By Caroline Mora
I love music — any genre. I may not like every song under the sun, but I am open to listening to everything and trying new things. The way I see it, there’s a humongous musical charcuterie board out there just waiting for me to sample everything on it.
Some people feel they have the right to interrogate me and attempt to gatekeep their favorite artists. If I don’t know all the words to the seventh song on the fourth album or the name of their favorite artist’s childhood pet, then I apparently don’t like that artist.
The term “gatekeeping” is used to describe the act of controlling access to something. In this case, artists and different genres of music are being withheld. Most people could care less about the kind of music you listen to, or even who the top three artists on your “Spotify Wrapped” are. For gatekeepers, anyone who does not fit their aesthetic isn’t allowed in the club.
For example, it is a common misconception that people who listen to goth music need to have a dark aesthetic. Sure, you might find people who wear traditional goth makeup or only wear heavy makeup and black clothes, but it is not about what you look like that makes you a part of this musical subgenre. Wearing black doesn’t make you goth, it’s the music. Listening to and enjoying the culture of a subgenre is an experience that you shouldn’t feel judged for. Nobody should be able to decide what you should or shouldn’t listen to based on your “vibe.”
You don’t need to be a superfan of every artist you listen to, nor do you need to be familiar with every song on their discography. However, the judgment that you receive upon telling somebody that, No, you only know that one song, can linger and make you feel like you don’t deserve to listen to that music.
This kind of gatekeeping can be combated by arming yourself with knowledge. For instance, you should learn the essentials about an artist before announcing that you enjoy them. But why would you do that? Nobody wants to live in fear of being called a poser, just because you’re not an active member in the artist’s subreddit.
Being paranoid and defensive isn’t a permanent fix, and to be honest, there isn’t one. People just need to learn how to share. I’ve been the gatekeeper as well as the gatekeep-ee and I can tell you being either of those people is not a good feeling. As a gatekeeper, you love your special interest so much that you feel like only you should be able to enjoy it. Isn’t that wild? Why shouldn’t I share the love?
All you can truly do is ignore it, as hard as it may be. You learn eventually that everyone will have an opinion about you and none of it matters because you are not the sum of how you are perceived. Only you know who you are, what you like, what you don’t like and how you think. Listen to whomever you want and whatever you want, you deserve to enjoy it.
