I’m oftentimes too opinionated about things. It doesn't really matter what the topic is, I usually have something to say about it. If it’s not the popular opinion, I, for some reason, stand even more strongly behind my perspective (and I'm aware that I can be irritating). Even so, something that I always feel the need to put my two cents in about is music.
Do you know the type of people who say they can’t stand listening to the radio, always liked bands “before it was cool," and half of the time complain about what people choose to play in the car or during a get-together? These are also the people who call certain music "basic," complain about writers using “recycled” lyrics, and possibly declare that people have "the music taste of a 13-year-old girl." It’s somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I am that person, and I’m trying to change it.
These habits have become widely known as “music shaming.” I honestly find it ridiculous that this became a hot topic to write about, and every article I have read was written by someone who has been “shamed.” I thought, why would you care if someone said they didn’t like what you listen to? After looking at it from the other side of the fence, I now see where people are coming from.
Marco Saveriano of Confront Magazine wrote, “when you’re so dedicated to an artist or a band and you spend hours appreciating their music, it’s discouraging to have someone bash them to your face.” He followed with, “as soon as anybody over the age of 14 says they like a boy-band, for example, people have something to say, or give their friend a certain look as if to signify 'how pathetic.'"
Think about it. Who seems more likely to be made fun of by people who think they’re very musically inclined? Would it be a die-hard fan of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Justin Beiber (especially the pre-"Purpose" songs), or would it be a fan of James Bay, Vance Joy and Alabama Shakes? It would usually be the former. Because Top 40 pop music is more mainstream, its fans are much more susceptible to music shaming for having basic taste. It's not limited to pop, though; it's also way too common for people to aggressively express how much they can't stand country and rap music.
Music shaming is not simply telling people that you don’t like certain music — it’s when people tell others they are wrong because of their preferences, and make them feel like they should be embarrassed by what they enjoy. It’s not right to do, but I think everyone does it to some degree. I’ve personally been the first to say I don’t like how generic One Direction music is, and how all of Florida Georgia Line's song lyrics more or less say the exact same thing. I think I’m certainly entitled to my opinion, but I also don’t think I have an excuse to try to force it on people.
If everyone preferred the same music, the entire industry couldn't continue to grow and develop. This would obviously be quite boring for everybody. Therefore, the bottom line is that people should be able to enjoy any music that they like without constantly being told that they have poor taste. So, whether you are fist-pumping to “Call Me Maybe,” vibing to Beck, or getting hyped to Kevin Gates, don’t let people tell you to be any different. If you’re an opinion shooter like me, stop music shaming, and end conversations about music simply with whether or not you like it.
