Musical Poseurs

It’s a slow day at work today (again). So, while I’m thinking of it, I wanted to mention something I found on my work’s intranet.

There was an employee profile I read online, where the employee being interviewed said, “I love all music, Willie Nelson, Barry Manilow, Enya, Shania Twain and the Beatles.” I found this pretty amusing, being a person of fairly eclectic musical taste myself. If she loves all music, where’s the jazz? The industrial? The classical? All I’m seeing is country and easy listening and the Beatles. (I wonder if she likes their later, stranger albums, too?)

I’d like to be indignant and declare her a poseur and say that I really DO love all music… but I know I don’t. I’m not a big fan of modern country, or gangsta rap, or even recent “modern rock” in more than small doses. And I’m sure there’s other music I’ve never heard that I don’t like, either.

That’s the thing: everyone says that they like just about all kinds of music, but they don’t ? and can’t ? consider music that they rarely or never hear during the course of their daily lives. They may think they really do like everything… but it’s only everything within their own sphere of influence. Most people want to think they’re eclectic and tolerant and far-reaching in so many ways… but they’re not.

I include myself in this generalization, as well. As far as music goes, I enjoy alternative, some modern rock, some punk, ska, classic rock, jazz, classical, drum & bugle corps, barbershop / a capella, progressive rock, easy listening (“adult contemporary”), some techno/electronic, some j-pop, new wave, synthpop, old-school rap, folk, pre-90’s country, some international music, and some other music that can’t quite be pigeonholed. I know for a fact that I don’t like gangsta rap, modern country (“crossover” country is almost worse), really heavy industrial, a lot of modern rock and pop… but I can’t think of much else that I can’t stand, mainly because I don’t find myself in situations where I would experience music I may not like.

So, yes, feel free to claim that your tastes are eclectic. Claiming that you love “all” music is a bit of a stretch, though.