Rank The Genres

[Music Head]

[INDENT]I have ranked the genres on a 10-1 scale for the 10 categories, 10 points for your favorite, 1 for your least and so on.

Here is the score after 7 participants have contributed to the voting. (Music Head, goth metal raver, CRAZY-HORSE, Jerome, pennywill, JazzyRandy and Chomp).

1) Rock.....8-8-10-10-6-7-7 = 56
2) Alternative.....9-7-8-5-5-6-6 = 46
3) Country/Folk/World.....10-1-9-8-7-4-4 = 43
4) Jazz/Blues.....5-3-4-4-8-10-8 = 42
5) R&B/Rap/Hip-Hop.....6-5-5-3-1-9-10 = 39
5) Electronic.....2-9-2-9-3-5-9 = 39
7) Pop.....7-6-6-2-4-8-1 = 34
8) Hard Rock.....3-10-7-1-2-2-5 = 30
9) Classical.....4-4-1-7-9-1-3 = 29
10) Film/Stage.....1-2-3-6-10-3-2 = 27

[/INDENT]

[JazzyRandy]

Re: Jerome's comments on Hip Hop & Rap
I see a statement indicating you have listened to a lot of Hip Hop and Rap. Jerome refers to "a lot of rap songs" and "all the drums samples" all sounding the same. For a self-admitted old dog set in his ways, I'm surprised to hear you've listened to dozens and dozens of Hip Hop and Rap albums; I'd have guessed that for someone who had only harsh things to say about the genre, that after a couple of songs you'd never purposefully listen to it again. I'd love to hear which songs/artists/albums you disliked the least and which you despised the most.

[Music Head]

Guilty as charged.
I always listen to music I don't think I will like.
That's how I know I don't like it.
Sometimes I'm surprised, but usually not.
It's a very close minded person that just refuses to listen due to a pre-conceived bias.

[Tiggi]

Good discussions peoples...

I've always worked hard to remove prejudice from my listening, and to explore genres I feel I don't really enjoy, like Music Head above. What usually happens is that familiarity leads to enjoying good quality material, whatever the genre.

It's always interesting to me that we all come at music from such different directions.

[Jerome]

I posted a reply to this but it disappeared or I did something wrong and it's in some other section. Anyway a couple of people have made statements about me commenting on Hip Hop. I haven't discussed this genre anywhere at any time. If I have please point it out. I know nothing about Hip Hop and cannot really talk about it - same goes for medieval folk music. Don't know anything about it. I cannot post a list of artists/albums because the rap music I hear is mainly on the radio/television/web etc. When it comes on the radio I turn it down because I don't enjoy it for the reasons previously listed. (lack of dynamics and lyrics). When the next track comes on (whatever genre) I turn it up. If I don't like it the volume goes down again. Traditional Celtic music is another form of music that gets on my nerves. It simply comes down to choice - if you like something, you will investigate it. If you don't - you won't. And as for the drum samples. Look at the waveform in any audio editor of a rap track (percussion/drum track) and you will see that it is static. Then look at a drum/percussion track of a live drummer and compare the two. The first one looks like a crew cut and the second like a mountain range. That's how I look at (and hear) music. Hence the name 'auralscapes'. Finally a good example (to me) of rap-influenced music, combined with ethnic instruments, and incorporating the space required for music to breathe is Peter Gabriel's 'OVO' project.

[goth metal raver]

It's occurred to me that I didn't comment on my choices, and other people have.

So here goes:

1) Hard Rock & Metal

My favourite type of music, ever since I was a longhaired teenager. Actually I went off this stuff for a while but have recently got back into it in a big way. Is it the cathartic aggression? The varied subject matter? The controversy and shock value? The dark, potent atmosphere and imagery? The at-times very insightful lyrics about religion, life after death, war and politics - always in a non-compromising manner? IS it the intricate and highly skilled musicianship? I think it must be a combination of these factors. Basically Metal is always exciting and always interesting, at least in my opinion.

