When I was in my teens I used to buy an album a week, perhaps a single or two and listen to the radio. Then when I got into my twenties I bought a few more albums a month. I always got into those albums and know most of them very well due to the fact that I had nothing else to listen too. For the past few years I have been using Spotify to get my music as having kids and other expenses means it is far more cost efficient to use rather than buying CDs. However I would be hard pressed to really name more than about ten albums from the past few years that I can really remember. I tend to listen to about four or five new albums a week – some only once, which means that I don’t really get into albums like I used to. I can’t seem to stop myself from seeking out new music/new releases?

Anyone else like this?

I would say if it’s red and sore stop using it so much.

Or,

If you hear a banging on the floor.

Can you listen to too much music?

No, not really. It’s just there’s a lot of shonky music out there. What sort of thing are you into?

Shameless plug for my favorite band:

Can you listen to too much music?

Just checked my Spotify stats – 81,673 minutes last year 😆

I know what you mean

I don’t really get on with spotify for this reason. I’ve only used the free version on my laptop (it’s not linked to the hifi or anything). I sometimes use it to preview music before buying a physical copy.

When I’ve tried to use it just as background music whilst working or whatever – I find the choice overwhelming. You’re always looking to move onto something else.
I just seem to enjoy music more if its “my” record. Like you say you listen to it more, get to know it better. Give it more of a chance

gofasterstripes – took a listen, not really my sort of thing. I like as mixture, electronic, post rock, indie (whatever that is now), rock.

You are correct there is a a lot of shonky music out there – I guess I’m the type of person who always thinks that there could be something better out there!!

root – I guess the heading should have been “too much new music”. You can never listen to too much music!!

I would be hard pressed to really name more than about ten albums from the past few years that I can really remember.

Likewise but I have sabbaticals from listening to music of any sort because I write a lot and it tends to soak in and come out without me realising until someone else points it out. That can be crushing if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into a project.

Not really the question but in my case, yes.

I’m not sure people actually listen to music that much, rather than having it on in the background as a soundtrack to their lives.

roots 81k minutes is about 4.5 hours a day. Were you really listening to it all that time?

roots 81k minutes is about 4.5 hours a day. Were you really listening to it all that time?

Yup, most of the day at work and in the car mainly.

I average 9 hours on a Tuesday (highest average day of the week accroding to their stats)

I can’t seem to stop myself from seeking out new music/new releases?

Anyone else like this?

Oh yes.
I downloaded so much music last year, I haven’t listened to it all (yet).
Hate it that there is so much stuff that I can’t listen to and discover!

rjj – join in with the Tune Association thread – good way of discovering/sharing new stuff. I’ll bump it right now.

There’s listening to music, and there’s browsing.

Sounds like you are traveling the World by buying souvenirs from every duty free in every airport. Try sticking around and living with the natives!

I listen to 6Music from 10 – 3.30 every day during the (working) week, and have music loaded onto the phone for a couple of hours before that, just to avoid the increasingly tedious Keaveney, and I Playlist stuff on the iPlayer app, as well as Shazam, and make notes if neither are available.
I buy Uncut Magazine every month and rip the CD’s into iTunes, and I put aside most of Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings for dedicated music listening, sometimes on shuffle, so if something catches my ear it gets added to the phone’s internal library, sometimes I’ll just play a few albums all the way through.
I don’t like the idea of streaming systems that give suggestions, based on other stuff I’ve been listening to, I like to be surprised by something that I wouldn’t have connected to what I already listen to, so 6Music is ideal, often playing new stuff that hasn’t even got a label, or is donkey’s years old, or isn’t being released for some considerable time.
There are also times when I have no music playing at all, when I’m out walking, or reading, so I think I’ve got a reasonable balance.
But I’m always looking new music.

Thanks Dez – will keep an eye on that

Malvern rider – interesting sentiments – as I say I used to know my albums inside out.

I think if money was not an issue then I would start buying records again but I am not sure I could live with just one or two a week.

Reminds me of something someone once told me about the amount of books he wanted to read – there was no way that you could ever read all the ones you wanted so better to accept that fact and just enjoy the ones you could – but I guess music is a lot more accessible and easier to dismiss if you do not like it on first listen

Sounds like you are traveling the World by buying souvenirs from every duty free in every airport.

Not like that for me – I give everything possible a listen, some things I know I can dismiss, others get put aside for another go, or onto my iPod. The cream I buy on CD or download.
It does annoy me that some of the best albums don’t get enough attention, while others (eg. Clipping from last year), get played over and over.
I just know one day I won’t have access to as much stuff and then I can catch up on things again.
It is a bit of an illness to be honest!

When I was in my teens I used to buy an album a week, perhaps a single or two and listen to the radio.

