“Music is the universal language of mankind” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today, I went on to Amazon to buy an aux cord for my car. While I'd been meaning to buy one for a while, I secretly felt that my lack of an aux cord saved me from having to accommodate the musical tastes of everyone who happened to get into my car. I didn't have to begrudgingly allow them to use the cord only to follow it up with: "OK, but don't play any Lady Gaga, please." Then, I started thinking about how there are definitely people in my life who think that my taste in music is less than stellar. No one's taste in music can be objectively good. "Good music" is subjective, and we should remember that next time we tell someone their taste in music makes ears bleed.

1. Music is personal for everyone. When certain artists are attacked for their style of music, it can feel like you are being attacked because you happen to be a fan of that artist/style of music.

2. That’s OK, because that’s what makes music

worth listening to. It connects with you on a personal level.

3. One of the great things about music is that there are so many different types: from Arctic Monkeys, to FKA twigs, to One Direction, they’re all great and if you are passionate about their music; even better.

4. Not everyone is going to think Lana Del Rey's voice is angelic. You don’t have to like some indie band that only you and seven other people happen to know about, and you don’t need to like Drake’s newest album (but everyone should go listen to Child’s Play right now.)

5. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, it's important not to go out of your way to criticize someone's favorite artist or song because it doesn't happen to be the type of music you like. You may think the lyrics are arbitrary, but chances are someone else is going to hear those same lyrics and feel something. Criticizing someone's taste in music will only make them defensive and it's going to get you nowhere. People are going to like what they like. If they like Flo Rida, let them like Flo Rida.

6. We have to respect one another's tastes in music, just like we have to respect one another. It would be boring if we were all obsessed with every Fleetwood Mac song, just like it would be boring if we were all obsessed with the complete anthology of Nirvana.

Finally, my heart (and my aux cord) are open to your playlists.