Is some music better than other music?, A vexed question. Options

[wakibaki]

The question is exactly as posed in the thread title. Is some music better than other music?

For myself, I have long been convinced that some music is indeed better than other music. That all music can be ranked on a scale of 'goodness', given that no piece is necessarily of consistent quality from end-to-end.

For example, I might sing a song. I might sing it slightly out of tune in a particular passage. I might sing it again, without singing out of tune.

All other things being equal, I would rate the second rendition better than the first.

I think this applies across the board, that there is an intrinsic quality in music (or: are qualities) which make(s) it possible to say that one piece is better than another.

I know that not everybody agrees with this, some holding that there is no intrinsic quality in either piece, and that the differences are all to do with my perceptions, but I don't feel that this is adequate to explain the cultivation of musical expression and appreciation. I only got the perceptions by comparing good with worse.

Once, in the course of trying to teach a particularly obtuse guitar student, I was confronted with a somewhat existential position. 'You make a sound, I make a sound', I paraphrase his contribution, 'They're both sounds, there's nothing to make the sound you make any more valid than the sound I make.' He never did turn out much of a guitarist, but then maybe if I had been a better teacher I would have had a better answer than to burn him with a cigarette.

Despite that, I understand how some might find it offensive to be told that the music they like is intrinsically inferior to some other music. It could be seen as preferable to put it all down to personal preferences rather than risk confrontation.

I don't see anybody here backing away from a confrontation though. So, is some music better than other music?

[simonh]

It's an interesting question. One approach could be to do what IMDB do with films. If 20,000 people have voted on a film and the average turns out to be 5/10, I usually agree. Rent, don't buy. I won't bother watching anything voted as less than 5/10. The wisdom of the crowd must count more than one individuals judgement. Have a look at the IMDB Top 250. There is not a *bad* film in there. It might not include your favourite film but all will be "good" films.

This post has been edited by simonh: Mar 30 2012, 13:16

[dhromed]

Have a look at the IMDB Top 250. There is not a *bad* film in there. It might not include your favourite film but all will be "good" films.

I happen to think that Rocky and Star Trek (2009) are quite bad in most ways that matter to me. I turned off Rocky half way, and Star Trek left me empty inside and with a craving for things with more substance, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

But since those are the only ones out of 250, I suppose I can actually support your point.

[mudlord]

I happen to think that Rocky and Star Trek (2009) are quite bad in most ways that matter to me. I turned off Rocky half way, and Star Trek left me empty inside and with a craving for things with more substance, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

How does a program marketed towards preteen girls have more substance?

[Kohlrabi]

I happen to think that Rocky and Star Trek (2009) are quite bad in most ways that matter to me. I turned off Rocky half way, and Star Trek left me empty inside and with a craving for things with more substance, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

How does a program marketed towards preteen girls have more substance?

That is the real problem with today's mainstream cinema, isn't it?