understand the appeal of contemporary music

Been listening to lots and lots and lots of coldplay. Also been enjoying Jack Johnson and the selection in Rock Band. I’d say I’m most of the way to saying I’ve done this, simply because my appreciation of music in general is beginning to reach something above and beyond; I’m noticing more intricacies and mathematical patterns in even the simplest music, and starting to hear individual instrument voices more readily. This helps a lot in finding something interesting in genres I usually regard poorly.

Note to self: CHeck out Explosions in the Sky… foreign band that sounds, of all things, original. Go figure.

I’ve been listening to a capella and rag (and not even good stuff) and way way way way more of the classical channel than usual. I need to find more new bands worth listening to.

Took my first step – I like about 3 songs from OK Go!, so I went and bought both their albums (2 are on one, 1 on the other). I’ll be forcing myself to listen to the songs I don’t like and just sort of wade around in amicable waters and see if I can make good on this goal.

I have a really cynical approach to contemporary music, but I’d like to understand more about how it develops culturally.

Maybe, just maybe, every cynical thing I think about modern music (i.e. they have no talent and add nothing to the progress of music in general) is true; even in that case, I still want to have stronger evidence and affirmation of these opinions than to take them on cynical faith.