Is there such a thing as a "bad taste" in music?

I define a bad taste in music as those sheep who like anything and everything as soon as it comes out. It usually involves either r'n'b or modern "pretend-indie" music by bands starting with "The....."
 
robgmun said:
So what about jedward? Can't that be classed as 'Bad Music'?
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I've not listened to any of their stuff, but I'd guess the problem is more that it's uninspired and dull, rather than actually being technically "bad" music. I'm sure it's all in time, in tune, consonant, etc... It's probably just utterly boring.
 
I'm not sure you can necessarily say that someone has bad taste in music. I would have said 10-15 years ago that people who listened to trance, garage, d&b, and other types of electronic music had bad taste, but that isn't my opinion now.

However, I certainly think there can be bad music, and also that some music is technically more difficult to perform. Whether being able to play a difficult guitar riff or solo, or being able to put together an original and technical piece of rap music makes that music better than other types in its genre (or other genres) is hard to say. I think that often the best test of an artist is when you listen to them live. If they sound totally different live, you know they've been given the studio treatment. In my eyes, if an artist can't perform to a similar level live as on their recorded songs, that means they are lacking in ability. It still doesn't mean their music is bad though.
 
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nicktay2605 said:
In my eyes, if an artist can't perform to a similar level live as on their recorded songs, that means they are lacking in ability.
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It's quite weird that the greatest rock band ever to have walked the earth weren't that good live.
I have 100s of bootlegs and some of them are painful to listen to.
Oh yeah, they were called Led Zeppelin.
 
Gilly said:
...and here's me unable to grasp how anyone can like RHCP at all!
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But Pink Floyd on the other hand are right up your street... :p

I'm not convinced there is such a thing as bad taste in music but some people are definitely less discerning than others regarding what sort of music they listen to, there's not a right or wrong in that but it's just a different approach.
 
TheCenturion said:
No. Despite the stick some people get for the music they listen to, there is no such thing as a bad taste. No such thing as a good taste either.

There is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' music in absolute terms. However, you can form some objectivity in music, by identifying some general principles, eg: 'The greater the diversity in music, the better'. You can then apply this principle if you find that there is too much music which sounds similar, by saying that the music would be improved if it was more varied/diverse.

Of course, the general principle you apply must be valid. It can't just be 'Anything by JLS is crap' :p
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of course there is such a thing as bad music... some songs in all genres are awfully composed and written, and horribly structured musically. You can't just say: "there's no such thing as bad music, it's all down to taste" just as you can't say that there's no such thing as bad writing in literature. Bad examples exist, just as exemplary examples do.
 
Dimple said:
It's quite weird that the greatest rock band ever to have walked the earth weren't that good live.
I have 100s of bootlegs and some of them are painful to listen to.
Oh yeah, they were called Led Zeppelin.
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Isn't that down to not being able to reproduce the Guitar lay overs that Page used on the albums ?
 
Richdog said:
of course there is such a thing as bad music... some songs in all genres are awfully composed and written, and horribly structured musically. You can't just say: "there's no such thing as bad music, it's all down to taste" just as you can't say that there's no such thing as bad writing in literature. Bad examples exist, just as exemplary examples do.
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But as long as somebody likes that music then it isn't bad.
Check out the Portsmouth Sinfonia, they filled everywhere they played.

If I played my favourite music to all 28 other people in my department every single one of them would think I'm mad for liking it and they would call it bad music, but not to me.
They would all say I have bad taste in music but I think Slayer, Lamb Of God, Children Of Bodom etc are excellent.
 
4T5 said:
Isn't that down to not being able to reproduce the Guitar lay overs that Page used on the albums ?
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Exactly, very difficult to emulate Page because on albums he was trying to be an orchestra.
Bonham & Jones were mostly bang on but Plant could also have some very duff nights.
I'm going through a Page phase at the moment and I've downloaded loads of backing tracks minus guitar and with vocals but all you can do is the basics.
The best Led 'Who?' Zeppelin live album is the Black Crowes featuring Jimmy Page, that gets very close to the albums because there are 3 guitarists on stage plus a seperate bass and keyboard player.
 
There is no such thing as a bad taste in music imo. BUT, my issue is a lot of people do not have a "taste" in music, they simply listen to what is on tv or what their friends listen to. Music should be explored untill you find your taste, not like many people where taste is forced upon them.

ie. Lots of kids now listen to rap/hip hop because its "cool" and their mates listen to it + its on tv etc..

/end rant
 
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