The psychology of folk music fans, finally explained

I honestly believe it’s just baked into our DNA—that specific rhythm, the howling, the smashing of glasses. And of course, if it’s considered "cool" (which, let's be honest, is great for making older rock fans lose their minds!), and everyone else is listening to it? Well, where could you go wrong?

Then there's the fact that not knowing foreign languages makes the lyrics feel simpler and easier to connect with, which is a total win. Though, can't music stir up deep emotions even without words, or when you don't understand a single syllable of Portuguese or French?

Right now, I'm planning to dive into some Madonna (even if my elementary school French is limited to about three words), and then I might spice things up with some Rammstein (I never studied German, but I've looked up the translations online because their lyrics are actually incredible)

As for the pop trash and low-brow radio hits, I'll leave those to the people who actually enjoy them...

Let’s just hope this whole trend dies down fast because I’m already seeing kids rolling their eyes at the exact same tracks their parents used to blast on repeat, like Pitbull or Jennifer Lopez...🤣

I honestly don't see the issue—who wouldn't want to hit up a country bar, grab a few drinks, shoot the breeze... all that stuff. 😁
🤣 🤣
And for those of you acting all offended by the lyrics—especially the ones who listen to Rammstein... give me a break. 🙄
Besides, why should anyone care what someone else listens to? 🙄
If you've never been to a honky-tonk, just go 👍 😁
and smash some bottles over your head or drool over half-dressed girls... experience it for yourselves. Let the vibe take over instead of acting like you missed out and then spitting on it. 😉

Jacob Long said:First of all, you don't argue about taste...

Furthermore, based on your post, one might conclude that you view your own girlfriend as nothing more than a heavy-set caricature...

As for everything else you wrote regarding your interpretation of the average country music listener's profile—it is utter nonsense, and frankly, it’s a disgrace that you haven't been banned for such discriminatory claims... I truly cannot believe what I am reading...
...look, I listen to country music, I hold a Bachelor's degree, I am fluent in both English and German, and I have some proficiency in Italian and Spanish (having completed my first level of study), and I work in my actual field of expertise. I've traveled through Spain, Italy, France, and Germany... I plan to pursue further education, and I was quite the academic powerhouse in high school... winning competitions... and at university too... and so on... and now you're going to tell me that I don't understand the lyrics of an English song as if they contain deep philosophy... To be more specific, I also listen to international music, pop divas, B. Adams🙂 , Shania Twain, Bon Jovi🙂 , and so on... and I find something appealing in every genre... When I'm cleaning the house, I blast country music and let loose... I dance a little belly dance, get all worked up, and practice a little striptease for my man... Every now and then we go out into the city where they play pop and rock, and sometimes to those spots where they play country, and all those places offer something, each in its own way....

IN YOUR INITIAL POST, YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO COUNTRY MUSIC; INSTEAD, YOU SPOKE ONLY OF YOURSELF—HOW INTOLERANT A PERSON YOU ARE, HOW YOU DRAW UNSUBSTANTIATED CONCLUSIONS, AND HOW YOU FEEL CAPABLE OF JUDGING A HUMAN BEING'S INTELLIGENCE, UPBRINGING, AND CHARACTER BASED SOLELY ON THEIR MUSICAL PREFERENCES. IT IS PATHETIC, UTTERLY PATHETIC.🙄
You're playing the part of someone who is pro-Western... when in reality, you are miles away from any modern worldview and are simply brimming with prejudice...🙂 🤮

Oh, darling, this suspicious rambling you've provided above is hardly high quality... It isn't clear to me whether you wrote all of that to make a point or if you were simply attempting to show off your "inexhaustible" intelligence and condescension... I mean, really... you certainly made your perceived brilliance known immediately (intelligent, perhaps, but certainly not wise, hah 🤔)
I completely agree with the thread starter—the moment I see someone tearing country music to shreds, I don't exactly feel any positive sentiments toward them.

And yes, please, do enlighten me with a lesson and throw in a few anecdotes from all those countries (I trust there must be over a hundred) that you've visited. And please, if you can... how do you say in Thai, "where did I leave my BMW keys?" 😛

placidwalker53 said:Look, honey—everything she just said up there is pretty questionable stuff... I can't tell if you wrote all that to make a point or if you're just trying to flex that "limitless" intelligence of yours while acting high and mighty... I mean, seriously... you really made it clear how smart you are (intelligent, sure, but definitely not wise, haha 🤔)
I’m totally with the OP on this one—as soon as I see someone dissecting pop music like it's deep philosophy, I'm already losing interest.

