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How Many Times Do You Have To Listen To Understand A Piece Of Music?

Speaking solely about popular music, broadly speaking, it takes 2 to 3 listens to figure out if I like something.  Roughly meaning do I want to hear it again.  To get to the point where I think I understand the piece can take dozens of listens.  A big factor in how digestible a piece is whether it's a genre, artist or song I'm already familiar with.  At least for me truly new music is harder to get into.

Just curious as to how others experience new music.

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noromance's avatar
noromance
9,842 posts
 

Some it's love at first sight (hear), others it takes a few listens for it to grow on me, and then there are those I can't stand from the get-go.

goofyfoot's avatar
goofyfoot
1,380 posts
 

When I first heard Captain Beefheart, it sounded like Frank Zappa and the Mothers on acid. I figured that out in five minutes. 

larsman's avatar
larsman
1,986 posts
 

Some of my favorite artists I love the music right away, but can take at least 5 or 6 listenings before I can even figure out what the song is doing.... 

bolong
621 posts
 

To quote Beefheart, "When It Blows - It Stacks."

That is all ye know, and all ye need to know.

jond's avatar
jond
5,851 posts
 

It varies by song obviously some are more accessible than others. Countless times I've decided a song was the best on an album only to later consider a different song I didn't care for originally best on an album.

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