I have always prided myself on finding something enjoyable about all forms of music. When I say I listen to all types of music I try to do exactly that.

What I have found while doing this is any form of music can be enjoyable. Music grows on you; you can learn to enjoy anything.

So when other people say “goddamn I hate rap” they just have not been exposed to it. People’s music tastes are set when they are developing, I would say around the teens. Then it starts to solidify. Once you hit the late teens/early twenties your music tastes are pretty much set. Whatever music you were enjoying then you will continue to enjoy for the rest of your life.

This can be changed but change is scary. Also to what end? To quote Ghost in the Shell “Over-specialise and you breed in weakness”. Following the one genre or a narrow field will lead to dismissing all other forms of music. Learning to expand your field of interest is not only a great boon as you can converse and connect to anyone about music but it also puts you into a different head space.

Music has such a profound effect on your emotions, a snatched piece of a song can instantly transport you 10 years and halfway across the world. So what happens if your only enjoyable music is death metal? If that is all you listen to then it is going to influence you towards an angrier, despondent disposition. Psy-Trance? You start to lose the ability to follow and appreciate lyrics and well sung harmonies. These are broad stroke generalizations but they have the ring of truth. Learning to enjoy more genres’ means you can cater your music to your mood, not the other way around.

The longer you leave it the harder it gets and, just as frustrating, it is something you constantly have to work at. The moment you stop exploring different forms of music you start to lose the ability to enjoy new music.

Well, I will leave it there, below are links to some of the best examples of each genre. There are too many genre’s for me to list but here is a start, feel free to add something I am missing.

Classical – Ave Maria

Rock – The Offspring – Gone Away

Opera – Pirates of Penzance – With Cat Like Tread

Punk – The Vibrators – Baby Baby

Metal – Tool – Lateralus

Death Metal – In Flames – Crawl Though Knives

Indie Rock  – Okkervil River – Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe

Folk Rock – Mumford and Sons – Little Lion Man

Folk – Redgum – I Was Only Nineteen

HipHop – Hilltop Hoods – The Nosebleed Section

Rap – Tech N9ne – Beast

PsyTrance – Infected Mushroom – Deeply Distrubed

Dance – 4 Strings – Diving

Alt Country – Michelle Branch – Everywhere

Pop – Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

Acapella – A Perfect Circle – Fiddle and the Drum