How subjective is music?

[Zoots]

Okay, I got a question for all of you. This may not be necessarily related to U2. How subjective is music? People never stop arguing and posting thread after thread justifying their opinions about certain kinds of songs, genres, artists, styles etc. But how can these discussions be weighed or compared in order to generalize some kind of overall classification of good and bad music? For instance, if your kid sister says "The Backstreet Boys are the greatest band ever". You cant say she's wrong cos music taste is subjective, right? But that takes away all meaning from the term 'bad music'. Even if a band or pop group is really bad, I mean if they just can't play, struggle, make mistakes etc.; if somebody says they love the particular band, can you argue? Does subjectivity come into play there as well?

 

[Salome]

I don't think music is subjective

Pet Sounds is the best album ever
The Unforgettable Fire is my favourite album ever
I don't like Radiohead but they are one of the better bands right now


music isn't subjective
a lot of people are idiots

 

[The Wanderer]

i think it's very subjective when you start arguing over who or what is best among artists of similar talent levels

 

[daisybean]

I think it's completely subjective.....There is a lot of what I consider bad music being played on the radio today....however, many people like it...does that make me wrong for not liking it? Of course not.

 

[Salome]

because a lot of people like bad music that music doesn't become any better

one catchy hook can sell a lot of singles
it doesn't make a good song though

it might indeed become a bit subjective when comparing artists, but music itself isn't subjective

 

[LizardU2]

I think it's completely subjective.....There is a lot of what I consider bad music being played on the radio today....however, many people like it...does that make me wrong for not liking it? Of course not.

I totally agree, even if I may think something is horrible, someone else may like it, and think what *I* like is horrible. My friend and I were talking about this... but on the subject of kissing... like is there such thing as a bad kisser or is just personal taste. I think its personal taste, no one is "bad", their style just might not be liked by some people, and maybe loved by others.

 

[Zoots]

Thanks for your views people. What prompted me to post this was something my roommate said a while back. He remarked about somebody's taste, saying it was bad because that person liked Stereolab. He said to me something like "I make fun of you for liking a boring band like Pink Floyd but atleast they are good. But Stereolab, they're just plain bad!". I disagreed because I felt that the other person likes Stereolab and that's his opinion.