Rock Band Battles

[Undertoad]

Everybody thinks they listen to the music that they like.

But when I studied this, I found out that people like the music that they listen to.

I looked at this problem in detail in college. Here are actual simulated quotes from actual students at the time. (Only one of these is an actual quote, the rest represent the sentiment stated)

My freshman year 1982: "I hate the Cars, so fuckin' New Wave!"

My sophomore year 1983: "The Cars are great! But I hate the Police, so fuckin' New Wave!"

My junior year 1984: "The Police are awesome! But I hate U2, so fuckin' New Wave!"

My senior year 1985: "U2 are the new Gods. But DAMN I hate REM, so fuckin' New Wave!"

So.... am I saying that all you need to do is to listen to Yes and you'll like it?

No, the word "listen" means much more than that. What happens is that your brain forms patterns of what it recognizes, over time. You setting into interpreting music differently. If you like things because they are simple, it doesn't mean you are incapable of liking complicated things. It only means you haven't chosen to.

AND I'm not just saying "oh but you haven't given my music a chance!" I'm also saying oh, but I haven't given your music a chance. But that's just how it is. It's not that one sucks and the other does not. It's that we settle in, and ground our taste until it anchors us, gives us a kicking-off point.