How has HL2.net changed your taste?

[Cormeh]

So, I've been revising my musical taste for the past two years, mainly due to a lot of YOU! THE VIEWERS!

HL2.net has been a great forum for a lot of reasons, but one of the primary reasons has to be the diversity in musical taste which has led me to dip my toe in various different genres. When I was a lad, fresh-faced with a skip in my step, I was never into music a great deal. When I was 16/17, Britain suddenly experienced a musical boom in "nu-Metal" which led to myself and a few friends cracking into bands such as Limp Bizkit and the like.

Although I won't confess that I hate all of that stuff now, I certainly don't listen to it a great deal (I also refuse to throw out CD's on the principle that they cost ?16 each back then).

I registered here December '04, when I was 20 years old. Mostly enjoying bands like Coldplay, the Verve and the Beatles (which I still enjoy, in fact one of them wrote my favourite album of all time, try and guess which). Indie music was however, growing stale. 90's bands were my cup of tea, but newer, more "indie rock" groups were appearing on the scene (Kaisers, Artics etc. Not that they're horrible, I just wasn't interested).

So, I needed something new to my ears, something refreshing. Around this time, Qonfy was posting like a mother****er possessed about NiN and how awesome they were/are. But not only him, many others seemed to be enjoying this stuff as well. Who am I to contest this? I found The Downward Sprial for a few quid in Edinburgh and plunged in. That was it, hooked. Since then, I've trusted in a lot of bands and groups that have been posted with good praise and had a shot of them too. Most recent are Boards of Canada and to my absolute shock, Radiohead.

This may be like the old sheep analogy, but I don't care. Not to mention that I'd take a shot at guessing I'm a bit older than the majority of the folk who suggested or mentioned this stuff in the first place, I find it surprising that I've managed to expand my horizons a bit more through you gits. Guys.

I know I'm not the only person this has happened to, so confess to me, and the others about how much your ears have been re-tuned to different tastes. Refer to Stiggeh's post:

The problem with Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd and pretty much most artists is that all their songs end up sounding the same. They all follow similar structures, with similar chord patterns, similar drum patterns and similar solos, with similar subjects and similar lyrics and similar vocals. Sure, the bands can write good songs, but what good is it when they're just writing the same four or five songs over and over? It's tiring and it's completely unoriginal.

Radiohead, Muse, and NIN are bands that go out of their way to make each song complex and unique. Sure, a couple of their songs are more similar than they should be (i.e. NIN's "The Hand That Feeds" and "Survivalism"), but those are the rare exceptions rather than the rule. And not to be pretentious or elitist, but now that I've listened to so much relatively complex and unique music, I find it frustrating and nearly impossible to go back to bands like Nickelback. I've heard all their music before in fifteen other bands and it's just not interesting to listen to anymore.

tl;dr - How has your musical tastes changed largely due to these boards and the people who haunt them? Musical elitists GTFO.

 

[Vegeta897]

I pretty much found all the artists I listened to thanks to various people on hl2.net

 

[Jintor]

It hasn't.

 

[highlander]

I started listening too NIN a lot more, but yeah I've found a few band/artists thru these forums

 

[Daggett]

hasn't really changed anything for me.
i love my awesome taste in music.

 

[staticprimer]

It didn't until about a year and a half ago, when I was introduced to the post-rock genre. That marked a fundamental change in my taste in music. I suppose I have to thank those that exposed me to bands like God is an Astronaut, Explosions in the Sky, and Mogwai. The music I've listened to in the last year and a half has easily been the best in my life.

 

[jimbo118]

It didn't until about a year and a half ago, when I was introduced to the post-rock genre. That marked a fundamental change in my taste in music. I suppose I have to thank those that exposed me to bands like God is an Astronaut, Explosions in the Sky, and Mogwai. The music I've listened to in the last year and a half has easily been the best in my life.

Indeed, it was here I found the post-rock genre, EITS, This Will Destroy You, Mogwai, Cue.

Started listening to NIN a bit more. Discovered Apparat. Heard more of Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, Sufjan Stevens, Buck 65

I'm probably most grateful for EITS, I think it was JNighshade who got me interested in them.

 

[Zephos]

I went and bought the Downward Spiral 'cause of HL2.net (though I was listening to quite a bit of NiN before that, then came the obsession, then came the "they are alright" phase).

That's about all you bastards have changed me with. Despite Pitch Fork Media's elitist reputation... it's where I've expanded most of my music collection from.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I listened to Linkin Park, Papa Roach and shit like that when I joined (I was about 13). I got off that shit after a short time though.


