discussion Stanning versus music

[LoveInStereo]

I've witnessed this phenomenon for years and it's especially apparent in the aftermath of covid as the cost of albums & tours continues to rise. I know firsthand many who, despite claiming 'music is their life', have never played any musical instruments. I say the barrier to entry in a post internet world is marginal & 1 can get a $100 MIDI keyboard and learn everything you need to know online (taught myself the modal system solely on Wikipedia). Considering genres like bluegrass, folk, blues & rock were pioneered by people in poverty, is money a valid excuse for a lack of creative ambition?

 

This reality is always met with indignant denials and refusals. The justification they always give for having no drive to acquire musical skills is lack of opportunity. How does one spend thousands of dollars on accommodations, flights, merch & tickets to stalk celebrities only to claim that learning an instrument is implausible? We just had interminable lockdowns, there was no shortage of free-time. If you have no interest, just say that, because the excuses are transparent. Anybody else find it comical how the vast majority of self-proclaimed music fans making music their entire identity have 0 theoretical or practical knowledge & no motivation to change that?

 

There's nothing wrong with being a pop culture savant, following the world of entertainment is a compelling past-time. But some of us need to give up the pretentiousness. If you're on a soapbox preaching that your fav is the most virtuosic songwriter of this century yet you can't find the notes to a Cmaj chord on a piano.. you look childish. It's 1 thing to say subjectively that they're your favourite pop songwriter but where do some of you get the audacity to lecture like some authority on music when you're literally musically illiterate? If this is you, focus more on enjoying things and stop posturing like you're some expert on music. Thoughts? Anyone else tired of being told how to feel about music from fans whose engagement with music stops at screenprints on Gildan t-shirts, unplayed vinyl records and Twitter mutuals?

[Da Vinci]

There's only two types of people in the world: the ones that entertain and the ones that observe. 

[Filpo]

Music is just a part of stan world, not even the most important.

 

But yeah, I too am tired of hearing Swifties rambling about songwriting.

[dopamina]

you got a pretty good point

[The Next Day]

The question is: Why do you care about their opinions?

 

Stanning doesn't mean you try to be objective about music and it never was intended to. Discussions between stans have different rules than between average music listeners (just look at how Stan Twitter works). Stans don't even discuss, they just yell at eachother but that's the way it goes and why shouldn't they if they enjoy it? I avoid flamebait threads where you see that kind of discussions and that's it.

 

The argument that you need to be educated in music to critic it is bullshit tho. That's just gate-keeping. A lot of successful musicians have no idea about music theory and yet they're doing a good job.

 

Music is probably the most subjective art form. Some art is best enjoyed with context, but you don't need context to know whether you think a song is good. All people just feel it. And when you know music theory, often times that makes the music better, but you don't need theory to enjoy music.

 

I think it's good to read about music history and how music that you like came to be. I like to listen to artists/producers/engineers etc. talk about their work even if the majority of what they say gets lost because of lack of knowledge on my side. But still, this way, it's good to develop some kind of vocabulary to express why certain music makes you feel this certain feeling. And that's all you need as a music fan who's interested in fan discussions imo.

 

Stans are not interested in discussions, they can have their yelling contests tho. Musicians or people with music education can have their more detailed discussions as well. Everyone is able to read the room and get to their preferred crowd.

 

What matters to me is listening experience. I don't need to play guitar to acknowledge a great riff. I was at a blues concert where the guy on keys had a solo that got the whole room ecstatic, I don't need to know what he played in order to feel that. But what you need is to listen to different riffs and solos. Comparing different music is how you find out what's great.

Edited July 26, 2022 by The Next Day

[WitnessOblivia]

You're kinda right! But the best thing to do just ignore them. 

[youreyesgocold]

I disagree.
 

Do you need to study acting to know if someone is a bad actor? Do you need to study art to decide if you want a painting hung on your wall? No, bad acting is usually pretty obvious, and bad art is a matter of taste. 
 

Art is subjective. No one online is selecting winners for the next Nobel prize. Our opinions are meaningless essentially - they are subjective and just reflect our likes and dislikes. People that act like opinions are facts are in the wrong, yes. But that feels separate to your point. No one needs to be an expert to say they like or dislike something. Maybe you need to be an expert to analyze the expertise in someone’s work, but that isn’t what stans are doing (maybe they think they are). But at the end of the day - is using some obscure set of chords or an interesting time signature all that important? No, not if the song doesn’t sound good. So in reality, when it comes to success and clicking with the gp and winning awards all artists need is for people to like their work - again which is a subjective opinion

[Bencharmer]

From what i saw and experienced, stanning comes close to those bigot christian fans who would defend and support their religion no matter what.

 

It's also something society loves.

 

Creating pop sensations leads to create cult like behaviours, so constant spending from the fans and constant incomes for the artist and the company. Actually they love the idea there are so many people who would follow their products to the death