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Thursday, March 28

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Fuel

Michael / July 8, 2005 10:41 AM

I like everything from eighties heavy metal to the Grateful Dead to bee-bop. Everything but country, which I think kinda sucks...

Andrew / July 8, 2005 10:48 AM

My musical tastes have varied widely over the years, so I like quite a bit. Everything from jazz to ska to industrial has held my attention at some point. Right now I'm leaning more toward accessible indie rock, but that could change at any time.

I would say that I'm not into extremely aggressive music -- gangsta rap, a lot of heavy metal -- but there are always exceptions. I really don't like much modern country music -- so much of it is sappy pop with a Southwestern drawl.

Pedro / July 8, 2005 11:17 AM

Likes: Rock, Indie(?), House, D&B, Classical

No Opinion: Blues, Jazz

Dislikes: Hip Hop, New Country

amyc / July 8, 2005 11:21 AM

My CD collection is full of those introspective guitar-playing singer/songwriter types and music that sounds homemade and not too shiny -- 90s-style lo-fi was like the best of all possible worlds for me. Also, I loves me some noisy-ass punk ladies.

I just cannot abide melisma. If you sing 15 notes where one would do, I will not buy your record, ma'am. Also, I can't enjoy gospel. I know I should just look at the emotion and skill in the music, but hearing about Jesus in any form just turns me right off.

Ben / July 8, 2005 11:33 AM

I'll try anything once, but as a general rule, stay away from the mainstream. Indie, hip-hop, jazz, country, classical, et al.

There's a great website called AudioScrobbler that I use to find new music based on what I'm listening to. Really, it's cool - check it out!

Naz / July 8, 2005 11:37 AM

An incredibly hard one. When I was younger this was a much simpler question to answer but ovcer the years my ears have gotten tired of listening to certain types of music and so I've kept branching out, tying to find newer and odder things to listen to.

This morning's selection so far has been interesting: M.I.A., Fing Fang Foom, Pelican, Tool, Closure (the old hardcore one, not this new MTV2 band), Simon and Garfunkel, Antony and the Johnsons.

However, I am loathe to listen to bands which are "hipster" and "happening" no matter how good they are which means it takes me forever to get into them but I never find that they're all that classic - as in, they're not a band I'd pick up the CD in a year or two or five and listen to again. Such as: The Arcade Fire, bleh - basically whatever Pitchfork is kissing ass to.

pat / July 8, 2005 11:52 AM

i'm really all over the map, with no real consistency.


Pop, rock, techno, new wave, industrial, goth, jazz, classical, mambo, vocalists like Dusty or Mel Torme, are staid members of my library.

I'm sure it's a criminal offense in chicago, but no matter how much I try, i just can't find myself being interested in the blues. I'm not a huge fan of posture-rap or hiphop that centers about bling, creed-style crooning about crap, or achey-brachey butterfly kiss yee haw country. But it's all random, and to every rule, there's an exception or four.

Steve / July 8, 2005 12:56 PM

Mostly unpopular pop music.

e_five / July 8, 2005 1:35 PM

The situation, surroundings, weather, or environment dictates the genre. And I make it a point to never get myself into surroundings where country would be appropriate.

I do wish it was easier to learn more about jazz.

emily / July 8, 2005 1:48 PM

i'll listen to anything once. if i like the sound, i will continue to listen to it. i don't base my likes and dislikes on popularity, record labels (or lack of) or reviews. i get tired of certain music quickly enough on my own.

i'm into almost everything to some extent except screaming hardcore, super vulgar rap, harsh experimental jazz...anything difficult to listen to.

emily / July 8, 2005 2:22 PM

I haven't listened to commercial radio in, say, 5 years, so I have no idea what I'm supposed to be listening to. Last I heard, it wasn't anything I liked. I also stay away from rap/hip-hop/r&b.

As to current listening: I take myself to Virgin, wander thru the import/world music section(s) and listen for something that perks my ears. Lately, it's a lot of stuff from South America and India. The fewer (English) lyrics, the better.

