What musical genre do you absolutely hate...

[a_random_joel]

Poll question: What musical genre do you absolutely hate...

I'm not trying to be divisive, just curious.

[ButterflyBlood]

1. hate all of the above

except Electronica and possibly both alternatives (since I'm not entirely sure what is meant by each one)

[Aristus]

2. Country.

Except for the Dixie Chicks, it suuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks!

[leftofthedial]

12. including

Steve Earle
Buddy and Julie Miller
Lucinda Williams
Johnny Cash
Merle Haggard
George Jones
etc.
etc. etc.
??

your loss

[EOTE]

22. You forgot to include Ryan Adams....

I used to despise country, but I've found his stuff and Steve Earle's to be quite good.

[zekeson]

27. Like the old Whiskeytown stuff

find his newer solo stuff trying a little hard, though I guess, reading reviews, I am alone in that sentiment. I love all the newer alt-country stuff, Steve Earle particularly.

[leftofthedial]

32. whiskeytown was terrific

his newer stuff is too, though much more pop-rock

you might also give Caitlin Cary's solo stuff a try

[Syrinx]

43. Kasey Chambers is great too n/t

[ButterflyBlood]

47. don't like Dixie Chicks musically even

the only country song I can tolerate is Garth Brooks "the thunder rolls" thing.

[a_random_joel]

6. Hi BB

I Love electronica myself, but know many people consider it "not real music".

New Alternative = all the post grunge stuff out these days. At least that's what I call it. I hate it, myself.

Old Alternative - new-wave, techno-pop, goth, industrial - what we in SoCal call KROQ music. Love all of it.

Hope that explains it.

[RandomKoolzip]

25. Any music whose rythyms are produced synthetically

is not "music" to me. It's not a matter of being an old fogey (I'm in my 20's), I simply find electronically produced music utterly repellent to listen to. I think it stems from my first exposure to Depeche Mode back in the eighties...I remember laughing out loud and saying "are these guys kidding with this shit?" and I was only nine years old. My bullshit detector always runs on overdrive and electronica drives its needle into the red.

Call me close-minded if you will, but music must be played with a real, living, breathing rythym section if I'm gonna consider buying a CD. As a lifelong Rock record collector and Rock musician, I resent the rise in popularity of electronic music, and under the rubric of electronic music, I include hip-hop, downtempo, jungle, and whatever same-old-shit-with-a-different-name is popluar this month. I'll give you one analogy as to why:

Let's say from an early age, you had a natural inclination and ability to paint. As far back as you could remember, you loved painting, and you did it well. As you got older, your skill and your interest exploded, and the art of painting consumed you. You knew that you'd study art, you'd make a living off of it, and that there'd be a market for your paintings. Paintings have always been popluar, and you saw no reason why they wouldn't ever not be.

Then, you turn 23. Suddenly, Everyone all at once seems to be into xerox collage art. Overnight, the craft of painting is considered gauche. Xerox is where it's at! Collages are selling like hotcakes, they're easy to make, it requires no skill to make them, just throw together some previously-drawn clip art and pictures from magazines and Voila! You got yourself some art. Everybody thinks it's great, it's the vanguard of art, it's "new." You are now a has-been. You are "stuck in the past." You are not "keeping up with the times." Never mind that the range of expression allowed by Xerox collage is, to put it mildly, extremely limited, You now suck in most hipsters' eyes. Nobody is gonna buy the art you've worked so hard at, that you've devoted your time and life to, that you've gone to school for , that you've studied at to the detriment of other studies. The market has shrunk. In frustration, you almost consider throwing away your brushes and canvases, just like it seems all of your friends and colleagues have done.

But then, you realize: Painting is a tradition, a way of life, a mode of expression whose history and ability to move the viewer is limitless. Xerox collage is meaningless, soulless, derivative of other forms, and frankly, pretty damn boring. When the trend for Xerox art is over (I'm counting the days, believe me), people will want the richness, the soul, the wonderous imperfections inherent in Non-Xeroxed images. Until then, You will not be a happy dude, and you will resent the little shits with their copiers and their scissors, recieving attention for very little effort.

Substitute "Rock and Roll" for painting and "Electronica" for Xerox collage, and you'll have my feelings on the subject in a nutshell.

