Exploring New Music
This is a post about stretching your ears and mind to accept and enjoy more types of music. Music is forever changing from musicians learning about and fusing other genres, with new technologies in instruments and recording, and the experimental nature of many artists. That being said, I have had far too many conversations where a person tells me they just don’t enjoy anything “too different.” Too different from what? A little prodding reveals they mean different from the standard offerings. Music didn’t come into being as rock, pop, country, blues, jazz, etc. It evolved into those genres and multiple variations of each over time. So what’s too different? And if you are reading this and wonder how you are supposed to find that new and changing music before it is so ingrained as to be on the radio, this is for you.
First, go out and look for it. Internet radio and interactive streaming were my windows to the world in college. I found sites (similar to Jango) where I would type in an artist I knew and would get introduced to all sorts of other artists I didn’t know. When I’d find one I’d like, I would start down another playlist with more artists. In this way I discovered Imogen Heap. Another helpful tool was finding a station from another country. I would have never found Kate Bush if not for a UK station. My local stations didn’t play her. Don’t let a local radio station be your only way to hear something new. Many of my favorite artists rarely, if ever, are played on the radio. With so many streaming options and specially curated playlists, there are so many opportunities to explore another artist or genre. Ask your friends for suggestions or read online magazines that feature and review new or obscure artists. Go listen to some of the smaller artists playing locally. Look them up later and explore further. Listen to podcasts that feature independent artists. These are all great methods for discovery.
Second, acclimation. Most people listen to and like music that feels or sounds familiar. If you don't push yourself to listen to a different style at least a handful of times, you won't truly decide what you like or don't like. That doesn't mean that you'll actually like every type of genre just because you listen a few times, but an extra turn or two may lead you to enjoying that sound that initially made you slightly uncomfortable.
If you're going to go down the musical rabbit hole, prepare yourself to be initially disappointed or even offended by some of it, especially if you're truly straying away from what is familiar to you. To be honest, the first time I heard Andrew Bird, I wanted to turn him off. I couldn't understand the appeal. Folk mixed with looping and whistling? Really Bird? Who does that??? Then something stuck in my head days later after my initial listen: a piece of the lyrics and its delivery. I went back and listened again, started thinking while I listened, truly thinking about what he was doing with the songs. And dang. It clicked. "Who does that?" became "wow he really does that!" Then it became "this actually works" and "this works really well!" I could not get enough after that. The experience opened up my ears and mind to other more eclectic artists and bands that would become accepted and loved in my household.
I had a similar aha-moment with The Shins and The Avalanches, albeit that moment came more quickly. Vampire Weekend took multiple listens for me to catch on as well as Kate Bush. Any time someone is really treading on new or not-oft-tread ground, it's gonna take some getting used to. And the further these songs are from your traditional listening habits, the longer it may take for your ears to settle around it. I liken it to walking outside... If the temperature, humidity, and pressure differ from your home, you are going to notice and may even be initially uncomfortable. You will either go back inside, or you will wait it out five or ten minutes and maybe find it to be quite pleasant. Yes, it might be ungodly hot and humid and you won't ever like it, but that's okay if you at least gave your body time to acclimate.
And in the same way, there may still be genres, artists, or songs that you’ll never like. That’s okay. But if you gave them an honest try, you better understand what styles you might enjoy. What about that song did you truly not like? In the same way, ask yourself why do you really enjoy the genres that you love (besides familiarity)? My musical tastes have changed a great deal over the years by examining what I liked and didn’t like. Some songs have lost their appeal and with others I have a new appreciation. It’s all about not letting someone else tell you what your tastes should be.
First, go out and look for it. Internet radio and interactive streaming were my windows to the world in college. I found sites (similar to Jango) where I would type in an artist I knew and would get introduced to all sorts of other artists I didn’t know. When I’d find one I’d like, I would start down another playlist with more artists. In this way I discovered Imogen Heap. Another helpful tool was finding a station from another country. I would have never found Kate Bush if not for a UK station. My local stations didn’t play her. Don’t let a local radio station be your only way to hear something new. Many of my favorite artists rarely, if ever, are played on the radio. With so many streaming options and specially curated playlists, there are so many opportunities to explore another artist or genre. Ask your friends for suggestions or read online magazines that feature and review new or obscure artists. Go listen to some of the smaller artists playing locally. Look them up later and explore further. Listen to podcasts that feature independent artists. These are all great methods for discovery.
Second, acclimation. Most people listen to and like music that feels or sounds familiar. If you don't push yourself to listen to a different style at least a handful of times, you won't truly decide what you like or don't like. That doesn't mean that you'll actually like every type of genre just because you listen a few times, but an extra turn or two may lead you to enjoying that sound that initially made you slightly uncomfortable.
If you're going to go down the musical rabbit hole, prepare yourself to be initially disappointed or even offended by some of it, especially if you're truly straying away from what is familiar to you. To be honest, the first time I heard Andrew Bird, I wanted to turn him off. I couldn't understand the appeal. Folk mixed with looping and whistling? Really Bird? Who does that??? Then something stuck in my head days later after my initial listen: a piece of the lyrics and its delivery. I went back and listened again, started thinking while I listened, truly thinking about what he was doing with the songs. And dang. It clicked. "Who does that?" became "wow he really does that!" Then it became "this actually works" and "this works really well!" I could not get enough after that. The experience opened up my ears and mind to other more eclectic artists and bands that would become accepted and loved in my household.
I had a similar aha-moment with The Shins and The Avalanches, albeit that moment came more quickly. Vampire Weekend took multiple listens for me to catch on as well as Kate Bush. Any time someone is really treading on new or not-oft-tread ground, it's gonna take some getting used to. And the further these songs are from your traditional listening habits, the longer it may take for your ears to settle around it. I liken it to walking outside... If the temperature, humidity, and pressure differ from your home, you are going to notice and may even be initially uncomfortable. You will either go back inside, or you will wait it out five or ten minutes and maybe find it to be quite pleasant. Yes, it might be ungodly hot and humid and you won't ever like it, but that's okay if you at least gave your body time to acclimate.
And in the same way, there may still be genres, artists, or songs that you’ll never like. That’s okay. But if you gave them an honest try, you better understand what styles you might enjoy. What about that song did you truly not like? In the same way, ask yourself why do you really enjoy the genres that you love (besides familiarity)? My musical tastes have changed a great deal over the years by examining what I liked and didn’t like. Some songs have lost their appeal and with others I have a new appreciation. It’s all about not letting someone else tell you what your tastes should be.
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