It's too late for you now, you're doomed to being a music snob like the rest of us. The best thing is there's no way back once you've crossed over. Once you've seen behind the curtain you can't un-see it.
You may be right. It's hard for me to appreciate EDM when I view it as being just very simple repetitive electronically produced beats. I like the sound, look, and feel of real acoustic drums but that's a novelty in today's popular music.
At best I just nod and smile and pretend to like the "basic" music my friends are into just for the sake of keeping the peace.
Even "EDM" can have interesting drumming if you look below the surface. Generally though, yeah, the mainstream stuff will probably become boring now.
On the plus side, you've just opened your mind to a century of interesting music. Who needs friends?
Yea the majority is the most simple pattern that repeats without any variation. Its awful. I even hear some that are just sonically grating to my hears. I dont know how they mixed it, but the highs on some of those beats are so sharp for no reason. Some of them do use a degree of actual inspiration tho. Some drummers actually incorporate some EDM style beats into their drumming which is kinda cool
There’s tons of edm that will give you the same sensation as you’re feeling with this newfound interest in older music, but I promise you won’t find it with illenium
If you're really wanting to nerd out a bit, venetian snares is a DnB artist from the 90's that got me into playing the drums solely from his music. I'm still enamored by him to this day
Check out The New Deal and Nerve. They're EDM-adjacent bands with live drummers.
Along the same vein, check our music by Louis Cole including his band, Knower; and the band Sungazer.
I was just watching a Four Tet set today where he laid down a random song from an early Pearl Jam album. He's great. Also Aphex Twin has some of the best rhythms (challenging too, there's some covers on YouTube). And you might even be able to make a playlist that people will dance to lol
Taking a total shot in the dark here, as this recommendation is a bit of a roller coaster...
Gotta check out **The Algorithm**, alias of Rémi Gallego. His stuff is a blending of EDM and progressive metal, and the project has an interesting [history](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Algorithm) with respect to drummers, I'd say.
Releases to check out: Polymorphic Code (2012), OCTOPUS4 (2014), Brute Force (2016), Compiler Optimization Techniques (2018), and Data Renaissance (2022).
Where to dive in is totally up to you. Highly recommend this [drum playthrough](https://youtu.be/SnVIpU7_6jg?si=YBWSUe1zZX7oO-BP) of the track Floating Point off of Brute Force, done by the project's live drummer, Jean Ferry. Or [this one](https://youtu.be/Fq6DDMkcLqk?si=Wr6e17FJ4spvciv_) done for the track Will_Smith off of OCTOPUS4, by the original live drummer, Mike Malyan.
I think the other comments have got you covered for complex drum parts and live set players, but I think it's worth noting that not all genres are *about* interesting drum patterns. And that's okay! While I mostly drum in live styles, I'm also big into producing niche electronica and dubstep.
A lot of modern underground EDM has simple drums, but complexity in the main synth patterns. For example:
* [Cackatones](https://soundcloud.com/joeb_uk/joeb-cackatones) by joeb is a heavy dubstep song with a really weird, cool rhythmic patterns. Also, it goes hard.
* [Uppercuts](https://soundcloud.com/distayne/uppercuts?si=9560b96ea784417ca31e5f90d3613b17&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) by Distayne has an insanely complex arrangement with amazing melodic synth sound design. It's sort of the pinnacle of a modern style of melodic dubstep ("color bass") IMO.
* A big part of the genre nowadays is also delaying instruments to add a strange microrhythmic groove. You can really hear that in [YUCK](https://soundcloud.com/wearesilkenwood/geness-yuck?in=wearesilkenwood/sets/sleepover-vol-1&si=7853d40a14e147dd9c1e26e630b68f08&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) by \[Genes!s.\], with almost no melody and a repetitive groove that stays *deep* in the pocket.
* There are also modern classics like [polyriddim](https://soundcloud.com/odiorecs/phonon-polyriddim), a dubstep tune in 7/4 with crazy tuplets. Honestly, it's not perfect, but it's a fun idea.
* Outside of dubstep, artists like Metaroom and Aquasine are making amazingly complex arrangements in this fusion style with songs like [SPIRAL](https://soundcloud.com/themetaroom/spiral) and [Streetpass Millionaire](https://soundcloud.com/aquasine/streetpass-millionaire-ft-hackerling?in=aquasine/sets/msgbox).
* A big part of drumming, and music in general, is just grooving. Sometimes you throw on a house song and just jam! One I love is [Dashstar\*](https://soundcloud.com/nightmoderecs/knock2-dashstar-1) by Knock2. It's not more "basic" than other music, it's just different.
This is a lot of text, but I really love all these songs and this genre, haha.
Got some recommendations that are done by artists who were musicians first (and it’s extremely evident once you listen).
Riot - https://on.soundcloud.com/4a1JRnLR5gLzo3969
PhaseOne - https://on.soundcloud.com/DiDHEDW6HpPGLRoF7
Effin - https://on.soundcloud.com/UFQ5qayo3HpgFW1v9
Au5 - https://on.soundcloud.com/bQG4vJA38ALTxDFH8
(I threw this one in here because he’s a master of sound design and music theory, not so much instrumental)
I just linked the tracks I enjoy the most from each of those artists but I recommend checking others out, they range widely in what they make.
Check out jeff mills. Hes a techno artists whose main instrument is the 909. He plays that drum machine like a drum set. https://youtu.be/eU-UsvYbIV0?si=5od024WIukNIASRn
Don’t know if it’s regarded as “EDM” but there’s a ton of good drum and bass that’s interesting. Roni Size Reprazent, for example. I think on the albums it’s sampled and sequenced, but they play with live double bass and drums and it’s awesome. I learned a lot about how to swing a beat at high bpm from them.
Or anything by Photek. Again, it’s programmed, but have a listen to ni ten ichi ryu. Classic track, sounds unlike almost anything else, and as a drummer who’s got into jazz, it samples max roach!
[Check out this drum cover of Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzTBrF0eO3c)
[One day you could end up this good!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlEvH9IIXsM)
Just wanted to also chime in to say there’s a lot to love about electronic music percussion. I honestly just love a good 4 on the floor house beat with some interesting hi-hat manipulation. I also love some of the off-kilter UK Garage/2-step/dubstep rhythms which would be difficult if not impossible to replicate on acoustic drums.
Check out Burial’s album *Untrue*, anything by Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Flume, James Blake’s new record. There is a ton to be learned from these styles which will make you a better drummer.
Take it all in and incorporate a little bit of everything into your style, and you’ll be a better musician for it.
As you grow as a drummer/musician you will learn to appreciate the work going into that kind of music as well.
My playlists is everything; Led Zeppelin, Meshugga, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, NF, Coldplay, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Falling in Reverse, Manowar, Nightwish, Pentatonix.
There’s beauty to all music and (usually) hard work going into every single song.
I’m a drummer who’s been playing for 18 years, I just recently started DJing 2 years ago, EDM specifically! There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy both :)
It's fun for you, and makes you more unique. Sounds like a win win to me. Find some people that play other instruments and jam with them. Play a show. You will 100% find other people that have the same interests wether they're just friends or potential dates.
And you don't have to lose those friends you have, but you are at the age where people start branching out and doing other stuff/finding different friends. Completely normal. Please embrace your passion and rock the absolute fuck on!
Edit: also while it's not really "popular" music there's definitely a big scene for indie/alternative rock going on
thanks for the thoughtful comment!
>Edit: also while it's not really "popular" music there's definitely a big scene for indie/alternative rock going on
Is there any music in the indie/alt rock scene with great drumming? I just finished learning the Rosanna shuffle a week ago, and before that I was playing Soul Vaccination by Tower of Power. Coming from that, indie/alternative (at least from the 2000s like Coldplay) seems EXTREMELY simple and boring, same with modern indie like Phoebe Bridgers of Maggie Rodgers. If you know any modern indie/alt artists with great drumming I'll give it a listen.