2) Electronic Music

This is my second favourite. I discovered 'rave' music when I was in sixth form, back in 92 when it was all happening. Then it seemed to disappear so I turned my attentions elsewhere. But from that point on I had a soft spot for electronic music. Later I discovered Big Beat (Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim) and then I got myself clued up about the different forms of electronic dance music (courtesy of Simon Reynolds 'Energy Flash') and dived right in. By then I was into hallucinogenics and ecstacy so I naturally gravitated towards the ravier forms of dance (Trance, Happy Hardcore, Hard House etc) and I went all ravey. When I stopped the drugs my tastes changed but I still get excited by electronic dance music. It's because of the variety of sounds you can make on electronic equipment. It sounds otherworldly and it fascinates me. I like IDM now (intelligent dance music - Aphex Twin and Autechre type of stuff). I also like EBM/Electro-industrial and I like Psy Trance. I still like Breakbeat, Old Skool Rave and some Drum n Bass (mainly the dark stuff). Happy Hardcore and Trance? Not so much.

3) Rock:- Rock 'n' Roll, Classic Rock & Progressive Rock

Classic Rock from the 60s and 70s is ace! Need I say more? Pink Floyd, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan - this stuff is heaven for me.

4) Alternative:- Punk, Post-Punk, Grunge & Indie

I'm not so much into Punk but some of it is ok. Same goes for Grunge and Indie. But I love Gothic Rock (The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy, The Mission (UK)). I also am fond of early nineties Indie - the madchester, shoegazing and grebo stuff. Punk - I like Stooges, Pistols, Dead Kennedys.

5) Pop, & Dance

I've got a thing for girlie pop (pop music sung by women). Maybe it's because I'm bisexual and a bit androgynous. I dunno. But anyway I love a bit of Lady Gaga, Sugababes, Rihanna, Madonna. I'm not into Britney or Kylie though. Boy bands I can't stand and I assume 'dance' means the more commercial electronic music (like house music) which I'm not keen on but it is ok.

6) Soul/R&B & Hip Hop/Rap

I love classic soul. Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye - those three artists alone are absolute perfection. I also like a bit of old skool rap (Run DMC, Public Enemy, NWA). Today's Rap and R&B - not so much but some of it is ok.

7) Classical Music & Opera

It comes as a surprise to some people that I like classical music, but I do. You can thank my Dad, although for many years I spurned his beloved Beethoven in favour of Mozart (but I quite like Beethoven now). I don't like Operas or Choral music much but I definitely like the instrumental forms of classical music. Anything from the beautifully baroque Bach, through the divine Mozart and Beethoven to soppy piano by Chopin and bombastic works of brilliance by Tchaikovsky and Holst. It shouldn't come as such a surprise really - Metal is a lot like the louder classical music at times and the more experimental or atmospheric electronic music has a similar aim to classical but uses an electronic sonic pallette not an orchestral one.

8) Jazz & Blues

I'm just starting to explore this stuff. I only like some of it (mainly the Dizzy Gillespie stuff)

9) Film & Stage Music
I'm not keen on musicals and I like some film scores but I'd rather enjoy them as part of a film than rush out and buy an album.
10) Country, Folk & World Music
I like Reggae and some 'world' music. But I don't really like Country and I've not been exposed to much Folk music. My perception is that I'd find it boring.

[Jerome]

The best description I have read so far on what someone likes and why. (Goth Metal Raver). You should be a writer. You have the ability to paint a clear picture in your writing. Interesting comments - really makes me think.

[goth metal raver]

funnily enough I do write in my spare time. I write (or try to write) fantasy and science fiction. I was told at Uni that my essay writing is good, so maybe I'm even better at non-fiction writing.

I read a lot, so maybe that's why.

[Jerome]

Do you have anything published? Or is there the possibility of reading some of your work somewhere? I have never read anything by the author of Discworld (not sure of titles) but he has a massive following. Maybe you should do the same???

[Thraak]

I couldn't possibly rank the genres, its all depends what mood/setting you're in. One day, I can be right into listening to my blues records, the next I cant be arsed with them and would rather have some doom metal! Whether it's some Hard Rock or Metal to rock out to during the day or some melancholic jazz or electronica to chill out to late at night. Either way, an open-mind and lots of variety is the best option for me. I'm just glad I managed to lose a lot of the prejudice I used to have when listening to music.