And yeah, please, why don't you teach me a little lesson too? Throw in some anecdotes from those dozens of countries you've visited... and hey, if you could, maybe tell me how to say "where did I leave my BMW keys" in Thai? 😛

My friend... there's a difference between having a negative opinion about a group of people and acting like some big-shot expert claiming to have "unlocked the psychology of pop fans." It's one thing to spout off about social status or education based on something trivial and act like it's an empirical fact, but it's another to not feel even a little bit embarrassed by your own condescension...

SO WHY DOES POP MUSIC IRRITATE HIM? That's the real question, and honestly, we could probably map out his whole profile... especially since he lost it when his girlfriend sent him a text explaining herself—I wonder what Freud would make of that?

Jacob Long said:honey...

Heh, well, if you're out here listening to B. Adams and Bon Jovi, I can't say I'm surprised you have a thing for pop-country trash too. They say you shouldn't judge a person by their taste, but man, we could really get into a debate about the actual quality of those artists... 🤣

And honestly, there's something fishy about your whole vibe. You claim to be all highly educated and stuff, but then you drop lines like "I can't believe it" or "all those places" or "presenting a psychological framework"...

Look, good for you for winning awards back in high school and at college, really, I mean it... but I’d love to meet the absolute geniuses who let someone write like this graduate. And even more so your high school teachers. I don't teach English, nor would I ever dream of teaching it in a classroom, but you—with all your precious little trophies—you wouldn't even pass a basic English quiz if you asked me...

Now just tell me you performed at a Lidran concert 🤣

The School of Economics, I'm guessing? I've met plenty of those stuck-up, illiterate types from the School of Economics. It's such an unbelievable institution, it makes you wonder...

And Jacob Wood9 totally missed the mark here, big time. You could sing a Bob Dylan lyric however you want, it's never gonna sound cheesy. Because it's actually good. This turbo-pop stuff is just music with pathetic lyrics. Personally, my intellect demands more, I don't know about you guys. Plus, the music itself is hard to take seriously...

No hard feelings 🙂

Andrew Stewart2 said:So, if you're jamming to B. Adams and Bon Jovi, I guess it's no surprise you're into that pop stuff too—makes sense, right? Look, we don't have to argue about taste, but we could definitely have a conversation about the actual quality of those artists. 🤣

Yeah, obviously.

Andrew Stewart2 said:So, if you're actually as educated as you claim—which is a big "if"—how does it make sense to throw around phrases like "I can't believe it" or "all those places," or even that whole bit about "presenting a psychological framework"? It just doesn't add up, does it?

Congrats on all those high school and college awards—really impressive stuff. But honestly? I’d love to meet the geniuses who let someone this illiterate actually graduate. And your high school teachers deserve a medal too. Look, I don't teach English, nor would I ever dream of teaching it in a classroom, but you? For an award-winning girl like you, you'd be lucky to scrape by with a passing grade in my class.

I can't even believe this—seriously.As far as those statements go—I mean, I know they’re right. I can't even believe this—honestly?Look, when I'm posting on here, I tend to keep things pretty casual—just a conversational vibe, you know? And even though American is my native language and I crushed it back in school—always pulling straight A's and being the top of my class—I don't exactly live in the States, so there's no real reason for me to be stuck using formal American every single day. I can't even believe this—seriously? Won't be blowing out my eardrums like yours—though I might actually write it down if things get more formal. I can't even believe it—seriously?

All those places—man. What's up, speed?

Pushing the psychological boundaries—ever thought about it? Guess it was supposed to happen—wasn't it? Exhausted—just totally wiped out.Look, I don't really care—honestly, who does? I didn't come to this forum to brag about my grammar or whatever... I’m here to swap ideas, practice some actual logical debating, and maybe help myself and others along a bit. So... it's totally irrelevant. Everything you just said about my spelling? Not my problem—and I definitely don't owe you an explanation for it.

Honestly? People who obsess over grammar—they’re just deeply insecure on so many levels. Isn't it always like that?

Andrew Stewart2 said:The School of Economics—well, I'm free to guess here. I’ve run into so many shallow, clueless snobs from that place. It’s honestly hard to take the whole institution seriously when you see how they act...

