Prog Snobbery

I got accused of being a music snob today at work because I told this guy all I listen to is prog, jazz, classical, folk and some metal. I explained to him that some of the pop-punk and indie sort of stuff he likes is ok but I'd never buy it or choose to listen to it because it bores me.

it's really just a matter of if you act conceited or not.. Nothing wrong with standards. I won't hesitate to tell people I don't care for the music they're playing but if they get butthurt I'll explain that I don't think it's bad or they shouldn't like it, i just know what i like and i like what i know :P

Nowt wrong with liking ABBA, they did some of the best pop music ever made.

menawati wrote: I mean with listening to new music though. There's only so much time you have to listen to new stuff and you have to limit yourself because of that. I'd love to be able to listen to every pop-punk release in the hope that there might be something new and appealing in there but the chances are very slim. This is snobbery I suppose.

Not anymore than it's snobbery to mainly read books in genres you already know you enjoy, eat foods you already know you like and watch movies that look good based on their trailers. You obviously can't try everything, so it's just an intelligent use of your time to focus in on what you think you'll have a better chance of enjoying.

yeah i don't know if that's snobbery.. I feel like I don't have to listen to every pop punk record to know that I'm not gonna like any of them :P

menawati wrote: I  Am I narrow-minded ? Or maybe am I jaded from hearing so much simple 3 chord music before that it all sounds the same now ? Or maybe I really am a snob who subconsciously limits myself ?

Some Prog fans accuse other Prog fans of being elitist snobs (those who like the more mainstream Prog compared to the more avant-garde Prog) -- it's  a big umbrella.  I love lots of pop music, plus classical, jazz, easy listening Tropica etc.  I was once called a snob because I preferred the more obscure names under the Prog umbrella to the big names, and because my tastes in progressive rock were more experimental-oriented than the majority.

If one disses more mainstream music, and seems to make it clear that one holds one's tastes as superior to others, than one could be expected to be called a snob. 

Sorry to snip your post:

menawati wrote: I got accused of being a music snob today at work because I told this guy all I listen to is prog, jazz, classical, folk and some metal. I explained to him that some of the pop-punk and indie sort of stuff he likes is ok but I'd never buy it or choose to listen to it because it bores me....

Did he call a snob just because you mentioned what you liked, or was it after you mentioned that the music he listens to bores you, and that you would never choose to buy it?  If it was after you made comments about how much you like the music that he likes, then he may have called you a snob as a reaction to you seemingly dissing the music he likes. 

There's nothing wrong with liking what you like, and telling people so.   In real life more than here, I try not to say anything negative about other people's tastes in music, or film.... I've never been called a snob because of my tastes in music outside of the internet prog community, but then I tend not to talk about music away from the internet.  I do seem to remember someone be in so-called real life being called a snob since he only liked so-called classical music (Western Art Music/ Academic Music), and was dismissive of pop/rock generally (as "base", unsopisticated music that appealed to the lowest common denominator).

thellama73 wrote: I'm a music snob. But I like Lady Gaga and ABBA, so go figure.

Lots here like ABBA, including myself.  Very talented group, and this is proggy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB1Om-L_O2Q

Logan wrote: If one disses more mainstream music, and seems to make it clear that one holds one's tastes as superior to others, than one could be expected to be called a snob.

Is it not then equally true that those who diss non-mainstream music (avant garde, musique concrete, noise, free jazz) are equally snobbish, since they hold their taste superior to others'?

thellama73 wrote: Logan wrote: If one disses more mainstream music, and seems to make it clear that one holds one's tastes as superior to others, than one could be expected to be called a snob.  Is it not then equally true that those who diss non-mainstream music (avant garde, musique concrete, noise, free jazz) are equally snobbish, since they hold their taste superior to others'?

Certainly could be, why not? As a generality, yes.  Depends a bit upon how equal the disses are, if you know what I mean.   I've seen people who have called those types of music inane garbage, which is very snobby.  Or called it non-music in a similar way to how some people call abstract art non-art.

menawati wrote: Logan wrote: Did he call a snob just because you mentioned what you liked, or was it after you mentioned that the music he listens to bores you, and that you would never choose to buy it?   I told him I'd heard all that stuff before in other music and that it bores me because it is totally unchallenging. That's when he said I was a music snob. I suppose that is acting a bit like a snob but it was the truth.

I'm not at all surprised that he called you a snob then.


Edited by Logan - October 23 2012 at 12:48

I agree with what others have said, that being a "snob" is more a question of your attitude than of your preferences.

Theoretically, we should all be open minded and give everything a chance before we pass judgment on it.  But practically speaking, there are only so many hours in the day, and we tend to avoid (or at least postpone) listening to things we don't think we will like.  No shame in that, I don't think.  Someday I may give bluegrass music another chance, for example, but I'm in no hurry, and there's 18 other things I'd rather listen to right now.