Define good music

[casualbb]

I don't mean name bands or groups you think are good; that's what the music forum is for.

Rather, what, to you constitutes good music? What about a song makes you enjoy it and want to listen to it again?

For me it's possessing the following characteristics:

1. Good melodies and harmonies. This rules out death metal or any other such stuff where I'm hard-pressed to find an actual melody

2. Variety in:
-Dynamics (aka volume)
-Texture/Complexity. I like it when a song alternates between simple and complex through the addition or subtraction of instruments/vocals/sounds. Sometimes simple stuff is nice (everybody loves Green Day's "Dookie" album), but I usually find that the more a song varies its complexity without sounding cluttered, the more I like it.

3. The ability to evoke an emotional response. This, to me, is what separates good music from AWESOME music. I have a lot of songs which, I listen to and enjoy, but they don't change the way I FEEL. I think this is why Gary Jules' remake of "Mad World" is so popular; despite being a very simple arrangement it's also very emotional.

Post up! What criteria do you use to judge music, whether consciously or not?

 

[sconoscuito]

1. something that gets me crunk

 

[tripleblonde]

there was a time a few weeks back where I would listen to mad world over and over and over......

so maybe it is the feeling of change it gives you, but the melody/tune/whatever has to be such that it keeps me interested and it sets itself apart from other songs.....

 

[FISHTALES]

when it gives you goose bumps, makes you cry, or brings a smile to you when nothing else can.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

A good song has at least one of the three components:

1. A good melody/harmony
2. Good lyrics
3. A good beat

If it has all three, it is a classic.

I tend to appreciate the melody part the most.
A song can be very simple and be amazing.

It can also be very complicated and sound like shit.

It is important to have a balance of complexity and the three above ingredients to make a good song.

 

[from zero]

In the ear of the beholder.

 

[GatheringFlock]

anything you can wank off to is good music...

 

[Y_lifter]

Very clean Vocals...
When I hear the voice, I should Imagine it is actually an instrument it hit the note so cleanly..

Acustic music... My favorite
It can have drums and even a little low bass Guitar, but piano and acustic guitar make
it perfect..

Lyrics that are like poetry but not so cryptic that I have to figure them out..

The Main reasons I listen almost exclusively to Contemporary Christian music these days..
Not only the good message in the great lyrics, but the music hits the above 99% of the time..

 

[perkele]

1. Good melodies and harmonies.

Those are the most important things + good rhythm & beat. Lyrics can be everything from Bob Dylan to bubble-gum pop, if it just rhymes well and goes well with the music and the feel of the song.

Dynamics, YES.

Great players playing the music, YES.

More than just guitar, bass & drums, YES.

I like when these many different instrument involved. Guitar (acoustic & electric), bass, piano, strings, horns, percussions, harmonica etc. and most of all great vocal harmonies.

 

[Robert Jan]

Its quite impossible, I have thought of this many times before.

Its an expression of feelings and thoughts through sound that appeals to you.

you really cant narrow it down any further without making some kind of mistake

 

[d3track]

it has to have something that i can relate to, this goes along with emotions

when you hear a song you can go, 'yeah, i know were he/she is coming from'

 

[string_bean00]

Something you can relate to.

 

[BrandonXJ]

one word.

gwar!

 

[SoreArms]

In the ear of the beholder.

true that

I look for raw, unprocessed, simple rock and roll with balls.

it also depends on my mood
If I'm meloncholly or heart wounded I like melodic stuff.
If I'm happy or angry I like fast pounding shit.

and then there are the ones that you like just because, regardless of mood.

So what have we learned from all these responses?

 

[Becoming]

one word.

gwar!

I like this dude....

art is subjective- it cannot be defined... that said, I agree with above..