Are you a music contrarian?

Question

I have always thought following someone or something just because it is popular is just pure laziness, and it breeds contempt.

WhiteSteve · Accepted Answer

Haha…I mean…I think I’ve changed my perspective on music as I’ve aged. It used to be that I felt like whatever my favorite genre was had to be my personality…. and that’s been gangsta rap most of the time, lmfao, so that wasn’t always good for me😂 But even behavioral influences aside, I just shut out other good music in the past because it didn’t fit the image I was projecting of myself.

I’ve really enjoyed expanding my musical horizons the last 20 years, while still not abandoning my roots. At this point, it’s more about quality music being produced, so in some cases, I’m glad I have a backlog of older music I still need to explore.

I think I’ve also just gotten less rigid about being like “this is good, and that sucks.” Good tunes are good tunes. I’m a listener, not a musician. I don’t have a trained musician’s ear, so all I get is the sum total of the song. I might be able to identify a good bass line, but I couldn’t tell you why or fully appreciate it as a musician would. I just take it as it comes with very little analysis, because I don’t know the ins-and-outs of how the sound gets created. At the end of the day, I just want catchy melodies and anthemic hooks. I think I really appreciate a songwriter more than anything, not even so much lyric content, but just creating a melody from nothing that millions and millions of untrained ears will still recognize as incredible, without even speaking to one another about it. Like sometimes I’ll be catching up on a musician after their time, just listening to their Apple Music catalogue, and the songs I like the best, very often I’ll look on YouTube and that will be one of the songs they made a music video for. It’s crazy to me that so many of us can hear something independently, and collectively say without conferring “this is a hit single.” I think that’s what amazes me about music, being able to create a shared feeling among strangers across the world out of absolutely nothing.

GuyAnswersGirls123 · Accepted Answer

I just like an eclectic variety of stuff. I wouldn't consider myself a contrarian since that sometimes includes the most mainstream pop music. It's just not limited to it. I just like whatever I like!

Something I really like a lot lately is 80s-ish stuff like post-punk and synthwave since it reminds me a bit of my childhood, like so:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/l5o_W0CSzoc

I tend to be a little bit more of a film contrarian. There are admittedly some mainstream movies that I've begun to like less because they're so mainstream and popular. I enjoyed Titanic when I first watched it in the theater, for example, but it got so hyped up and praised left and right to the point where I started to grow tired of it.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Do people really follow things  because  things are popular, or just because they like that thing, and it just so happens it's an easy to thing to like? I have the opposite opinion, that choosing to hate something solely because it's popular breeds contempt. To feel a sense of superiority just because you like different ear sounds than other people do seems like one of the dumbest reason to think of yourself as superior.

KittyKat90210 · Accepted Answer

Yes. I follow people who I admire and whose music I like, regardless of their popularity. I like a lot of indie and emerging artists for that reason.

Miristheiss · Answer

I just love music. I have an ear for music and I love music from all decades. I am on a 70s kick right now, Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Eagles, ABBA, Led Zepplin, Bread, Three Dog Night, The Guess Who, Foreigner, Pink Floyd, Wild Cherry... etc.

NathanDavis · Answer

never ever been the one to follow trends for the sake of being trendy

neither follow or keep up with the fashion just to fit in or belong...

always been myself and doing what I really want and/or like...

pretending to be cool would be the very last thing I would ever do

Zestyassmf1997 · Answer

I don’t really think about how popular or unpopular music is before I add it to my playlist. I either like it or don’t like it. Interestingly enough, I get bitched at most often on the grounds that “oh, that’s like their most famous song.” Yeah, fuck me for not listening to the rest of their obscure and shitty discography.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Pretty much. Very few people in my age group are truly into most of what I listen to.

Grond21 · Answer

I believe following something because it's popular or rejecting something because it's popular is ultimately allowing the crowd to dictate your interests. It's either lazy, shallow, or small-minded

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

I just love music most time I don't even know who made that song. I'll hear it and then pull out my phone to find out who made it. So I like what I like don't really care if it's the popular thing to to

DJB72 · Answer

I like music because I'm a musician. I don't care who recorded or wrote it. Aerosmith to ZZ Top. Bach to Vaughan-Williams.

Nice222 · Answer

Yeah my taste in music is all over the place. Everywhere from pop to country to classic rock, classic heavy metal and new metal. I even like some old rap and hip hop. So I’m not a contrarian but more all inclusive.

Sonorous · Answer

I wouldn't consider myself one since I do appreciate some mainstream music, but I do tend to seek out music that isn't so mainstream. Especially instrumentals.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

I like the 70s, 80s, some 90s

OtterMan68 · Answer

No. I've liked plenty of popular music, and I've hated a lot. I don't automatically hate something just because it's popular.

NYCQuestions1976 · Answer

I like the music that I like, regardless of genre or age or popularity.

Wiredone · Answer

I don't follow trends. I like what I like and I don't care if other people like it or not

JessicaRosenAlterEgo · Answer

I'm not certain

BLP11520 · Answer

I agree 👍👍

Are you a music contrarian?

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What Girls & Guys Said

I like the 70s, 80s, some 90s

Are you a music contrarian?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

I like the 70s, 80s, some 90s

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