Stereotyping through music

[KorinKitty]

I never given this much thought until the other day when I was listening to some music I enjoyed growing up.

It seems like people tend to stereotype people based on their music or try to tell them what they can or cannot enjoy based on their race, lifestyle, or income.

It is almost frowned upon for a seemingly Gothic man to be into rap or a black man to enjoy heavy metal. I am not sure where this started but thinking back, I think this kind of thing happens in High School. When you are trying to fit in and find similar interests it usually comes from and through music. Labeling people based on musical taste isn't fair though and neither is taking someone's looks or life style and telling them what they should be listening to.

Kind of just a random thought I was having. Anyone else notice this happening?

[Mantis]

It goes without saying that whites have sometimes been looked down on over the decades for listening to rap. Eminem changed that a little but the stereotype is still there. But it goes the other way round with heavy metal like you pointed out.

Honestly I haven't noticed it that often beyond the obvious examples. Like some kind of dirty hipster, I listen to shit nobody's heard of. Wait, wouldn't that be another stereotype? The fact I don't listen to much mainstream music suggests I probably spend most mornings at Starbucks, sport a beard and a fedora and buy vinyls.

[TheGhostOfSabotage]

I never liked rap, and Eminem the most since my brother played it so much for so long that I got sick of that type of music. But I do want more diversety in all music, since most rock and roll is British. Not complaining about British Rick but it's all I hear when the radio is on.

[OutlawBard19]

I think it's the fault of marketing. Different genres have been pandering to different groups of people. Rap appeals to the so-called "urban youth" crowd, country appeals to the "'Murican" stereotype, jazz appeals to the hipsters, classical is seen as appealing to "snobs," etc. Of course, people are not so one-track in real life, but marketing execs and advertisers seem to have a piss-poor view of human character.