Yeah, the School of Economics... and even if I were one of them—which, let's be real, I'm probably not—does it actually say anywhere that I don't know how to do my job?
Illiteracy is kind of a relative term, isn't it? Like—is someone actually uneducated, or did they just fail to nail the vibe of American English in a casual chat? Or maybe they're just throwing around psychology jargon to dress up total nonsense—even if they technically follow the rules of grammar (looking at you, OP, based on this thread title and everything else you've typed...).

__________________________________________________ _______________

I don't really feel like defending my credentials—nor my wins, for that matter. I only brought them up to show why she was wrong... anyway.

So you didn't actually prove anything with that post—just highlighted my typos—which, when it comes to the actual topic... yeah, zero.

When it comes to folk music, I honestly think it’s just more primal—simpler, maybe even a bit primitive, with lyrics that are absolute trash most of the time... but look, there's a reason you grab fast food one night and go for a five-star steakhouse the next. You can argue about the quality of the meal all day, but judging someone's entire character just because they hit up a drive-thru once in a while? That's something only a clueless person
would do.

Like, formally informal? It's just a bunch of nonsense. I mean, maybe you can get away with it when you're talking, but when you actually sit down to write... there’s just no thought behind it. You write exactly how you think, you know? And clearly, you don't know...

Total mess. Just a wreck.

So you think I'm just insecure or whatever, but honestly, I just know my own language really well.

But hey, it doesn't even matter, right? Like, you can be super successful at work, kill it in college, be great with languages—all that stuff counts. I've met tons of ambitious people who crush it in life, making bank, no question about it... but if I started judging everyone based solely on their career success, where would that even leave me?...

People miss a letter when they're rushing, and then you go along and fix it (adding space). Interesting...

Anyway, mostly I see we're on the same page about this topic, so there's no need to go too far into it...😉

Heh, sounds like a pretty weak class if being the best at American English was your big claim to fame.

Back at the School of Economics, I knew 😁

placidwalker53 said:Look, honey, everything you wrote up there is just questionable nonsense. I honestly can't tell if you're trying to make a point or if you're just bragging about your "limitless" intelligence and being condescending... I mean, wow... you really showed us how smart you are right away (intelligent, sure, but definitely not wise, haha 🤔)
I completely agree with the OP—as soon as I see someone dissecting pop songs to death, I lose all interest.

And yeah, please, do me a favor and teach me a lesson too. Throw in some anecdotes from all those countries (I'm sure there are over a hundred) that you've supposedly visited. And maybe, if you could... somehow... tell me how to say "where did I leave my BMW keys" in Thai? 😛

Just keep flaunting those prejudices of yours. 🙄

Andrew Stewart2 said:Heh, well, if your playlist includes B. Adams and Bon Jovi, I guess it’s no surprise you’re into pop-country trash too. I suppose we shouldn't judge taste, but as for the quality of those artists? We could talk about that 🤣

Then there's the matter of your credibility. You claim to be so highly educated, yet you use phrases like "I can't believe," "all those places," or "presenting a psychological framework"...

I mean, congrats on winning all those high school and college competitions, really. But I’d love to meet the absolute morons who actually let someone as illiterate as you graduate. Or even better, your high school professors. I don't teach English, nor would I ever dream of teaching it in a classroom, but you—this award-winning girl—could probably only dream of passing an English exam if you asked me.

Now just tell me you performed at a local indie festival 🤣

The School of Economics, I assume. I've met plenty of those uneducated, preppy types from the School of Economics. It’s such an unbelievable institution that it makes one question everything...

And Jacob Wood9 missed the mark here, big time. Bob Dylan's lyrics won't sound banal no matter how you sing them. They're actually good. Pop-country is just music with pathetic lyrics. Personally, my intellect takes offense, though I don't know about you people. And the music itself? Hard to take seriously.

No need to break any glasses 🙂

What a primitive, condescending post, just loaded with prejudices.🙄

Just For Fun said:First off, you don't argue about taste...

In your opening post, you didn't actually say anything about people who listen to country music. You just talked about yourself—how intolerant you are, how you jump to baseless conclusions, and how you think you can judge someone's intelligence or character just by their playlist. It’s pathetic, really.🙄
You’re playing this part of some pro-Western intellectual... but you’re actually miles away from any modern worldview. You're just full of prejudices...🙂 🤮

Bravo, great post.

It really bothers me how everyone who listens to country is lumped together and branded as primitive or backwards. It’s the same with rock or any other genre—there's good stuff and bad stuff everywhere.