Carl / July 8, 2005 2:32 PM

I'm really into Polka. I'm a polkaholic, I go to polkaholics anonymous, whenever I hear that stuff my feat just start going.

jen / July 8, 2005 3:38 PM

i'll give just about anything a try, and listen to everything from "indie" to hip hop to stoner metal to punk to classic rock to soul.

i concur with a previous commenter about new country. simply awful stuff (johnny cash & patsy cline - ok! tim mcgraw? yech...)
and what's with reggae? not a fan.

Emerson Dameron / July 8, 2005 3:53 PM

Circa now, the WMFU blog (http://blog.wfmu.org/) takes up a lot of my time, which would otherwise be spent listening to Sun City Girls or anything by Nick Cave.

A lot of music bugs me, but it's hard to net, genre-wise. I generally avoid anything with more self-pity than passion, or anything that sounds focus-grouped.

If you're truly curious, I DJ a radio show on WLUW, 88.7 FM, from 6 to 9 AM.

JP / July 8, 2005 4:17 PM

I listen to what ever music reminds me of my new boyfriend plus anything by Willie Nelson, Prince and classic De La Soul.

I cannot stand anything that reminds me of my old boyfriend. Also, I know it is a cheap shot and way to obvious but I also hate all boy bands, John Tesh and the guy who plays guitar and dresses like Zorro on the Home Shopping Network.

Oh Yeah, I also love The Hum Daddy's. They are the imaginary group that hum all the things I love in my head because I am to cheap to buy an iPOD. Those guys rock... not really.

Nicole / July 8, 2005 5:02 PM

My tastes run under the "indie" tag, whatever that means, but I have over the years accepted genres I didn't think I'd be into, like country and hip-hop (slowly but surely).

But I will never, ever be able to accept jam music into my collection. No no no.

waleeta / July 8, 2005 5:15 PM

Christian rock makes me uncomfortable - all that singing about having the "Lord inside you" and all.
The Blues I find boring, unless it's live.
The only time I can listen to classical is early in the morning while just waking up (coffee, shower, work from home computer time-ish).
Country that I can sing to is cool.
Noise rock is pointless.
Hip Hop never fails to make me dance.
I don't know what indie technically is, and never had the motivation to find out.

Lacey / July 8, 2005 5:18 PM

I like music with really intelligent and/or beautiful lyrics, something kind of unpredictable. Also, some kind of complimentary noise/music is helpful :) Artists I feel exemplify this right now: Mos Def, Alison Krauss, Keane, Talib Kweli, YYY's, Postal Service, and then all my old alternative favorites (like Modest Mouse, Smashing Pumpkins, etc). And since I'm from Nashville (a place where most of the radio stations are country), I have a great tolerance for country music.

I'm not so keen on music that is overly sexual, angry, or violent. I think that all genres are guilty of this every now and then.

dave / July 8, 2005 5:44 PM

No blues, please. No jam bands. And especially no reggae. Just gimme indie rock, with a a little Coltrane on the side. Thank you.

thomas / July 8, 2005 9:21 PM

I like jazz a lot. I also like any type of music with a good, strong bassline-if a song has that, I dont even pay attention to the lyrics. I like some gospel, but not the shouting-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-so-no-one understands-the-lyrics gospel music. I can't stand anything made by anyone with a Lil' preceeding his/her name or music talking about hoes, pimps, etc.

Eamon / July 8, 2005 9:42 PM

There's no single genre that doesn't contain at least one song that I really love. That said, I've been on a crazy pop music kick lately. I just can't stop rocking that Kelly Clarkson tune, dammit!

shylo / July 9, 2005 1:27 PM

Melisma! That's the term for the Destiny's Child/J. Simpson shit. I have been wondering!

I like the unreleased Fiona Apple album "Extraordinary Machine." It's great. And I will always, always love Morrissey.

Craig / July 9, 2005 2:13 PM

Everything you like I liked 5 years ago.

Christy / July 9, 2005 7:10 PM

Going by the genre names, indie, pop, punk, and rock are my favorites. But the common quality in any music I love is the songs that make me feel more alive than ever -- lyrics and music that have so much life and true experience and feeling in them that you can't help living it again and again. This is why I feel frightenly numb when I hear anything under the categories of soft rock and smooth jazz and all that lifeless shit. If it's real, I appreciate it; if it hits home, I love it.

