Are You a Music Snob? Then Read This.

There’s no accounting for taste in music. What I do know that in order to survive, the music industry needs all kinds of fans–even (especially!) the kind of fans that love the mainstream music you hate. Steven Grant follows up on this idea in the Huffington Post:

I hate music snobs that believe their taste in music is the only acceptable kind. We all have those friends who say things like, “They used to be so cool before everyone else starting liking their music.” What does that even mean? Those people usually continue sticking their noses in the air by saying, “I only listen to independent artists. I hate mainstream.” I mean really, give me something more than that… a real argument. I remember when Daft Punk and Disclosure were not household names too, but they are still producing quality music. “Latch” and “Get Lucky” may have been overplayed on top 40 radio stations, but they are great songs.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that when an artist lets someone else take creative control over their work and image it gets a little strange, but in today’s world it’s much easier to find artists that don’t settle for that. Take FKA Twigs for example, she seems to be the driving force in her career. She is her own choreographer, video director, producer, writer and singer. If she scored a hit single I would be a fool to stop listening or feel that I must switch to a private session on Spotify when I am in the mood for “Video Girl.”

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Only Stupid People Listen to Popular Music

I saw someone post this on Facebook recently and I almost died. I noticed the people that liked and repurposed the status recently shared music like The Beatles, The Smiths, Michael Jackson and all things ’90s on their social channels. I hate to break it to you, but that was all popular music once (and still is). We forget that The Beatles hold the record for the most number-one singles in a calendar year. But let me guess, you’re pre-Abbey Road Beatles huh? Too cool for me.

I get it. You like Aphex Twin, Tourist, Gold Panda and Flying Lotus. These are names that people don’t hear as often as say Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but don’t act like you are above popular music. Enjoying less popular music does not make you smarter than everyone else. I’m not a genius, but I don’t think intelligence works that way.

Got it?  Keep going.