I often think that’s because for some people (including me) as a teenager music was the only thing that made sense and helped me make sense of the world … a soundtrack for ones life if you will as it managed to distill and convey emotions I was unable to articulate through words

As one grows older music still has an impact on your life, but rock ‘n roll really is the preserve of youth and the sound of rebellion*

*This may only be relevant if you grew up in the ’70s ’80’s or early ’90s

I used to spend all my available cash on records, CDs and going to gigs … and although I still buy music and go to gigs it’s nothing like the amount it used to be as I’ve replaced it somewhat with other hobbies – although discovering Royal Blood last year did make me a tad nostalgic! 8)

As one grows older music still has an impact on your life, but rock ‘n roll really is the preserve of youth and the sound of rebellion*

Digby, with those sentiments in mind, have you ever read Julian Cope’s double-autobiography – ‘Head On/Repossessed? If not, then do. If have, then do again!

rock ‘n roll really is the preserve of youth and the sound of rebellion*

Modern equivalent I guess, is rap and man I love it (not all of it obviously, but the interesting stuff). There’s a hell of a lot of originality and creativity in rap that people are missing out on, thinking it’s all gangtas and hoes!

have you ever read Julian Cope’s double-autobiography – ‘Head On/Repossessed?

Haha! … yes – I read it many years ago and the missus is a massive JC fan (so I’ve seen him live numerous times over the years)

Thanks for the reminder Malevern Rider … I think it might be time to read it again! 🙂

Modern equivalent I guess, is rap

I don’t mind some stuff like Public Enemy – not sure I’d call them modern – they toured the US with the Sisters, Gang of Four & Warrior Soul in early ’90s

I do admit though that the misogynistic gangsta rap image of some of the rap artistes does put me off a tad …

I have a massive thirst for music but I have to drink from the same fountain over and over, never seems to get quenched, the thirst just grows. It’s weird, my tastes from teenage years (ie still listen to heavy rock, post-punk, electro and prog) are still there, but have definitely grown and grown waaaay beyond since. The last ten years I’ve discovered French band ‘Magma’, German ambient/techno from ‘Gas’, Canadian band ‘Destroyer’, Japanese noise artists ‘Boredoms’, classical composer Sibelius, American folk singer Josephine Foster and Cumbrian band ‘British Sea Power’. These and few others have kept me very busy exploring their new stuff and back catalogues over the last decade or more. Magma especially, such vast musical talent, seemingly impenetrable at the outset but I stuck with it and am still re-listening, finding new joy in old passages, and their new stuff is every bit as dynamic and challenging/gobsmacking as their works were 35 yrs ago.

And now just belatedly happened upon ‘Cardiacs’. So much amazing music, I’ve never honestly been bored yet. If I ever thought I was (it’s happened a couple of times) then it was because I stopped actively listening or else exploring new (either to my ears, or the World’s) artists that connected my circuits! I’m sure it’s possible that your mind wants to take a break and do other stuff. That’s good too. But music is always there, that’s the beauty. When you’re ready it’s there.

Only if you’re one of those fools who “Doesn’t really listen to music”.

Not even really people, that lot.

+1 Malvern

I also enjoy silence but music’s always there when I need it. I am continually spellbound by the effect music has on me. I’ve just listened to Dream Theatre for the first time in my life and discovered “dub” last year. It’s one thing I really look forward to getting old for:More music.

Forgot to say, growing up as a rock fan (with non-musical parents) and playing in pop and rock bands, it still took me until was 30 before ‘discovering’ soul/funk, which in turn lead me to Fela Kuti, afrobeat etc.

wtf???? – 30 yrs old!!! 30, and I still had baby ears. That’s not all. I was 31 yrs old before discovering Nick Drake, was just idly rooting thru a girlfriend’s tapes one day, and boom! – no songwriting I’d heard before then had put a lump in my throat like that, ever. It just sat me down hard. That just showed me that it’s never to late to discover something that really slaps you in the gut and puts wings on your back. Such discoveries have been regular since, then which also tells me that music is an increasing thirst – ie the more and better you drink, the thirstier you become.

I do admit though that the misogynistic gangsta rap image of some of the rap artistes does put me off a tad

Yeah, see – exactly what I was saying – there’s a hell of a lot more to rap than that rubbish.

there’s a hell of a lot more to rap than that rubbish

I’m sure there is. And I shall endeavor to explore it – after all, I never let the misogyny of some rock bands put me off all rock bands. But it does taint genres.

