I found myself today listening to an album via Roon I don’t really like, which got me thinking, that I often do this. Hence, I wondered if others do so also, or largely play something they know they’ll enjoy.
No, I always listen to the music I like
Sometimes, but I’m not sure why
Only when forced to (cringe)
Yes, quite often for the fun of it
Yes, to confirm why I didn’t enjoy the album
0voters
Note: I didn’t really understand ‘trust level’ associated with a poll - so I hope I got this right. A search did not help me either, so may have to delete if I didn’t select the right option.
I only listen to music I like. With subscriptions to Tidal and Qobuz there is enough music I like that I will never run out. That doesn’t mean I won’t try an album or performer I am not familiar with. However, if I don’t like the first track, I will quickly move to something else.
“forced to” is when my wife’s playlist is on or she is playing one of her CDs. I never listen to stuff I don’t like more than once. I’ll give anything a go, often as a result of recommendation by friends or on the “what are you listening to” thread here. But I’m long past the “,you need to listen to it multiple times and it will grow on you” stage. If it’s bollocks by track two then off it goes.
There is one option you forgot to add. I often listen to music of which I am unfamiliar. I don’t know if I like it until I listen to it. That option is not available…
I will skip tracks I don’t like all the bloody time. There is a large group of folks on the Steve Hoffman forums who will only listen to whole albums “as the artist intended”, but to me this is folly.
I almost exclusively listen to whole albums now. Then again, most of the albums I listen to now are from 1985 and earlier and were intended to be listened to as albums. I think it is an exceptionally good way to listen to music.
I only listen to whole albums, but it’s just how I do it. When the album finishes, I usually then listen to similiar music that Roon Radio presents. So far, I have almost 2000 albums linked, all of which I like, or they wouldn’t be linked.
I often listen to whole albums as well. I love the album format. But if I don’t like a song, I skip it. I don’t care if an artist thought the song was a good idea. “The Girl Is Mine”? skipped! “Not Now John”? skipped! “Revelation”? skipped! “Illegal Alien”? skipped! “Lost In the Supermarket”? skipped! Any Christmas-themed song on a regular album not during Christmas? skipped! If I am not in the mood for a song? skipped!
I can see by the written responses & I thank you, there are a number of different thoughts, but most don’t listen to music they don’t really like (seems kinda obvious).
Forced to by wife @ged_hickman1 or other person, will listen to unfamiliar @Speed_Racer (very true indeed) & then decide, life is too short @Saturn, move on if don’t like first track of a new/unfamiliar album @Jim_F, don’t even listen to a single track @Still-One are some of the reasons in a nutshell.
I think the back story to this was as per above I found myself listening to something I didn’t really like (it was a soundtrack, a musical posted recently in that section). And I was thinking to myself, it’s really not my style, but I can see why others may enjoy it. I suppose I’ll not specifically play some death metal for the sake of an example I know I won’t like, but I may occasionally play some metal that isn’t really my thing, whole albums at a time, trying to get what others like about the band/artist/album, especially when I’ve heard good things.
Further, I do listen to a lot of new (or new to me music) because I really enjoy exploring. And, I tend to mostly listen to full albums, but do let Roon ‘discover’ at the end of an album quite often (these days), until I’m ready to play another album. I find playlists get a bit repetitive & I only really make them for a purpose e.g selective mood listening. That though doesn’t mean I’ll not play an album in high repetition (such as the very recent the Microphones release), because I love it so much & try to pick up on all the lyrics and nuances.
A poll to find out how people listen e.g. full albums, tracks, playlists would also be interesting to understand how people listen to their music.
From posts on here over time asking for specific features you can infer that people listen to music in all sorts of ways. And I’m sure each requestor doesn’t just listen in one way.
I hardly ever listen to full albums, except for those that I do. I have one enormous playlist that I add songs I like or may like to and play that, except when I play an album, or another more specific playlist, or roon radio etceteras.
I started making mix tapes as soon as I got a tape recorder and that became my default. Mainly as the tape machine was personal whereas the Dansette was shared.
It’s also a generational thing, unless in to classical music, no 8 to 35 year old I ask ever listens to an album. If it’s not playlists it’s Alexa Siri Google play me some XXZXXYY.
Yes, I certainly noticed your posts of single tracks and varied music - like listening to some classic rock track back to back with maybe an indie artist and pop artist. It’s your style and it’s great & usually a bit eclectic.
I’m also a mixed tape person (I think we’ve touched base on this), from the cassette era and have made them (mixes), moving with the technology for friends all this time, up until now. With streaming it seems I’ve become outdated , other than having my selection all in one place, so essentially I’ve stopped.
Totally agreed Ged…Very much a generational thing also, my 22 year old Spotify user listens mostly to tracks of fav artists or often playlists curated for him. And indeed when he’s looking for a track it’s very much ‘Hey Goggle’.
The kids next door, aged five and eight, were in their paddling pool in the summer and were shouting out to Alexa to play tracks. Due to other kids noise they were really having to shout and repeat themselves.Confused the hell out of my mother who thought they were being very rude to this Alexa girl.
, other than having my selection all in one place, so essentially I’ve stopped. 
