As readers of this blog should know, I really like a variety of different types of music, but progressive rock is a particular favorite of mine. And as a fan of progressive rock, there are several artists that we fans are just supposed to adore wholeheartedly, such as Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, etc. And while most of those 'big' names in Prog are among my very favorite artists, some are just not for me. For example, Rush is a prog band that I should like, they are excellent musicians that made complex, sophisticated progressive rock, but they just don't do anything for me. Not that I actively dislike them, I just don't connect with their music. It's OK, but just doesn't appeal to me that much. They have some very good songs, but overall, just not a band that I have much interest in. I grew up when they were making it big in the '70's, I heard all of their albums, at least up through the mid-80's, but never actually bought any of their albums, and can't really imagine putting on one of their albums for enjoyment. I am constantly hearing from fans how great they are, the best drummer, the best guitarist, best bassist, etc. Several years ago, after continually hearing that I just have to like Rush, I went back and re-listened through their catalog to see if maybe I just missed something years ago and would appreciate them more now. But no, they're still just not a band that appeals much to me. As I tried to identify why, it came down to several factors. But most importantly, just the overall sound and style of the band is something that I just don't care much for. Rush has a very distinctive style and sound, instantly recognizable, no other band sound quite like them, but it is just not a style I enjoy. First, Geddy Lee is not a good singer, his vocals, although you can get used to them, are just poor. And Alex Lifeson may be a great guitarist, but again, I just don't like his style of play, too grating. I will grant that Neil Peart is a superb drummer, but I wish I liked the songs he played on more. I can appreciate the band as artists, but I just don't really enjoy their music. King Crimson is another great legendary Prog band, highly acclaimed in Prog circles, but one that I don't really listen to much. Again, I can appreciate their importance to progressive rock music, and admire their musical skill, virtuosity, and trailblazing uniqueness, but I still just don't really connect that much with most of their music. It may be brilliant, but it's just not something that is very appealing to me.
Now, the point I want to make here is not to slam or disparage Rush (or King Crimson), but just to show that we all like different music for different reasons. Music is very subjective and highly emotional, and we all respond or are affected differently by different types and styles of music. Not so much that any one is 'better' than another, but they just affect us in different ways. I tend to be moved more by melody, harmony, and rhythm, which may be why Rush and King Crimson are not favorites, as they tend to be less melodic, and may be why I have a real problem with most metal and metal-oriented styles. Some people will say that they like all kinds of music, but that most certainly is not true, as they may like some music within all styles or genres, but certainly not all, as we all have our own likes and preferences. So, I do like and enjoy a wide variety of different styles of music, from classical, jazz, folk, pop, rock, soul, funk, and everything in between, but there is also quite a lot of specific music, and quite popular music, that just doesn't appeal to me. I try to mostly talk just about the music that I really love and am most excited about, because there is so much great music out there that I want to share and enjoy. And I try not to bash or insult the music or artists I don't much care for, because I know that they may be loved and admired by a lot of people, and just because they do not excite me doesn't mean that their music is bad or not worth listening to, it is just not for me. People tend to be very quick to say that this or that band/artist 'sucks' or are worthless just because they don't care for their music. But that's not how it works. It's perfectly fine to criticize a music style you don't like or indicate why it doesn't appeal to you, but if others enjoy it, that's great, too. People listen to different kinds of music for a lot of different reasons, and it can affect people quite differently. Now I do like rating and ranking albums, as to my preferences and tastes, but that of course is just my personal opinion and how that music affects me, and as we all know, everybody seems to have differing opinions on what is truly the best, even among die-hard fans of any given band.
The other main point here is that it is quite OK to like what you like and not like what you don't. Everybody tends to find the music that most appeals to them to enjoy, and may not pay much attention to the rest. But that doesn't mean that everything else is worthless, it just may not be your thing, or maybe you just haven't heard it yet. Some music takes multiple listens before you can fully 'get' it. So, it is important to explore and try various kinds of music because you might find stuff you really like that you were not previously aware of. But once you've given an artist or style a listen and it just doesn't appeal to you, that's fine. You really can't like everything, and there is no point in trying to like everything just because someone else said it was good. So, by all means, fully enjoy your favorite music, but don't worry about the music you don't 'get' or just don't enjoy (or even actively despise). Most likely there's someone out there who just loves it and can't live without it. But please be sympathetic to others that may really enjoy that music you hate, it may mean a lot to them, so let them enjoy it, even if you don't.
In the posts on this blog, I have talked about many artists, both popular and lesser known, that I really like and enjoy, their music means a lot to me and I enjoy talking about them, sharing, and possibly exposing some others to great music they may not be aware of. But there are also many very popular bands and artists that I am just not much of a fan of, so I don't talk about them here. And its OK that I'm not a fan of Rush, or the Rolling Stones, or Black Sabbath, or even Led Zeppelin. There's so much great music out there, find what you really like, what makes you happy, but you don't have to like everything, or be dismissive of those that don't like the same music you do. Just enjoy!
