Unlikely Listeners
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Forum Name: General Music Discussions
Forum Description: Discuss and create polls about all types of music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=107831
Printed Date: April 28 2024 at 16:26
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Topic: Unlikely Listeners
Posted By: Xiadz
Subject: Unlikely Listeners
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 10:55
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I am curious about those who don't fit the stereotype or typical listener of prog music. For example, I am female, and I am 18 years old, so most people are confused when I tell them about my interests musically. I am curious about anyone else who doesn't fit the usual listener, not that I personally feel there are specifics, because I think we are a diverse group of people, but most regular people seem to. |
Replies:
Posted By: zravkapt
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 11:03
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Is there a stereotype for prog fans? Most are male and over 25, that is true. I think prog fans are as diverse as the music itself. ------------- Magma America Great Make Again |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 11:19
I would not worry about it, music is art, not everyone will like/understand what you like. For example I have no clue why people like country music  but it is one of the most popular music genres today and still growing... -------------   
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Posted By: Magnum Vaeltaja
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 11:20
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Well, that would depend on what you classify the stereotypical prog listener to be. I take it the demographic you're probably thinking of is generally nerdy, introverted 50+ year old white men? In that case I have some friends who are "unlikely" prog listeners. They're all women in their late teens/early 20's. Oh yeah, and that sorority house that I converted into prog fans this summer  ------------- when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents |
Posted By: TeleStrat
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 12:42
I'm not nerdy but the rest fits.
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Magnum Vaeltaja wrote:Posted By: Xiadz
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 12:57
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I don't really have a stereotype but I guess older and male, is what people usually expect. I personally think it's very diverse, though. I'm quiet, and introverted so I always wonder why people assume my interests in music would be radio pop or rap or something but I think they're going off the "young female" part and assuming. I'm always trying to convert people.. It has been occasionally successful! |
Posted By: mechanicalflattery
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:19
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I'm a young white male which itself isn't too remarkable. I am American, and live on the West Coast even, which might be itself vaguely unique. I'm not sure if prog itself ever fully emigrated to the States, or if its fanbase is heavily European, with a dose of Canadian. A suburb near Seattle isn't exactly out of the way though, a prog listener from a small town in Alabama would likely be a lot more remarkable Outside of metal groups like Dream Theater or Isis, or maybe the occasional semi-experimental group that somehow hits the mainstream like Pink Floyd or The Velvet Underground, I have yet to find any young people that enjoy my type of music. It's mainly indie rock and hip-hop for other young guys. They might know Floyd as "that stoner group" but otherwise there's no point of connection.
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Posted By: Xiadz
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:26
I feel the same. But now I am aware of you, which means I know of a young person who enjoys my type of music! |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:33
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Prog does seem to appeal to the quiet and introverted type (I am too) and it does have a diverse audience, but of course you are likely to find more Prog fans in certain demographics than others. Sorry for rambling, it can come with age, but in my case it was always true: I can only think of one non-my family person who I brought at least somewhat over to the Prog side (I avoided the P word), and that was a 30-something mother. She liked classic hard rock (but not Rush) and I got her interested in King Crimson. When making recommendations or exposing people to forms of Prog, I do think it important to focus on music that has some suitability to their existing musical interests. For instance, my mum likes classical so I played U Totem and Aranis for her or if someone likes hip-hop, maybe play hip-hop that samples Prog, then play the actual Prog if they like the sampled versions. As for me, I'm in the pretty stereotypical Prog demographic -- white male over 40 -- but I don't think my tastes in Prog are stereotypical (they are not mainstream in a Prog context). If I were to say to people my age and older that I like Prog, they'd likely assume that I listen to bands such as Yes, Genesis and ELP, or I'd get a blank stare. I used to listen to those, but that's not where my progressive interests lie now. Progressive rock as we've come to know it is so diverse that there's room for a wide variety of tastes, a wide variety of ages, and diverse ethnicity, nationality and gender (with gender expansiveness it doesn't just cover male and female). Lots of people listen to music we consider Prog at sites such as this that probably wouldn't consider themselves fans of Prog -- often, though, that is older males who listen to classic rock. ------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:37
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I was a 13 year old boy (or 12) when I got into progressive rock. Been a fan, against all odds, until I let it go somewhere around my 21/22 years. Then I got into metal (idiot) and then into hardcore punk (more idiot) until I got into acid jazz and nujazz. Then I noticed that my love for flutes, rhodes, saxes etc. was something I knew before in my life. So I started picking up progressive rock again. I was 27 or 28 at that time. Never been into modern prog though. I like Porcupine Tree to a degree, but Dream Theater, Opeth, Tool, etc, I don't get that dark stuff. There have other times when I quit the progrock. When I was 33 or so, I believe. Then suddenly I started checking out all the 90's and 80's bands I missed out on. So for 3 or 4 years I listened to grunge, stonerrock, hairmetal, AOR, sludge, sleaze, glamrock, synthpop etc. But now I'm hooked on the prog again. I think. |
Posted By: aglasshouse
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:38
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I think prog is a music scene that can be enjoyed by anyone. I for one don't believe there's any specific quotas that need to be filled to be a prog enthusiast, nor is there any overt discrimination to any different group. That's one of the wonderful things about prog. ------------- http://fryingpanmedia.com |
Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:40
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Oh, and last but not least; I'm almost 40 years old now, and have only met 2 or 3 prog-enthousiasts in my life. Coincidentely we were all in the same band. Wich started out as a funk/crossover band, but turned really symphonic rock over the years.
