# What music does one have to be familiar with to be considered "well listened"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235 "2005-01-11T17:54:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/1 "2005-01-11T17:54:40Z")
I remember seeing a similar thread for literature, and thought it would be interesting to do for music, as well. To be included are stuff that was influential in shaping its genre, as well as to stuff that can be pointed to as the height or a significant part of a movement, as well as stuff (most likely songs) that are just so well known as to be iconic. Let’s limit this to the last 50 years or so, and you can choose to nominate artists, albums, or songs, whichever you prefer. All genres welcome. I’ll get it started, I suppose, though I’m definitely not the best person for this. Some random shots in the great wide ocean: Groups: Beatles (duh) Rolling Stones Aerosmith Led Zeppelin Simon and Garfunkel David Bowie and Queen Sting Elton John Billy Joel Eric Clapton U2 Fleetwood Mac REM Pink Floyd Frank Zappa Elvis Costello Velvet Underground (Lou Reed) Grateful Dead Kate Bush Green Day Bob Dylan Garth Brooks Nirvana Radiohead Enya Bob Marley Bjork Metallica The Temptations Michael Jackson (and Jackson 5) Madonna Boys to Men Outkast Dave Matthews Band Yanni Norah Jones Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Yeah, I know, this list seems kind of random and reflects Grand Canyon-sized gaps in my music knowledge. I know virtually nothing about modern classical and jazz, salsa and other Latin-influenced music, rap, country, etc. Dispel my ignorance, please! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/2 "2005-01-11T18:46:59Z")
Well, just from the 60’s you left out the Beach Boys, the Kinks, the Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Moody Blues… And I guess they’d be within the last 50 years: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard. Stevie Wonder is a must. All of the musicians appearing in _The Blues Brothers_. Instead of just Sting, I would have put Sting and the Police. And included at least one or two other examples of 80’s pop/rock. (Duran Duran? Culture Club? Men at Work?) Seems to me the list could use another example or two of punk (the Clash? the Ramones?), prog-rock, 70’s singer-songwriters (James Taylor? Jackson Browne?), maybe arena rock (Styx? Jourmey?), ska and/or reggae… The Eagles? Tom Petty? ELO? Instead of making your own list, why not just look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Or one of those “100 Greatest…” lists that music mags like Rolling Stone publish? Or, heck, just listen to Weird Al’s polka medleys? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_As_I_Might)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/3 "2005-01-11T19:41:39Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > I know virtually nothing about modern classical and jazz, salsa and other Latin-influenced music, rap, country, etc. Dispel my ignorance, please! I certainly don’t know everything and my ignorance could also use a lot of dispelling. However, I’ll give it a shot. Jazz: it depends on what you like. I like Branford and Winston Marsales. Winston in aprticular does some very nice jazz fusion. I also like Marcus Roberts–he’s another jazz fusion musician. Anything by Stanley Jordan is well worth a listen to and Wes Montgmoery is a must. Take 5 by Dave Brubeck is unbelievable. Miles Davis and Coltrane are required listening; however, i find they sometimes get a little too esoteric for my tastes–even though they are total masters. I also like the Neville brothers although they might be considered R&B as well. Latin-influenced music: Gypsy Kings. very, very good. Mana’ is also very good. B-tribe is more electronica but they have some very apparent flamenco influences. They kind of sound like enigma goes to Spain to me. Eros is Italian, but I found his “best of” album is quite good if a bit overly-produced. Modern classical: I don’t listen to much of this if you are referring to composers. Individual musicians I like, on the other hand, include Yo-Yo Ma and John Williams (might be one of the more underrated guitarists since its over-shadowed by his cunducting). Maybe someone can chime in on this subject… Just for fun: blues: You can start with Robert Johnson and the other delta blues players, but I think most people find their music difficult to listen to at first. I would start with someone like muddy waters. He is a very appealling, “modern” blues player that really defined many of the players who followed him. I would also recommend B.B., Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, SRV of course, Johnny Winters, Freddy King, et cetera. Also, for fun, I would check out some new age like early Michael Hedges or anything off the Windham Hill record company. They have some very good stuff and some bad stuff. Anyway, that’s my .02. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/4 "2005-01-11T19:44:28Z")