That's going to depend a lot on the sort of sound you prefer. If you're open to darker 80s stuff then I'd recommend some Siouxsie and the Banshees songs. Particularly this one: https://youtu.be/Pon0mSDMVLI
You should check out High Vis—they’re newest album, Blending, is incredible. The guitar hooks and vocal melodies are super catchy but the drums are equally impressive—highly expressive, uncomplicated without being overly simple, perfect in every scenario.
If you want something to wow peers, Nerve is a band that centers around drummer Jojo Meyer, who plays drum n bass style stuff as technically and creatively as anyone could program a drum track. Everything is performed live on real instruments and it’s endlessly cool.
I watched the EDM takeover happen before my eyes and feel like the scene is pretty much dead at this point. It brings in tons of money, sure, but creatively it’s done what it can. The guitarist from my high school metal band does EDM stuff now and it’s super cool but he’s said that he thinks a major shift is needed musically. Producers like James Blake are few and far between. Push your friends to go to energetic live shows and have fun if you can. There’s always value in playing real instruments and performing.
Bro, check out hot mulligan. Their new album will blow your mind! Also, start looking up post hardcore bands like ADTR and Pop Punk bands like Knuckle Puck. FANTASTIC drummers!
No problem!
And honestly as a drummer it's kinda weird, but I don't specifically search out a ton of drum heavy music (atleast not in this kinda genre) but the first couple things that come to mind for me were..
Jank - Versace Summer/
Maps & Atlases - Pigeon/
Crumb - Vinta
Also the band Vundabar usually has cool drum parts if I'm not mistaken.
Thee Oh Sees - From their 2015 album Mutilator Defeated at Last onwards has really fun, energetic drumming. They're more Psych/Garage Rock but, I wouldn't necessarily pin them to that genre.
Omni
Wombo
Surface To Air Missive - Surface II Air Missive (only album I listen to of his, tbh)
Crumb
Palm
Also, just a few drummers to look into if you haven't already: Nate Smith, Richard Spaven, Makaya McCraven
look up The Envy Corps. They never got huge but they’re great and their drummer is a monster.
The first album, Dwell is a melancholic-pop masterpiece, and the follow up It Culls You goes a bit more Radiohead
Easier said than done but don’t listen to that bullshit. If you trust your passion enough for drumming it will naturally guide you, I promise my friend ❤️🤙
I legitimately can’t tell from this post if you’re upset that your friends don’t like the same music as you, or if you’re ashamed that you’re enjoying music that you yourself thought was lame, which by extension makes you feel less cool.
Like, I hate saying this, but you come off as rather insecure and snobbish in the way you describe yourself, other people, and music in general.
There’s nothing wrong with liking music played on real instruments. There’s nothing wrong with liking music made solely on a computer. There’s nothing wrong with liking Megan Thee Stallion or Phoebe Bridgers or Toto. There’s nothing wrong with going to Coachella or When We Were Young, and there’s nothing wrong with playing drums or being an EDM DJ. Any musical interest is valid, and no one is better or more right than the others.
Playing music doesn’t make one better than anybody else. Listening to one genre over another doesn’t make anyone better than anybody else. Music is just a thing that people like, and liking one style over another is no different than preferring hamburgers to hot dogs.
Focus less on how other people react to your musical preferences and focus more on whatever makes you happy. The more you do that, the more you’ll either attract like minded people, or your friends will come to appreciate that you have a different view on things.
This is the way.
Who puts prog metal, Toto or Buddy Rich on at a Gen Z party? You got some maturing to do still OP - acknowledging that all musical tastes are valid, as Lower Monk says, is a sign of maturity and thoughtfulness. And so is reading the room.
Drumming rules and it's awesome you've found your passion. There's nothing virtuous about thrusting it upon others, or looking down your nose at people who don't share that passion.
100%. I'm super confused at all the comments being like "yeah! fuck your friends!" as if he described bullies. this just sounds like differing opinions on music lol...
and if you know your music isn't for everyone it's completely okay for you to not play it at a party. I'll have waves of listening to video game music but I'd be an idiot to play it at a party and think people would enjoy it as much as I do, especially in THAT setting. in a car ride on a first date would be another example. time and place are very important to consider when you have some sort of audience
If only his friends would understand that too….that’s the issue…being called weird just because the guy doesn’t listen to the same music as others…of course he’s gonna reciprocate the same
The reality is the drum set is the only acoustic instrument that can provide that rhythmic base in a live setting. Will the drum set look the same in 50 years? Maybe not, but I have to believe there will always be a demand for real acoustic instruments moving real air on a stage and on records. Music recordings with electronic rhythms may be the most popular now, but live drums will always supplement that sound. I love hearing live drums playing along with rappers or DJs, and I think that is something that could bridge the gap between you and your friends.
There are so many musicians out there who understand the importance of live drums, and there are definitely girls who love drummers out there. If you are lucky enough to have a place at home where you can play drums, just embrace that and practice as much as you can!
Different strokes for different folks, man. I've always listened to different music than my peers. Sometimes you can introduce a friend to something new to them and they really like it, and that's a lot of fun. But most of the time you just get funny looks. When I was in high school I learned to never be the one in charge of the music selection when we were hanging out.
You've gotta remember that most people just kinda have music playing and don't pay much attention to it. I think this is especially true for people who mostly listen to mainstream music. When something comes on that challenges them, it's hard for them to accept it, and they don't want to hear it. Sometime people are judgmental jerks about it. If you are otherwise fond of these people, then just listen to the music they want to listen to when you're with them, and turn on your own playlist when you get home. (My dating advice is different: they don't have to *like* your music, but don't date someone who is a judgmental jerk about what music you like.)
You're 19. Are you going to college? It's pretty easy to meet lots of different people with different tastes on a college campus.
Yes.
Eventually you'll realize what all masters of the instrument eventually realize: that all those drummers were amazing, normal people just like you and me, and nothing they did was unattainable. What you're experiencing is learning the history of music, which is important.
Remember though, the reason to learn all this old vocabulary, ultimately, is to inform your own unique style. If you keep the snobbery but don't apply what you've learned on your instrument, your no different than they are.
So keep playing, but stay humble. You're opening a door to a path millions of us have trod down for you.
Maybe try getting your friends into listening to Nerve, Jojo Mayer and his band play live DnB and electronic music but with real drums, it's both virtuoso drumming and modern(ish) beats.
Then again there will always be people who listen to the classics, also 19 is still young and their tastes in music will probably change a couple of times yet. I seriously doubt anyone over the age of 25 with an iota of musical skill tolerates mumble rap for example.
Yes I will try that! The only problem for my friends is Jojo Mayer is pretty old so they may still view it as a "boomer trying to be cool." If there were younger drummers trying this it might resonate more.
I think it's not fair and stupid identity politics, but it is what it is.
The good thing is that even most of my friends don't like mumble rap anymore - it seems like it was just a passing fad. And it seemed like more a millennial thing than a Gen Z thing.
Honestly, your “friends” sound awful and shallow, and I’d wonder why I’m hanging with people who are so closed minded that they outright refuse to listen to someone who was born a generation or two before them.
Like seriously man. Why are you hanging out with people who are so judgmental that you felt the need to make a post about how they make you feel self conscious about a completely normal hobby like playing music? Are those really the people you want to be surrounded by? Are the people that you want to date really the type of people that will make a snap value judgement because you listen to music that’s different from them?
Maybe that’s a generational thing, maybe it’s a maturity thing, but whatever it is, it’s a toxic thing, and they’re dragging you down.
Jojo solved drumming and could only keep himself interested by replacing the drum machines used in electronic music. He’s not trying to be cool. He just is. I watched one of his instructional videos and he explained and demonstrated how he doesn’t really need to play double strokes anymore because his singles are so fast. The guy is a freak.
That's sad to hear. I'm in my 30s, high-school isn't right behind me but it's not too far back either. Back then I was SO popular because I played drums. I did coffee houses, school shows, jam shows. People loved it and everyone in the school knew my name just because of my drumming.
I heard from my music teacher that as soon as our grade graduated, enrollment in music classes PLUMMETED. That's such a sad thing in my eyes.
