Music Shaming

Music is the universal language to the ears. Regardless of where you are from, the tunes you listen to can incite joy in your day whenever you are feeling gloomy. Nowadays, the popular genres of music include rap, R&B, hip-hop, indie and more, and may have individual fan bases to support their favorite artists. However, music shaming continues to be a factor that makes many music listeners feel inferior based on their preferences, or feel “out of the loop” with whatever is considered tasteful at the moment.

Music shaming is evident in many genres and artists. The foundation of music shaming is made up of prior stereotypes that many people have nitpicked based on its origins and overall style. For instance, Taylor Swift continues to be music shamed because it is assumed that her general fanbase is made up of adolescent girls, or that her whole discography consists of songs that she produced based on her long list of boyfriends. However, no one applauds that all of these hit songs were personally written by her, which is very telling of how artistically talented she is when showing her personal storytelling through her writing. While not enjoying an artist is valid, it is unreasonable to project animosity toward them or their fanbase simply because their music preference is not in line with what others believe is considered to be “cool” at the moment.

I’ve personally experienced embarrassment through my enjoyment of K-pop. I enjoy the genre simply because many songs are incredibly well produced, and the artists sacrifice a large amount of time in executing choreography alongside it for the sake of aesthetic. Whenever people ask what my favorite genre is, I always avoid the word “K-pop” because I am aware of the numerous questions alongside it that may lead me to feel inferior. It may brand me as a generic Asian who supports a genre that they cannot understand, or a psychotic fan whose whole life revolves around obsessing over idols, buying tickets and albums, or even targeting other fan bases on Twitter. Of course, I will always remember whether a certain song cheered me up on a bad day, or how proud I was whenever my favorite group made a comeback and delivered incredible content for their fans. That itself should not make me feel ashamed to be a K-pop fan, regardless of anyone’s opinions.

No one’s music preferences should be shamed because it is a reflection of your personality. I have personally learned that you should confront your fears and go against the prior assumptions made by others. If you feel isolated based on your music taste, here are some ideas that may make you feel more comfortable:

Communicate with your friends about their biases:
Although it is difficult to do so, try to give them the opportunity to voice out their opinions. You can simply dismiss these claims if they are false and even provide them a perspective of how your music taste is a significant part of your life. 

Engage with the fanbase online:
Every social media platform, especially Twitter and Instagram, have many accounts that engage with a specific community of music fans. If you ever feel isolated, you can simply visit their pages, enjoy their content, or even comment. I personally know of some fan bases that create special days in order to collectively listen to an artist’s music on Spotify, and doing so can make you feel accepted.

Unapologetically listen to your music:
Blast your music in your room! Your family may hear it, and who knows, maybe they may actually enjoy your music and listen to it with you in the future.

Ultimately, everyone is uniquely different and one’s music preference should not be discriminated against solely because it does not fit with whatever is popular these days. Regardless, confidently embrace your music preferences and what it stands for. At the end of the day, the only thing that will fully appreciate whatever you choose to listen to are your ears.

​​Lana