Why do we love music that critics once called a cacophonous, dreary mess?

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: We often equate musical value with pleasure, yet our deepest connections are frequently forged through challenging, uncomfortable, or even painful sounds. From the Beatles to Stravinsky, history shows that what we consider masterpieces today were once dismissed as noise. Why does our taste evolve, and can we truly define good music?

Musical value is notoriously difficult to pin down. While we often assume that music is 'good' because it provides immediate pleasure, our most profound experiences often come from sounds that require effort, endurance, or repeated listening to appreciate. This 'musical flavour' is shaped by complex interactions of rhythm, timbre, and intervals. To analyze this, experts use tools like the interval vector—a method of measuring the 'bite' or harmonic tension between pitches, exemplified by the famous 'Hendrix chord'.

Our personal taste is heavily influenced by a 'reminiscence bump'—a period between our early teens and twenties where we form our lifelong musical preferences. This creates a cognitive bias that leads many generations to believe that the greatest music in history was produced during their own youth. Because of this, we often struggle to remain objective, leading us to dismiss new or unfamiliar sounds as inferior simply because they do not align with our established cultural or personal histories.

History is littered with scathing reviews of artists now considered legendary. Nicholas Slonimsky’s 'Lexicon of Musical Invective' documents how critics once labeled Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony 'laborious without effect' and described Stravinsky’s 'Rite of Spring' as having 'no relation to music at all.' Even great composers were not immune to such narrow-mindedness; Tchaikovsky famously disparaged Brahms as a 'giftless bastard' in 1886. These critiques often came from experts and gatekeepers, proving that consensus is elusive and that even the most accomplished ears can be wrong.

Ultimately, musical taste is fluid, ebbing and flowing through time and exposure. Rather than relying on rigid judgments or the opinions of critics, we might find more value in listening with open, non-judgmental ears. By embracing curiosity over certainty, we can move beyond the limitations of our own 'reminiscence bump' and discover beauty in music that might initially seem challenging or even repulsive, recognizing that the profound in music is often something that must be earned.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

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