Indie, pop, rock, metal, folk, classical, funk, punk, country, EDM, alternative; the list of music genres go on and on, yet people tend to limit the types of bands they expose themselves to.
Growing up, I was forced to listen to country music every day, and at the time, I didn’t know any other types of music even existed. One day, I got my hands on Green Day’s “American Idiot,†and absolutely everything changed. I went through one of those insane scene-kid phases, dressing in studded belts and hardcore punk t-shirts. This grunge, hard rock kind of music was my new obsession, until I heard a few of my classmates singing Avril Lavigne’s hit single, “Girlfriend.†My sixth grade self had to know what this new pop sound was all about, and from there, my obsession grew, and eventually evolved into a love for music as a whole.
My love for metal and rock never died, but I gained a new appreciation for pop and bubbly tunes as well. When I started college, I really began to absorb indie and folk music, and even had the chance to cover Boston Calling Music Festival last year. I believe that my music taste is now very versatile, and I’m always willing to give any type of music a chance.
Whenever I meet someone new, my first question is always, “So what kind of music are you into?†As a music journalist, I can’t help but want to know what other people are jamming to in their free time, but often, I seem to get the same response: “I’m into all types of music, except for metal and country.†Well in that case, you’re not actually into “all types of music.†This statement is one of my biggest pet peeves, because what’s so incredibly wrong with giving country and metal artists a chance? Just because they are two extreme types of music does not mean that they are bad.
Let’s take a look at Carrie Underwood or pre-pop Taylor Swift; both are extremely talented female country artists. There are artists like Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Sugarland who have inspiring, heartfelt lyrics. Sure, some country artists have a very “twang†kind of sound, but others are more acoustical.
Similarly, metal musicians are often stereotyped as artists who just “scream†in their songs. People disregard their sound entirely because of their screaming/growling, but these loud, aggressive screams are actually about sensitive topics. If people took the time to listen to what the musicians were actually saying, they would hear the passion, anger and intensity behind the screams.
For example, Issues, a metalcore band from Atlanta, Georgia has honestly become one of my favorite artists over the past few years. Their self-titled album, released in 2014, has extremely catchy lyrics and beats unlike anyone else. Not only is their album something I could listen to on repeat in the car, but their live performance is equally as striking.
Unfortunately, bands like Issues have a smaller following than other artists, and I think that has something to do with this overhanging opinion of metal music. The same stereotype looms over various other music types, and with just a few more prospective listeners, this may start to change.
It’s okay to not like all artists within a certain music genre, but it’s important to still give every genre a chance. If you’re a true music junkie, you’ll appreciate all types of music- not just the songs on the top charts.