Anyone who is a fan of electronic music needs to realize that the proces involved in the creation of the music is not labor-intensive and does not require extensive apprenticeship, skill, or passion. It merely requires that you read the instruction booklet. I know of what I speak, I'm a rock musician who has gotten his hands dirty with electronica just to see what the fuss is about, and frankly, it all a bit too Emporer's-New-Clothes for me.

As for electronica's "avant-garde reputation," well, let's see...okay, a low-frequency percussive noise on the one and the three, a higher frequency percussive noise on the two and the four, and some choppy, stoccato percussive chirps on top, usually in eighth notes. Kick, snare, high hat. Not exactly re-inventing the wheel, is it? All you've done is replace a laborer with a machine. That laborer's out of a job now. Happy?

Any questions? Read Joe Carducci's "Rock and the Pop Narcotic" for further study.

[chenGOD]

37. I guess you haven't listened to a lot of electronic music have you?

There's lots of beautiful music out there, both electronic and non.

[Susang]

38. My goodness, do you have a lot to learn

The computer is an instrument like any other. It only does what the "living breathing" operator tells it to do. The person behind the computer creates the art. Listen to Bjork, Tricky, Morcheeba or Beth Orton to see how effective a tool electronic instruments can be.

Intellectual snobbery in music has been around forever. Bob Dylan was booed at the Newport Folk Festival for daring (gasp!) to play an electric guitar (which can rightfully be considered and "electronic" instrument) instead of an acoustic one. Rock and roll was considered to be worthless noise by the big band contigent for the musicians lack of training and expertise. And so it goes....

[ornotna]

44. I see you have an FZ avatar

He was one of the first to adopt the guitar synthesizer.....seemed to work for him. definitely electronic.

[sendero]

53. everyone has their opinion....

>>>Anyone who is a fan of electronic music needs to realize that the proces involved in the creation of the music is not labor-intensive and does not require extensive apprenticeship, skill, or passion.

But this is clearly not even close to the truth. If you think it requires no skill or passion to produce *good* music of any genre, I suggest you try and let me laugh at the result :)

Pick up "Endtroducing" by DJ Shadow circa 1996. Comprised of nothing but vinyl samples, it is a labor of love to say the least. It didn't win all those awards for nothing. To make it, Mr Davis had to familiarize himself with literally thousands of records to draw from. Yanking a sample from a record and cleaning it up suitably is not easy, and nobody without passion would get 20 done, much less hundreds.

The problem is, you are throwing all electronica in the same bucket. Sure, it is trivial to make simple pop music with samplers and synths. But don't throw people like Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Squarepusher, Amon Tobin or many others into that bucket because they don't belong there :)

[Squeech]

55. What Eno said

I remember him saying that it's the micro-variations caused by human error that make repetition interesting, and that a single held note on the piano contains more harmonic richness than anything you can do on a synthesizer.

So while he's responsible for some of the loveliest electronic music around-- indeed, he has no little responsibility for the existence of the genre-- he's nevertheless well aware of its limitations.

I'm reminded also of something in The Real Frank Zappa Book, to the effect that "I have to type in a whole shitload of numbers (into the Synclavier) in order to get the nuance that I can get easily from a good rhythm section."

Someone above claimed FZ played the guitar synthesizer, which is not true. He played the guitar, often heavily processed, and he composed on the Synclavier. But he said he never found an interface that would allow him to plug the one into the other and get the responsiveness he wanted.

Electronica is not the worst thing that ever happened to music, *BUT* it is unquestionably a genre whose working methods encourage laziness: you clip your samples, you build your loops, you sit back and admire the results (and smoke a fatty), and then maybe you start to tinker around the edges. I think of this sort of thing as the latticework on which the real music might grow, if you're a good gardener.

(Personally, my unfavorite genre is opera, but I've found a handful of operas I enjoy. And a fair number of country artists-- usually old or dead ones, admittedly-- and even a few practitioners of the dreaded disco. Blanket condemnations are useful only as a first approximation: if I'm going record shopping, I expect to find more stuff that's going to interest me in the bins labeled rock than in the dance area. But if I'm hanging out with a successful DJ, I'm not going to tell him his life's work is rubbish, I'm going to pick his brains.)

[a_random_joel]

57. Here we go

Anyone who is a fan of electronic music needs to realize that the proces involved in the creation of the music is not labor-intensive and does not require extensive apprenticeship, skill, or passion.

I completely disagree. Having been on both sides, playing music from a young age on several "real" instruments, as well as having DJ'd and composed electronic music - there is just as much labor and creativity in synthetic music as there is in "real" music.

