65
submitted 2 weeks ago by atotayo@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

Iโ€™m assuming everyone here listens to music somewhat regularly, but Iโ€™m curious about how much you care about it. And i specifically want to know about your enjoyment regardless if it's considered a timeless masterpiece or just a meme song. (feel free to share you favorite artists while respecting other's tastes)

Do you care about having decent enough devices to enjoy it or do you just buy the cheapest pair of earbuds to silence the world around you?

Do you have favorite albums or do you just hit play on a random playlist and zone out?

Do you ever listen to music just to enjoy it and nothing else?

Do you talk with passion about your favorite songs/albums/artists?

Do you spend time searching for music?

TL;DR is music art or content to you?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Object@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Things I do:

  • Maintain a large database of music, though primarily for archive purpose
  • Write software for listening music, though it is far from done
  • Maintain some overengineered smart playlist
  • Occasionally search and purchase new albums

It's primarily Vocaloid, so that's probably why I can't listen to it and focus on something else at the same time. Also probably why I can't tell the difference between bad and good headphones. Some are meme songs too.

[-] ashenone@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago

I think it's awesome your writing your own software. Is it just a passion project or are you trying to do something unique with it?

[-] Object@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

A bit of both. There are plenty of players, and they are all great and does what I want. But I couldn't find a software that fills all of my exact niche I was looking for:

  • Synced lyric support
  • Keyboard-based navigation
  • Smart playlist support

It also allows me to put in features I want. It's like customisation, but taken a bit too far.

I still need to document how to use it because the config system is barely usable right now. But it's open source, and it's available here.

[-] Nemo@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago

That's so cool! I get so frustrated sometimes by the current state of music players and daydream about writing my own, and smart playlists are one of my must-haves.

[-] ashenone@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

Very cool looks like a cli version of foobar (in the best way). I tried so many players looking for something that works for me I always wished I could just build my own. I'm currently using navidrome for streaming so I might give yours a go at some point in the future.

[-] mrdown@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I can't live without it. I would be always unmotivated and unproductive without it

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐œ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐œ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ž๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐œ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐š๐ข๐ซ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐›๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐š๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ?

I don't care much about the earbuds. I just buy the wireless earbuds with the longest battery life . To me it's all about the artistic sound of music

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ž ๐š๐ฅ๐›๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง ๐š ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ณ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ?

With the amount of music I own. It's too hard to pick music . I simply have one long playlists with all the music I own that i play in order. If I encounter a very good song from a good artist thanks to musicale paroral queues I can pause the library playlist listen to the full album then when finished resume to the last played song from the library playlists

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐š๐ฅ๐ค ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ž ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ/๐š๐ฅ๐›๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ/๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ?

No, arguing about the best albums, debating other opinions with obsession simply ruin the enjoyment of listening to music

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐œ?

I used to but with 2000 artists I listen too I stopped

๐“๐‹;๐ƒ๐‘ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐œ ๐š๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ซ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ?

Music is artistic audio content

[-] justdaveisfine@piefed.social 8 points 2 weeks ago

I usually only listen to music when I'm doing something else, like driving.

I listen to a lot of game audio or background music though I couldn't tell you who the artists are, only what game/movie they're from.

I think that puts me into the 'not really a music person' category.

[-] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago

A lot, helps with emotional release.

Music is such a lifesaver that I should've found out about earlier. Like... after your parents yell at you, it would help a fucking lot to just let the sounds soothe you, or more like let you release your anger and sadness being being a "burden on your family".

I actually haven't listen much to English "Songs". Like I mostly listen to video game music, sometimes even games I never played.

Like I like FTL music, Multiverse Mod music, Undertale, Deltarune, that one main theme of Detroit: Become Human, Stardew Valley, some random TV show theme songs, the Terminator theme, Anime Openings and Ending songs.

A lot of random classical music. Canon in D on a Piano.

A few random soundtracks from Life is Strange True Colors.

As for "songs" with vocals, my favorite are the 70s/80s/90s era Cantopop (Cantonese Popular Music) songs by ้ปƒๅฎถ้ง’ (Wong Ka Kui) and his band Beyond, especially ๆตท้—Šๅคฉ ("Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies")(it's like in the top 20 of Chinese Music Videos) and ๅ…‰่ผๆญฒๆœˆ ("Glorious Years")(song made in honor of Nelson Mandela), but as well as various others like ๅЉๅพท่ฏ (Andy Lau).