Also, I can't stand these "progressive" types who look down on and feel ashamed of their own American roots and folklore.

Why do other nations cherish and love their traditional music while we act embarrassed by ours?
I mean, what is Ofra Haza if not a folk singer? And she even recorded a track with Sisters of Mercy once.

And what about Latin American folk music, like salsa or merengue? Do Cubans feel ashamed? Do they despise Celia Cruz?

Most people from other countries I know are proud of their folk music and play it at every party.
Latin Americans, Indians, Arabs, Africans, Chinese, Spaniards, Italians, and so on.

But here, we just lump all our traditional music into one pile and treat it with contempt.
There are also incredibly talented performers of Gypsy music from our neighboring regions that foreigners absolutely adore, yet we dismiss it as primitive.

Give Saban Bajramovic or Esmu Redjepov a listen. They aren't any worse than Ibrahim Ferrer, Mbilia Bel or Cesaria Evora.

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:I suppose it’s also worth noting that there are some truly exceptional Romani musicians from our neighboring regions whose work tends to leave international audiences absolutely spellbound, even though many of us here locally tend to dismiss it as nothing more than primitive noise.

It isn’t primitive. It’s just that it has become trendy lately, so now they insist on labeling it as "world music."🙄

It’s funny how things shift, I guess. Ten years ago, when you were just stumbling around drunk with a cigarette dangling from your lip, people probably dismissed you as some unrefined hillbilly. But now? Now that your old man is stepping out in a crisp white suit, even the most pretentious, high-society crowd seems to fall into a trance listening to him sing.
Take Bregović, for example. He’d probably say something like, it's St. George's Day, but I'm not exactly spending it with the one I love.👍 It seems like we used to just douse everything in those old-school fruit blends, but I suppose nowadays everyone has suddenly pivoted to green tea.🤣

Jacob Wood9 said:It’s not primitive. It just became trendy, so now they call it "world music."🙄

Ten years ago, if you were getting wasted with cheap cigarettes, people called you a hillbilly. Now, when some guy in a white suit sings, the "cultured" crowd loses their minds.
Take Bregović, for instance: "St. George's Day is here, but I'm not with the one I love" 👍—back then, you'd wash that down with cheap beer, but now it's all organic green tea.🤣

It became trendy because it's "authentic"... I guess people finally got sick of soulless, generic pop music.
Why the label 🙄 "world music"?
Buena Vista Social Club is cool, but Romani music is just for hillbillies?
And honestly, you can get just as trashed listening to Buena Vista.

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:It’s become trendy because it feels authentic... I suppose people have just grown weary of that soulless, generic pop music.
Why put 🙄 in the world music category?
Is Buena Vista Social Club considered cool, while Gypsy music is supposedly just for the unrefined?
Besides, you can actually enjoy Buena Vista without feeling like you're at some low-rent dive bar.

My point was more about the sheer snobbery involved.
If some guy singing over cheap synthesized beats suddenly managed to sell records like Bregović, I imagine the very same crowd that scoffs at country music would probably start bowing down to him—though they’d likely prefer seeing him at Carnegie Hall rather than a local town square fountain, which aligns pretty closely with what you're saying. But perhaps if he does a few tours in France first and then lands a duet with Tamara Obrovac, 🤣 suddenly his music becomes high art. Until then, he's considered low-brow, even though he's singing the exact same songs now as he was then. 🙂

Jacob Wood9 said:I was talking about snobbery.
If some guy singing cheesy pop hits suddenly manages to outsell someone like Bregović, I guess the same crowd that trashes mainstream music would probably start bowing down to him—but they’d aim for Carnegie Hall instead of a street corner fountain, which is basically what you're getting at. Though, maybe he'd just tour Europe first, do a few shows in France, then drop a duet with Tamara Obrovac🤣 and suddenly he's "high art." Until then, he's trash, even though he's singing the exact same stuff now as he was before. 🙂

Fine, I get your point.
That snobbery bugs me too.
It’d be even better if they just recorded a duet with Sting, kind of like Chab mama postojati los😉

There is good music and there is bad music, regardless of the genre.
To me, calling an entire genre primitive is just stupid.

Hmmmm.... I really can't stand it when people start trashing every single genre of music. Personally, I find myself ending up in those dive bars where they blast nothing but country music, but honestly, it’s just because I don't have much of a choice. It’s a small town, and there aren't many "decent" spots that actually play pop or rock, especially where people go out to dance. My main reason for even stepping foot in those places is that they're packed with guys who just want to grab a beer and cut a rug. The lyrics themselves aren't anything groundbreaking, even if there are a handful of decent tunes buried in the mix. Give me rock music any day. :-)
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The Rolling Stones are absolute legends!

