Though we have access to more musical choices than ever, it's kind of tragic that we've mostly lost the ability to bond through shared audio-cultural experiences. Go back 50 years, and when you walk into someone's house or hop in their car there's a good chance you'll be familiar with the music being played. I wasn't around then but I imagine it created a kinship to effortlessly be able to sing along to lyrics with pretty much anyone.
But in today's instant download world, I don't even bother broaching the subject of music because the odds of having any tastes in common with the person I'm talking to are slim to none. When other people tell me their favorite bands or albums I usually just have to shrug and say "that's cool" because I didn't know said band even existed. My favorite sub-genre is Scandanavian power metal and I don't recall meeting a single person in real life who shares that interest.
Is that the genre that Nightwish or Children of Bodom would be part of? I heard those a few times back in college.
One thing last.fm does that's never been particularly relevant to me but touches on what you're saying, is it can take you and any other person on the site and show how close your tastes align, including specific groups. However even then it will take a group you both might have listened to 10 times out of 10,000 and call it a match.
Though we have access to more musical choices than ever, it's kind of tragic that we've mostly lost the ability to bond through shared audio-cultural experiences. Go back 50 years, and when you walk into someone's house or hop in their car there's a good chance you'll be familiar with the music being played. I wasn't around then but I imagine it created a kinship to effortlessly be able to sing along to lyrics with pretty much anyone.
But in today's instant download world, I don't even bother broaching the subject of music because the odds of having any tastes in common with the person I'm talking to are slim to none. When other people tell me their favorite bands or albums I usually just have to shrug and say "that's cool" because I didn't know said band even existed. My favorite sub-genre is Scandanavian power metal and I don't recall meeting a single person in real life who shares that interest.
Is that the genre that Nightwish or Children of Bodom would be part of? I heard those a few times back in college.
One thing last.fm does that's never been particularly relevant to me but touches on what you're saying, is it can take you and any other person on the site and show how close your tastes align, including specific groups. However even then it will take a group you both might have listened to 10 times out of 10,000 and call it a match.