I first got interested because my dad grew up during those eras and I just decided to go googling. But, nowadays, it's kinda conflicting on my emotions tho, since Cantonese reminds me of my parents yelling at me... so I kinda have to suppress my traumatic memories a bit to actually enjoy it. My brain automatically makes the "Cantonese = I'm about to get yelled at" subconscious associations lol. So I guess listening to this is a bit of desensitation therapy kinda of lol. As for Mandarin... it kinda... it kinda always sounds weird to me, even tho I am a native speaker of both Cantonese and Mandarin.

But TLDR: For the most part, I just love listening to Anime songs and Video Game Soundtracks.

Music kinda helps with depression, otherwise I'd just feel so "empty".

I just grab the audiofile with a youtube downloader, and like put it in a folder. Maybe I should go archiving these things, but I've been procrastinating lol.

As for headphones, just some random cheap one under $100 made by those mainsteam manufacturers like Anker. I hate wires cuz it's so annoying when it touches your neck, like sensory issues lol.

Not really an audiophile, and my stuff breaks too often, so I don't wanna ever spend $200 again, just cheap ones will do. ("Boots Theory of Economics" doesn't apply, I broke an expensive one before lol, there was barely any difference in quality, like I can barely tell the difference between a $200 and $100 one.)

Kinda rambled a lot, so idk if I typo'ed anything lol.

[-] atotayo@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 weeks ago

Totally agree with the therapeutic function of music, hope you're doing better <3

[-] SystemL@literature.cafe 6 points 2 weeks ago

Music is everything to me. From playing the clarinet, to listening to frank Sinatra.

I love it. We all need it.

[-] TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

i don't care about music.

[-] M0sesMan@ttrpg.network 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I deeply care about music. It is a part of my everyday life.

I don't have high end devices to play from but I have different speakers, earbuds, or the car to play wherever I want basically.

I usually just make a random playlist of all the songs I own and go from there. Sometimes I want instrumental sometimes I want to sing. Just depends on what I feel like. I have lots of different tastes from The Calling to Beethoven. All the way to Sabrina Carpenter.

I listen to music by itself all the time. It is a different activity than just in the background. But I am also a singer so many of my song choices I actively sing to. I also sing in a choir and other events along with karaoke.

I talk about favorite music all the time with friends and family. Whether it's how it makes me feel to seeing if they have heard anything cool recently.

I search for music constantly. I usually want to own my music so I use places like Bandcamp to purchase music. But I also have music from cds, online, or stuff from myself and my choirs.

Tldr- Music is definitely art that I believe can find someone at the right time to make them feel something.

[-] davidgro@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

I generally like music, some kinds more than other kinds. I'm especially fond of novelty music such as Weird Al.

But I don't usually go out of my way to listen to music. Not even when driving. (But my wife sometimes does which I enjoy.)

But really it's just not a big part of my life.

[-] snoons@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Do you care about having decent enough devices to enjoy it or do you just buy the cheapest pair of earbuds to silence the world around you?

I can't afford truly high end gear, so I try to get the best possible; currently, it's a set of pebble speakers and some sony headphones that I think I lucked out on because they sound amazing. I have some clunky monoprice headphones that are like honey for my ears, but the cord is broken and I can't solder it together again. *I've also spent a considerable amount of time finding FLAC copies of everything I wan to listen too, which has been really easy to do once I found a certain, respectable website...

I have a bit less than a terabyte of music that I add too sometimes if I come across something. I have it all backed up an external drive, which is really the only reason I bought it.

Do you have favorite albums or do you just hit play on a random playlist and zone out?

Right now I've been consistently listening to Zoe Keating, all her albums are great imo. Honourable mention to LCD Soundsystem, ร“lafur Arnalds, Bonobo, OK Go, Odesza, Hump Back, Bombay Bicycle Club and Big|Brave (in no real order).

Do you ever listen to music just to enjoy it and nothing else?

Sometimes, but mostly it's while doing other things like homework or shit posting.

Do you talk with passion about your favorite songs/albums/artists?

Not really, I've never met anyone that cares enough.

Do you spend time searching for music?

I sometimes find bands I like posted on the main music comm for lemmy, but usually it's not my vibe, even though I could say it's good. I would say that I'm satiated at this moment of time.

[-] classic@fedia.io 6 points 2 weeks ago

Bandcamp links: this is the way

[-] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

We definitely have some overlap in taste! What is that website though?