You make the analogy of a painter compared to a Xerox, but this is way off the mark. The canvas and brush versus the xerox are merely tools used. Just as are the guitar vs. the synthesizer/sampler. It is what the artist does with the tools that makes the art.

I have heard many people diss electronic music as being repetitive and uncreative. Granted, there are some artists out there who qualify. Byt then again, how many songs have been made based on the 12-bar blues progression?

As in any genre, there is crap and there is art. Electronic just uses a different type of "brush". One which, IMO, offers a much wider palette of sounds than do standard instruments.

[KCDem]

3. it was a tie between country and boy/girl bands,

so I went with what was on top. :hi:

[Abaques]

4. So what is...

"old alternative" and "new alternative"?

And I'm glad that you don't think anyone would hate punk. :)

[a_random_joel]

7. Hi

See my post above regarding the alternatives.

[RememberJohn]

52. Well, I hate punk, but I hate country more...

[NightTrain]

5. Progressive rock and most folk music

n/t

[Salviati]

8. I've heard it refered to as "Sports Metal"

But maybe it's just called that by the people I know: Kid Rock, limp bizkit, and that ilk...

[Abaques]

13. I hadn't heard that one....

I like it. Usually we call "sports metal" either "jump metal" or "yo metal". Normally I call it crap.



The world needs more Ramones.

[EOTE]

23. Cock rock is how I refer to it..

and yes, it sucks.

[billfromwny]

9. nothing is worse than

lowest common denominator boy/girl band pop garbage

[Deja Q]

10. Hard choice

child band/country are both front runners in my opinion! I ultimately chose country; the child bands at least have some nice maufactured music to go alongside it...

[leftofthedial]

11. "hating" music is an evil thing

there is value in any creative endeavor.

If you don't like it, don't listen to it.

but instead of spending your energy hating something, why not spend that energy and time listening to and promoting what you DO like?

[Ladyhawk]

19. You're assuming I consider "country" to actually be a form of music.

The words "country" and "music" do not belong in the same sentence. ;)

[Kolesar]

31. Modern Country is a joke. It is as bad as Euro-pop or Soviet Rock Bands

Bleccch! Music that is "designed and programmed to fill a niche" by some radio/recording studio shirt and tie guy. I do respect classic country because some of it sounds like bluegrass folk. And Alison Krauss--she is so sweet that even modern country fans realize she is a talent.

[leftofthedial]

34. so you would eliminate traditional American music

"country" is derived from traditional Scottish, Irish and English (primarily) music the original white settlers of the mid-Atlantic and southern colonies brought with them.

Over a century or so, it became the traditional music we recognize today as the root of bluegrass, country, folk. Without it, there would be no blues, no gospel, no rock and roll, no jazz.

Yeah, "country" and "music" sure don't mix.

I'm no fan of the pop dreck that has corrupted Country over the last 15 years, but that era is ending and there is plenty in the 200-year history of the genre worth listening to and celebrating.

Instead of labeling and posturing, I prefer listening and appreciating.

Its like finding a good wine. You'll drink some bad ones along the way, but that is no reason to decide that all wine sucks.

I think every musical genre has something of value.

[maveric]

49. Bluegrass (love it), is derived from all those you've mentioned..

but country is watered down for the non-dicerning simple of mind. Flame me all to hell for this if you wish.
Its like country performers/songwriters do as little as possible to produce their product. Lyrics are dumbed down and the musicianship is lame.

[a_random_joel]

59. Perhaps a bad choice of words

I understand that taste in music is completely subjective.

It's still fun to discuss. If you don't like the conversation, don't engage in it. :)

[CO Liberal]

14. "Easy Listening" Instrumental Versions of Hit Songs

The worst I ever hear were a "101 Strings" -type version of the Village People's "YMCA", and a Mantovanni-style rendition of "Bette Davis Eyes".....

:puke:

[Blue_Chill]

56. I agree

That is the absolute worse music out there. They play it in my local grocery store and it drives me insane.

[catpower2000]

15. Whiny indie-rock pretentious garbage...

Coldplay, I'm looking at you. Radiohead, you're right on the line.

Cat

[RandomKoolzip]

26. Finally, someone else who hates Radiohead!

I thought I was alone.

[a_random_joel]

58. Umm

I dig Coldplay...

[Character Assassin]

16. Techno and/or 'Smooth' Jazz

Both are buckets of cold piss.