DJProFusion / July 9, 2005 7:13 PM

I love world and world fusion music that incorporates native beats. There is a purity and joy in that music that is absent in corporate music.

DJProFusion / July 9, 2005 7:16 PM

I cannot stand the beat of urban music with the initials HH. Did you know that term is "questionable" on this site? try it!

sdfdsf / July 9, 2005 7:16 PM

hip-hop

dsfgag / July 9, 2005 7:19 PM

Sorry, for some bizarre reason the word "ansolutely" with a "b" instead of an "n" is censored. Huh?

mounds / July 9, 2005 7:28 PM

Hey, you are right! What possessed them to censor such an inncocent word as that? I a_solutely do not understand that!

vit / July 9, 2005 10:54 PM

I like a lot of stuff that falls under the "not mainstream" umbrella, I can get into rock, punk, indie, goth, techno, 80's new wave, navel-gazing art rock (I love Godspeed You Black Emperor) etc... I also do like some blues, but don't really get into jazz that much. I like some classical (Kronos Quartet stuff I really get into) but I'm pretty picky about (mostly do to ignorance, not due to being a classical snob).

What I really don't like is country (I really dislike the stuff with something bordering on a pathological distain, I may need help), gangsta rap, and top-40 bubblegum stuff like Brittney Spears.

sweetwater / July 10, 2005 7:00 AM

I like music that makes me feel UFOs are coming:
Sun Ra, Monk, Residents.

chris / July 10, 2005 12:13 PM

New Order, Ministry, Depeche Mode, Higher Intelligence Agency, A Split Second, U2, Duran Duran, The Clash, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Morrissey, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd etc.... I do like ambient stuff too. Like sweetwater said, "Music that makes me feel UFO's are coming"

I used to listen to punk way back in the day...

curtsy / July 10, 2005 4:48 PM

You mean like the band UFO?? Or "U.F.O." by ESG? Or the band Flying Saucer Attack or "Flying Saucer Attack" by The Rezillos? Or maybe "Waiting for the U.F.O.s" by Graham Parker?? Or "Calling Occupants of Inter-Planetary Crafts" by the Carpenters? Strange, baby...

Justin / July 10, 2005 6:56 PM

In adolescence, under the direct influence of my SoCal cousin, I abandoned my fantasy of fronting an alt-rock band (I've always been too clean) and the discs I'd collected (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Hendrix, Zeppelin, et al.) for the life of the more romantic but no less tortured classical guitarist. Lasted three years. Then came a stint with college radio, which makes me appreciate the indie scene -- namely the thrill of knowing them first -- but I've had my fill of shitty songs. Did the Phish thing, did the Tom Waits thing, did and often revisit the Zappa thing.

I appreciate good song-writing -- sharp, intelligent lyrics over clever twists on the 12-bar 1-4-5. The Shins, Wilco, Pedro the Lion (Christian rock for those who abhor Christian rock), Iron & Wine, Emiliana Torrini. Recent additions include TV on the Radio, Interpol, and Leonard Cohen. And, thanks to my Mondays@Danny's DJ friend: Christopher Willits and Matthew Dear.

Huckle Cat / July 10, 2005 7:14 PM

I like most music, but I'm really into The Books right now.

I'm not so crazy about country or smooth jazz.

Andrew / July 11, 2005 12:11 AM

Regarding the banning of "a_solutely" -- we've actually banned "a_solut," which shows up frequently as part of the email addresses of spammers. I'll fix that, since it's barring legitimate comments, too.

Andrew / July 11, 2005 12:18 AM

Actually, I just checked and "a_solut" is catching a whole bunch of comment spam, so I've just switched it to moderate -- which means anyone choosing to use words containing that string of letters will have to wait for us to approve the comment before it goes live.

Sorry, but it's a small price to pay in exchange for less crap in the comments.

mike / July 11, 2005 2:27 AM


a lot of hip-hop and blues
a little punk rock from when I was a teen.
old jazz at night
merengue, samba, salsa, especially in the summer

can't stand emo and indie (which I didn't know existed till my second year of college)
whiny white guys never rang my soul and set me dancing

Gordon / July 11, 2005 6:03 AM

That's alright, Andrew. A_solut is s__tty vodka, anyway.