[-] snoons@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

Bandcamp is really the only online music service that actually pays artists a decent amount for their content.

Invidious is a youtube front end; it enables one to watch any youtube video regardless, without any tracking or advertisements. I linked to one of the only stable instances of it I know of.

[-] Jerb322@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

I love music. I can keep a beat fairly well, but I'm no musician. I listened to music quite often just to hear it in the background. As a kid growing up, it was like that. Seems to me, there was always a radio on in the background if we weren't watching TV.

I listen to most anything. Except for newer pop country or rock-country. I'm just about to hit 50, so my taste jumps around a bit. From Tool to Kenny Rodgers. Neil Diamond to Weird Al. They Might Be Giants to Deftones. Roy Orbison to Metallica. Talking Heads to Attila.

I'll put music on if I'm: doing the dishes, taking a shower, at work, diving, cooking, mowing the lawn, house chores.

It would most definitely suck the day I can't listen to music anymore!!

[-] RagnarokOnline@programming.dev 2 points 2 weeks ago

Deftones rock! Hell yeah

[-] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)
  • Audiophile
  • Gear whore
  • Music is high art (our highest)
  • Collect all I can
  • love reading about musicians, composers, songwriters, their history, thinking about lyrics, concert tours, songwriting, covers etc...
  • love all music from around the world all time periods I can get my hands on.
[-] magic_lobster_party@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

Decent enjoyer. I donโ€™t care much about the highest quality hifi sound systems, but I donโ€™t want bad sound systems either.

I rather listen to full albums rather than individual songs.

I donโ€™t really search much for music anymore. I know which artists I like and follow them. Sometimes I diversify with new music though.

[-] ashenone@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 weeks ago

Hey fellow album guy! What are your favorites? I'm always on the prowl for something new

[-] Drbreen@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Music is almost a daily thing for me.

It's either to listen while I'm doing something I want to focus on, ie work, hobby.

Just for recreation ie find new bands, watch guitar/bass/drum covers

I also listen to analyse certain elements of songs ie bass lines, riffs, drumming, keyboarding etc

I had some workers doing some work at my house not so long ago and one guy asked the other if he knew this song and he's replied, I'm not really into music.

I was a bit taken back, to me that feels like a soulless life but each to their own! Life would be boring without music imo

I generally will always have a song in my head. Current track: Suffer in truth by Meshuggah... Why? I dunno just woke up with it playing lol

[-] classic@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

When my brain has a song on repeat, I eventually realize that it's related to something going on in my life. It's uncanny to have one part of the brain talking to another like that

[-] serpineslair@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

One of my main hobbies. Not just that, but my method of dealing with emotions, focusing, working effectively, expressing myself, preventing boredom, taking my mind off the world, bringing me up when I feel down, it's my main source of enjoyment, main source of happiness, my culture, my community. I enjoy learning about it, absorbing content, creating it, playing it. I even mod two communities here and post to other peoples'.

So yeah, it's pretty much my entire life at this point. Wouldn't be here without it. I probably spend more time awake, listening to music, then not. And when I'm not, I permanently have a song playing in my head.

To answer your question about devices, I like to listen through devices that allow me to get as close to the way the artist intended it, as possible. Whether it be good-quality peripherals, listening digitally or listening to vinyl.

The irony is, a lot of music I gravitate towards has many imperfections, which to me, is what makes it human, real, and ALIVE. It is far more powerful at conveying true emotion and is thus more meaningful. So even when listening to music which was poorly recorded to begin with, I still prefer listening through good quality speakers for example, because it is more true to the original sound.

[-] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 weeks ago

I care about music. I look for new stuff I enjoy. I listen to albums. I think about the lyrics. I see bands live when they tour. Sometimes I make mixes with a theme.

I used to ask people sometimes if they made mixes, and if so where they fell on the spectrum of "these are some songs I like" and "each songs inclusion and ordering has been carefully considered".

I don't just hit shuffle or let an algorithm wander through music. Songs are like spells and different tunes evoke different feelings.

I don't relate to people when they say they like "all kinds of music" or "I listen to a dozen new songs every day". That's just not enough time spent with those new songs to form any sort of bond, for me.

I only have a couple friends who have what I call an interoperable relationship with music. It's not that we like the same music, but that the music we each like, we like in a mutually comprehensible way. Like I can say to my friend, "oh this song could go right next to that song because xyz ", and they'll be like "oh that's good. abc fits in with them, too".