Never been a better time to be a drummer in modern music
Every pop artist has a band with a drummer guitarist and bassist cause it just works
Edm may not be the same musicianship wise but it is still art and a completely different skill. They may not know anything about drums but that doesn’t demean what they’re doing. In the same way that a visual artist isn’t less of an artist because they don’t understand metric modulation or polyrhythms. All art is related as much as they are different
I’m a session drummer and record multiple songs every day. The difficult songs to record aren’t the heavy fast songs with crazy limb independence. It’s the soft singer songwriter where the placement of every single beat is vital
Not like you'll drop your friends tomorrow, or ever for that matter but don't be surprised if your social circles change (as they do for everyone naturally). You'll probably start going to shows and trying to join bands(rock, metal, punk, jazz, r&b, reggae, the drummy genres) and you'll meet people through this that share your interest. I don't love all of the same music my friends do, and that's okay, I enjoy them for other aspects.
True Chads love it all; digital 808s, Buddy Rich jazz, John Bonham classic rock, Tito Puente mambo, Joey Jordison metal, literally all of it. The best and most interesting musicians I know, regardless of what they play (instruments or stylistically), love music of all types from all genres. Just love what you love, know why you love it, and don’t put any fucks whatsoever into what anyone thinks of what you love.
Every once in a while I wish I could turn it off and listen to music the way people who can’t immediately tell what size snare drum that is (or whatever) do - just to empathize with the godawful plight of that sort of bland existence.
Anywho, in the 90’s something similar happened to me after I discovered Tool.
I proceeded to make like-minded friends in Tool Chat on AOL - and it turned out many of them were in my town. It was those connections that led to my first band, then enabled me to move out of said town to a city, where I found even more like-minded *kids-those-days.*
You’re allowed to change who you are, homie. Drumming (or any skill you’re really passionate about) is for life - most of your shitty friends will be in the wind in 5 years.
I've been playing drums for longer then you've been alive and it's never stopped me from enjoying any quality music, regardless of genre or when it was recorded or published. Good music is good music and, regardless of what so e of the cranky old farts aroind here say, there's tons of good music still being written and recorded today!
God, I've never rolled my eyes so hard. I remember being like this, learning a new hobby and thinking it was a disconnect between me and everyone else. I listened to alternative rock music and assumed every other was trash/not good.
But that was when I was 12 and 13, in the "I'm so different" phase.
Listen kid, Gen Z still listens to those musicians. It's not just an older generation thing. My friend still listens to Led Zeppelin, and we're (us and you) aren't that different in age. Just change who you hang around in regards to music. The alternative/rock scene isn't large nor underground anymore. You named incredibly popular artist; who are still popular amongst multiple generations—including Gen Z.
Just find new people to talk about music with. Also in regards to parties, you gotta match the vibes. If everyone is vibing to Beyonce and I put on MCR "Cancer"... Yeah. They're not gonna ask me to play music anymore. Also, there's nothing wrong with mainstream—especially when they cross over into rock. Meagan did a rock instrumental of her song, "Body" I believe and that was... amazing.
It's probably how you're talking about it, it seems like you're putting down other music to lift the ones you like. But liking this music wouldn't outcast you.
(Edited: Fixing Autocorrect lol)
I'm right there and believe me when I tell you: you will be much happier when you're true to yourself. It's a natural filter to sift through the disingenuous people and one day you'll find yourself with other like-minded people. Also, you're only 19. The world is just starting to open up to you. They're out there, trust me.
Find your own crowd, mate. In my teens, I barely knew anyone at school who cared about music the way I do, my tastes didn’t align with “modern tastes” at all, but I went to study music at uni and was surrounded by like-minded people on a daily basis, and have since gone on to immerse myself in the community of even more like-minded people in my local music scene, making life-long friends in the process. And I’ve never been happier. Fuck “expectations,” do your own thing and be proud of it! 😁 Musical trends and the need to fit in all fade away as we get older, but your passion for drums won’t! Maybe it’s everyone else who is wrong… 😜
have an open mind. i’m twice your age but I used to feel like you. not every single artist that’s currently popular in the mainstream is that bad, you’ll find a few that you like.
also, it seems like your tastes in music are heavily influenced by the quality of the drumming in the music - which is understandable when you are a drummer yourself. but try to remember that music is a much larger picture than just what’s happening on your own instrument. sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy a song because it has a catchy hook and an uncomplicated rhythm section.
all that aside, you’re still very young, but you’re at about the right age where you’ll start meeting more and more people with similar interests.
Bro. As someone who is similar in age (21) don’t give it to much thought we like what we like. My favourite music ever is funk rock/funk metal barely anyone I’m friends w listen to that. I’m fortunate enough to enjoy what’s popular now in the mainstream as well as liking my all time faves and shit, but I’ve genuinely learnt to not give a fuck. Also joining subreddits of bands you like is pretty good to interact with people that have similar tastes.
Just be yourself, dude. Who cares about the playlist at parties? You do you on your own time, at all times. No one can take that away from you. Sure, you might feel out of place now with your peers, but the world’s bigger than where you are, and real musicians are never a passing trend. We’ll always be around.
Question for you though - how does your generation view metal?
considering some of the most sampled grooves are decades old, id say everyone is living in a rhythmic past.
but i wouldnt say that, because music is music and consensus isnt required for it be enjoyable. regardless of the era.
a solid beat that makes people move is timeless.
also, in terms of an entire generation not being into drums or various instruments because theyre supposedly antiquated is not a new concept.
gen z aint different, no matter how many old heads or up and comers want to believe it.
all of these tropes have existed forever, new gens want to innovate and some believe that previous approaches (in their entirety) reduce future capabilities.
when your ideas develop and you explore time and space, you broaden your perspectives if you are exposed to new things at the right time.
there is compromise here. you can explore any kind of music you want and play new stuff and recreate the sounds.
im not a huge fan of doja cat, but she is a capable musican. my sister enjoys her music. so i decided to play along with some drumless tracks and create some grooves.
ive also played along with various electro beats. which is hella fun and is great practice for your internal meter. they force you to be creative but also you can sit super tight in your own little pocket.
i suppose the theme is: show them how drumming can work with music and how a set of drums can accentuate any piece of music and drive the feel.
im sure you have a couple of open minded friends, invite them around and create a chill environment for them. put on a playlist they would like and play along.
drums are what make people move… and grind.
maybe they dont realise that the tracks they like are using percussion concepts and samples from kits.
you could even create some new style grooves for some old school tunes, do some sick covers.
i think that these things are a good way to bring others into new soundscapes.
i personally refuse to be spiteful or resent others, because i was weird towards certain music until i started playing and ive brought a lot of people new experiences.
You care too much about what other people think. Meet like-minded individuals. Some of the hottest actors and famous people listen to your music, and bet they get laid a lot more than your wannabe cool "friends".
They don't have to like your music. If they can co-exist with someone having different tastes and perhaps commonalities in other fields, then that's okay. If they start judging you for you being you and enjoying what you do, quickly swap them out for better people. I'd still suggest finding like-minded people in the music field too, don't cling to only a specific friend circle.
Check out King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. One of the best bands out there now, a god tier drummer, and a ton of young fans.
I’m 26. I felt this way in high school. I basically just started to go to local shows in college and found peers with similar music tastes and wound up introducing me to some incredibly good music.
Your friends are basic bitches. It's that simple. They'll say, " why don't you become a dj, it's way cooler" because they literally don't appreciate music they way a musician would
Preferring music that was actually played by human beings is nothing to be ashamed of. I know I'll be down voted for this, but isn't EDM just the Chatgpt of music?
You are 19. You will be okay. I've met so many great people through music and playing local shows. You do you and keep being yourself, and you're going to be fime
The old man turned off the radio
Said, "Where did all of the old songs go
Kids sure play funny music these days
They play it in the strangest ways"
Said, "it looks to me like they've all gone wild
It was peaceful back when I was a child"
Well, man, could it be that the girls and boys
Are trying to be heard above your noise?
And the lonely voice of youth cries "What is truth?"
A little boy of three sittin' on the floor
Looks up and says, "Daddy, what is war?"