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Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 13:42
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Oh and I don't see myself as a full-on progger. I've made that mistake too often. I'm just a music enthousiast. Don't care if it's westcoast Fleetwood Mac-pop or dancetronica or speedmetal. I'm just not that into occult and dark/depressing stuff. |
Posted By: DDPascalDD
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 14:26
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Does a 16 year old fit the image of a non stereotypical proghead? ;D I wouldn't call myself as an extremely introverted type though, but rather introverted than extroverted. I just listen to prog because I like more complex music (love to analyse) and prefer it to classical because classical just gets a little boring after a while and I adore the progressive nature of prog. Having a different taste than most others/against the mainstream suits the image of an introvert well, however, artists on stage don't seem like introverts at all. And the showing off part resonates more with an extrovert rather than an introverted type. ------------- |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 14:49
Quite a few performers are introverts who overcame shyness -- quiet, reserved people normally who go wild on stage. Its like acting, many actors get into it overcome social anxieties, and many are naturally outgoing too. When I taught kindergarten I liked to entertain the kids with all sorts of zaniness, but normally I'm extremely reserved and uncomfortable being around people. I guess I'm a bit of a sad clown figure. I don't like rock concerts generally because of the showing off and the noisy audience. That is part of my quiet introverted nature -- boisterous yahoo type of people have always made me uncomfortable. I much prefer going to classical music concerts, because to me the performers are more dignified and the audience is not rowdy. When I'm enjoying music I don't want people cheering, clapping, and screaming around me. I do like to go to smaller venues for jazz though. Like the progressive rock umbrella, the classical music umbrella (more appropriately called art and academic music) is very diverse (and covers various periods) and there is a lot of it that falls under the umbrella category that is very progressive and experimental. ------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: Kespuzzuo
Date Posted: September 14 2016 at 15:00
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Well, I got into prog when I was a teen. I am male. Most of the times I see people with prog shirts at the mall, they are either white men over the age of 40 Or white men in their twenties. That doesn't mean that black people dislike prog, because a lot of blacks listen to jazz, which is related to prog because of its complexity. I can relate to the men in their twenties, they discovered prog thanks to the internet or probably their fathers. It's okay if you listen to prog being a girl, listen to what you like, that will make you happy. |
Posted By: DDPascalDD
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 14:50
I didn't mean that showing off is a good thing, hope you don't misunderstand me. But I completely understand your preferences of audience. I'd be very uncomfartable at a disco/dance party and agree that people at certain concerts can be quite "distracting" as well. ------------- |
Posted By: Ozark Soundscape
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 15:01
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As far as I'm concerned age doesn't really play into it. There are tons of young dudes that listen to prog (and classic rock and stuff like that) a ton if not exclusively on principle. (I'd say, if anything, race is probably more of a notable factor than age. We do tend to be a somewhat white-heavy listener-base, though rarely if ever is that a conscious let alone purposeful distinction.) Now as far as gender goes, I would say that females are a fair bit less common, but the girls I see into prog tend to be super into prog; prog fangirls (and a lot of these are younger, too, in my experience). |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 15:19
Nope didn't misunderstand you at all. I commonly just use other people's thoughts as a springboard for my rambling thoughts and personal reflections. And sometimes when people think I'm disagreeing with them I'm just expanding on things or looking at things from a different perspective. I'm uncomfortable at disco/ dance parties not only because I feel uncomfortable in crowded places, but because I felt uncomfortable asking girls to dance, as well as being asked to dance by girls. It's not really because I'm nervous around girls, but because I'm such a bad dancer that my moves have proved injurious -- punch, punch kick, Staying Alive was an effort with me as a disco dance partner. I have a terrible sense of rhythm and sometimes would try to make up for it, or cover it up, with over-exuberance, at other times I'd be standing there doing next to nothing, either way, it was embarrassing. ------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: doompaul
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 15:22
| If you don't have a van with a rad wizard painted on the side, prog isn't for you. |
Posted By: noni
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 15:34
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Great Prog Music!.... Camel, Twelfth Night, Stackridge, Nova, IQ, Pendragon, Renaissance, The Enid, Gryphon, Pallas, Satellite, Riverside, Genesis, Yes, Metamorphosis, ELP, Transatlantic , Greenslade, Colosseum, Also Eden, Sky, Harmonium, Millennium, Tangerine Dream and so many more bands.