My other friends, talking about music, at most I get a "cool song, bro".

[-] classic@fedia.io 2 points 2 weeks ago

Glad to hear others still make mixes (I still call them mixtapes, because otherwise I feel like I'm claiming to be doing something fancier than I am). My last project was a story told in 16 mixtapes. So definitely someone who picks a theme when I make them

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Hudell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 weeks ago

I didn't start listening to music until I was 15 and even then I only had a few mp3 files given to me by friends. It still took me another ~10 years or so to figure out my own music taste.

I don't have a favorite song or artist and don't talk much about music with anyone. In general I use it as background noise to help me focus when working on something.

[-] ashenone@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I'm a big music lover. My preferred way of listening to music in an album played on a properly setup two channel system. When I had the means I had a great stereo setup and loved putting on a record or selecting something from my own digital music collection.

The majority of the time I listen to albums vs individual tracks or playlists. A good album front to back just does it for me. I'm fairly specific about what I listen to, I usually know exactly what I'm in the mood to hear. I've got albums I like to as background noise but for the most part I like to listen to music as it's own activity. I've got favorite albums but that's a rotating list thats incredibly inconsistent and changes daily.

I love talking music with people who love music. Even if it's not music I normally listen to I love picking apart songs and talking what about you like/dislike about it. I've got some friends that are my main music buddies and we are constantly sharing new music we come across.

Some of my current favorite albums are:

Good by Morphine

Less Talk, More Rock by Propagandhi

Artist in the Ambulance by Thrice

Modal Soul by Nujabes

4eva Is A Mighty Long Time by Big KRIT

Fuck World Trade by Leftover Crack

French Kiwi Juice by French Kiwi Juice

Warp Riders by The Sword

Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown

Red Album by Baroness

Time Out by Dave Brubeck

Moanin by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta

[-] vortexal@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 weeks ago

I would say that I do care about music quite a bit.

I'm currently using more expensive earbuds from Truthear because my sister's ex boyfriend bought me a pair last year for Christmas and they sound great but I normally go with brands like Sentry that offer decent sound for the price.

For the second question, I kind of unintentionally do both. Right now, I'm listening to music from Eternal Nocturne by Dobu Usagi (AKA dBu) and I'll be listening to some of their other albums until YouTube recommends me music from other Touhou artists like ๆšRecords, Sound Holic or A-One. YouTube seems to recommend music to me that's related to what I'm currently listening to, so it makes sense that I'm currently getting recommend videos from Eternal Nocturne with a few from other albums like Necromanza and Scarlet Rapsodia or the other artists I mentioned. When I'm away from home, I use my android devices to listen to music during the car ride, where I just have a bunch of random music I've downloaded over the years and I mostly use MPV to listen to them but I do have VLC on one device because MPV doesn't work properly on that device for some reason.

For the most part, the only time I listen to music by itself is just when I'm in the riding in a car.

Maybe sometimes. I do like to talk about some of the music I listen to. I wont go into specifics because that's not the topic for this post but for example, with dBu, their music sounds like a mix of music from Mega Man and Castlevania because it has that gothic/orchestral rock/metal with some techno sound to it. I also like ๆšRecords, Sound Holic and A-One because of the variety of music they make. I just really like Touhou music, if you couldn't tell.

I do sometimes look for music but I temporarily had to stop because my external hard drive got full. I asked for a new one in my Christmas list so I hope I get it.

I've never really thought about that last question before but I guess both.

[-] Nemo@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 weeks ago

re: art vs. content: I'm not sure of the distinction you're making. Can you explain what you mean?

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] RagnarokOnline@programming.dev 3 points 2 weeks ago

Great question! Music is important to me, but the sound quality isnโ€™t something I fuss over.

I think the right music can entrance any situation, so I like exploring a lot of different genres to see if thereโ€™s something I like.

Iโ€™m currently trying to build the best Christmas music list (trying to get some of the mainstream stuff mixed in with a bunch of really deep cuts so itโ€™ll keep the list from getting stale through all of December).

Music is art, and some songs can allow the composer to speak directly to your emotions.

[-] Ephera@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 weeks ago

I'm weirdly deeply invested, like I've got decent headphones, I've composed songs before, I've played two instruments, and like someone else posted, I've also implemented my own music player program.