Thanks to hl2.net I'm hooked on Tool, NIN, Amon Tobin, Venetian Snares, Aphex Twin, Saul Williams. Basically good rock music and electronic music in general.



Thanks bitches.

 

[Steven]

God I hate NIN

 

[99.vikram]

I thought I hated NIN, but I got a few albums, gave it a try and found out that Trent Reznor is in fact as cool as his name. Also, Mogwai.

 

[Dynasty]

Used to hate NIN too. Then finally got into them one day, bit the bullet as it were.

Oh and BOC and EITS are pretty much the only bands I found as a result of HL2.net

EITS - Your Hand In Mine, such music perfection. Why cant all songs be like this.

Not so much BOC though, theyre not as good as EITS to me. But Dayvan Cowboy is definitely now pretty much my 2nd favourite chillout song, after Teardrop by Massive Attack of course. Nothing beats that song.

 

[Fliko]

I hated NiN as well, but I tried listening to them like, 1 or 2 times.
I remember the day someone posted the Only video (I think it was Qonfused), and I listened to that and I was like "Whoa, that's kinda cool.". NiN love started off from there.

 

[Que-Ever]

None at all.

 

[MattyDienhoff]

Mine hasn't changed at all, but I've only been here a few months, so that's to be expected.

I have noticed, though, that people here have unusually good taste. The "What Song Are You Listening To?" thread here is the only one I've ever seen where I can go for two, three or even four pages without seeing something I balk at.

 

[Crushenator 500]

You were shocked that you liked radiohead? What..?

I don't think this site has changed my taste in music whatsoever really...

 

[Pulse]

Didn't see the hype surrounding NIN until you all convinced me to download a few albums... and now I'm obsessed <3. HL2.net has definitely got me more into electronic/industrial music and I have a much greater appreciation towards both genres because of it.

 

[knut]

I came to love and enjoy electronic in general thanks to this site. Richard D. James and his antics, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, Venetian Snares and Autechre. And then with loving these big name artists I then began to explore even more paths into electronic music.

 

[Iron Kat]

It hasn't.

This.

 

[Crushenator 500]

Iron Kat, where are you from

 

[Iron Kat]

same place as you. why?

 

[Crushenator 500]

Jus wunderin is all

 

[Iron Kat]

Well, you could see where it says 'location'. Did you not notice it?




BTW, love your av, Crush. EDDIE RULES!!!

 

[Ennui]

If I remember correctly this website introduced me to IDM/electronica that's not trance three or four years ago and it's been a love story ever since.

 

[Crushenator 500]

Well, you could see where it says 'location'. Did you not notice it?




BTW, love your av, Crush. EDDIE RULES!!!

Hehe of course I knew the location thing was there, it's why I asked, I meant more specifically what area you were from. You didn't seem to want to say though so I figured I'de just leave it

Thanks about the avatar, I've had it like forever on here now lol

That's about enough hijacking for now anyway :cheese:

 

[Cormeh]

You were shocked that you liked radiohead? What..?

Because I never liked them before. Never gave them any time or interest.

One of those things I guess, when I first heard them I just never took to them, and therefore avoided them entirely for many years.

I'm one of those freaky people who won't like something on impulse or through first hearing, but given time (long or short) will grow to like or even love. I rarely take to things first time.

In all honesty, how many people have been browsing the "What are you listening to now" thread and just tabbed up YouTube and had a listen? I do that a lot. Or even better, how many people took advantage of In Rainbows or Ghosts I?

There's so much brought to my attention here that it's almost criminal to not have a listen.

 

[Qonfused]

Wow.

I'm glad my Trent obsession has impacted so many people. It's kinda cool to know that something I typed on a forum has changed someone's outlook in one way or another.

HL2.net was the one to severely shift my musical tastes. This was the place I learned off most the artists I love today. I would have never discovered (or discivered at the time I did) Amon Tobin, Aphex Twin, Apparat, Autechre, Boards of Canada (!), Dntel, Freezepop, Infected Mushroom, Justice, The Knife, Mogwai, Mute Math, The Notwist, Pendulum, Quinoline Yellow, Ratatat, Shpongle, and Venetian Snares. All of these artists (which all have more than one album in my library) were recommended by HL2.net members, whether it be on the forum or on MSN Messenger.

I don't know what else to say. HL2.net was the place to shift my musical tastes to what they are today.

Thanks Absinthe and Ennui; you're the two that stand out in this list. Also Vegeta and JNightshade. Thanks. Really.