By: Alex Coleman @Its_YoPalAl [Co Executive Newspaper Editor]

It has been argued for quite some time that quality of music is not an objective subject. Many people tend to disagree, saying that one genre is better than another, or that their favorite artist reigns superior over all the rest, but this is simply not the case. Whether it’s punk rock bands or smooth sax players someone is into, there is no true outside force meant to deem whether music is worthy or unworthy of a listen.

One of the most common types of music that people simply cannot concur on is the genre of hip hop. From speedy raps to the beat drops everyone knows, hip hop is easily the most racy of the genres. People such as Eminem fume over their women hate in these verses, while others promote the use of illegal substances. Now, this genre is loved by many, especially those in their teens and early twenties, but there are also many who find the music appalling.

Similarly, there is a strong love for country in many people’s hearts while others find the swanky tunes and dipping voices of its singers horrifying. This can be said for every type of music, those these two seem to be more prominent in arguments. How, though, are we as a population meant to agree on what is and what isn’t worth listening to?

There are artists and songs that everyone knows, that nearly everyone loves. Greats like Michael Jackson, Elton John, and the Beatles were appreciated by music lovers alike, even if not everyone was a huge fan. These are the people who have an all around aura about them, more recent ones being taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West. These artists are constantly releasing works that provoke the attention of the media, and, as most of us will agree, have a certain sort of quality of the pieces they release.

The subject matter, though, is not what music is best so much as why this scale is inarguable. The matter-of-fact knowledge some people possess on ‘good music’ is nothing more than subjective language, or something figmented of an opinion. Some would argue that it’s a music critic’s job to decide whether music is good or not, but critics often times disagree. Regardless, their critiques are based off of experience and preference, just as the public’s taste in music is.

So whether or not someone likes a particular song or artist, they must appreciate the fact that someone somewhere does in fact find the music appealing. It’s not trash, it’s not horrible, and it probably is worth listening to as all music has something we can take from it, but no one is forcing others to like their kind of music. Just like paintings or sculptures, music is another type of art that pokes at people’s thoughts and emotions in a way that is either enjoyable or less so. In the end though, there are no rules to art.