But man, I struggle with feeling it as art. I don't know, if that's a case of music-maker being snobby about everyone else's music, while being too critical of their own music. Maybe my expectations are just too high.
Like, I'm trying to create lyric-less music where I feel a meaning. And at times, I'm amazed that I can evoke the sense of snowfall. But at many other times, it just sounds paperthin to me, and I still haven't managed to really portray a deeper meaning.

Maybe I'm just frustrated, because poems come more naturally to me (and yes, I am dense for not adding lyrics to my songs ๐Ÿซ ).

[-] Gerudo@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 weeks ago

Care a lot. I've been playing music since I was 5, 40s now, listening just as long. I admit to being an audio snob and enjoy high-end setups, but I can be happy with a decent pair of ear buds too (my nice setup is in storage, and I'm dying withoPlaylist.

Music is 100% emotional for me. Whether it's playing, writing or listening, it has gotten me through many boughts of depression and brought me down from highs of anxiety. It helps me process a lot of emotions I have trouble expressing.

My tastes tend to skew hardrock/metal but absolutely have a wide range in tastes. I do tend to prefer listening to whole albums vs individual songs when possible, but when streaming I keep it on new release/band recommendation playlists.

[-] navigator@piefed.zip 3 points 2 weeks ago

Itโ€™s both art and content for me. I listen to a very wide range of genres; from metal to jazz, EDM, prog, industrial, film scores, kpop, and more. Streaming platforms have a hard time profiling me just based on the stuff I listen to.

Iโ€™m also a musican, so itโ€™s my โ€œartโ€ as well, because I create it to express myself. Itโ€™s been a huge part of my entire life.

[-] EndOfLine@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

I hear it when it's playing on a car radio or in an ad or on some show, and I acknowledge how music can spur an emotional response when used effectively, but I don't regularly listen to it.

Iโ€™m assuming everyone here listens to music somewhat regularly

As somebody who does not regularly listen to music, I am curious why you would make this assumption.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] MissJinx@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Fun fact: I don't like music. It's not that I hate it but i can't conect with music like people do. It's just noise to me. Some don't bother much others are like a knife to my ears. I had to have a full assessment because of this

[-] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I had a somewhat shitty youth, and music was one of a very few things that gave me enjoyment โ€” I'd say it did a lot for my mental health. I thought I was ambivalent or even disliked most music, until I discovered proper alternative music, both electronic and rock, instead of what my parents and grandparents listened to, and what played on the radio. With the advent of internet access in my part of the world, something was playing on my computer pretty much 9-to-5. I read Wikipedia and other sources about artists and music in general, and know the difference between deep house and Balearic house.

Perhaps the fact that Nurse With Wound and Black Vomit were my favorites for long night walks through the city for a while, illustrates my attachment to music quite graphically. I'm also not irritated by the sound of MRI machines.

I used shitty headphones, treating them as expendable, until buying Sennheiser by chance for office work because they reportedly isolated external noise (which was untrue about that model). That's when I learned how the bass guitar actually sounds and that there are good bassists besides Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble. Consequently, I try to use decent headphones and speakers now.

I try to discover new (to me) music more-or-less constantly, although I've finally gotten old and don't really know what's been happening in alternative scenes in the 2020s. Since I've heard plenty of musics, new stuff doesn't quite catch the ear that easily anymore, but once in a while I add something to my personal collection.

I don't use algorithmic recommendations, aside from Last.fm in the past and Bandcamp's โ€˜people also likeโ€™ now. Mostly I have a long list of artists I've read about, or flip through recommendations in topical communities.

I thought I've heard most genres and tricks and would just be rifling through them back and forth, until I randomly came across Mamaleek. Not only they have amazing atmosphere and effortlessly combine disparate genres, but they switch up the sound on every album while somehow retaining the signature mood. This was like hearing good music for the first time again. No one else is like them.

Do you ever listen to music just to enjoy it and nothing else?

Don't really know what else I could be doing with music. The exception is when I'm looking for something to recommend to others.

[-] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Do you care about having decent enough devices to enjoy it or do you just buy the cheapest pair of earbuds to silence the world around you?

I have adopted the standard for headphones that it's not good enough unless this album sounds ok

[-] fxdave@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yes. (to the first 5 questions)

It's both content and art.

[-] solrize@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

I cared about audio more as an inexperienced listener than I do now that I can play stuff in my head.