[Don_G]

17. My Hatred Is For "Rap."

[geniph]

18. So many horrid genres, but only one vote!

Had to give a bit of extra weight to country, though, because I grew up on that crap (my parents are from the Ozarks), so I reserve a special place in Hell for the overly-twangy. I do love bluegrass, though.

I despise most mainstream pop (the teenybopperization of music is evil). Most rap and hip-hop gives me a headache. Heavy metal has gotten dull, repetitive, and overly ponderous. Easy listening puts me to sleep. Electronica - I can never tell if the song is skipping or not, or if the same cut's being played over and over. It all kind of blends together to me. Disco has particularly bad associations for me, as it took over music right around the time I graduated high school - I was one of those stoner kids wearing the Death Before Disco t-shirts.

[anti_shrub]

20. I guess you'd call it rave music

That electronic beat that repeats over and over heard in dance clubs. Perhaps I just don't partake enough chemicals....

[George_Bonanza]

21. I don't like heavy metal

I tend to be supportive of all musical genres, from classical to country. But heavy metal is too grating for me to listen to regularly. Sometimes, it seems like the point of it is is to create a contest of who's more "hardcore," and hardcore being defined as who has the highest tolerance for noisy cramming and screeching.

[Spirochete]

24. Opera

can tolerate most anything else. Just prefer some things to others.

[AntiBushRepub]

29. It's not a genre

But I don't like music that is manufactured by big record companies, and that has no heart...

I respect any musician from any genra when the music comes from the heart...

Even if it sounds bad, I respect it...

I don't like plastic music.

[Parche]

28. RAP

COUNTRY AND RAP =CRAP

[Kat45]

30. All of the above, except heavy metal, but some metal also fits

the hated category.

[Dirk39]

33. white middleclass music from the USA...

even worth, when it's kind of artsy...
Don't beat me, I'm a gentle guy, but I just hate that music incl. new and old "alternative" and Sonic Youth. Empty, gentle, boring people with pseudoradical and pseudophilosophical messages (Oh I forgot, you don't have messages anymore) from the least important people in the world.
Arrogant, stupid, meaningless and self-satisfied.
I rather go with country - Townes van Zandt anybody? - and hiphop anyway...
Just had to say that,
Greetings from Germany,
Dirk

[leftofthedial]

36. Townes Van Zandt

Guy Clark
Rodney Crowell
Steve Earle
Butch Hancock

. . .

a great tradition of Texas songwriters

[DemExpat]

35. Dixieland music irritates me no end.......

never could appreciate its sound or energy....

DemEx

[mvd]

39. I voted for hip-hop

It's the only one I almost always don't like. I prefer conventional singing. There's also a lot of metal, electronica, disco, and "new" alternative I don't like. With boy/girl band pop, it depends on what it is: I don't like 'N Sync, but The Bangles are a favorite.

[Betty]

40. I also hate

accordian music.

[Ivory_Tower]

41. I can't hate music, but...

I can like some genres less than others. At the bottom of my list would be:

-- Modern Country-Pop (most, if not all)
-- the dreaded Heavy Metal Love Ballad

[mitchum]

42. bad music

[shanti]

45. country

sorry, can't stomach any at all!

[proud patriot]

46. I went with boy girl band

otherwise known as bubblegum Music :puke:

[REP]

48. Jazz

The most overrated kind of 'musical' pretension ever foisted on the public. :puke:

[T_i_B]

50. UK Garage

Dance music in general does throw up a large quantity of utter shite but no other genre produces quite as much turgid tripe as UK garage. Music for wankers in Ford XR3i's that has no brains and nothing to say whatsoever.

Craaaaaig Daaaaaaviiiiiiid! :eyes:

[a_random_joel]

61. I like *some* garage

eom

[dani]

51. "emo"

makes me feel like punching someone.

[noonwitch]

54. Boy bands are the worst

I don't like rap, but it's more of a generational thing for me. Young people love it and it pisses parents off the way heavy metal did for my generation, so it's probably a good thing. It's just not my music.
I also hate electronica, for the most part. Detroit is allegedly where this music originated, and they have a big festival every year, but it all gives me a headache.

[FlashHarry]

60. Define 'Country.'

I absolutely hate 'new country,' but I absolutely love the old stuff: Del Reeves, Buck Owens, Webb Pierce, Dave Dudley, Merle Travis, etc. etc.