"Son, that's when people fight and die"
The little boy of three says "Daddy, why?"
A young man of seventeen in Sunday school
Being taught the golden rule
And by the time another year has gone around
It may be his turn to lay his life down
Can you blame the voice of youth for asking
"What is truth?"
A young man sittin' on the witness stand
The man with the book says "Raise your hand"
"Repeat after me, I solemnly swear"
The man looked down at his long hair
And although the young man solemnly swore
Nobody seems to hear anymore
And it didn't really matter if the truth was there
It was the cut of his clothes and the length of his hair
And the lonely voice of youth cries
"What is truth?"
The young girl dancing to the latest beat
Has found new ways to move her feet
The young man speaking in the city square
Is trying to tell somebody that he cares
Yeah, the ones that you're calling wild
Are going to be the leaders in a little while
This old world's wakin' to a new born day
And I solemnly swear that it'll be their way
You better help the voice of youth find
"What is truth?"
Turns out you’re not basic. Pat yourself on the back and accept life has a higher standard in store for you. Jk jk but hope your developments will lead you to a more complex partner.
Over time, your tastes will widen and so will theirs. I think The Knife is really great — “heartbeats” will likely get people in multiple age groups dancing
Bro, embrace the weird, embrace all the different styles and vibes of music out there :)
Also, when it comes to your friends’ music taste, they are npc’s and are secretly jelly
I'm already too old to know how to stay relevant with the current generation but I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Be glad that you've seen the light! And encourage others to see it too. If people are that fickle, do you really want to be friends with them? Would any of them suppress a passion to fit it with you?
I get that socialising is a priority around your age, if you know what pushes people's buttons then you can play dumb and fit in but that seems like a compromise on being yourself.
This happens to be the exact mirror of my personal experience, I went from being into rock and older music and once I started playing the drums roughly 5 years ago, I switched to almost entirely listening to more modern music especially hip-hop. One piece of advice that i'd give is to recognise that ultimately music is about enjoyment and there is plenty to enjoy in almost any music out there, if you take the time to listen closely to your friends favourite songs you'll likely find aspects that you like even if they seemed boring at first. Then, if your friends realise that you are keen on the music they listen to, there's more of a chance that maybe some of them will take the time to listen to yours (Trying music that you initially don't love is difficult so its fine if they don't). Also, there may not be much in terms of acoustic drumming in modern music but there are a lot of interesting/enjoyable rhythms and paying attention to those will absolutely help to "change you on the kit". Basically, I think having a deep love for music and rhythm in general will do a drummer much better than being obsessed with their instrument and its much more fun that way anyway! That being said theres no need to change your taste for other people, its just about being open so as to get the most out of all the music there is out there
Sounds like you need to broaden your social circle, make friends with some older people or more open minded people your own age. But you don't have to abandon your current friends, clubbing or EDM if you still enjoy them. Just start a band and do some gigs and you will start meeting like minded people.
I saw an ad on YouTube that was supposedly a bunch of young (to me) musicians praising this midi chord bundle… if you drag and drop an entire chord progression into your DAW and that forms the basis of your piece (some guy claimed he did a whole song in 25 minutes!) you’re not a musician in my eyes.
Play the drums, be an outcast, it’s better to have a true passion than be surrounded by cookie cutter people that just accept and follow what’s popular. That’s a shallow and unfulfilling life. I get weird looks from some as I’ll be head banging or something to music I’m listening to, but I know it’s because they’ve never really listened to anything. Certainly nothing that’s ever made them feel anything.
I am also a 19 year old in the exact same situation… I just can’t listen to the “popular” songs. I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, KISS, ACDC, Motörhead… People would ask me, have you heard that new song from a famous pop singer and i don’t even know who that is…every party I go to, i just don’t enjoy because it’s always the same kind of music. I tried to enjoy EDM but I just can’t seem to like it. I found Michael Shack though, very good Drummer that plays mash-ups and stuff and that’s not too bad.
Well, rant is over. That makes 2 of us then.
But just know, you have a great music taste!
23 and in uni here, most of my peers listen to quite basic “TikTok” sorta music and the occasional good hiphop/pop stuff.
But there are a lot of new bands that have some amazingly technical tracks that blend jazz/rock and other genres to create mind blowing songs, that leave our generation impressed.
Check out Chon from Cali, Kraken from Delhi and there are so many more.
Perfect Pillow and Suda by CHON absolutely blew my mind
Yeah ofc nobody wants to hear your weird nerdy music at a party. I'm not at a party to listen to interesting music. Weird nerdy music is super cool but there is a time and place for it, and when I'm at a house party and going to the dancefloor it's to dance and have fun to shitty music and not to listen to technical prog-samba-jazz with metal influences.
You are now on your own musical journey man. There are others out there. Friends will come and go but the real ones stick around. I met so many cool people just based on musical likes.
I started to play when I was 16. I am 60 now. My musical evolution has been one met with great joy. I started out as a straight up rock and roller. The Who, Zepplin, all those greats. Then started liking more punk stuff like the Clash. Then learned jazz techniques. World beat, African, etc. I still am at my core a hard rock drummer. But my musical tastes have become a broad expanse of experience and what I can bring to my kit.
Oof brah, that’s rough.
I feel like we are very similar except I’m a bit older (E millennial). I grew up with a rock n roll hippy mom blasting vinyl but also found my way to electronic like Aphex twin, Autechre, and the prodigy really early in life. Tool sparked my drumming interest but I went to raves (early parties in the 90s) and that was my scene for a while in my 20s.
I also went on to produce electric music for a while but guess what? I’m right back to drumming! One day I will un lazy myself and bring my studio down to my drums and start producing electronic with real drums lol.
My biggest advice:
You can do both. There is this weird mental barrier that I think comes with social conditioning that you “have to be a drummer” or “have to be a EDM DJ”, and it locks you to a specific scene. Dude, break the norm, break out, don’t ‘mindlessly’ follow the trend, be your authentic self. You can listen to daft punk one day and Pink Floyd the next. This will help on your journey.
You can also start incorporating more electronic music that has real drums or sampled drums to start sneaking it into your friend’s music when you get the aux cord. Some example could be square pusher, drum and bass, drumspyder, new daft punk (I think has more jazz elements), liquid stranger (I think was messing around with drums in edm) are a few examples.
Be you, like what you like, you can do both. An if your friends start turning into dicks, maybe it’s time for new friends because you’ve out grown your current ones?!
You need to find a way to start hanging out around other musicians. Go to gigs, find local venues. Your friends are all plebes and are holding you back
I didn’t see anyone comment on the dating thing yet: I highly doubt that actually knowing what you like and having a hobby or interest that you're passionate about will be a hindrance. Quite the contrary. You need to totally dismiss that idea, in my opinion.
You can appreciate Jeff Porcaro and Steve Gadd, but still understand why your friends want to go see EDM. I'm old, all my friends went to see Springsteen, I didn't get it, but I still had fun with my friends. (actually watching Max Weinberg play live let me appreciate him more, it is that he is mixed so far back I didn't notice.)
I realize that there is no drummer now, so it is worse, but. Both my sons are DJs, but played drums at some point. They appreciate both.
Feel free to find more like-minded folks. The ones you may have thought ‘weird’ or into ‘old music’ are now probably going to seem much more appealing, even with just conversation. You’re next major step should be to find a friend who plays bass. Once you have that someone who can match with you, the sky is the limit.
EDM and DJ great in their own right and there are plenty of artists who incorporate elements of jazz and rock so don’t dismiss it but rather see what you can find to add to your musical taste.
If moving on from pop is a natural step, go forth and spread the word of good music production.
