I found an all to common problem with music criticism is when people trash something that they personally don't like as having no value. Whether you're a music fan or a musician at odds with a band or genre of music that seems antithetical to what you like or create, you are likely to create a distance between yourself and those who give this other music value. But, why is this bad? "I don't give a fuck about them," you say.
The worst is when you devalue an entire genre of music. You come off as very close-minded and as someone who doesn't really understand certain entities that make music. The most common genre that is devalued is hip-hop. Anyone who does this has to believe that rhythm isn't an essential part of music. Hip-hop is just a genre that is more based around rhythm and bass and less on melody. There is a hook that is looped during the majority of the song, but there is also a beat and verbal flow that moves the song forward. I've never heard anyone get worked up over a rock drummer who plays to the same cliche 4/4 rock beat.
More importantly, there are thousands or millions of other people who give this music great value. They love this music and just like the band you loved got you through hard times, these bands are doing the same for them. Their melody is moving them and gives them positive feelings. If you devalue this you seem out of touch of how they feel and are basically saying their feelings are irrelevant or wrong. This problem most often occurs between different generations. The basic emotions are the same, but the world that they exist is constantly changing. That last thing you want to do is come off as unsympathetic to the upcoming generations. Eventually, they are going to become the majority and so on.
I'll end this post with a quote from our favorite old crank.
"I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was...now what I'm with isn't it and what's it seems wierd and scary to me." - Grandpa Simpson
