Music is awesome; it’s a human creation that I believe is inherently positive and can help people. Whether it be a summer car ride with the sunroof and windows down and music blasting, a sacred bonfire playlist or even using music to make it through school or work, music is cherished by the masses and has shaped culture since the beginning of civilization.
Music has always been a staple in culture from Renaissance musicians like Mozart, who shaped music as we know it, to important cultural figures like The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead and countless others. Music as a whole wouldn’t be the same without their contributions.
Music’s effects can be grouped into three broad categories: entertainment, connection and emotion. The artist’s attempt to entertain or make a big hit shouldn’t be overshadowed by the lack of emotion in the music.
Not all music has to be evocative; some songs are just meant to entertain, and that isn’t something negative. On the other side of the spectrum of purpose, a song like “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff
Buckley, where the creator pours out their emotions are very thought-provoking and positive, especially for someone who needs to relate. The emphasis on regret in
that song, for example, isn’t something meant to pull you down. it’s more a story of someone’s personal experiences. Music where the attention to detail is so outstanding that it is simply beautiful to listen to is more a combination of both emotion and entertainment.
When I say “connections” I mean talking to other people about the music or simply mutual enjoyment of music with others.
These connections show up in all types of music. The most important connection is the shared memories which include music and remind people of better or simpler times. The connection part is simply the power music holds.
Sometimes, you just don’t like music that other people like, which is valid. Music snobs, however, are disgusted by songs or albums that other people enjoy simply because they may be too “mainstream.” This disgust is negative and has been reinforced by social media and music ranking websites. Music is such a positive and powerful tool for expression, disrespect and disgust corrupts it with negativity. Tapping into music that isn’t mainstream/well known is great, but making that your whole personality and disrespecting what other people like isn’t.
Since its origin around 2000, the website Rate Your Music has been the topic of debate and discussion within the music community. This website provides a platform for people to express their opinions on music and features a ranking system that lists the best albums of all time. Music is subjective; there can’t be a single greatest album of all time.
Rate Your Music reports that “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar is the greatest album of all time. I think it’s a great album, but it’s not my favorite. Making a ranking system that doesn’t represent the majority of people who listen to music only adds to music snob culture. If you look at the top albums yearly, I can almost guarantee you’ve never heard of half of them, and the website itself demonstrates what’s wrong with the music
community. Debate is positive, especially when it exposes people to music they’ve never heard before. Rate your Music does a good job of doing this, but it’s too niche a website to encite debate between the casual listener and people who listen to music like it’s their 9-5. The site isn’t geared toward the casual listener but the melomaniac (someone who is abnormally fond of music). Websites and heated arguments have created an outlook where
people regard their music taste to be completely superior to that of others, and they are willing to fight to prove their point. We all have our preferences on what we like.
We should try take others’ suggestions because maybe you just have never heard something which you could really enjoy. People cherish their music and sometimes it’s hard to put yourself out there, especially with music snobs judging your playlist, inserting their opinions instead of simply enjoying the music. We all know how it feels when you try to put someone on to something you really enjoy and they instantly shoot you down. That doesn’t mean pretending to like music simply to please our peers is a good idea, but we should try to appreciate the connections music can make. 
Everyone’s music taste is different, which to me shows how great music is. The way music is long-lasting and relatable makes music another art form. Music is just so positive, imagine life without it. Thats just another reason we shouldn’t do it a disservice by trashing what people like.
People will still be music snobs after reading this story but I encourage you to just enjoy the music. You only have one life to expand your taste, talk to people about music and listen to an album you never thought you would.
Life can seem like a whirlwind constantly changing and giving us ups and downs. Music is something that really keeps people grounded. Negative emotions come with life and especially in present day it’s easier to be negative then positive. We all get confused and caught up in our own situations which can either bring out good or bad in us. as Jerry Garcia once said “If you get confused listen to the music play.”
