Listening to full albums in order is the only way to listen to music.
By @kiraforsure · Music
My friends say I'm being a pretentious snob, but I think they're the ones missing out. You wouldn't watch a movie on shuffle, so why do that to an album?
The full story
I'm in a few group chats for music discussion and this is a recurring argument. My stance is simple: if an artist releases an album, they've put thought into the track order. It's a journey, a story, a specific mood they're trying to create from beginning to end. Skipping around or just cherry-picking the hits for a playlist completely disrespects that artistry. My friends and pretty much everyone else in these chats think I'm insane. They say they just want to listen to the songs they like. They'll make playlists with 100 songs from 100 different artists and have it on in the background while they work or clean. They call me a gatekeeper for saying that's a lesser experience. Last night it got heated. Someone posted a playlist that had a song from a really emotional, conceptual album sandwiched between a hyperpop song and a generic rap track. I commented that it was musical whiplash and a crime against the original album. Now they're all ganging up on me, saying I'm taking it too seriously and that music is meant to be enjoyed however you want. I get that, in theory. But at what point does 'personal enjoyment' become a complete disregard for the art form? They're hearing the songs, but they aren't listening to the album. They're consuming content, not experiencing art. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. Is it really that pretentious to think that an album is more than just a collection of singles?
How people voted
- Facts — 31% (56 votes)
- Depends — 34% (60 votes)
- No Way — 35% (62 votes)
Readers are split: “No Way” leads with 35% — 178 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@jaredkay — I feel like being called a 'gatekeeper' was probably preceded by some pretty aggressive comments from you.
@piaok — Make a playlist of *just* the first and last tracks of all their favorite albums and see how they like it.
@sashayy — What happens when you get in a car and someone else puts on a playlist?
@hanklately — You're not a gatekeeper, you just appreciate the artist's intent.
@alsoyikes — let people enjoy things.
Keep reading
- People don't appreciate a good 'no-skip' album anymore.
- Bands who rerecord their old albums are just scamming their fans.
- We cannot agree on the right way to listen to a new album.
- Listening to an album on shuffle should be a crime.
- Using a band's most popular song as your alarm is actually super disrespectful.