A New Love

For years i've been caught in this pathetic loop of radio station playlists and remixes. So pathetic, in fact, that I began to resent music, finding myself listening more to Public Radio than anything else. Not dissing Public Radio at all, but it just didn't feel like I should be listening to it everyday, every time I got in the car. That type of lifestyle is reserved for my old age, not under 40 years-old.

About a year ago, my hard drive on my MacBook crashed, leaving me with nothing (no, I hadn't backed it up at the time). This, plus a few other external influences got me off my ass and I got to rebuilding my music library.

My friend let me have all of his music from his hard drive, the ones not locked in iTunes format, and I began listening to everything he had. Not that I hadn't had heard of these bands/artists before, but I never really gave them the time of day. I started doing some research into these artists and groups and found all their best albums and went on a downloading spree.

Granted I didn't like EVERYTHING I heard, so I inevitably chopped out a few gigs of music that wasn't to my taste and began honing my library contents to music I would actually listen to.

I threw away any inhibition and started collecting songs and albums from before my childhood and on. Yes, anybody from N'SYNC and Britney Spears to Nine-Inch-Nails and The Smashing Pumpkins. I tend to feel self conscious listening to "Oops, I Did It Again" in my car, but it's not so bad when played before or after some other diverse music in a public environment or during a party.

I have found that I have a few favorite artists that I can't get enough of, as late as I am to appreciate them, like Kings of Leon and Evanescence.

Oddly, though, I don't flock to the hip/hop and rap that I used to be so fond of. Although I have an clear need to listen to Ne-Yo and other R&B songs every now and again, I don't like keeping myself on that playlist for very long.

It might be my desire to change or diversify my musical palette, but whatever it is, I know i'm enjoying my new found musical love.

Now and again I get suggestions to listen to new music or old music from my sister or friends. Sometimes I pretend not to enjoy the music they suggest, probably my prideful attitude, like I should be the one to find the good music myself, not anyone else. It's really sad, because there really isn't much music that I dislike, and I should be happy to share musical taste with others. It's something i'm working on, being more humble and willing to be more openly open-minded, if that makes any sense.

Anybody who LOVES a song or an artist is the type of person that I enjoy talking to about music. I get to see why they love the music they do, and what it reminds them of. Sometimes one gets to share an experience or feeling, and sometimes the feelings are alien, but it's always fairly personal to share those types of things, and I am nothing but grateful to the people who do.

Now holler back and tell me what you listen to.