This is a rant. It makes sense in my head.
My music taste is as fluid as my sexuality. I love Beyonce. I love Mariah Carey. In fact, I love a lot pop music and even country music. I am not ashamed to admit this.
It annoys me when I hear people talk shit about other people’s music taste. It’s one thing to be annoyed with lyrics and oppression, it’s another thing to hold your nose up and berate someone for liking a particular style of music. This is especially true for hipster/emo/indie types. Yeah, I’m talking to you.
::sideeye::
-_-
First things first, what the fuck does indie mean? Seriously. I was under the impression that it meant underground, independent, not mainstream, non-conforming, political, etc. It seems these days it has taken a whole different meaning from what I thought it was. The construct of what it means to be “indie” has become, at least from what I’ve seen in *many* music blogs, (predominantly) White bands who appropriate music and fashion from various marginalized communities. It also seems to have embraced an elitist fan base.
I have a good amount of music blogs in my reader so I can keep up with bands I like. Some are indie and lean slightly hipster (no shame), some are local, some are national. I usually skim unless something catches my. The other day, I saw a post that ranted against country music as a whole. I skimmed another that decided to snark on fashion in hip hop. Then there was another one that complained about having to wait at the red light next to a car blaring Mexican music, which I’m assuming they meant grupero or banda. Because you know, they’re the only kind of Mexican music. After that last one, I stopped skimming and paid a little more attention. I was ready to fight.
First, wtf? Really?
Really?
Fuck you.
Elitism and other forms of oppression come into play with music policing. It is so fucking annoying to me because it is no one’s business what kind of music a person likes. What the fuck kind of authority do they have to place a specific value on music? I get when something isn’t pleasing to the ears or when lyrics are offensive. I get that. I do. I really do and I don’t feel that pointing out oppression is the same as music policing. I’m talking about when people are alienated because they like a song they heard on the radio or when they are made to feel ashamed.
I find it hypocritical of these blogs to look down on people/music because of their own preconceived notions and stereotypes. This is especially true when claiming to take aim at oppression within a genre. You can rant and yell until you’re blue in the face, but let me tell you, spewing classist and/or racist slurs in order to supposedly show off your progressive politics makes you an asshole.
It also makes me think you’re not actually dedicated to anti-oppression work if you’re only targeting “the other” and not doing a single thing about the oppression in your world. Did we not hear about Morrissey’s racism? What about the indigenous cultural appropriation that runs rampant at shows and events? What about the slut shaming? What about the sexism? What about all of that? Do you wonder why all of the shows you go to are mostly White? Have you considered making it a priority for shows to be a comfortable space for marginalized communities? Or, maybe it isn’t that people have bad taste in music or they just don’t like your music. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because lots of working class folks don’t have the time energy or access to surf the internet all day, pay $20 to go to a show on a weeknight, and/or deal with the assholeness of the crowd.
You know what? We’re different. Just because I love a song, it doesn’t mean that everyone else has to love that song. Also, if someone likes something I don’t like, I don’t have the right to be ugly and mean to them. If it’s not my cup of tea, then I won’t drink it. There’s a difference between critique and just being plain being mean and snotty.
::drops mic::