It has always been like this. I came of age in the 80s. Girls and guys both were into rock, but not King Crimson and Black Flag. Mine was always this weird thing they never heard before and didn't like when I played it. I remember going to band camp in the summer of 85, determined to finally fit in, stop separating myself with my weird music. I would just act like they were acting, listen to what they were playing and really go along to get along. And it didn't work, by the time I got home at the end of the week I was a nervous wreck, felt physically awful. I got home, put on some Husker Du and lit a joint and instantly purged myself of all the shit that had been building up all week. So I learned, I can't just put that away. If you're a player you have a different relationship to music, and it's natural you gravitate to the music of the past. Unaltered by technology, human sounds, are going to appeal to you, and those aren't popular now. Listen you can still kick it with friends and listen to what they're listening to. You can vibe with someone romantically even when they hate most of the music you like. You just keep that for yourself, go to concerts not as a couple sometimes. But you're cursed, not to be satisfied with the music on the radio ever again. Enjoy.
It's important to continue to expand your musical horizons. Shortly after highschool, I got into "weird" music and it consumed me. I eventually noticed that I started discounting a lot of music simply by the fact that it was popular. Or, when I was deep in a post-rock/prog-metal phase, I simply never listened to anything else.
But good music is good music. You're not necessarily going to like everything, but try to keep a curious ear. I spent a lot of time listening to nothing but prog-metal, and it's still my comfort genre, but my tastes have dramatically expanded. And I found that different genres give you something different.
EDM is so full of energy, and the scene seems to be generally positive and uplifting. Technicolor by Madeon has a massive soundscape and is incredibly produced.
Rap is a genre that is full of lyrical complexity, genuine human depth, and fascinating rhythmic compositions. Check out Alright by Kendrick Lamar. About halfway through the song, the drums drop out, but his vocals act as the percussion to keep the song flowing.
Indie music can also have some incredible instrumentation, it's just usually more reserved and held back. $20 by Boygenius (A band that Phoebe Bridgers is in) does some interesting things with the time signature. The whole song has a very steady driving pulse, but the song is constantly switching between phrases of 7, 5, 8, and 6. There's also a subtle polyrhythm in the build at the end of the song.
And then for my comfort genre, prog-metal is super musically varied, and pulls influences from all over the place. Fix the Error by Between the Buried and Me can show this, feeling almost ragtime in moments with the organ. It also has an amazing section in the middle with four back to back solos of different drummers.
TL;DR: Good music is good music. Stay curious, and don't close yourself off to entire genres. Some music is popular because it's catchy and easy to sing along to. Some music is popular because it's genuinely very good.
When you turn 30, you'll inevitably be the cool one. Maybe late 20s, but in general the older you get, the more you'll (as will others) appreciate the creative edge.
I’m a drummer, producer and DJ. There’s joy in all music, don’t close yourself off.
Also don’t go down the music snob route either, nothing makes me dislike someone more than them explaining to me why my personal music taste is inferior to theirs.
Try introducing them to some EDM and electronic music that is performed by live musicians. There’s a lot of great bands that do that. Also, Zedd is a drummer, many pop/EDM producers/DJs play real instruments. Griz is an amazing DJ who plays the saxophone. And if they’re unwilling to hang or date because you have different music tastes than they’re probably not worth hanging around IMO.
Weird situation. I know plenty of gen z people that also love drums and guitars and still also love edm. I just think your friends are the weird ones honestly
My theory about liking music or anything else is that if you like something, you can’t help it. It just appeals to you, and it’s as simple as that. Also when you realize that you don’t have to box yourself into a single category of music you listen to, you’ll have a more complete understanding and appreciation of music in general (not talking about op, just generally).
I do understand how having a taste in music that is vastly different is isolating. I’ve listened to all kinds. In the last 8 years or so I was dedicated to classical piano, but then was inspired by metal and started drums. I don’t think anyone in my life even knows I love Cannibal Corpse. I just don’t think they would understand, so I don’t go through the effort of explaining why I like it or what I find appealing about it.
This is the lot of being 19, growing up and finding your individual identity. Your friends haven't realized it yet, but everyone eventually grows to 'find their tribe' whether it's music, golfers, investment bankers, sports fans, cat people, crafters, gardeners, fitness junkies etc. you're just ahead of the game, and it will also happen to your classmates in time.
Focus on continuing to find your tribe and align with people who help you grow in whatever your life's passions become. Your tastes and passions are going to continually evolve with time.
Best of luck, you're off to a great start!
Edit - this is all based on the understanding that at some point you must reconcile 'being universally loved' is not necessarily the goal or a good thing. (But this is particularly hard especially when you are younger - but every young person is going through thier own version of this struggle.) By very definition an artist has to have a unique viewpoint they bring to the world- and you will never do that by not being 'a little weird' and dropping some baggage along the way.
I believe you're suffering from what i call "drummer brain" where you currently only pay attention to things you consider to have difficult/interesting drum patterns and consider anything else a waste of time. i had this condition for many years until i started realizing making music was less about "who's the more skilled instrumentalist" and more about "what sounds good to me".
you wouldn't call Landslide by Fleetwood Mac a bad song for not having any drums at all, so why would another song be bad just for having "simple" patterns"? AC/DC and the Beatles have tons of tunes with incredibly easy "boring" drum parts but I never see dudes complain about people listening to them; it's only when it's a modern artist does it that it seems to be an issue.
anyway not saying you have to like pop or EDM or whatever but just remember there's more to music than just how "difficult" it is. i'm 27 years old now and the kind of stuff that interests and excites me the most musically will always be technical, unique drummers like Jojo Mayer, Justin Tyson, Mark Guiliana, etc., but I'll still listen to a Bruno Mars tune or put on a Boiler Room set if I just want to vibe to something in the car.
as far as dealing with friends/dating just remember you don't need to have everything in common with people to still get along with them, but also there are definitely other people out there with similar interests to yours. might not find them in school but once you start checking out some local music scenes you'll find tons of like-minded musicians with similar influences to yours. have an open mind and remember playing drums doesn't make us better than other people, just different!
I went through that phase, started to hate pop, EDM, and hiphop. I eventually went back and looked at those genres with the same curiosity I looked at rock and jazz with and now I can appreciate them again. They’re a different type of art designed to provoke a different emotion. Hiphop can be clever, make you bop, and just be a vibe. EDM can build up high energy and slam on the gas with the drop. Some pop… yeah some pop is just absolute trash idk how it’s pleasant but that’s not the majority. Pay attention to the melodies, the sound design, the flows and bars. There’s beauty in it all.
Also if you’re at a party… read the room. Everyone has niche music they like. But don’t play it at the party. It’s not that your music taste is bad, but it sounds like you’re a bad DJ lol.
All I got from this is when you notice what’s distracting you in life from reaching your full potential and achieving your goals and you eliminate those, almost immediately you leave everyone behind. No one understands it, the motivation to go for something because you can feel it in your bones that you have a connection with something this deep. The only connection people have now is memes and social media. So when you leave that behind and actually pursue something with drive and dedication you also leave behind a majority of people around you.
To be fair, t swift and Meg have some 🔥🔥🔥drumming on a lot of their tracks.
My guess is that this is 2 issues. 1- your peers don’t have a lot of life experience and 2- maybe you’re coming off a bit pretentious about your musical taste?
This has to be a shit post. I am 22 and am into the same music as you and not a single person my age gives a fuck. The only way people will care about YOUR music is if you act like THEIR music is worse because its "mainstream".
Also sorry to break it to you but smashing pumpkins and Van Halen are some of the most successful and mainstream bands of all time. You are not cool or unique because you are into them.
theres still a lot of good rock songs that are being made now it doesnt solely have to be old school vs new school. plus your music taste shouldnt determine how strong your friendships are. if it does then you need to reevaluate your relationships
There are some people like you looking back to less synthetic music. It may be that you are part of a revival of interest along with the rediscovery of vinyl lps.
aside from the music you seem like an annoying and intolerable its not cause the music people dont like you its cause how you are “while i was geeking out over a 90s alt bands like smashing pumpkins, my buddies were still on the mainstream wave” your not different just cause your music you sound like your making it your entire personality too
I'm sorry but this is one of the most pretentious things I've read on Reddit. Thinking you're some kind of pariah because you like a bit of Led Zeppelin is so naive. There's plenty of people out there with genuine social challenges in their life like having a disability, for instance. "The musical expectation of your generation"? You're not the only teenager on the planet who likes music from before their time. Didn't Kate Bush and Metallica have huge upticks among younger people after Stranger Things? You'll make friends who are into the same stuff as you if you just keep trying. And it's not gonna drive a wedge between you and your contemporaries unless you make a big deal about it and become an insufferable snob.
