Biases and music appreciation

[aquarius]

To what extent are you biased in what music you decide to enjoy and furthermore what you even decide to listen to at all. Myself I don't see a problem with it so long as one admits that that is what it is. In terms of recommendations I must say I probably would be open to something that most members here praise and wouldn't bother with something they condemn (or any further Burzum albums regardless) but during the listening process itself I am usually trying to keep my mind free from external or pre-conceived ideas, and just go with whether or not it conjures those deep feelings that first set me on this journey.

In my earlier days I was certainly more naive towards deciding what to listen to, which in a world of populist rabble is not good as I tended to collect a bit of everything, but it makes me glad to think that even back then not just everything was truly enjoyed.

[BillHopkins]

What do you mean 'biased' in what music you listen to.

Everyone is 'biased' in so much as the sort of music they like refelcts their place in the world, not some 'right choice'.

[Moringotto]

Since most bands you've heard of have already hit their peak, I'm inclined to be prejudiced against bands' most recent albums. This bias remains, despite my awareness of the possibly of exceptions.

When checking out a band with a large discography, I always start within their first few releases. The reason is that bands with many albums tend to be at their best during the early or middle era.

A related bias lies in the view that the sub-genres of metal reached their peaks well over a decade ago. Because of this, a newer band will more likely be a waste of time--says the bias--than a band from the 80s or 90s. This is a real issue, because the bias manifests itself as a prejudice against newer bands.

[aquarius]

What do you mean 'biased' in what music you listen to.

It is simply what we like and gravitate towards as Moringotto illustrates. Other examples might be the prejudices inherent in listeners of 19th century music to modernism or classical to jazz, which some might argue is narrow-minded and could negate any potential enjoyment from the onset. But in the end it gets to the point where being 'open-minded' or unbiased is a bias in itself, and people might fail to see that either appoach is not without some benefits.

Everyone is 'biased' in so much as the sort of music they like refelcts their place in the world, not some 'right choice'.

That's agreeable enough but it kind of affirms an argument for the subject value of music.