Chances are, if I asked you what kind of music you like to listen to, you could easily give me a list of artists, songs, albums, and genres, and you could tell me why you enjoyed them. On the other hand, if I asked you what kind of music you didn’t like, chances are just as good that you would wrinkle your nose, shake your head, and mutter the name of some genre or teeny-bopper band, saying how you don’t understand the craze surrounding them.
And that’s just the nature of things: to like as well as dislike. There’s nothing wrong with that. Music is nearly unfathomable in its entire reach. The problem begins, though, when dislike turns into hating on something or someone and putting others down (*Note: This principle is certainly not only subject to music, but for the purpose of this article, that will remain our focus).
So often in media and, let’s face it, in schools, we tend to have someone in the spotlight that serves as the object of our disdain. Enter your Mileys, your Beibers, your past-their-prime rock stars. We simply love to hate them. Although they will always have their defenders, those avengers of free choice will generally pay a price for going against the grain.
Music is no stranger to adversity. Beethoven was the bane of Classical audiences since he refused to fit into that period’s formula for music-making. Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring ballet was met by a literal riot within minutes of opening in Paris. Rebecca Black’s “Friday” provided most of us with weeks of laughter and annoyance. We find some kind of sick joy in hating things, but I have to ask: Why?
While it might be fun to make snide remarks to friends and laugh together, in my experience, that really only lasts for so long. The memories and the jokes that last longer and bring far more joy are those that come from liking something and getting excited about things together. Simply put, it’s so much more fun to focus on the things that you like. So, why even waste your time hating on things? What is being accomplished by making fun of someone for liking something just because you don’t?
And don’t we all have our guilty pleasures? Maybe you love musical theater or opera, and you daydream about being that prima donna. Maybe you secretly make up dance routines to One Direction songs. Maybe you belt out country songs in the shower or play air guitar to classic rock. Maybe you feel fierce while listening to Beyonce (no shame in that, girl. Just whip your hair and get to work!).
The point is, no matter what you like and what you don’t like, there will always be people who oppose you. Most importantly, there is nothing formally documented which states that your opinion is the only valid one. So, don’t act like it. Just as you enjoy your taste in music, let others enjoy theirs.
It is just as easy (if not easier) to respect others’ thoughts and opinions as it is to try to invalidate them. Your opinions really aren’t superior to anyone else’s. The same goes for the opinions of others, so don’t feel like you can’t enjoy something just because other people don’t.
Just use a little judgment and make your own decisions. You never know, hearing people out about what they like might just lead you to a new song that you’ll have on repeat for days (or weeks, if you’re like me). Bottom line: Keep an open mind. Respect others. Be happy.