During my afternoon walk one day, I began thinking, I really don't like it when people suggest to me that I am intellectually superior to others in my age group because of my musical interests. I appreciate the respect I get from others, but I have learned that what you listen to does not always define your level of intelligence.
There were students at my school who did great academically and were also very well-spoken, yet had no idea what King Crimson or Yes was. Instead, they enjoyed what was popular on the radio (which drives ME crazy). That's their choice, and I don't mind it. On the other hand, I have encountered some very close-minded and rude people who happen to love all the same bands as I do. They said awful things to me and refused to listen to what I had to say.
I appreciate the things people say about me, but sometimes it really bothers me when I'm viewed as smarter than others because of my favorite bands.
For example, I was once tagged in a photo of two different brain sizes: one normal size and one about the size of a penny. The caption under the normal brain said something along the lines of, "The brain of a person who listens to prog," while the caption under the penny-sized brain said something like, "The brain of someone who listens to rap, pop, etc." I felt so uncomfortable as I figured out the message of the image: You're smarter if you listen to prog ONLY.
Believe it or not, friends, my musical tastes stretch farther than just what progressive music has to offer. While prog makes up the majority of what I love musically, I also do get some enjoyment out of more recent music of different genres. That doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" or One Republic's "Counting Stars," though. The unfortunate thing, is that the radio stations that are most popular among most kids (girls, at least) my age stick to the songs that are highest up on the charts and play only those for most of the day. In the recent years, I have familiarized myself with the music of The Killers, Keane, Arcade Fire, and other great modern bands.
What I find appealing about The Killers is that they are able to blend the influence they gained from U2 and Elton John with their own unique sound and ability to tell stories with their lyrics. Same goes for Keane. Something I find somewhat "progressive" of The Killers is that they have developed their sound between the years 2004 to the present day, straying away from a harder rock sound to a blend of electronic and rock elements.
The Killers, Keane, and Arcade Fire all share something very special in common: their sound cannot be mistaken for any other band. If I hear Arcade Fire, I know I'm listening to Arcade Fire, and if I hear The Killers, I know I'm listening to The Killers. You get the idea.
I have observed that the most popular music lacks the intellect that exists within other modern bands out there. My point is, don't jump to conclusions about my generation's music based on what you hear when you tune your radio to 102.7 KIIS FM. There ARE good bands out there that strive to achieve similar goals that the older bands we know and love had with their music.
Music changes within the course of time. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe it's not. Maybe when prog was in its heyday, older generations saw THAT as garbage. I don't know because, obviously, I wasn't there. I'm not part of the generation that saw those amazing bands rise to fame. Fortunately, I am old enough to appreciate them while they are still around. I happen to be someone who finds prog music so special that I can't bear the idea of it being forgotten and lost in time. However, plenty of kids today have those feelings about something else, and that's totally fine in my opinion. Everyone is different, friends. To me, prog is not about being better or otherwise superior to others. It's, in the words of Robert Fripp, "a way of doing things."
Believe me, I have tried to get some kids interested in prog (I chose Yes' Close to the Edge, which was probably not the best starter), and I was not successful a single time. But that's ok. I'm not one to go up to someone enjoying the latest Taylor Swift single and say, "How can you listen to this nonsense?"
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