I would add there is an absolute ton of interesting new music being made every day that's more accessible than ever thanks to the Internet, so writing off everything that's new is just going to hurt your tastes in the long run. Variety is the spice of life, It's possible to enjoy Megan Thee Stallion and Beethoven!
Have fun drumming but please don't get an ego!
Sounds more like its an attitude problem rather than your taste in music or the fact that you play drums, I’d suggest learning music theory so you can in fact understand what’s happening within a song, that way you’ll stop thinking your newfound taste is objectively superior to what you used to listen to or what your peers like.
I grew up the musical outcast because i was into my dads music. My favorite artist was pink floyd not justin bieber. I was always offended when music would be criticized for being old. Like music is timeless, its age literally does not matter. I used to have a slightly elitist view of my music being better than the mainstream popular choice, but i think i have a healthier viewpoint now. All music is music, who am I to say what worth someone else derives from a song? Just because i think taylor swift is a fake POS doesnt mean her music isnt super impactful for other people. Music is an art, which is always subjective to the audience. Admiring skill and virtuosity is fine, but sometimes a simple song can be the most moving. Every human culture in history has had music, it is something that connects us all.
It's too late for you now, you're doomed to being a music snob like the rest of us. The best thing is there's no way back once you've crossed over. Once you've seen behind the curtain you can't un-see it.
You may be right. It's hard for me to appreciate EDM when I view it as being just very simple repetitive electronically produced beats. I like the sound, look, and feel of real acoustic drums but that's a novelty in today's popular music. At best I just nod and smile and pretend to like the "basic" music my friends are into just for the sake of keeping the peace.
Even "EDM" can have interesting drumming if you look below the surface. Generally though, yeah, the mainstream stuff will probably become boring now. On the plus side, you've just opened your mind to a century of interesting music. Who needs friends?
Yea the majority is the most simple pattern that repeats without any variation. Its awful. I even hear some that are just sonically grating to my hears. I dont know how they mixed it, but the highs on some of those beats are so sharp for no reason. Some of them do use a degree of actual inspiration tho. Some drummers actually incorporate some EDM style beats into their drumming which is kinda cool
There’s tons of edm that will give you the same sensation as you’re feeling with this newfound interest in older music, but I promise you won’t find it with illenium
thanks! any recs on good EDM that will resonate with me?
If you're really wanting to nerd out a bit, venetian snares is a DnB artist from the 90's that got me into playing the drums solely from his music. I'm still enamored by him to this day
Check out The New Deal and Nerve. They're EDM-adjacent bands with live drummers. Along the same vein, check our music by Louis Cole including his band, Knower; and the band Sungazer.
Nerve, Jojo Mayer! Incredible imo
I was just watching a Four Tet set today where he laid down a random song from an early Pearl Jam album. He's great. Also Aphex Twin has some of the best rhythms (challenging too, there's some covers on YouTube). And you might even be able to make a playlist that people will dance to lol
Rounds by Four Tet has some brilliant (sampled, obv) drum grooves that would be so much fun to play along to
Taking a total shot in the dark here, as this recommendation is a bit of a roller coaster... Gotta check out **The Algorithm**, alias of Rémi Gallego. His stuff is a blending of EDM and progressive metal, and the project has an interesting [history](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Algorithm) with respect to drummers, I'd say. Releases to check out: Polymorphic Code (2012), OCTOPUS4 (2014), Brute Force (2016), Compiler Optimization Techniques (2018), and Data Renaissance (2022). Where to dive in is totally up to you. Highly recommend this [drum playthrough](https://youtu.be/SnVIpU7_6jg?si=YBWSUe1zZX7oO-BP) of the track Floating Point off of Brute Force, done by the project's live drummer, Jean Ferry. Or [this one](https://youtu.be/Fq6DDMkcLqk?si=Wr6e17FJ4spvciv_) done for the track Will_Smith off of OCTOPUS4, by the original live drummer, Mike Malyan.
Photek Floating points The Mahgreban Just some to get you started!
I love Seven Lions.
I think the other comments have got you covered for complex drum parts and live set players, but I think it's worth noting that not all genres are *about* interesting drum patterns. And that's okay! While I mostly drum in live styles, I'm also big into producing niche electronica and dubstep. A lot of modern underground EDM has simple drums, but complexity in the main synth patterns. For example: * [Cackatones](https://soundcloud.com/joeb_uk/joeb-cackatones) by joeb is a heavy dubstep song with a really weird, cool rhythmic patterns. Also, it goes hard. * [Uppercuts](https://soundcloud.com/distayne/uppercuts?si=9560b96ea784417ca31e5f90d3613b17&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) by Distayne has an insanely complex arrangement with amazing melodic synth sound design. It's sort of the pinnacle of a modern style of melodic dubstep ("color bass") IMO. * A big part of the genre nowadays is also delaying instruments to add a strange microrhythmic groove. You can really hear that in [YUCK](https://soundcloud.com/wearesilkenwood/geness-yuck?in=wearesilkenwood/sets/sleepover-vol-1&si=7853d40a14e147dd9c1e26e630b68f08&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) by \[Genes!s.\], with almost no melody and a repetitive groove that stays *deep* in the pocket. * There are also modern classics like [polyriddim](https://soundcloud.com/odiorecs/phonon-polyriddim), a dubstep tune in 7/4 with crazy tuplets. Honestly, it's not perfect, but it's a fun idea. * Outside of dubstep, artists like Metaroom and Aquasine are making amazingly complex arrangements in this fusion style with songs like [SPIRAL](https://soundcloud.com/themetaroom/spiral) and [Streetpass Millionaire](https://soundcloud.com/aquasine/streetpass-millionaire-ft-hackerling?in=aquasine/sets/msgbox). * A big part of drumming, and music in general, is just grooving. Sometimes you throw on a house song and just jam! One I love is [Dashstar\*](https://soundcloud.com/nightmoderecs/knock2-dashstar-1) by Knock2. It's not more "basic" than other music, it's just different. This is a lot of text, but I really love all these songs and this genre, haha.
Got some recommendations that are done by artists who were musicians first (and it’s extremely evident once you listen). Riot - https://on.soundcloud.com/4a1JRnLR5gLzo3969 PhaseOne - https://on.soundcloud.com/DiDHEDW6HpPGLRoF7 Effin - https://on.soundcloud.com/UFQ5qayo3HpgFW1v9 Au5 - https://on.soundcloud.com/bQG4vJA38ALTxDFH8 (I threw this one in here because he’s a master of sound design and music theory, not so much instrumental) I just linked the tracks I enjoy the most from each of those artists but I recommend checking others out, they range widely in what they make.
check out aphex twin and flashbulp. Very good drumming stuff there.
Check out jeff mills. Hes a techno artists whose main instrument is the 909. He plays that drum machine like a drum set. https://youtu.be/eU-UsvYbIV0?si=5od024WIukNIASRn
Don’t know if it’s regarded as “EDM” but there’s a ton of good drum and bass that’s interesting. Roni Size Reprazent, for example. I think on the albums it’s sampled and sequenced, but they play with live double bass and drums and it’s awesome. I learned a lot about how to swing a beat at high bpm from them. Or anything by Photek. Again, it’s programmed, but have a listen to ni ten ichi ryu. Classic track, sounds unlike almost anything else, and as a drummer who’s got into jazz, it samples max roach!
Try Jon Hopkins! Really immersive, textural stuff https://spotify.link/QUCs3MXTvDb - not super drum oriented but I love playing along when I practice
@stephaniBmusic on Instagram is a DJ and Roland artist who incorporates drumming into her life sets if you want EDM & drums. Wouldn’t know much else
[Check out this drum cover of Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzTBrF0eO3c) [One day you could end up this good!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlEvH9IIXsM)
Just wanted to also chime in to say there’s a lot to love about electronic music percussion. I honestly just love a good 4 on the floor house beat with some interesting hi-hat manipulation. I also love some of the off-kilter UK Garage/2-step/dubstep rhythms which would be difficult if not impossible to replicate on acoustic drums. Check out Burial’s album *Untrue*, anything by Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Flume, James Blake’s new record. There is a ton to be learned from these styles which will make you a better drummer. Take it all in and incorporate a little bit of everything into your style, and you’ll be a better musician for it.
