How eclectic is your taste in music?

This is an interesting subject for me.

To begin with, there have been several good studies that show, that the vast majority of people’s tastes in music are set by the time they are 30. People listen to the music that was their favorite when they were between the age of about 14 and their mid 20’s, with a bit more new music for a few more years.

I have been told by some, that I have eclectic tastes, and by others, that I am closed minded. I am in my early 60’s, to give some context. And I am always in the hunt for new music.

My issue is, I only enjoy music that has most of the following attributes: very high level of musicianship, complexity, broad range of emotional content, (usually) long form structure, does not follow verse>chorus>bridge>repeat format.

Music that does not have the above, tends to bore me. I can’t force myself to enjoy music that does not fit the parameters I like in music.

Music genres and subgenres that fit my parameters, are:

Jazz (fusion, post-bop, jazz-metal, chamber-jazz, M-Base, avant-garde)
Classical (mostly post mid 20th century, avant-garde, contemporary, some minimalism, spectralism, serialism)
Prog (avant-prog, technical-metal, Zeuhl, classic era, prog-metal)

I can easily go from listening to Mahavishnu Orchestra (fusion), to Arnold Schoenberg (12 tone classical), to The Contortionist (technical-metal), to Univers Zero (avant-garde prog) in the same listening session.

I also have a bit of a growing interest in blue grass, and Indian classical music.

I am willing to listen to pretty much any genre of music with an open mind, but if it doesn’t have the above listed attributes, chances are I won’t enjoy it.

I have pretty much no interest in: pop, mainstream rock, rap, hip-hop, country, blues. 

To begin with, there have been several good studies that show, that the vast majority of people’s tastes in music are set by the time they are 30.

We have almost the same taste....

I must say that these studies illustrate well the general tendency to stop all interior evolution by the age of 30....

Many people are already "dead" or fixated in their evolution by 30 years of age....

This is why music is almost all a "nostalgia" business...



The musical evolution reflect only the general evolution of an individual, because music is not about "taste" so much , it is about the levels of perception....

There is not so much  "taste" in music really, only level of perceptions with some preference ...

What we like, is what we pay good money for.   I listen to everything on my FM station, but I only buy Jazz and Classical.

FM is like streaming.  Going to the cashier with item in hand, or clicking on 'place order' is what you really like.

Cheers

I must say that these studies illustrate well the general tendency to stop all interior evolution by the age of 30....

Many people are already "dead" or fixated in their evolution by 30 years of age....

This is why music is almost all a "nostalgia" business...

Yep, taste in movies, visual art, tend to be set by about the same age, with a bit more flexibility.

And since I have almost zero nostalgia connected to music, I remain open to new music. Music I listened to during my youth, either lives or dies in my mind, based entirely on its musical merit. I don't care how great the times were for me when I listened to specific recordings, if they don't hold up with regards to those attributes I mentioned in my previous post. 

I constantly see on other music forums (stevehofflman), people claiming there is no good music made anymore. When the fact is, I have trouble keeping up with all the new, great music being released. I guess that is a first world problem.

Not to mention, the constant new threads there, about The Beatles, Stones, Dylan, CSNY, etc, etc. 

@mahgister:

Perception, as I see it, has little to do with assigning "value".
Perception is simply utilizing awareness-- noticing what is present. 

On the other hand, "Taste", as I see it, is a spontaneous internal physiological/emotional response to what is perceived.

For example, two people could both perceive the same constituent aspects of a complex wine yet differ in terms of whether it appealed to them or not. In other words, they are noticing the same sensory aspects but are affected differently by them. 

I'd like to better understand what you mean, when you say:

"The musical evolution reflect only the general evolution of an individual, because music is not about "taste" so much , it is about the levels of perception....

There is not so much "taste" in music really, only level of perceptions with some preference ..."

Care to elucidate further??????