Looking like your music taste & assumptions etc

[Vera]

Here's something that I've been mulling in my head for some time now, especially since being pretty damn into old-school The Cure records (that is, their 80's discography) and sort of realizing the zeitgeist of those records and the impact their music had and what kind of people would listen to it.

I've never really cared what a typical [insert name of favourite band] fan looks like, because I've got a pretty varied taste and my subject of obsession switches every so often - no band's music or specific genre is so tied to my identity that I could be like "yeah I used to be a punkrocker" or emo or goth or metalhead or indie rocker or anything.

It's weird, I sometimes wonder if I'm missing out by not identifying so much with something very specific and working within that field. Like I see the embarrassing fans of jrock, lining up to concerts and whatnot, and while I wouldn't want to join their crowd, it's definitely a sense of community and they seem to enjoy that, enjoy each other and the music. Similarly the metalheads seem to have a very strong community all around Finland. People meet, talk about music, and instantly bond because they both like Finnish heavymetal or whatever.

I don't have that. It always takes a certain time before I can just flat-out admit I like a band to a stranger because I'm afraid they'll assume things about me based on some band I like. I tend to like very few bands, but I like those bands *a lot* - buy all the albums, listen to them constantly etc. But the bands may be from completely different fields. I can listen to The Cure's Disintegration and then turn on Korean hiphop and dig them both exactly the same.

But I don't want people to label me - oh god so cliché I know - like I don't want to tell people I like The Cure and make them think I'm some sort of gothrocker, or that I love Jimmy Eat World and make them think I'm an old skool emo, or Bollywood music and make them think I'm either a new age freak or a pseudo-quirky hipster or whateverthefuck.

Given - it might be total paranoia that people do this. Maybe they don't at all. But I feel like some people do, and it always makes me a bit wary of admitting to liking something - especially if it's something that's not mainstream, especially if it's something people tend to label as uncool.

Still, whatever, right? We can't all listen to Coldplay, Katy Perry and The Beatles.

[Free?]

You've summed it up nicely, yes, stereotyping makes things more complicated for those who oppose it and easier for those who don't when it comes to situations you described.
Why would you start talking to people who almost certainly will dislike your musical preferences about music? Pick another subject, that's what I usually do when I rarely happen to have such conversation. After you get to know that person better, you might come back to talking about music if you feel he/she is safe enough.

[Little_Miss_1565]

I have a good amount of tattoos and hang out with people who are really, really into metal (and am into metal myself), but I LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF LADY GAGA. UNIRONICALLY. Embrace your outside the box/outside expectation music tastes!

[Omni]

but I LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF LADY GAGA. UNIRONICALLY.

You know the thing I appreciate most about the people on this board? The majority of the frequent posters genuinely like all kinds of music. Most of the people I meet and ask about their musical tastes, they say "oh, I like everything." And more often than not, they really don't. They just mean "I like whatevers on the radio," or "I like whatever my friends are playing at the time." Not that that makes them liars, it just seems to me like they don't have a real opinion, or a real favorite band/genre that they research and become active listeners in.

Then again, I suppose it's entirely possible that these people do enjoy all kinds of music and that I'm just being a douchebag in assuming they don't. But I really do get the vibe that most people just don't care, or they at least don't want to fess up to what they really like in fear of being thought of as lame, and that really bothers me because I like to talk about music, and it lowers my outlets. Anyway, the people of this board are not like that. I've discovered a lot of new music due to the diversity of tastes here.

[Vera]

Free - That's usually what I end up doing, anyway.

1565 - But you have your metal love! That's my problem, I guess - I like a band but I rarely like similar bands enough to love a genre.

Omni - Either those people are lazy or don't like music all that much (ie. have no strong feelings so tend to like random songs on the radio or whatever) or both, I usually find.

[Omni]

I had figured it was a combination of not actually appreciating music, and the need to kind of lie and make themselves seem more knowledgable than they actually are. I appreciate that there are real music buffs here. It's just that I meet so many people with that "oh, whatever" mindset, and I hate how I've almost come to expect it.

[PedroACastro]

i don't usually talk about the music i like with some of my friends because of that. actually i was pleasantly surprised at this forum when i started posting because everyone here likes all kinds of music. i have to say that sometimes its kinda embarassing people asking me "hey what are you listening to" and i say for example "huh.. lostprophets" ad they're like "oh.. i didn't know you were emo"

[WebDudette]

Hmm... I listen to enough bands from different areas that, with enough effort, I can usually find something to talk about. I stereotype them to make it easier to guess what bands I listen to would be relevant, then I can kinda talk about similar bands I may or may not listen to. It is mostly bullshitting, but it makes for some decent conversation and I'm not gonna let on that x band is my favorite just because it is theirs.

I'm not sure if that makes sense the way I would like it to.

As far as people making assumptions on my looks: a. they think I am gay, b. they think I am a stoner. I am neither.

[Alison]

Know what you mean. I may not have a really varied music taste, but some of the stuff i listen to can be very different. I don't think that I like any one genre so much to dress like that genre.

I do dress a bit more 'alternative' than other people, and I guess people can tell I'm not into some types of music...but they wouldnt be able to say "she lsitens to punk rock".

Also, the fact that none of my friends like the same music as me, also has an influence, i think. There isnt the same sense of community in relation to music.

[Alison]

Most of the people I meet and ask about their musical tastes, they say "oh, I like everything." And more often than not, they really don't.

Whenever people have said that to me or say it on social networking sites etc. It always turns out they don't really care about music that much. It always seems to be they like what's on the radio and for some reason always stuff like "kings of leon, the script, killers, etc etc".
But I do have a friend, who genuinely does seem to like everything, except for some types of music.