Are women and men on different tracks when it comes to their favourite music?

[Primitive_Painter]

I'm curious to read your thoughts on the article below:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3393148.ece

 

[Kewpie]

Thanks for a very interesting article, but I can't agree with the analysis.

They could've asked other jounalists rather than those two.

A lot of my female friends say that they prefer male singers than female singers, but I'm a minority.

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

But what I have learnt is that I don’t need to. It doesn’t actually matter. That’s how men talk about music. They treat discussions about popular culture like it’s some secret nerd-battle, where you use your superior arsenal of trivial facts to prove that you love the Clash more than anyone else around the table at the time.

Women, on the other hand, prove that they love a song by either screaming: “I love this song!” and getting up and dancing to it, or wailing: “I love this song!” and bursting into tears. Women make jokes about the band’s hair, drink a shot of tequila for each time Rihanna sings the word “umbrella”, and work out in which order they would have sex with the band lineup – a popular, diverting game known as “Shag Order”.

No... and, no.

Men and women are rewarded differently for their participation in music as fans and as consumers. Just as girls are subtly discouraged from liking (and therefore being good at) math, they are rewarded for being good little screaming teenyboppers, and, later, good little (no longer so little) John-Mayer-Colbie-Caillat-Kelly-Clarkson CD buyers. The world is dumbed down in marketing to women, because it's easier to sell a gut emotional reaction than to sell challenging thoughts, and women are rewarded socially for being emotional.

Men may geek out and memorize piles of useless trivia (same as those who adore sports) but that is only what anyone who loves a subject will do, given the social freedom to immerse oneself in it.

This is why I've resolved to have no feelings at all anymore. I'll be the icy one with superior control. World, beware!

 

[Primitive_Painter]

Thanks for a very interesting article, but I can't agree with the analysis.

They could've asked other jounalists rather than those two.

A lot of my female friends say that they prefer male singers than female singers, but I'm a minority.

I don't agree with the analysis either Kewpie and I'm with you - perspectives from other journalists would have been greatly appreciated.

No... and, no.

Men and women are rewarded differently for their participation in music as fans and as consumers. Just as girls are subtly discouraged from liking (and therefore being good at) math, they are rewarded for being good little screaming teenyboppers, and, later, good little (no longer so little) John-Mayer-Colbie-Caillat-Kelly-Clarkson CD buyers. The world is dumbed down in marketing to women, because it's easier to sell a gut emotional reaction than to sell challenging thoughts, and women are rewarded socially for being emotional.

Men may geek out and memorize piles of useless trivia (same as those who adore sports) but that is only what anyone who loves a subject will do, given the social freedom to immerse oneself in it.

This is why I've resolved to have no feelings at all anymore. I'll be the icy one with superior control. World, beware!

Great points. The reactions which people give credence to are also a result of social forces. As you pointed out our paths to demonstrating our love for a subject differ due to social rewards and consequences. I think its also interesting to explore how each is valued differently in a given place - Is one considered greater or lesser than the other? Is demonstrating emotion or intelligence given more accolade in our society and does this article reinforce the positive/negative connotations associated with demonstrating one over the other? I find the 'emotional' and 'intellectual' analaysis described in the article as limited and childlike and a disservice to both men and women. One could argue that this limitation in scope disregards the value in both. I do enjoy investigating the "intellectual" level side of music, but personally, I also have no shame in saying I absolutely love the emotional aspects of music. Its much deeper than the article bothers to delve into though, and Id like to think I experience this emotion due to being human as opposed to being female.

 

[MunchyBrain]

"That is, quite obviously, the more pure response to music. After all, no bands form with the dream of being speccily rowed over by trainspotting blokes in the no-fun corner of the pub. They form to make ladies drink, dance on tables, and want to have sex with them. "

That is ridiculously insulting to women and most musicians.

"Certainly, in the dusty secondhand record shop where I regularly browse I have only seen one woman there."

I see women in record shops a lot...including myself.

I hate both these people so much.

 

[Nats1977]

"That is, quite obviously, the more pure response to music. After all, no bands form with the dream of being speccily rowed over by trainspotting blokes in the no-fun corner of the pub. They form to make ladies drink, dance on tables, and want to have sex with them. "

That is ridiculously insulting to women and most musicians.

"Certainly, in the dusty secondhand record shop where I regularly browse I have only seen one woman there."

I see women in record shops a lot...including myself.

I hate both these people so much.

100% agree. I have worked in a music shop for 12 years and mixed with trainspotters both male & female - these opinions are offensive to both sexes.
My music knowledge beats most men I know, my pub quiz skills are renowned

 

[Sherry]

Didnt like the article. It was kinda lame. Their focusing on cliches. What about girls like me- that aren't part of their majority....I'm a music trivia nerd, I love records. I like bootlegs. I like battling it out with my Smiths trivia facts, regardless if anyone wants to hear it or not. When my friends come over I take out my Morrissey articles and cds and lay them out, by date sometimes, and stare at them and put them away. Cuz I think its cool. So yes. Girls do that. Why does it have to be either or? I DO like to get emotion out of music- which leads me to want to know about its production and "intellectual" stuff. They go hand in hand. I dont like it when things are split by gender. really.

 

[Patrick!]

ladies don't like long guitar solos.

 

[oscillate wildly]

I am ashamed to see so many women at this male singer's forum. go listen to Jewel or something.