[-] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Music is art to me, no question at all. I care a great deal about it, and don't listen, and by that I mean really sit and listen, often enough. But yesterday I came across a video by Mary Spender about some emails she got in regard to some Spotify statements she made, and it reminded me of what a real pleasure music is when I actually attend to it, so last night I sat and listened to two full albums start to finish, and it was a joy. I used to do that frequently, that's how my generation did it back in the day, and now I'm reminded so I will likely do that more often. I don't talk with passion about my favorites because nobody knows who the fuck I'm talking about anymore, but I definitely think of them that way.

My headset is decent, and I have good speakers, but I don't do earbuds. I never need the very very best of devices because back in the day, these analog releases had to sound good on the shittiest of car speakers and even transistor radios, so while I absolutely get more nuance from better devices, it's not the be-all end-all.

The only streaming service I have is my own CD library ripped into MP3s, because of course the vast majority of artists I listen to recorded back in the days of analog and full albums, plus I have bought MP3s of various one-hit wonders, so there is literally zero upside to me in a subscription service. As others far more astute than myself have noted, the algorithms don't even really direct you toward new-to-you music, nor to music that will actually "interest" you, nearly as much as it is designed to suggest music that you will not click away from. I used to try suggested music but have never actually liked anything musically I got from a "Suggested for You" source, so I don't bother anymore, and to me I miss nothing.

I have often searched YT for more of the same by a specific artist I am already into, or for something I heard while watching a movie, but other than that, no, I do not search for new music. I've already got so much to enjoy, I don't ever want it to fade into background noise.

[-] GrabtharsHammer@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

1: MDR 7506 2: I have favorites which change constantly. 3: Sure 4: Yes 5: Yes TLDR: Yes

[-] gustofwind@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago
  1. I have the nicest listening devices I can afford to enjoy my music but on the go whatever works is sufficient.
  2. I have a plenty of favourites but I mostly listen to internet radio streams. Those are usually defined by genre or are just regular radios that play random stuff you canโ€™t control
  3. Doing nothing but listening to the music is the best way to listen to music. Unfortunately real life is usually too busy for that.
  4. I donโ€™t really have super favourites to the degree that I passionately talk about them but I do passionately advocate for art generally
  5. I keep a note of artists and albums to search and then I will occasionally download their stuff for my archive

I think music is art although there seems to be a lot of โ€œmusicโ€ being made purely for content purposes these days, especially now that ai music is starting to invade streaming platforms. So I guess perhaps some new music is just content slop

[-] Nemo@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago

devices: I prefer high-quality audio equipment but if I don't have it to hand I'll listen on what I do have... or just sign out myself

album / playlist: I have favorite albums, I have favorite playlists, but my favorite way to listen is via a nested tree of smart playlists that automatically rotates in music depending on how highly I've rated it, how recently it's been played, and how many times total it's been played.

Do you ever listen to music just to enjoy it and nothing else?

That is the only way I listen to music.

passion: yes, to the point of getting in trouble with my wife

searching: yes, I spend about a twentieth of my listening time on new music hoping to discover favorites

[-] allo@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago
[-] treep@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

There is a popular question "If you were to lose either sight or hearing, which one would you chose?" and my answer is always: i could live with never reading with my eyes again, i couldn't live with never hearing music again.

So yes, music is a big part of my life.

I use it as a tool, to support a specific mood or situation. For example I have a few playlists that help me get into a flow state for work (the Brotato OST is great for this, also my anime playlist). I use a specific album to help me calm down when I'm having a bad headache. I listen to epic music while cooking or doing housework (recently: Two Steps From Hell).

But I also listen with intent, especially for my favourite artists, or artists I just recently discovered, or albums I just recently bought. I like to find my favourite song in each album, so I want to listen closely, and sometimes write down my thoughts about a song, or quotes from the lyrics.

And I also make music myself: I am a member of a local women's vocal group/choir. The genres of music we're singing isn't really something I would listen to at home (metal doesn't really lend itself to be sung by 40 women with a median age of 50+ unfortunately) but I'm not necessarily doing it for the songs themselves: it is just so much fun to sing together! I love hearing our voices come together, I find immense joy in joining my voice with others.

So, yes: music to me is art, and content, and community.

I love music.

load more comments
view more: next โ€บ
this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2025
65 points (97.1% liked)

Ask Lemmy

36092 readers
240 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either !asklemmyafterdark@lemmy.world or !asklemmynsfw@lemmynsfw.com. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email info@lemmy.world. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


6) No US Politics.
Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try !politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world or !askusa@discuss.online


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS