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BobDobFrisbee t1_j63gaqz wrote

I think that both of the ideas you listed are true for most of us. I’d also add to your list: We listen to music because it expresses how we used to feel. (The nostalgia aspect of music can’t be overstated.) Additionally, I would say that I listen to music because - 1. it’s the most pleasurable way to escape the annoying aspects of life, and 2. it connects me to the rest of the world in ways that nothing else can.

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Relative-Tone-4429 OP t1_j63h4qc wrote

Thanks for the addition there, that makes sense. I guess it depends what we want in that moment. Do you think you know why you're listening to music? Or is it not really something that crosses your mind until someone asks you about it?

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BobDobFrisbee t1_j63kstr wrote

Well…growing up in the 1960’s, my childhood wasn’t…ideal. So I listened to music as a means of escape. I listened mainly to the music and paid little attention to the lyrics. As I got older and things got better, I’d listen to both the music and the lyrics. That’s when I realized that others were experiencing some of the same things I was feeling, which is how I started to become more a part of the world, rather than just a silent observer/listener. Music is never just background noise to me. I’m an active listener rather than a passive one. If a song grabs me, I want to learn all I can about the artist, the writer(s), the inspiration behind it, the recording process, etc. Yeah, I’m kind of OCD when it comes to music. With just a few exceptions, I appreciate all genres. I believe it was Duke Ellington who said “there are only two kinds of music…good music and bad music.” ✌🏻

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