What's the proper answer to this? I've been asked this in the past, most recently by my cousin. I don't like "a little bit of everything" because you sound like a jackass and they inevitably respond "yeah, me too" only for you to discover that they don't, in fact, listen to everything. They listen to one shitty genre and know a couple of rap songs.

I also don't like "mostly indie rock" because they either don't know what that means, assume you mean radio indie bands like Death Cab and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or assume you're a pompous hipster.

I also don't like "alternative rock" because, for me at least, that conjures up radio rock like Linkin Park, Nirvana, and Foo Fighters.



So what am I supposed to say? Predominantly rock music? Use classifiers they probably won't know like alt-country and twee pop? Or just list some bands I like?

I tried the last approach. I did, out of futility, say "a bit of everything" but followed up with noting that some of my favorite bands are Belle And Sebastian, Eels, and Guster.

Mind you, he said "oh ya, me too" to my first comment, then said that he likes Underoath.

Yeah I've been apartment hunting/roommate hunting lately so I get this annoyingly often.

I haven't found a good answer yet, since I guess I feel pretty much the same way you do.

Assuming you don't actually care, you could just make up some genre and then ramble on with a bunch of bs about it till they decide to stop asking questions.

I also don't like name checking bands since they either haven't heard of them, or if they have they want to start talking about it.

I HATE this question.

I try to say something like "well on the weekend I saw blah blah blah, at the troubador...they were pretty good, have you heard of them?"

I tell people I'm heavily into Russian Accordian Gangster Rap.

I usually say indie along with classic alternative/college radio music. Most people around here know what type of music you listen to when you mention it is the type of stuff they play on the College radio station KRNU.
Occassionally someone will mention some somewhat commercial band and ask if I mean like them, and I will politely say no.

this question bugs me if the person doesn't have any clue about the music i listen to. if i say "electronic" music, they think "trance." if i say "techno," they think shitty trance. if i say "indie rock," they have no idea and try to get me to name bands. i get so frustrated.

so, i just stick with my mantra and just say "polka." that'll get them to shutup.

I just say "anything that has a soul"

I usually have a mix cd somewhere nearby, and hand it to them. 98% of the time, it gets handed back with no comment.

I usually go with "rock"

... with some bits of hip-hop, metal, jazz.

I listen to "music that I like. And I'm always looking for something new... usually off the beaten path.".

Then I'll rattle off a few of my favorites:
"Lately I've been listening to a lot of Kinks, Hank Williams Sr., John Coltrane, Super Furry Animals, Nick Lowe, and Tom Zé."

Then, I'll inevitibly get a quizzical look and have to explain who Tom Zé and Super Furry Animals are.

And the subject will be changed or else I'll be able to turn them on to something different, if they have an open mind.

If music is playing nearby, like on a radio or the PA of a restaurant, I usually respond with "Not this crap!"

A good way to avoid this is to use the Bill Cosby trick - ask them first. Whatever they respond with, unless it's Russian Accordian Gansta you can easily find some bridges to cross.

Or you could do the Freaky Friday trick and switch ipods for the day.

you know what people love to say to this question... some version of:

i like everything, well, except [insert country or rap here, sometimes a weird alternate genre].

that one makes me want to go bas rutten on somebody.

no shrimp boat i notice

D'OH!!!

That's because 99% of people don't give a damn about your answer, but they want to share theirs. Take a note from Dale Carnegie and let them tell you all about theirs, so that they feel special. Might help you get ahead in this world.

(not you, bort, but the original post)

"pretty much everything"

Jail Rock
Songs About Fucking
Rap about Selling Cocaine
Anything that makes you feel like ripping someone's heart out and eating it in front of them
Monger Music

You know, the usual.

Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To?

yeah, i hate this question, too.

i've noticed that the typical answer is "everything".

i usually say, "indie rock" or "anything scottish" and leave it at that, 'cause i really don't listen to jazz or blues or anything else anymore. at least not enough to say that it's what i'm into.

I like both kinds.

Country AND Western.

I checked out of a store the other day with one of each of these genres: Son Volt, Marvin Gaye, Sonic Youth's RR, Thievery Corp.

I got a wierd look and a,"What are you, into indie music or something?"

I just said I like anything that strikes me and hate to have it forced down my throat via the media.

good answer

i try to never respond to this. when i do, i end up listing genres until i can tell the person is bored. stupid questions deserve stupid answers.