Race/gender/sex. orientation and musical stereotyping

M

mxchick28

New member
I'm not saying there are no black musicians who influenced metal. Phrases like "largely defined by" is not the same as "exclusively defined by". The phrase "not as much part of their musical heritage" is not the same as "not part of their musical heritage".

I'm talking about a very general trend and I know it's there and I think you know as well. ;)
 
Aside from my girlfriend who has adapted, I've never met a girl who had really compatible tastes to my own. I'm not sure I should say that means they have worse taste, but I think that for the most part, I've met fewer girls with a genuine interest and explorative approach in music. Most of the music I listen to while not necessarily obscure are from previous decades, so some golddigging is required to discover it. I know one who's genuinely interested, but her tastes are more up to date than mine.

In my experience, guys tend to be more interested in music than girls.
 
Prompted by proggyman's comment in the meraber's picture gallery, I thought it would be interesting to talk about how someone's race, gender or sexual orientation influences your perception of their musical tastes. I think in general, this is a pretty white hetero male dominated music forum so it's not unexpected that any deviation from the norm would be at least a little surprising. Now, I'm obviously from deep in the backwater so I haven't had much chance to mingle with people of different races but for some reason, be it through TV or internet or whatever, I've constructed a stereotype in which black people don't really listen to rock and roll, and especially not indie music. This is why I'm always a little pleasantly surprised when I see people who deviate from those expectations (like when Jay-Z was seen at a Grizzly bear gig).

As for my personal experiences with gay people (in Croatia mind you), I think there's a definitely higher percentage of people into mainstream pop music, a much smaller group of people into indie music, and and even smaller one into hard types of music (mostly industrial, which I suppose is the queerest of the hard rock genres). As far as my own tastes and stereotypes, I'd say that unlike the majority of rabroad, I tend to be much more accepting of good mainstream pop and dance music.

Now, are my prejudice just that, baseless preconceptions or is there some truth to musical stereotyping? Is there a relation between your race/gender/orientation and the music you listen to? Are you the victim of any such stereotypes? Is this thread a little stupid/offensive? Thoughts?
 
I have to agree with you. I ask my frienRAB this all the time. Needless to say, I'm 1 of 4 girls these guys hang out with. I only go to shows with guys, and it's not like I wouldn't go with a female. I simply don't know any girls around here who genuinely like the same music I do. I, too, love searching for good albums whether it be in stores or on the internet. I love talking about music and finding new music. Evidently, this is why I enjoy rab so much AND I enjoy the women who post on here. Well, most of 'em.
 
In the environment I'm in lately (College mostly), I have to say it's a bit the opposite. Maybe because all males are pushed to become doctors or lawyers, the majority of the students in the film-making college are girls (90% of the filmmakers here are females).
So I've been surprised to see a lot of them caring for their music, getting to some experimental gigs and all kind of concerts, tho never pushing it in searching for their music. Mainly the eclectic tastes are in the few males.
 
Where I stay (if your interested in music) its either Rock, like real Rock, or Electronica you get into.
Most of the girls I went to school with would just listen to stuff from the charts.
Which was all **** in my opinion.
most of the boys with no real interest in music would listen to generic "Dance" which was pretty common.
There was a huge patch where the people with no interest in music would listen to PCDJ, with acapella mix's. It was fucking awful.
In my experience, I haven't been around much ethnic minority, ever since I went to China, I've stereotyped Chinese people to only liking Classical (they loved Susan Boyle from BGT) Americans in general to Rap/Hip-hop and I don't know about the rest.
I've never really stereotyped by gender, but the more I think about it.. I don't imagine american females to listen to rap at all, probably more (I hate to say it) Pop.
 
The musical stereotypes I have are these:
--"Rap music fans are more likely to be African American rather than another ethnicity."
--"Young Caucasian males in the Midwest listen to country and metal."
--"People who live in the country and on farms like country music."
--"16-year-old girls like pop and dance music."
--"Middle-aged Caucasian men like jazz."
--"Older people in their 60s and beyond listen to mostly classical."
I did have one male gay friend in Germany who loved musicals, which is the common stereotype.

As for myself, I am not sure if I fit musical stereotypes, if there are any, about female bisexual people. In general I don't like genres and classifications and instead enjoy music that seems unusual or quirky in some way, but emotionally compelling. Perhaps my musical tastes do relate to being bisexual: a person's category doesn't determine whether I feel drawn to that person; rather, the person's singular characteristics are especially important. Similarly, a particular song's characteristics may make me like it, regardless what genre it is.

I feel my age and particular upbringing had the most impact on my musical tastes. I rarely listen to music as a leisure activity, probably because I am very goal oriented and not good at relaxing (although rabroad is relaxing for me!). I grew up in a "classical" household and often felt bored by much of the classical music, especially long symphonies. As a young-un I felt pop and rock music music were usually "beneath" me because they seemed too vapid and focused only on sex and love. A genre I have always disliked (following my dad's affinities) is jazz. I find rap music tedious because it often seems very antagonistic and self-preening. I generally despise trance and dance music. Country music seems too saturated with gender stereotypes and trite topics. Metal is too harsh and gives me a headache. I don't care for musicals much, either, because the themes/tunes seem so simplistic. Oh...and I don't like opera, having sat through more Wagner operas than I care to remeraber. However, I probably like at least one song in every genre...and I will listen to a song so I can learn what makes someone else appreciate it, even if the song isn't one that appeals to me.
 
