4 Ways to Broaden Your Musical Tastes
The world of music is endless. There are millions of different genres, artists, styles, covers, singles, and B-sides out there. You could spend your life listening to every song in the universe back to back and you wouldn’t even get close to hearing them all. Yet few people make the most of it.
Everyone loves music, whether you’re listening to your favorite tunes on the bus, watching a feel-good musical, or dancing to the early hours in your local nightclub. But most people rarely venture beyond the comfort of their preferred genre. Many music listeners learn what they like when they’re growing up, and follow a set pattern for the rest of their lives, only rarely deviating from their chosen tastes. Pop fans rarely listen to classical music, and you’re unlikely to see a metalhead raving about their favorite rapper.
But there is no rule saying that you have to stick to what you know. People who love films and books rarely stick to the same genres, so why do music buffs feel the need to restrict their enjoyment? Broadening your musical horizons can only be a good thing. If you look in the right places, you are guaranteed to find some new artists and styles of music you enjoy. There is so much out there that the probability of you hating everything but your preferred genre is infinitesimal.
But how can you know where to look to find new things? To get you started, here are four excellent ways to broaden your musical tastes.
Search the internet
If you have a Spotify membership or use a similar music streaming service, it is incredibly easy to branch out and find new things. The app allows you to browse music by genre, artist, playlist, or any other criteria you choose. It may take a while to find something you like, but with enough time, you’re certain to make several exciting discoveries.
Talk to people you know
You may find that all your friends have the same music tastes as you, but by speaking to people just outside your bubble, you will open yourself up to new musical experiences. Ask your parents what they listened to when they were younger, or talk to people with completely different backgrounds to yourself.
Visit music venues
If there is a venue in your local area that hosts live music performances, it would be a good idea to pay a visit. Even if the performers aren’t the type of music you’d normally listen to, live music is a fantastic experience and may just make a believer out of you.
Listen to whole albums
If you want to explore new artists and genres, don’t just listen to the big singles. Listening to an album from start to finish is the best way to get a feel for an artist’s style, and the real gems are usually buried within the tracklisting. Take a look at this list of the 500 best albums of all time for some inspiration.
