something I liked. I'd sooner have silence because the music in my head never turns off.

I don't like rap because it's less melodic, more repetitive, and less harmonically interesting than I prefer, plus the lyric themes are not interesting to me. Therefore it is not of my taste. As I fail to find violent themes socially acceptable, some rap offends my taste too. That, I venture to say, is in bad taste. Violent themes in heavy metal also are in bad taste, in my opinion. The next person might not find them so, and that's completely up to them. We are not required to agree on matters of taste, though mutual respect of considered opinions is required in a civil discourse and in society at large. 

I know of two locally respected musicians who come from completely different musical backgrounds. One expresses complete bafflement at the other's musical stature and influence but doesn't deny that it has merit, and quietly wishes he could understand. The other simply says, "I hate that kind of music and anyone who plays it has no talent and doesn't deserve my respect." (Fwiw, we're not talking classical or jazz here.) The difference is in the tolerence and willingness to understand and learn. I've actually played with both musicians. When something is declared in bad taste because of insecurity, closedmindedness, and pompous arrogance, then that declaration is what is in bad taste.

Good or bad. I haven't got time for that. My own mind has enough of its own conflicted opinions.

Peace, Mooh.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

my downstairs neighbours come from the congo-
sometimes they ask me about music im playing and borrow it-
zz tops first couple albums, robert johnson, some big sugar for example.

but their preffered music is kind of odd.
they call it traditional african music,
but i know it isnt.

the singers all sound like an african tony bennett,
same vocal texture and style,
except spending long periods shouting out the same phrases.
its rhythmic, but not drum driven-
more synths and guitar.
if you took the beat, the gangster bullshit, and any type of production out of rap music,
then it would be almost the same idea.
all the songs are like 20 minutes long.

for the dude (myself)
sitting upstairs hearing it, its incredibly annoying.
its really, really bad stuff-
basically unlistenable for even a few seconds.

but when you know these people,
you realize some things.
they dont just get up and walk to the can to take a leak.
they float, and dance instead.
they dance to the fridge for a drink.
they sing and clap their hands and shout things out just getting into a car.

i often step outside to find one of them just standing there dancing to herself without any music.
just thinking it, or maybe humming.
they are probably the most musically influenced folks i ever met,
its in them all the time.

at first glance, you would say they have terrible taste in music.
the stuff is actually worse than rap.
it seems to take all the worst elements of any music ever and form it into a hideous, otherworldly mess.
its nothing i can describe properly, because ive never heard anything like it before.
but these folks live to that sound, if you will.
so it cant really be bad.
can it?


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## OldGuitarPlayer (Feb 25, 2013)

There is no such thing as bad taste... only bad music.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

OldGuitarPlayer said:


> There is no such thing as bad taste... only bad music.


i dont think i understand that.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

It's very simple; if you like music that I don't, then you obviously have bad taste in music.

See how simple it is?


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