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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Rap or hip-hop: about 15 seconds.  Most contemporary pop/rock: first listen.  Selected pop artists (mostly indie, e.g. Kate Bush): a couple of listens.  Springsteen: ain't gonna happen in this lifetime.

If I’m critically listening, not hearing at a holiday party at someone house, once.  Some music grows on me like an earworm.  My kids music sometimes.  I’ve heard it so many times I know every word by heart but I wouldn’t put it on my playlist.  

There are many composers that people I respect tell me that I ‘have” to get.  Schoenberg and his school are the most frequently cited.  So after years of trying I finally understand the music, but I still don’t much care for it

About 16 bars is usually enough for me to know whether I want to listen further.

Tried out Nine Inch Nails yesterday.  Felt like I was being screamed at by an alien being.  Went through 10 tracks at about 12 seconds each, that was plenty for the rest of my life.

No I don't get it.

Regards,

barts