How have your tastes changed?

I would say drastically. I used to listen to only country. Once my system started to sound better I realized every country recording I had sounded like trash. So I started to listen to other stuff. Now I'm into a bunch of bluegrass that I would normally ever listen to. Plus, some contemporary blues and even some instrumental stuff that I would not have touched before. I would say this hobby has opened me to a whole different world of music.

I began with 1950's rock and roll. Bill Haley and the Comets, Elvis, Roy Orbison Sam Cooke and all the greats of that time. Grew into the Every Brothers, Patsy Cline, and New Orleans Jazz. Evolved to Dave Brubeck, Herby Hancock and Miles Davis almost the same time the British Rock Invasion hit our shores.

The Beatles changed everything, but I still loved many of our home grown artists such as The Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Chicago.

Was a huge fan of Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, The Left Bank, Music Machine and 13th Floor Elevators. Couldn't get through the day without my 8 track of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Stones.

It was only after I absorbed all the Jazz I could find, from Count Basie and Oscar Peterson to Bill Evans, before I opened up to Opera, my most difficult transition.

I love Mady Mesple, Frederica von Stade and especially Cecelia Bartoli. These artists performances could have never been enjoyed or understood when I was a child.

Now I listen to techno with my 16 year old, even a little rap (a real stretch for me). Today we listened to Dirty Vegas and Daft Punk, followed by Kylie Minoque, Sylver and Effiel 65.

When Tuesday night rolls around again I plan on Rocking to Tori Amos, Bjork, and the Doors. Followed by at least one classic Blue Note release such as Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder." Maybe something ECM like Oregon or Keith Jarrett. Then jumping to Red Garlands "Steppin' Out, " and then surprising the group by slipping in Lou Reed and John Cale's "Songs for Drella."

I'll listen to KD Lang, Carmen McRae, Rickie Lee Jones and Charlie Bird the same evening. I don't mind mixing Blues from Lightnin' Hopkins and Otis Spann in with Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois.

I have a few hundred classical records, mostly RCA, Mercury and Decca.

I have maybe a thousand blues and soul albums, from Robert Johnson to James Brown. The Chicago blues are in there too.

What I consider sort of American Classics which include (but not limited to), Les Paul and Mary Ford, Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Carmen McRae, Julie London, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Etta James and Nina Simone.

It is not difficult to assemble a collection of 6,000 albums and not have all the important music. There is so much talent that has been laid out before us there is literally not enough time to enjoy all of it.

Grown - I don't have 6,000 albums, but I think Albert has a few years on me so I have time to catch up. His last sentence sums it up perfectly - so much great music, so little time. -Kirk

I've only been into the high-end audio for about 2 years now and I know that my taste in music has changes drastically. I went from Motley Crue to Mozart. I now find myself looking for cd's that 4 years ago I would never considered buying. I don't know if I should say that my taste in music has really changed, I guess I would call it broadening my horizons. I still like my dose of heavy metal music every now and then, but not like I used to. I find myself now sitting here listening to Diana Krall, Jennifer Warnes, or Patricia Barber. I really depends on whether I'm tweaking my system or relaxing. It's kind of a surprise to my wife that now we sit and listen to more of her type of music. She doesn't complain about that but she does the INSANE amounts of money I've spent.

My tastes have grown, but I would not say they changed. I listen to more then I had when I got into this hobby and I still listen to what I did before I got into this hobby- software is the key to an enjoyable system. btw Albert your son has some great taste in music, you should be proud. I agree rap is a stretch but I heard some Outkast(I think that is the name of the band/group- and they are damn good!), but all the rest your son likes is great music(IMO) I ain't much older-21- he is off to a wonderful start. I don't have an audiophiles in my family I am curious what it would have done if I had. ~Tim

From my own experience, I would say this eclecticism is pretty typical of audiophiles in general, but I don't think in my case that much of it was due to my system per se. I just think that folks who really know music, are curious about it, and won't simply lap up what they are fed by the recording and radio industries, are more likely to become audiophiles and recording collectors in the first place. The fact that a broadening of a lot of our tastes and the entry into full-blown audiophilia seem to coincide at a certain age in our lives is probably just due to a confluence of maturity and money available. It takes time both to be exposed to and appreciate the wide world of musical styles, as well as to accumulate the disposable income, the appropriate listening space, and the listening experience that causes critical dissatisfaction with one's erstwhile system and collection - and provides the means to do something about it.

I first woke up to music with "She Loves You" by the Beatles. Greatly enjoyed lots of the '60s rock bands and some of the '70s till about '78. Rock kind of left us at that point, and I switched to Fusion, kindled by the later Jeff Beck albums. Went heavy into Brand X, Solution, Passport, and alot of ECM stuff. This caused some migration into the more traditional jazz, and I became a Miles addict. Especially the real early stuff on Prestige like Diggin', Workin', Steaming', etc. I managed to collect nearly every album he had released on excellent original prints. Also dug 'Trane, Stitt, Monk, Paul Desmond, and I started going to jazz clubs in NYC to hear some live stuff. Storyville was cool. From there, it was just an explosion into all different types of music. Classical is some of my favorite. The only stuff I can't listen to is the newer radio and MTV fare(rap, house, hip-hop, and low talent modern commercial bands). Enjoy!

I grew up on Motown in the 60's and if anyone had told me I would listen to Country or Classical music I might have passed out. Now Johnny Cash is a mainstay and I cannot get enough of Lovesick Broke and Driftin (Hank Williams III). I listen to rock & roll, jazz, da blues and bluegrass. I might give Opera a try but I need to hear something good the first time to have something to build on.

An hour ago I had Sgt. Pepper playing,Al Green is on right now and I might listen to Help Yourself (Walkin'Cane) or maybe The Cars before dinner.

I also agree - there's never enough time...

Tireguy, you're only 21 years old? Simply amazing!

I've always read your posts with great interest, and am often enlightened by your (in my estimation) advanced knowledge and passion for all things audio. It's probably a good thing that you didn't grow up with any audiophile examples to follow - you'ld really be a lost cause if you had! At damned near 40, I have miles to go to catch you.

Wow! - My tastes have certainly changed A LOT since the early 1960s; when I got my first "real stereo" a Scott compact system. Mostly back then, I listened to rock and some blues.
But I grew up in San Francisco; and had the great fortune
to be around during the time Bill Graham and others were
starting to put on live shows with great musicians. Long
before they were household names I heard the Grateful Dead,
Jefferson Airplane, Ike & Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, B.B.
King, The Doors, Albert King, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,
and lots more I can't even remember - all live, of course.
And later on, one of my roommates in college played bass in
Credence Clearwater - and I got to see lots of their concerts on the road as an employee.
Since those days, my taste have changed greatly. I still
listen to and enjoy lots of oldies and rock; but much of my
enjoyment comes from classical music - particularly orchestral pieces; as well as some jazz and country.
I think it might also be mentioned, that I feel a lot
of audiophiles tend to have relatively broad musical interests because we are exposed to more types of music than
the general public. Just look at all the types of music that
tend to be reviewed in say Stereophile or TAS. Something for
just about anyone's taste - yet enough "new stuff" to make
one want to maybe try something "different" for a change.