I don't think it should be offensive to point out trenRAB that are plain to see exist. As an example, since we have a "history of metal" thread - how many black musicians are mentioned in this thread? Very few - possibly only two I would think, which is Jimi Hendrix and Phil Lynott. Metal as a genre of music today is largely defined by white people like the merabers of Metallica and Black Sabbath. I'm not saying metal excludes black people, but it's not as much part of their cultural heritage. Look at the blues and it's a different story.

Observing a difference isn't the same as saying that difference is right or wrong, so I think you're in the moral clear :p:

I think there are some things you forgot when it comes to stereotypes, though - what about nationality and age? Those are things I might draw conclusions from before actually knowing. There are some kinRAB of music that I think of as distinctly american, for example the commercial punk sounRAB of NOFX, Blink 182 and Good Charlotte and the emo power rock from banRAB like Nickelback, Creed and perhaps related, Evanescense.


By nationality, I stereotype finnish people as well. The stereotypical fin of about my age (late 20s) listens to metal, often cheesy, and their favourite banRAB lists is going to include a lot of banRAB from his or her home country. I've met quite a few fins who more or less fit this stereotype as well so in my experience it's been reasonably accurate :D It's not a bad stereotype, though, I'm fairly compatible.
 
That's still a really ignorant punishment. No offense to your mom and dad. Mine were really bad, but when I failed the only class I've ever failed in school (first year of algebra), it was punishment enough just having to take it again. My folks knew how much I hated math... it's not like I needed to repeat all the other classes I aced... that wouldn't have been much of a punishment. I already knew all the material anyway. I could have slept through an entire school year except for the algebra class. (algebra was where I did most of my sleeping anyway)
 
1) when we are talking about stereotypes, it doesn't necessarily mean that we think they are true. We are just acknowledging the fact that the stereotype exists. So, I may say that I consider myself to be an exception to the perceived stereotype, independent of its ultimate truth or falsity.

2) That being said, I had previously stated that I do indeed agree with the idea that girls generally have worse taste in music. It is true that passionate music lovers are the exception from the norm... and I also think that (from my experience) it is true that there are more passionate male music lovers than females. If you need any evidence, take a look at this and most other music forums on the internet and you will see that the majority of merabers are males. The same goes for last.fm.

3) Yes, there are many many women with great taste in music. Don't, however, make the mistake of thinking that many = most. The fact that there are many girls with great taste in music does not undermine the idea that there are more men with great taste in music. Or at least (since taste is rather subjective) an intense passion for it.
 
i've found that people seem to be into whatever pleases their ear, whatever race they may be, its just dependant on how many songs from a genre pleases a persons ear, how many does it take to be "into" a style of music

i think i've gone and confused myself
 
Well Im metsican american and listen to almost everything,I guess my stereotype would be that I listen to northern mexican music that goes:Umpa umpa umpa. I listen to a lota shi* from trance/pop to rock/some metal.Also I listen to spanish rock/pop,Ill even listen to the umpa umpa music whenever someone is playing that.It doesnt annoy me as much as it use to.

A stereotype I make of europe is that they dont like us colored folk,it might be true to an extent.I feel like if I took a trip out there I would get killed or somethin,especially Germany.
 
Wow... sad to say that that is pretty much exactly how my friend from Lebanon (who has moved away now) was like

He loved electronica, some rap/hip hip, and was in love with Dream Theater and Nightwish. His only redeeming features were The Sex Pistols and one or two other songs by other artists. Oh, and he hated R.E.M
 
I like musical stereotypes. I mean, to destroy them. :laughing: It's funny. For instance, some conversations could be like these:

- Oh, Brazilian! Saraba?
- No, Metal.

- Oh, Spaniard! Flamenco?
- No, Celtic rock.

- Oh, Argentine! Tango?
- No, Blues-rock.

It is true that there are too many stereotypes, but I think it's not that worrisome. In addition, if you take it with humor, the "revenge" can be very funny :):

[YOUTUBE]695zH2dRln4[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]8Wjnp5o705M[/YOUTUBE]


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I think a lot of what music you listen to has to do with geography as well as race. I grew up mostly in New Mexico and California so I've always had a more open mind when it comes to music than a lot of the black people I know.

Surprisingly though from what I've seen at shows and hanging out with my frienRAB (I hang out with about an equal mixture of black and white people) is that alot more white people are into rap than black people. While black people do listen to and like rap the majority of the ones I know at least prefer R&B or soul music. On that same note most black people I know aren't really into any type of rock music but for a great deal of them I think it's just the lack of exposure to that genre. I've played music for people who told me they hated rock and would never listen to it and they've actually ended up liking it.

I know a couple of *** people but I've honestly never paid attention to what they listened to so I really don't have a opinion on that.
 
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