I listed some recommendations here if you’re interested in exploring (most of the other posts are old stuff 😉 )

In answer to my own question I think no. Found three really good albums this weekend – the new Viet Cong, new Gaz Coombes and Petite Noir. All new to me and Petite Noir is particularly good…

Reminds me of something someone once told me about the amount of books he wanted to read – there was no way that you could ever read all the ones you wanted so better to accept that fact and just enjoy the ones you could – but I guess music is a lot more accessible and easier to dismiss if you do not like it on first listen

The big, most obvious difference here is that reading a book requires your full attention, whereas music can be easily enjoyed while engaged in other persuits, like reading, for example.
The trouble is there’s always far more new stuff coming along than I can possibly afford, let alone pay for, then there’s gig tickets; I’ve got three coming up over the next few months, Paper Aeroplanes, Smoke Fairies/Public Service Broadcasting, (fantastic pairing, that!), and Kris Delmhorst, a gig I’ve been hoping would happen for seven or eight years, since I last saw her.
This means there’s the new Paper Aeroplanes, Smoke Fairies, PSB albums to get, along with a whole bunch of others.
Kris’s album I bought last year.
So much music, so little time/money… 😐

Marmozets > Royal Blood

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afX5kz9hfHI[/video]

Hey 6079smithw, are you aware that there is a lot of new and original sounding music out there?

And now just belatedly happened upon ‘Cardiacs’.

Made me chuckle when I read that – a blast from the past I haven’t listened to in over twenty years – but I’ve literally just finished listening to The Antidote by BC400; about a decade old now. It’s been sat in my partner’s CD collection for that long, I would imagine. I like it…

“You ain’t from New York, mate, you’re outta Laaandaaan…!”

I was gonna post up a vid of W (feat. Seg) but the post above made me rethink it for fear of being on the receiving end of a DezB sarky scolding.

wtf???? – 30 yrs old!!! 30, and I still had baby ears. That’s not all. I was 31 yrs old before discovering Nick Drake, was just idly rooting thru a girlfriend’s tapes one day, and boom! – no songwriting I’d heard before then had put a lump in my throat like that, ever. It just sat me down hard. That just showed me that it’s never to late to discover something that really slaps you in the gut and puts wings on your back. Such discoveries have been regular since, then which also tells me that music is an increasing thirst – ie the more and better you drink, the thirstier you become.

I like this, too; nicely worded.

🙂

I used to live and breath music & now find it much harder to care for new music with such passion. For instance ,it’s very rare that I “connect” with lyrics like I used to, or have the unadulterated joy/goosebumpage of hearing something that sonically blows me away.
It does happen , not as often though.
I’m an album fan and simply don’t have the time to listen to them all tbh.
Fwiw I enjoy the music threads on here as there are some folk with great taste…..as well as those who couldn’t hear a train coming. 😉

but the post above made me rethink it for fear of being on the receiving end of a DezB sarky scolding.

Wouldn’t happen mate. Thing with our mate smith is that he posts this kind of stuff on a regular basis and gets a pounding. Just trying to help him out really! 🙂

🙂

You’re all heart.

And in that case…

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgllcDP_Gfw[/video]

Epic sample splicing. Think I need to learn another language to truly appreciate the rest of the track, though…

Toastmasters is my fav from the album.

DezB – Member
Hey 6079smithw, are you aware that there is a lot of new and original sounding music out there?

Yeah cos Royal Blood and Honeyblood invented whole new music genres 🙄

Yeah cos Royal Blood and Honeyblood invented whole new music genre

Hmm… why those 2 bands? I’ve never listened to them since I saw them on Later with Jules… dull as dishwater.

I’ve preferred music to be ‘disposable’ for a very long time.. I remember getting into albums when I was very young but since my early teens I’ve always been around muso’s and djs.. There’s always great music being played to me so I’ve not felt the need to bother..

I rarely like to hear the same track or album over and over and get most of my music these days from mixcloud which is the ideal format for me

I think its an age thing, in teenage years, full of angst and independence, music was my soul, I bought tons of albums, went to tons of gigs and then slowly it faded as other things in life took hold. Last ten years or so I’ve started to again listen to music, my job lets me listen while I work, using headphones, at first it was the old stuff I was into but then I got bored with the same old same old and began looking for new stuff again… very little of it sparks that unadultered passion I had when I was younger, a few blow me away but a lot is average, all right but average… so now I crave good new music, buy quite a lot and get my fill.

Can you listen to too much? Yes. But its a bit of an addiction after a while and you soon pick out tunes you like a lot. Nothing is quite as good as it was in those teenage/20’s years no matter how good it is, life has moved on.

Personally, I don’t think it’s anything to do with age.
I think it’s just the proliferation of music available now. Back “then” there was a mystery to it, that 1 album a week/month/whatever you could buy was special. Now you can get it everywhere, in any style you want. I still get the same feeling from hearing the “right” track in my 50s as I ever did.