music listening burnout.

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Right now, I think I'm suffering from some sort of music listening burnout. Admitedly I have found some tunes pretty good, but I've not found anything that's gave me the "That's Fantastic!" feeling or thrill-butterflies in the stomach. Part of this is because I'm out of the loop, not bought a music mag in ages, and I'm still testing the water when it comes to Online reviews. On the other hand I'm beginning to fear I might just not love music as much anymore.

Has anyone else felt like this? Would be curious to know if this has been a great year for music and I've just missed most of it, or if I'm justified in not feeling particularly excited.

― fractal (fractal), Saturday, 7 December 2002 02:26 (twenty-three years ago)

This has been a pretty piss-poor year in music, it's true. The stuff I've gotten legimately excited this year has invarialby been older stuff for the most part (exceptions have been the new Flaming Lips, Brendan Benson and the Queens of the New Stuff). I certainly couldn't blame anyone for being disillusioned (although I'm not trying to sound like cynical ol' Joni Mitchell). There just hasn't been anything that's really blown my ears back in a great while.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 7 December 2002 04:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Good year for music, bad year for musicians.

― Horace Mann, Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Music: 1, Shitpile of the Universe: 4,999,999,999

― Greg Leibel, Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Has anyone else felt like this?

Yup.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 7 December 2002 07:11 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm pleased someone else brought this up. I've felt this, too. And about movies as well-anyone seen a truly AMAZING movie in the past twelve months? It makes me feel jaded and old.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Saturday, 7 December 2002 08:05 (twenty-three years ago)

this idea that there's some "new music" that will really do it, i think it's a popular misconception that the music industry has ridden on for years -- the myth that there's a new choice you can buy that will quench your thirst (because it's the latest invention and will supercede older models)

it's something to do with how fashion is about the latest season, something to do with finding a new musical experience that rewards in the same way as some other stuff you're now bored with, but how do you know it won't be the same dead end, this new in 2002 stuff ?

the best thing for me here in this forum is that on the discussion of some style or genre or band that's recent, someone else lurking will be able to say, "oh, that's a bit like this record form 1975, and this one from 1968 might have been the first to it, but i don't know which is better so i listened to this other stuff instead", pointing you to similar treats on the one hand and providing 180 degree alternatives on the other

outgrowing a musically enjoyable feeling -- is it different from just having heard the same tune too often ? can you really outgrow music in this way ? (i haven't been able to)

why do i need to listen to music anyway ? it's a very basic need for me, so i think i know the feeling Ned's written about, as i think we've both probably "been through" a lot of music, which may make the whole process seem a little pointless, but i wouldn't be interested in this ilx board if there wasn't this continual drive for new musical experience, some suggestions from the more outside world, some quest i'm on for otherly music (which might turn out to be fruitless, but here i am)

― george gosset (gegoss), Saturday, 7 December 2002 08:11 (twenty-three years ago)

lots of people go through this burnout/ "no music i want to play here" feeling i just got reminded -- maybe it'a a rare moment of lucid meditation on the pointlessness of listening to music, taking it seriousley, discussing it here

throw away all your records and cds -- take the opportunity to get rid of all the music related activities from your life and you'll have all this extra time

― george gosset (gegoss), Saturday, 7 December 2002 08:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Having hit my 30s, I've been through this several times ... the "oh god, nothing excites me" or the more intellectual question "how could there ever be anything new after this?"

But there always is.

Face it, there's already more music in the world than you have time to listen to in your lifetime. And contrary to popular cynical opinion, most of it is prett good. It exists because it did excite someone enough to make it and record it; and it can probably excite you.

When there isn't something genuinely new going on, that's a perfect opportunity to go and explore something you missed from the past or another culture.

― phil jones (interstar), Saturday, 7 December 2002 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm gonna stay rockin forever.

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 7 December 2002 14:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Thanks for the answers. Particularly enjoyed Ned's article as it made me realise that I'm going through a year when the recurring emotion is a sort of ennui(don't even know if that's the right word) or 'so what?' feeling. I should really take the advice given and discover music at my own pace, and not worry about trying to discover musical genius right now.

― fractal (fractal), Saturday, 7 December 2002 15:12 (twenty-three years ago)

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