Down with country! Although, the "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" mix posted in Salon's latest Audiofile is pretty f__king sweet, and it's just a little bit country.

But like good country.

And for some reason I just got into the Doleful Lions' older stuff. So many great songs... New album, not so much.

Kevin / July 11, 2005 8:54 AM

If the music is being performed by musicians wearing wide, white belts and backwards hair, theres a good chance that I'll pass. I'd rather vomit blood than listen to rap/hip-hop/urban music. When any wispy-voiced girls or guys with accoustic guitars start playing and singing, I become homicidal.

I do like teh funk (a dose of Brand New Heavies, Nikka Costa and Meshell Ndegeocello) and alt-country. Toss in some old-skool jazz, some early-nineties prog rock and a pack of Camels then you have a highly pleasurable listening experience. Well I do at least.

paul / July 11, 2005 9:12 AM

I must be getting old, since all the music kids are listening to these days sounds like crap.

And this is coming from a guy who still regularly listens to crap like Throbbing Gristle, Skinny Puppy and Death in June.

christian / July 11, 2005 9:27 AM

I like a wide variety of music, from indie rock to industrial. I seem to have a large collection of female vocal though (Neko Case, Eleni Mandell, Beth Orton, Sylvie Lewis, Camera Obscura, Azure Ray etc,) but I avoid real commercial pop divas like the plague, Britney and the like.

I like different music, like Sparkelhorse , Tom Waits, Earlimart as well as The Aquabats and some rockabilly stuff, I just saw the Phenomenauts ( described as "Devo-billy") with the Aquabats and the EpoXies last week, really cool. Soft spot for eighties new wave.

Types of music I can not stand: jam bands, hip hop, heavy metal and nu metal, easy listening, pop-country, commercial pop and new age.

roderick / July 11, 2005 9:49 AM

Mostly indie-rock/pop etc., New Orleans style jazz and blues (have you heard Youngblood Brass Band?), and blues and jazz "standards." Also have been seen listening to classical, video game soundtracks (orchestral and MIDI), techno, house, ambient, non-crapy hip hop (e.g. Taleb Kwali, Jurassic 5, Madvillan, NWA, etc.), alt-country, Rush (I'm not going to say I like prog-rock as a whole, no siree), Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson OR Ted Leo).

No jam bands, not a lot of "world" music, yuck to 99% of hip-hop, no country.

kate / July 11, 2005 10:56 AM

wilco and the white stripes are the only 2 things i need in this world anymore.

Jane / July 11, 2005 11:09 AM

Old punk rock baby!! Some new stuff is acceptable too -

kate / July 11, 2005 12:02 PM

I thought I hated Renaissance music until I was able to put it into context, both it as a reaction to it's environment at the time and it's contribution to the development of music as a whole. Although I still don't find it very pleasurable to my ear, I am able to listen with fascination and I would never nor could I ever say now that I "hate" it. It would be impossible to hate it, seeing as I now understand the role it played in my human history. I believe this is a wise approach to life and it seems to me that claiming to honestly dislike or, as apparently some people do here, hate an entire genre of music is basically admitting to being ignorant.

kate / July 11, 2005 12:12 PM

of course by it's I meant its.

Also, not liking something purely because it's "mainstream" or "hipster" or "happening" or whatever you want to call it (especially when you admit it might still be good - Naz!) either means your "taste" has no credibility or you have no real taste at all.

Sorry, I'm having a bad day. To answer your question again: I love Wilco.

Miranda / July 11, 2005 1:39 PM

I can usually find something I like in every genre - but I listen to acoustic and/or singer-songwriter stuff the most. I like it because it's personal, you can meet the artist at a show if you want, and it's usually pretty smart. I like other stuff too - electronica, downtempo, pop, standards, some hip-hop, classical, old and new country (sure, some of the new stuff is vapid - but some of it is fun, simple fare with great instrumentals). Also showtunes! :)

What's never on my stereo: Afro-Pop. I just haven't developed an ear for it yet.

Brandy / July 12, 2005 1:57 PM

For me:
Strong, singable melody = good.
Instrumental that's not jaunty = bad.
Whiny = very bad.
Tom Jones = very good.

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