The issue here seems to be that appreciating music for cultural reasons is somehow dishonest, like some Russian’s appreciation of the Pogues is more pure than that of a London Irish kid who likes them partly as a signal of heritage. This is an attitude that’s common among certain alienated young people but I think most people see it the other way around. And it’s probably not in line with the way most artists think either, it’s quite common to see them attributing their innovations to the need to differentiate themselves from squares.
The issue here seems to be that appreciating music for cultural reasons is somehow dishonest, like some Russian’s appreciation of the Pogues is more pure than that of a London Irish kid who likes them partly as a signal of heritage. This is an attitude that’s common among certain alienated young people but I think most people see it the other way around. And it’s probably not in line with the way most artists think either, it’s quite common to see them attributing their innovations to the need to differentiate themselves from squares.