It’s hard for me to listen to anyone that isn’t Queen.
Though I truly believe Queen is the best band to have ever graced the earth’s face, I do not consider this belief responsible for my exclusivity. I think the reason I want to listen to Queen is simply that I know them. I’ve listened to Queen for years. They are my friends. Today, I can’t make friends with any new music because there’s just too much of it.
Everyone has something to say about how wonderfully accessible music has become. Though I agree with the latter sentiment, “wonderful” is not the adjective I would choose. Perhaps frustrating or overwhelming would be a better representation of of my feelings on the matter. The only new music I have time to discover is the latest album of a band I’ve already learned to love.
It’s not that I’m lazy about music, it’s just that every time I try to find something new I face a torrent of newness- not unlike a natural disaster. I am not afraid to die, but I am afraid to drown. Mixtapes frustrate me. There’s so much out there, I am teased constantly by songs I think I might like, but there are so many. How can I ever build a relationship with a band? These single song purchases are destroying me. Why would I want to buy the whole cow when I can get the milk for free or 99 cents? These brief stints and love affairs are not what I’m looking for. I’m steadfast and long-term. Where is my musical match? I refuse to believe that it’s lurking on Last.Fm or LimeWire. Where is the album that I listen to start to finish? Highway to Hell1, Rumours2, Bad3… will we never experience a repeat performance? Bands today are so prolific. It’s too easy to make an album. No one thinks it through. Everyone’s obsessed with ideas and leaves execution to the wild dogs outside the gate4.
Thank you, Queen, for being you.
1. AC/DC - one of their best albums
2. Fleetwood Mac - their best album
3. Michael Jackson - MJ’s 2nd best album
4. Biblical reference to a bad place