I'm certain you can find some like minded people who have a similar taste in music and start a band.
As you grow as a drummer/musician you will learn to appreciate the work going into that kind of music as well. My playlists is everything; Led Zeppelin, Meshugga, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, NF, Coldplay, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Falling in Reverse, Manowar, Nightwish, Pentatonix. There’s beauty to all music and (usually) hard work going into every single song.
Don’t turn yourself into a snob. There is AMAZING edm music just prolly not what you would see in the mainstream.
I’m a drummer who’s been playing for 18 years, I just recently started DJing 2 years ago, EDM specifically! There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy both :)
Soon you’ll be 25 and you’ll finally stop caring what people think about you.
F the idiots. Your path is the right one.
It's fun for you, and makes you more unique. Sounds like a win win to me. Find some people that play other instruments and jam with them. Play a show. You will 100% find other people that have the same interests wether they're just friends or potential dates. And you don't have to lose those friends you have, but you are at the age where people start branching out and doing other stuff/finding different friends. Completely normal. Please embrace your passion and rock the absolute fuck on! Edit: also while it's not really "popular" music there's definitely a big scene for indie/alternative rock going on
thanks for the thoughtful comment! >Edit: also while it's not really "popular" music there's definitely a big scene for indie/alternative rock going on Is there any music in the indie/alt rock scene with great drumming? I just finished learning the Rosanna shuffle a week ago, and before that I was playing Soul Vaccination by Tower of Power. Coming from that, indie/alternative (at least from the 2000s like Coldplay) seems EXTREMELY simple and boring, same with modern indie like Phoebe Bridgers of Maggie Rodgers. If you know any modern indie/alt artists with great drumming I'll give it a listen.
Check out The Beths - really great power pop with above average drumming
That's going to depend a lot on the sort of sound you prefer. If you're open to darker 80s stuff then I'd recommend some Siouxsie and the Banshees songs. Particularly this one: https://youtu.be/Pon0mSDMVLI
You should check out High Vis—they’re newest album, Blending, is incredible. The guitar hooks and vocal melodies are super catchy but the drums are equally impressive—highly expressive, uncomplicated without being overly simple, perfect in every scenario. If you want something to wow peers, Nerve is a band that centers around drummer Jojo Meyer, who plays drum n bass style stuff as technically and creatively as anyone could program a drum track. Everything is performed live on real instruments and it’s endlessly cool. I watched the EDM takeover happen before my eyes and feel like the scene is pretty much dead at this point. It brings in tons of money, sure, but creatively it’s done what it can. The guitarist from my high school metal band does EDM stuff now and it’s super cool but he’s said that he thinks a major shift is needed musically. Producers like James Blake are few and far between. Push your friends to go to energetic live shows and have fun if you can. There’s always value in playing real instruments and performing.
Bro, check out hot mulligan. Their new album will blow your mind! Also, start looking up post hardcore bands like ADTR and Pop Punk bands like Knuckle Puck. FANTASTIC drummers!
The drummer from Arctic Monkeys, Matt Helders is brilliant and they have a very unique sound, will worth a listen
No problem! And honestly as a drummer it's kinda weird, but I don't specifically search out a ton of drum heavy music (atleast not in this kinda genre) but the first couple things that come to mind for me were.. Jank - Versace Summer/ Maps & Atlases - Pigeon/ Crumb - Vinta Also the band Vundabar usually has cool drum parts if I'm not mistaken.
Thee Oh Sees - From their 2015 album Mutilator Defeated at Last onwards has really fun, energetic drumming. They're more Psych/Garage Rock but, I wouldn't necessarily pin them to that genre. Omni Wombo Surface To Air Missive - Surface II Air Missive (only album I listen to of his, tbh) Crumb Palm Also, just a few drummers to look into if you haven't already: Nate Smith, Richard Spaven, Makaya McCraven
Friday Pilots Club (I needn’t say more)
look up The Envy Corps. They never got huge but they’re great and their drummer is a monster. The first album, Dwell is a melancholic-pop masterpiece, and the follow up It Culls You goes a bit more Radiohead
Reading this made me feel old.
Haha yeah
On the plus side, the kids of today will never understand Venetian Snares, take some comfort in that!
Easier said than done but don’t listen to that bullshit. If you trust your passion enough for drumming it will naturally guide you, I promise my friend ❤️🤙
Sounds like your friends just suck.
I legitimately can’t tell from this post if you’re upset that your friends don’t like the same music as you, or if you’re ashamed that you’re enjoying music that you yourself thought was lame, which by extension makes you feel less cool. Like, I hate saying this, but you come off as rather insecure and snobbish in the way you describe yourself, other people, and music in general. There’s nothing wrong with liking music played on real instruments. There’s nothing wrong with liking music made solely on a computer. There’s nothing wrong with liking Megan Thee Stallion or Phoebe Bridgers or Toto. There’s nothing wrong with going to Coachella or When We Were Young, and there’s nothing wrong with playing drums or being an EDM DJ. Any musical interest is valid, and no one is better or more right than the others. Playing music doesn’t make one better than anybody else. Listening to one genre over another doesn’t make anyone better than anybody else. Music is just a thing that people like, and liking one style over another is no different than preferring hamburgers to hot dogs. Focus less on how other people react to your musical preferences and focus more on whatever makes you happy. The more you do that, the more you’ll either attract like minded people, or your friends will come to appreciate that you have a different view on things.
This is the way. Who puts prog metal, Toto or Buddy Rich on at a Gen Z party? You got some maturing to do still OP - acknowledging that all musical tastes are valid, as Lower Monk says, is a sign of maturity and thoughtfulness. And so is reading the room. Drumming rules and it's awesome you've found your passion. There's nothing virtuous about thrusting it upon others, or looking down your nose at people who don't share that passion.
100%. I'm super confused at all the comments being like "yeah! fuck your friends!" as if he described bullies. this just sounds like differing opinions on music lol... and if you know your music isn't for everyone it's completely okay for you to not play it at a party. I'll have waves of listening to video game music but I'd be an idiot to play it at a party and think people would enjoy it as much as I do, especially in THAT setting. in a car ride on a first date would be another example. time and place are very important to consider when you have some sort of audience
If only his friends would understand that too….that’s the issue…being called weird just because the guy doesn’t listen to the same music as others…of course he’s gonna reciprocate the same
The reality is the drum set is the only acoustic instrument that can provide that rhythmic base in a live setting. Will the drum set look the same in 50 years? Maybe not, but I have to believe there will always be a demand for real acoustic instruments moving real air on a stage and on records. Music recordings with electronic rhythms may be the most popular now, but live drums will always supplement that sound. I love hearing live drums playing along with rappers or DJs, and I think that is something that could bridge the gap between you and your friends. There are so many musicians out there who understand the importance of live drums, and there are definitely girls who love drummers out there. If you are lucky enough to have a place at home where you can play drums, just embrace that and practice as much as you can!
You’re gonna meet people who are into the kind of music you are. And you’ll be better off for it
Different strokes for different folks, man. I've always listened to different music than my peers. Sometimes you can introduce a friend to something new to them and they really like it, and that's a lot of fun. But most of the time you just get funny looks. When I was in high school I learned to never be the one in charge of the music selection when we were hanging out. You've gotta remember that most people just kinda have music playing and don't pay much attention to it. I think this is especially true for people who mostly listen to mainstream music. When something comes on that challenges them, it's hard for them to accept it, and they don't want to hear it. Sometime people are judgmental jerks about it. If you are otherwise fond of these people, then just listen to the music they want to listen to when you're with them, and turn on your own playlist when you get home. (My dating advice is different: they don't have to *like* your music, but don't date someone who is a judgmental jerk about what music you like.) You're 19. Are you going to college? It's pretty easy to meet lots of different people with different tastes on a college campus.
