SURVEY SAYS: One Music Choice

I soon realized that the reason so many responding readers chose “other” (37.9%) was that when inputting my answer choices into the survey, “pop” and “rock” ended up on one line. To me “pop” is not “rock” music, and rock music includes today’s rock (not considered hard or metal) as well as rock from the past. That explains why most readers who chose “other” listed classic rock or rock from a certain decade.

Also mentioned in the “other” category was Emo, New Age, Big Band, movie soundtracks, Latin, Americana folk, Barbershop Quartet, Oktoberfest Party Music, Disco, Native American, Celtic and Grunge (which I would categorize as rock).

Among the list provided, Pop received most votes (13.8%), followed by Country (12.4%) and Contemporary Christian (9.7%). Classical came in fourth (8.3%) and Jazz rounded out the top five (5.5%).

Other genres ranked as follows:

• Opera – 0.69%;
• R&B – 1.4%;
• Rap – 0.69%;
• Blues – 0%;
• Indie Rock – 2.1%;
• Hard Rock – 3.4%
• Metal – 0.69%;
• Gospel – 1.4%;
• Reggae – 0%;
• Dance – 0%;
• Techno – 0%;
• Bluegrass – 0.69%;
• Zydeco – 0%;
• Dub Step – 0%; and
• Show Tunes – 1.4%.

Those who left comments expanded on what type of music they liked, which artists and why they liked the type of music they chose. A couple of respondents gave me grief about including Dub Step (which I kind of like, actually). Several included song lyrics in their answers and several opined about how past music was much better than the music now, especially regarding country. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “One of the beauties of music is that there are so many genres to suit so many moods.” 

Verbatim 

Even though I'm not from that generation, I love the sound and you can actually understand the lyrics! Great dance music!

Miss music from the 80's. Most music today seems heavily borrowed/sampled from previously released songs.

Gospel would be my second choice followed by oldies from the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Spotify/Pandora station so it can stream more than one musician/group in the style I like.

Anything by composer/song writer/performer DANNY ELFMAN. Go see The Girl on the Train, in theaters now!

classic 50 60 music really makes me happy when I listen to it

It's what I grew up with.

I take a lot of Zumba classes and I find that Latin music gets me moving . . . something that I need to do after a long day sitting in front of a computer dealing with benefit issues!

Hard to choose between country and rap. I adore them both!

If I had to listen to just Rap music for one year I would last about 5 hours before strangling myself to get away from it.

Verbatim (cont.) 

I don't believe my genre is listed, but I couldn't come up with what it's called. According to my husband, my genre of music has several inappropriate adjectives. :-/

Barbershop quartet singing is one of the only "made in America" styles of music ... a truly American art form.

I'm a child of the 60s and 70s and I still love that good old rock-n-roll.

I enjoy listening to the radio so I can always hear new music.

First choice is really not even a genre. Could listen to Bruce Springsteen all day, every day!

or just 1980's

I could also listen to Christmas music year round, but it would probably ruin future Christmas' for me so I'll stick with country.

I enjoyed the music of the 60's fifty years ago, and would not have any problems listening to it for a year.

Too bad "Pop Country" is not yet a category or that "Country Western" has disappeared. Is "The Band Perry" really Country? Was the early Taylor Swift? Cross-overs have happened and "true" Country (Country Western) appears to have all but disappeared.

So different, so fun, so peppy - I could definitely survive with nothing else!

Verbatim (cont.)

Sirius 60's on 6 all the way!!

Seriously, you list "Dub Step" - whatever that is - and skip saying Americana. Shame on you. Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt are rolling over in their graves.

Jazz - most varied range of music within genres I can stand.

I don't think movie scores get enough credit. They provide a lot of range and some have a lot of depth. For the true nerd, add video game scores into the mix (yes, they exist).

I was surprised this was not a choice. Always have, always will.

It is the type of music that causes me to relax and enjoy whatever I am doing. One of my favorite artists is Grover Washington Jr.

If I had to choose only one genre, it would be classical because it is the most varied genre with hundreds of years of composers and styles to enjoy.

Louis Armstrong, nobody in my opinion is better.

I'd prefer to sit on my deck and listen to the sounds of nature's evening. Ain't no "ists", "isms" or "phobes" in her songs.('ceptin, a course, f'er the friggin skeeters)

Today's country has a rock vibe so it would be like listening to two types of music for a year...sort of what I do now!

Verbatim (cont.) 

Current alternative rock is something I can listen to no matter what I'm doing - working, cooking, cleaning, commuting. Other forms of music, for me, have specific settings and don't work in all the areas of my life.

Don't forget "elevator music" or "massage room music"

Broadway from 1900 to present day, which would encompass almost all the other types of music

My Dad loved opera and used to sing arias in the car, so I grew with opera. When I was a little kid I asked a playmate if she wanted to listen to Down in the Valley. I was really perplexed when she didn't like it. Turns out she thought I meant the jump rope chant "Down in the valley where the green grass grows," instead of the Kurt Weill operetta. Go figure.

What an easy survey question! Not only would I choose only to listen to the Grateful Dead for a full year, I am pretty sure that I have done that already, quite a few times.

Bach alone — Well Tempered Clavier, Goldberg Variations, etc., etc., would allow for a couple different pieces every day for over a year. Plus Beethoven, Bizet, Brahms, Berlioz, Bruckner .... pure joy.

80's Pop!

Dub step for an entire year... egads. Please have this survey again, but from the other perspective: if you never have to listen to a specific genre of music, which would you do without?

I like country music, but not the new stuff (most of it is NOT country).

Contemporary Christian helps me stay focused and not sweat the small stuff!

Classical music has the power to soothe after a long day and create an environment in which I can often get my best thinking done.

Verbatim (cont.) 

With credit to Mr. Seger: Call me a relic, call me what you will Say I'm old-fashioned, say I'm over the hill Today' music ain't got the same soul I like that old time rock 'n' roll

I'm a singer in a band part-time and when I get finished with a gig and I'm driving home, it's talk radio...I am so finished with listening to music...until the next day, of course!!

Its fall now but I can listen to the fun party music of an Oktoberfest any time of year. Maybe it’s because I am an October baby! Hard to be a baby at my age though 🙂

I choose Rock and Roll, because thought you list pop rock and hard rock, I grew listening to a mix of both and never classified them separately. Rock on!!!

One of the beauties of music is that there are so many genres to suit so many moods.

Gospel music encompasses other genres such as bluegrass, blues or country so it is pretty diversified in its background.

Depending on the composer/piece, classical music can either calm your soul or joyously lift your mood.

I couldn't tell you what all these types sound like. Many of them run together or cross over.

Above all else, most of the time I need music with some energy. Helps to stay awake in the afternoon and alert while driving.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Country is a close second

I was afraid you wouldn't have it on your list. Pleasantly surprised. Thank you!

I could listen to country all year and then some, but it would have to come with a divorce attorney since my husband would leave me.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. I find that metal (re)charges me, hard rock energizes me, country inspires me... fortunately there is so much blurring of the lines today, even when you pick a genre, you can get a nice blend.

Lakota is soothing, yet primal. It wakes up something deep inside that most of us ignore.

Growing up a country gal, almost every country song tells a story that I can relate too.

Think Joni Mitchell, CSNY, etc. - am I showing my age?

I actually like some of all music. It depends on my mood...

New wave from the late 80s -90s, plus grunge in the 90s (Nirvana) are the best!!