James Deaville, a music professor at Carleton, recently wrote a paper about the common practice of music shaming.
Deaville said his research began while developing a topic to discuss at a musicology conference held earlier this month in Colorado.
Deaville said he believes that music shaming is a form of bullying that has a much more substantial impact than many people believe, suggesting that those who do take part in it could be insecure about their own interests.
According to Deaville, the most popularly hated band amongst young people is Nickelback. In his paper, Deaville explains the impact of this group mentality on students as potential bullying.
Deaville said he believes that people will shy away from their music preferences to ensure safety in their likes, possibly gravitating towards music they may not necessarily enjoy.
“Through social media, [taste shaming] has become much more of an issue,” he said. “This shaming can lead to insecure feelings, and even make you feel as if you need to keep some of these tastes to yourself.”
Deaville said there are links between bullying and music shaming.
“The quintessential definition of the bully is someone who is insecure or uncertain about their own tastes or their own strengths,” he said.
Fourth-year political science student Stephanie Siu said she believes that music preference shaming is very prominent among students.
“There is just a general consensus that Nickelback is uncool. So I believe it’s a group mentality behind their hate,” she said. “In my opinion, I find Nickelback to be more targeted towards an older audience, but they try to relate themselves to the mainstream younger audience.”
According to Siu, although it is common to bond with other people over similar music interests, it is also a benefit to listen to the music that other people enjoy more.
“Sometimes I bond with people who have different tastes than I do because it can help me expand my musical tastes,” she said. “For example, I didn’t enjoy Kanye West and Beyonce as much as I do now if it weren’t for the fact that my best friend was obsessed with him and his music.”
“I am a little judgemental of those who listen to either screamo metal or country, as well that those who are fans of either Nickleback and Chris Brown,” Siu added. “But I do understand and respect why other people enjoy those genres and artists.”
Deaville pointed at the known hipster group within society in relation to the commonality of music shaming within students.
“There sure are anecdotal reports suggesting that in terms of those who shame . . . most are insecure within their own positions,” he said. “Take the hipsters, for example, who have fine-tuned the art of music shaming yet if you ask a person within that sub-culture what they like, I believe you would find a fine deal of insecurity.”
Deaville said people evaluate their own interests before casting judgement upon others, and added students should ask themselves whether they want to be shamed for their interests.
