Originally posted by rogerthat Well, I don't mean emotional in a happy/sad sense, just that something should arouse my curiosity or excitement somewhere. In any case, I look for drama and dynamics in music, not so much direct emotions like sorrow or anger. As you said, any sort of connection will do.

Well then, we are in agreement! Seeing how rare that is on the internet, we should pat each other on the back. 

Fair enough. I guess it just takes a bit less to interest me than some people. You're right, I wouldn't have listened to it again if absolutely nothing in it had interested me. I don't think it has to be an emotional connection right from the inception though. I think any sort of connection will do. There was no emotional connection to the schoenberg violin concerto the first time I heard it, it really seemed like random notes. I knew there was some order to it, a very complex structure, so I kept listening to it to really explore that, but I had no emotional connection to it for the first 4 or so listens. So, I guess I agree with most of your post, but I just take issue with the overemphasis on the emotional connection.  I think I go halfway between your "investigative" angle and your "appreciation" angle, because I do sometimes expose myself unfamiliar genres just to pick up ideas, even though I don't have much use for the ideas (although I do enjoy writing songs on garageband and practicing a few instruments). I'm still never judgemental though. If I don't appreciate a song, I merely shelve it, maybe to come back, or maybe not, depending on how I'm feeling.

I really don't see how the aim of finding merit in music you are uncomfortable with negates your emotional reaction. Back a few months ago, I decided to listen to 12 tone music, and I was very uncomfortable with it. If I had your attitude, I would have given up, but I didn't. I listened to the schoenberg violin concerto several times, and each time I listened to it, I discovered more to like about it, until finally it became one of my favorite songs. There was no "negation of the emotional reaction" or whatever. That said, I don't regularly force myself to listen to music I am uncomfortable with, but it is a good thing to do once in a while.

As you get more experienced with appreciating music, you are able to rationalize to a large extent why you like some sounds and why not some others, but the point is, you still react to it, it arouses emotion within you and that's what it boils down to at the heart of it.  I also don't see much point in attempting to negate this emotional reaction with the aim of seeing merit in music that you are wholly uncomfortable with, you could say that you are opening your mind to different approaches or that you are simply forcing yourself to like it.