I don’t think you can be well listened if you limit yourself to music of the last 50 years. My criteria would be If you can differentiate between music by Motzart, Beethoven, Tchycovsky, and Wagner. If you can differentiate between bebop, blues, gospel and soul. If you have some understanding of the evolution of popular music from blues and country roots to Elvis and Beatles, to Rock, to Punk, to New Age, to Rap. If you can name groups and music in many different genres and explain their qualities even if you don’t particularly like their music. I think that would be the key to being well listened. Not a set of albums, as it is possible to be well listened having never heard the whole of Srgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Dark Side of the Moon, Joshua Tree, London Calling, or OK Computer. But I would expect someone well listened to recognise the style and probably the artists involved in all those albums I listed. ---
**Author:** ![rorty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@rorty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rorty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/5 "2005-01-11T20:11:52Z")
Some of the great post-punk/new wave/alternative bands of the 80s/90s: The Cure Dinosaur Jr. Joy Division My Bloody Valentine Pixies Radiohead Sonic Youth ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/6 "2005-01-11T20:53:55Z")
Classical music of the past 50 years…hmmm…no particular order: Stockhausen Berio Xenakis Ferneyhough Lutoslawski Adams Messiaen Dillon Ustvolskaya Part Early Max Davies & Birtwistle 1960s Reich Britten Schnittke Shostakovich Gubaidulina ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/7 "2005-01-11T21:45:21Z")
Who do you want to consider you well-listened? Knowing the big names in jazz, classical, and the blues is a good start, and most people would probably consider you well-listened. But beyond that, you need to define your peer group. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/8 "2005-01-11T21:49:42Z")
Yanni ? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/9 "2005-01-11T21:58:51Z")
Y’know, I was just thinking that, paradoxically enough, in order to be “well-listened” a person ought to have at least one or two esoteric favorites they’re familiar with—artists that 95% of the people haven’t heard of and who don’t make it onto best-of lists. I took the OP to be interested in contemporary music; but if you want to be familiar with music, period, **Bippy** ’s advice is good. In particular when it comes to classical music, I’d recommend familiarizing oneself with the all-time great composers/compositions before worrying about what’s come along in the last 50 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/10 "2005-01-11T22:07:34Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Yanni ? Sorry, that was obnoxious. :smack: :o ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/11 "2005-01-12T00:02:14Z")
You would probably get a shorter list asking who _not_ to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/12 "2005-01-12T00:29:52Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > I’d recommend familiarizing oneself with the all-time great composers/compositions before worrying about what’s come along in the last 50 years or so. Trouble is, most people who try this run out of time and die before they’ve got past 1920 😉 . Of the composers I listed, I could highlight pieces from each which have plenty of appeal for somebody who knows zilch about anything pre-20th century. I find it shameful and self-important when people defend modern classical music as something that needs to be ‘understood’ in some historical context. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/13 "2005-01-12T00:55:51Z")
**Gorillaman** why no mention of Philip Glass? I can see Taverner being a bit too derivative to list, but can’t think of a reason not to mention Glass. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/14 "2005-01-12T01:05:24Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Of the composers I listed, I could highlight pieces from each which have plenty of appeal for somebody who knows zilch about anything pre-20th century. I’d be interested in seeing this, whether anybody else would or not. I know some works from the second half of the 20th century that are good, enjoyable, and substantial; but I don’t know what, if any, has emerged as “canonical” or “iconic” or the kind of thing that everybody in at least that corner of the musical world would be familiar with. (The _first_ half of the 20th century is a different story!) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/15 "2005-01-12T01:13:14Z")
well in my estimation you must have listened to, and be able to discuss classical, blues, jazz, rock, folk, punk, reggae, ska, indie, alternative, hiphop, motown, rap (yes there is a difference between rap and hip hop). Feel free to skip Pop, although you really should listen to early michael jackson. You know on second thought don’t skip pop just listen to it all so you realize how bad it really is. Now heres the real key to being a music snob, you’re not allowed to really like ANY of it. Just talk shit about how bad it all is. Even music that you like, make the disclaimer that whatever band it is sold out and totally sucks, but you still enjoy the music. After this you’ll be ready to DJ college radio. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/16 "2005-01-12T01:19:21Z")