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Posted By: crimson_smoog
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 17:02
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I am 19 years old. Places like Brazil are very strange to like something as progressive rock.
But i can live... ------------- "The fate of all mankind i see. Is in the hands of fools." |
Posted By: HosiannaMantra
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 17:13
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I came to the conclusion that listening to King Crimson, Genesis, Yes and some other major prog acts is not that strange at all for any age, gender, profession etc I am aware of. However, my keen interest in discovering old prog bands from all over the world usually raises some eyebrows, and I should play my favorite Modry Efekt, Omega and Sfinx songs in public more often to gain some attention.
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Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 20:28
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Well I'm a 22 year old female and I've been listening to prog for about 4 years now. Anyways, there does seem to be a stereotype that many prog fans are males. In reality though, prog fans seem to be quite a diverse group that live all around the world, which only reflects the diversity of bands and musicians within prog. You can find just about any type of influence in prog. It is a shame that the stereotype surrounding prog is that of white men (usually English) who sing about fairies and elves when in fact the reality is so different. You can find prog bands and musicians in any country of any ethnic background who sing about everything from relationships, current events, by-gone days, politics, war, environmentalism, fantasy, sci-fi, spirituality, religion, etc. Honestly, I dont know what it is about prog that interests me so much. I guess it is the individuality. Each group (at least the ones that I loves) seems to have their own unique sound, and the music has depth so I dont get tired of it in two weeks time. 
Honestly, it just seems to gel with my personality. I have an old soul,
I'm interested in many different things, and I like things that are
unique/ different, and prog is a perfect fit. |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 21:16
You should, also I just ordered Blue Effect's Boxset, gotta say that I'm excited. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 21:44
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I'm not a prog fan as much as I'm a rock/pop fan who enjoys prog rock, especially RPI. And I have all the Carpenters albums.  ------------- |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: September 15 2016 at 22:25
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I'm just a poor boy from a poor family ------------- What? |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 17 2016 at 23:18
I'm a geek, I love Kajagoogoo, and Gorguts, Sade and Art Zoyd. Talk about messed-up....... 
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Posted By: HemispheresOfXanadu
Date Posted: September 19 2016 at 19:33
I love stoner rock and I don't drink or smoke weed.  And I'm 21 so I'e been legal drinking age for almost 3 years.------------- https://twitter.com/ProgFollower" rel="nofollow - @ProgFollower on Twitter. Tweet me muzak. |
Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: September 20 2016 at 02:46
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 20 2016 at 03:06
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......don't have to be stoned to appreciate music, surely it 'enhances' but doesn't 'better' the music. .......for years I've assumed all Death-Metal bands were angry dudes coke'd up to the eyeballs in fury.........absolutely NOT the case............... Many of them have had less booze and drugs than many of us 'regular' folks.......... |
Posted By: Paranoid_Empire
Date Posted: September 20 2016 at 03:37
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See, the problem right there is relating it to a scene. I think prog is just a medium. An expansive medium that could be anything. Therefore I don't think there should be a stereotype. At least not in the way that punk or metal is stereotyped. Certain dress codes, etc. I find all that stuff excessively silly. And I do love death metal too. But scenes are incredibly stupid. With all that being said. What is the prog stereotype really? Being from South Africa, I can't say I've come into contact with any stereotype, unless being 60+ counts. I'm 29 years of age, which is young, but I can't say I've ever encountered the whole "Good lord, you listen to prog?!" scenario. It seems rather improbable considering the few people I've met like other forms of music too, making it about a love of music and not about any particular scene. The only people that do tend to have that reaction are people that are part of some ridiculous scene or don't really listen to music, so to them it seems strange, because most people want to belong to some sort of clique. Just take a looks at the punks and their whole 'non-conformist' conformism. I might've got slightly side-tracked, but hopefully you get the gist of it. |