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:They are essentially just bragging about their own prejudices.

And really, why on earth should I feel any sense of shame for disliking folk music or simply having no affinity for those who find it appealing?😕 😕

Please, you cannot make me laugh with such nonsense.

The fact that you take offense at my posts and those of Ziggy Stardust, yet simultaneously bow down to us over at Just For Fun, suggests to me that you actually enjoy that kind of music quite a bit—but frankly, that is your business; do whatever you wish, but there is absolutely no reason to pretend otherwise.

I am perfectly content with my biases, whereas you seem to enjoy your folk tunes while remaining perpetually unsure if you should even admit to it.😕 😘

🤣

Megan Gray7 said:Mmm... I truly dislike it when someone disparages any genre of music... personally, I find myself in coffee shops where they play folk music, but only because I have no other choice. It is a small town and there aren't many "normal" venues for pop or rock, especially where people actually go to dance. The main reason I end up there is because most of the men are looking to flirt and dance. The lyrics themselves aren't anything special, though there are a few decent songs. I much prefer rock music. :-)

I find myself in those same folk clubs as well—entirely by necessity—because ninety percent of my social circle listens to it, so what am I supposed to do? I go along with them, we share a drink, we talk about women, but I would never dream of letting that stuff play in my own home or my car.👎

Occasionally, when the group is feeling generous, we might venture somewhere that actually suits my tastes.🙂 🙏 🙏 🙏
Good grief.

placidwalker53 said:So why should I feel ashamed for not liking country music and not hanging out with the people who do?😕 😕

Don't make me laugh.

The fact that you're complaining about my posts and the ones by Ziggy Stardust, yet you're basically bowing down to me and Just For Fun, tells me you actually enjoy that stuff too—not that I care, do whatever you want, but why hide it?

I have prejudices, and honestly, I'm fine with them. You love that country vibe, you're just not sure if you're allowed to admit it.😕

I end up at those country bars too—mostly because I have to. Like, 90% of the crew listens to it, so what am I supposed to do? I go with them, we grab drinks, talk about women... but I'm certainly not playing that stuff in my car or at home.👎

Sometimes, when the group is feeling generous, we'll head somewhere that actually suits my taste.🙂 🙏 🙏 🙏
Ugh.

Aha-h ha-ha-ha-ha 🤣 🙂

If you actually appreciate good music, I’d highly recommend checking out Latcho Drom.

Regarding the whole snobbery thing, I have to mention an acquaintance of mine. He actually had the nerve to tell me he doesn't listen to "lowbrow" local stuff—only "real," international music.😬
He and his little circle of friends even go as far as signing their emails and texts as Michael (his actual name is Michael) and Mark (instead of Mark), and so on.🙄

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:Bravo, great post.

It really bothers me how people lump all "folk" music into one category and dismiss it as nothing but mindless or primitive. It’s the same with rock or any other genre—there’s plenty of high-quality stuff mixed in with the garbage.

I also can't stand those Western-facing types who look down on or feel ashamed of their own heritage.

Why do other nations embrace and love their traditional music while we act embarrassed by ours?
After all, what was Ofra Haza if not a folk singer? And she even recorded a track with Sisters of Mercy once...

And what about Latin American folk styles like salsa or merengue? Do Cubans feel ashamed or despise Celia Cruz?

Most people I know from other countries are proud of their traditional sounds and play them at every party.
Latinos, Indians, Arabs, Africans, Chinese, Spaniards, Italians, and so on...

But here, we just group our entire musical heritage together and treat it with contempt.
There are also incredibly talented Romani musicians from our neighboring regions whose music foreigners absolutely adore, yet we just label it "primitive."

Just listen to Saban Bajramovica or Esmu Redjepov... they aren't any less talented than Ibrahim Ferrer, Mbilia Bel, or Cesaria Evora.

Good grief...
Where do you live? If they played Buen Vista Social Club at some trendy lounge or downtown spot and a crowd started smashing bottles and shooting guns in the air, I'd probably just go hide in a bunker...

Nobody even mentions Cesaria Evora here.

And yeah—if folk songs are your cultural heritage, fine. Mine happens to be bluegrass...👋