 

[Stoner Kebab]

ladies don't like long guitar solos.

http://www.lala.com/#album/504684633533775648

do you think ladies would like jim steinman?

 

[Anaesthesine]

Oh, this is soooooo true.

I really like to listen to music made by cute guys. They are like secret boyfriends who sing just for me.

I like to get together with my girlfriends and we listen to our favorite music and dance around the room laughing and crying and hugging and talking about our feelings. Then we talk about what band members we would marry, and which ones are just gross.

Sometimes I like to listen to female singers, too, and I want to be just like them. I really like it when they sing about love and being sad, because it makes me cry and I feel all emotional and I know that they know just how I feel. Sometimes when they sing about being strong, it makes me feel strong, too. It's like having a girlfriend or a sister who knows all your secrets.

I don't understand about amplifiers and recording studios and guitars. All those technical words and numbers are confusing. I don't like old record stores either because they are dirty and I don't know how play records, anyway. Who cares about all that creepy old stuff?

 

[Stoner Kebab]

Oh, this is soooooo true.

I really like to listen to music made by cute guys. They are like secret boyfriends who sing just for me.

I like to get together with my girlfriends and we listen to our favorite music and dance around the room laughing and crying and hugging and talking about our feelings. Then we talk about what band members we would marry, and which ones are just gross.

Sometimes I like to listen to female singers, too, and I want to be just like them. I really like it when they sing about love and being sad, because it makes me cry and I feel all emotional and I know that they know just how I feel. Sometimes when they sing about being strong, it makes me feel strong, too. It's like having a girlfriend or a sister who knows all your secrets.

I don't understand about amplifiers and recording studios and guitars. All those technical words and numbers are confusing. I don't like old record stores either because they are dirty and I don't know how play records, anyway. Who cares about all that creepy old stuff?

are you being serious?

 

[Anaesthesine]

are you being serious?

Dude, the last guitar work I recorded was on an Ibanez EDB600 which I ran into a Zoom multi-effects (pedal board) with a rack-mounted Line 6 POD patched through the Zoom's external effects loop. The flange and the delay on the Zoom were fantastic, but the POD had a superior distortion.

Not a very high-end guitar, but I got a beautiful, warm, aggressive spectrum out of that set-up.

I was in an old record store earlier today, breathing in that intoxicating vinyl-and-cardboard smell.

 

[oscillate wildly]

Oh, this is soooooo true.

I really like to listen to music made by cute guys. They are like secret boyfriends who sing just for me.

I like to get together with my girlfriends and we listen to our favorite music and dance around the room laughing and crying and hugging and talking about our feelings. Then we talk about what band members we would marry, and which ones are just gross.

Sometimes I like to listen to female singers, too, and I want to be just like them. I really like it when they sing about love and being sad, because it makes me cry and I feel all emotional and I know that they know just how I feel. Sometimes when they sing about being strong, it makes me feel strong, too. It's like having a girlfriend or a sister who knows all your secrets.

I don't understand about amplifiers and recording studios and guitars. All those technical words and numbers are confusing. I don't like old record stores either because they are dirty and I don't know how play records, anyway. Who cares about all that creepy old stuff?

exactly. I like doing the dishes, laundry, or tucking the kids into bed when I listen to music.

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

exactly. I like doing the dishes, laundry, or tucking the kids into bed when I listen to music.

It makes carpool time so much more fun!

 

[malvachat]

exactly. I like doing the dishes, laundry, or tucking the kids into bed when I listen to music.

Quite right too.

 

[Will_Never_Marry]

ladies don't like long guitar solos.

I do, especially the long guitar solo at the end of Once Upon A Long Ago by Paul McCartney, blows me away it's amazing.

There's quite a few guitar solos in songs by Paul McCartney which are brilliant. Some guitar solos by other bands/artists are also good.

When I was about 10 years younger I used to hate guitar solos but as you get older I guess they grow on you. Maybe that's just me I dunno.

 

[sistasheila]

100% agree. I have worked in a music shop for 12 years and mixed with trainspotters both male & female - these opinions are offensive to both sexes.
My music knowledge beats most men I know, my pub quiz skills are renowned

i had worked in record shop too and have quite a knowledge but customers were often hestitant ot ask me they very often prefered asking the 30/40 th domething male co workers ..when they did ask me cause no male was around (or did see me with a bandshirt they had on occasions said to me:i didnt expect you had knowledge about music/know that band

are you being serious?

i dont think so she was being serious, she rather was being satirical
@anaesthesine you forgot the part where we comb oeach others hair and braid them

 

[Happy Maudlin]

ladies don't like long guitar solos.

That's I looked for at one point. I respond dually to the emotional and intellectual aspect of guitar-solos. I focus on both the technical prowess and the emotional feeling. But I am not attracted musical indulgence anymore.I like electronic music more now. My thoughts on the article is that its poorly concieved and executed. They were really lazy on this one.

 

[someofusisturningnasty]

"That is, quite obviously, the more pure response to music. After all, no bands form with the dream of being speccily rowed over by trainspotting blokes in the no-fun corner of the pub. They form to make ladies drink, dance on tables, and want to have sex with them. "

That is ridiculously insulting to women and most musicians.

"Certainly, in the dusty secondhand record shop where I regularly browse I have only seen one woman there."

I see women in record shops a lot...including myself.

I hate both these people so much.

In agreement with this.