Student Voice: Music Shaming
Every person on this planet has been made different. Every individual has a different taste for various things, such as style, foods, who they keep in their friend group, and more.
Another topic that very many people may not agree with each other is music choice. Everyone loves it- I believe that’s a pretty safe assumption to make. Every person has listened to a song or an album that made them feel something, forming a connection far deeper than just words alone might explain.
Music is powerful and inspiring, but it’s also personal. We keep songs that remind us of certain times in our lives, such as our childhood. They bring us back to that part of our life, and most times, nobody knows but you. Most people favor a specific genre of music or artist, and some are such music enthusiasts that they can’t even pick a favorite. Music is a huge part of people’s lives, and most of the time, it defines who we are.
A problem that society has that I’ve noticed, though, is what may be defined as music shaming, or criticizing someone for having musical preferences that differ from your own. Although most of us don’t think it too common, it actually happens all the time. Whether you listen to what’s popular or to what’s not, someone will always judge you. If you listen to what is popular, someone will always say it’s mainstream. If you listen to heavy metal, someone will always call you a satanist or just flat out sad. And every time this happens, it’s not actually true.
No one can explain exactly why someone may favor one song or genre over another. It’s just who we are.
When you think about it objectively, the concept of shaming someone for liking a different style of music sounds ridiculous. Of course we all have different tastes in music, so why is that seen as a bad thing? Just because someone likes something that you don’t, doesn’t make it wrong. You wouldn’t criticize someone for eating chocolate cake simply because you prefer vanilla.
Maybe it’s a matter of self-validation, and criticizing someone else’s musical taste makes you feel better about your own. No one is forced to like every style of music, but everyone should at the very least be respectful of those whose musical taste differs from theirs.
Just like Benjamin Franklin said, “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” Music should be celebrated, not shamed. After all, the purpose of music is entertainment and enjoyment. Music is fun and a form of self expression; it was never meant to be a competition. And at the end of the day, there are far worse problems that are more important than what kind of music someone else listens to.
