There is no such thing as “good” music

Image by Neon Tommy via Flickr

Jessica Soler | Staff Writer

opinion@fiusm.com

In the world of music there is no such thing as good or bad, there are only differences of opinion. As long as there are fans listening and relating to it, nothing else matters.

There are two sides to music. On one side, music is a unifier. At a party, any combination of people will come together to chant along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” or Britney Spears’ “Oops!…I Did It Again.” Iconic songs like these take the listener back in time to when they first heard it. As diverse as these iconic songs are, they all have one thing in common: they were popular.

At some point in time, those iconic songs were the prevalent sounds a mass majority of people listened to.

This leads to the other side, where music causes separation. A lot of people are often criticized or even bullied for their choice in music if it is not widely known or liked. Punk music is seen as kiddie rock, metal is satanic and pop is the drones of mindless moneymaking. No matter what genre someone listens to, there will always be a critic saying that it is not “good music”.

But really, what is “good music?” If the lyrics resonate and the sound makes people move, why not listen to it?

The only rule in music is that there are no rules. Music, like any art, is about self-expression. Not everyone is going to like the same music, but this creates endless sound possibilities, with different fans and interpretations. Musical diversity should not be a bad thing.  If two people disagree about a certain band, artist or genre, neither of them is necessarily right or wrong. Their respective musical preferences are their own and they should be proud of them.

If someone is a music enthusiast, they are the last one who should be sound-shaming others. Claiming to have the “true” sound or the “best” sound is limiting. If there was only one kind of music, there would be no innovation. Rock ‘n’ roll was a product of the blues, country, gospel and pop were created from rock ‘n’ roll elements. Music builds on music.

People should not have to justify why they prefer one type of music to another. Appreciating music does not mean people have to be a fan of every sound that is made -it’s more about respect. There are more important issues in the world to fight over than trying to make others conform to “good” music.

While music can be serious and influential, its power comes from being so carefree. To many people music is a way to escape reality – going to a concert or blasting one’s favorite song is like going to a different planet where fun reigns and worries and fears are put aside. To criticize someone because they have a different taste is disgraceful.

Rock the music that you love because you love it. The things we love make us who we are, and to hide a part of ourselves for the benefit of others is exactly what music tells us not to do.