> [@The Cat](#): > > well in my estimation you must have listened to, and be able to discuss classical, blues, jazz, rock, folk, punk, reggae, ska, indie, alternative, hiphop, motown, rap (yes there is a difference between rap and hip hop). Punk, hiphop, rap, and ska but no metal? Where’s the love…er, hate? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/17 "2005-01-12T02:12:53Z")
sorry, to me Metal is intertwined with Rock. But I can see how making a distinction between rap and hip hop and not making one between metal and elvis is a pretty big mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/18 "2005-01-12T02:13:09Z")
Hmm… Bippy has a good point in that being familiar with genres may in some cases be more valuable than knowing any particular folks in those genres. Also the differentiation-between-styles and evolution criteria, but that’s kinda hard to quantify… Let’s do this by genre, then, and we may as well take off the past 50 years limit. But keep in mind that this is to be generally well-listened, and not well-listened within any particular genre. Including your posts, here’s a preliminary list… Classical Beethoven Bach Mozart Chopin Rachmaninov Lizst Vivaldi Wagner Tchaikofsky Mendelssohn Strauss Gershwin Dvorak Brahms Handel Pachelbel (if only for that ubiquitous canon) Shostakovich? Debussy? Yo-yo ma? Pop/Rock: Elvis Beatles Rolling Stones Beach Boys Kinks Creedence Clearwater Revival The Moody Blues Chuck Berry Buddy Holly Stevie Wonder Little Richie Jerry Lee Lewis The Who Aerosmith Led Zeppelin Simon and Garfunkel David Bowie and Queen The Eagles Duran Duran Depeche Mode Sting and Police Elton John Billy Joel Eric Clapton U2 Fleetwood Mac REM Pink Floyd Velvet Underground (Lou Reed) Grateful Dead The Temptations Kate Bush Red Hot Chili Peppers Michael Jackson (and Jackson 5) Madonna Dave Matthews Band Folk? Bob Dylan Punk/New Wave/Alternative/Grunge/Metal (distinctions here often elude me) The Cure Dinosaur Jr. Joy Division My Bloody Valentine Pixies The Clash Radiohead Sonic Youth Elvis Costello Green Day Frank Zappa? Weezer Bjork Nirvana Metallica Country (I really have no clue) Johnny Cash Garth Brooks? New Age? Enya Enigma? Yanni? Reggae (no clue) Bob Marley R&B (who’s important here?) Boys to Men Rap/Hip Hop (no clue, really) Vanilla Ice? Puff Daddy? Tupac? Outkast Eminem? Latin-influenced Gypsy Kings Mana Carlos Santana? Crooners (what do you call this?) Frank Sinatra Nat King Cole Dean Martin Bing Crosby Burt Bacharach Norah Jones Dance/Trance/Techno (no clue) Jazz Louis Armstrong Duke Ellington Miles Davis Thelonious Monk Benny Goodman John Coltrane Dave Brubeck Ella Fitzgerald Glenn Miller Winston Marsales Marcus Roberts? Branford? Wes Montgomery Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Blues Robert Johnson BB King Buddy Guy Albert Collins Robert Cray SRV Johnny Winters Freddy King Any glaring omissions? Anything that should be taken out (seems like we could cut out quite a bit, esp. from pop/rock)? Any genres that should be clarified/added/deleted (what really is soul, bebop, gospel? how do you divvy up the various alternative rock genres)? This may be getting a bit much, but the whole point is to get a rough idea of and listen to the essentials in each genre… ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/19 "2005-01-12T03:13:37Z")
I can chime in on country music a bit. One should have a passing familiarity with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Marty Robbins, Chet Akins, Porter Wagonner, Loretta Lynn, Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers, Hoyt Axton, Flatt & Scruggs, Hank Williams, Sr., Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. It might be useful to be able to tell the difference between bluegrass, western swing and “Opry” country, too. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235/20 "2005-01-12T03:43:18Z")
Well, metal is the only musical form that I know really well, so I’ll write on that. Impressing the average person is really easy, because they barely know anything. Just mention a few bands like Morbid Angel, or Carcass, or Dissection, or really anything that sounds vaguely gross and/or Satanic, and they’ll fear you. Impressing your metalheads is a little tougher. Basically, you have to pick a style and get to know it really well. There are five basic styles that break down into about 30 genres, so you’ve got a little bit of work ahead of you. That makes it a little tough to write a list, cause even if I limit myself to two major bands per genre, that’s still 60 or so bands. I don’t feel like writing that out, and nobody probably feels like reading it all. At the very least, I’d say you need to understand the difference between black metal and death metal (and grindcore if you’re adventurous); to be able to roughly point to when Black Sabbath’s influence overtook Led Zeppelin’s; and to be able to explain why Metallica’s recent work has drawn such ire. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-does-one-have-to-be-familiar-with-to-be-considered-well-listened/284235.md?page=2)