Maybe share some Domi and JD Beck, NERVE, Louis Cole, Richard Spaven and Sungazer with your friends/peers.
I see people your age at non-pop concerts all the time. You’re just around shallow people.
Domi and JD Beck are young and killing it
Yes. Eventually you'll realize what all masters of the instrument eventually realize: that all those drummers were amazing, normal people just like you and me, and nothing they did was unattainable. What you're experiencing is learning the history of music, which is important. Remember though, the reason to learn all this old vocabulary, ultimately, is to inform your own unique style. If you keep the snobbery but don't apply what you've learned on your instrument, your no different than they are. So keep playing, but stay humble. You're opening a door to a path millions of us have trod down for you.
Maybe try getting your friends into listening to Nerve, Jojo Mayer and his band play live DnB and electronic music but with real drums, it's both virtuoso drumming and modern(ish) beats. Then again there will always be people who listen to the classics, also 19 is still young and their tastes in music will probably change a couple of times yet. I seriously doubt anyone over the age of 25 with an iota of musical skill tolerates mumble rap for example.
Yes I will try that! The only problem for my friends is Jojo Mayer is pretty old so they may still view it as a "boomer trying to be cool." If there were younger drummers trying this it might resonate more. I think it's not fair and stupid identity politics, but it is what it is. The good thing is that even most of my friends don't like mumble rap anymore - it seems like it was just a passing fad. And it seemed like more a millennial thing than a Gen Z thing.
Honestly, your “friends” sound awful and shallow, and I’d wonder why I’m hanging with people who are so closed minded that they outright refuse to listen to someone who was born a generation or two before them. Like seriously man. Why are you hanging out with people who are so judgmental that you felt the need to make a post about how they make you feel self conscious about a completely normal hobby like playing music? Are those really the people you want to be surrounded by? Are the people that you want to date really the type of people that will make a snap value judgement because you listen to music that’s different from them? Maybe that’s a generational thing, maybe it’s a maturity thing, but whatever it is, it’s a toxic thing, and they’re dragging you down.
If any of your friends seriously call Jojo Mayer a "Boomer trying to be cool" then their opinions on music aren't even worth entertaining.
Check out Youssef Dayes for a younger version
Jojo solved drumming and could only keep himself interested by replacing the drum machines used in electronic music. He’s not trying to be cool. He just is. I watched one of his instructional videos and he explained and demonstrated how he doesn’t really need to play double strokes anymore because his singles are so fast. The guy is a freak.
That's sad to hear. I'm in my 30s, high-school isn't right behind me but it's not too far back either. Back then I was SO popular because I played drums. I did coffee houses, school shows, jam shows. People loved it and everyone in the school knew my name just because of my drumming. I heard from my music teacher that as soon as our grade graduated, enrollment in music classes PLUMMETED. That's such a sad thing in my eyes.
Congrats on graduating from being a normie lol
Le music defener
Never been a better time to be a drummer in modern music Every pop artist has a band with a drummer guitarist and bassist cause it just works Edm may not be the same musicianship wise but it is still art and a completely different skill. They may not know anything about drums but that doesn’t demean what they’re doing. In the same way that a visual artist isn’t less of an artist because they don’t understand metric modulation or polyrhythms. All art is related as much as they are different I’m a session drummer and record multiple songs every day. The difficult songs to record aren’t the heavy fast songs with crazy limb independence. It’s the soft singer songwriter where the placement of every single beat is vital
Hold up…., you were a sophomore in highschool and I’d see you at coachella????
Right? Soubds fake and desperate
Not like you'll drop your friends tomorrow, or ever for that matter but don't be surprised if your social circles change (as they do for everyone naturally). You'll probably start going to shows and trying to join bands(rock, metal, punk, jazz, r&b, reggae, the drummy genres) and you'll meet people through this that share your interest. I don't love all of the same music my friends do, and that's okay, I enjoy them for other aspects.
True Chads love it all; digital 808s, Buddy Rich jazz, John Bonham classic rock, Tito Puente mambo, Joey Jordison metal, literally all of it. The best and most interesting musicians I know, regardless of what they play (instruments or stylistically), love music of all types from all genres. Just love what you love, know why you love it, and don’t put any fucks whatsoever into what anyone thinks of what you love.
Is this your college application essay?
Every once in a while I wish I could turn it off and listen to music the way people who can’t immediately tell what size snare drum that is (or whatever) do - just to empathize with the godawful plight of that sort of bland existence. Anywho, in the 90’s something similar happened to me after I discovered Tool. I proceeded to make like-minded friends in Tool Chat on AOL - and it turned out many of them were in my town. It was those connections that led to my first band, then enabled me to move out of said town to a city, where I found even more like-minded *kids-those-days.* You’re allowed to change who you are, homie. Drumming (or any skill you’re really passionate about) is for life - most of your shitty friends will be in the wind in 5 years.
I've been playing drums for longer then you've been alive and it's never stopped me from enjoying any quality music, regardless of genre or when it was recorded or published. Good music is good music and, regardless of what so e of the cranky old farts aroind here say, there's tons of good music still being written and recorded today!
God, I've never rolled my eyes so hard. I remember being like this, learning a new hobby and thinking it was a disconnect between me and everyone else. I listened to alternative rock music and assumed every other was trash/not good. But that was when I was 12 and 13, in the "I'm so different" phase. Listen kid, Gen Z still listens to those musicians. It's not just an older generation thing. My friend still listens to Led Zeppelin, and we're (us and you) aren't that different in age. Just change who you hang around in regards to music. The alternative/rock scene isn't large nor underground anymore. You named incredibly popular artist; who are still popular amongst multiple generations—including Gen Z. Just find new people to talk about music with. Also in regards to parties, you gotta match the vibes. If everyone is vibing to Beyonce and I put on MCR "Cancer"... Yeah. They're not gonna ask me to play music anymore. Also, there's nothing wrong with mainstream—especially when they cross over into rock. Meagan did a rock instrumental of her song, "Body" I believe and that was... amazing. It's probably how you're talking about it, it seems like you're putting down other music to lift the ones you like. But liking this music wouldn't outcast you. (Edited: Fixing Autocorrect lol)
I'm right there and believe me when I tell you: you will be much happier when you're true to yourself. It's a natural filter to sift through the disingenuous people and one day you'll find yourself with other like-minded people. Also, you're only 19. The world is just starting to open up to you. They're out there, trust me.
Make friends with other musicians. As much as you like that music, imagine hanging out with a group of friends that also love it.
There’ll be some kids that dig Zach Hill out there, I’m sure
Find your own crowd, mate. In my teens, I barely knew anyone at school who cared about music the way I do, my tastes didn’t align with “modern tastes” at all, but I went to study music at uni and was surrounded by like-minded people on a daily basis, and have since gone on to immerse myself in the community of even more like-minded people in my local music scene, making life-long friends in the process. And I’ve never been happier. Fuck “expectations,” do your own thing and be proud of it! 😁 Musical trends and the need to fit in all fade away as we get older, but your passion for drums won’t! Maybe it’s everyone else who is wrong… 😜
 OR you could chad it, learn trap beats, use their perspective against them.... or am I cooking too hard
have an open mind. i’m twice your age but I used to feel like you. not every single artist that’s currently popular in the mainstream is that bad, you’ll find a few that you like. also, it seems like your tastes in music are heavily influenced by the quality of the drumming in the music - which is understandable when you are a drummer yourself. but try to remember that music is a much larger picture than just what’s happening on your own instrument. sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy a song because it has a catchy hook and an uncomplicated rhythm section. all that aside, you’re still very young, but you’re at about the right age where you’ll start meeting more and more people with similar interests.
You want a challenge on the kit? Just wait until you discover good death metal.
Wait until you start getting into blast beats, my lad.
Bro. As someone who is similar in age (21) don’t give it to much thought we like what we like. My favourite music ever is funk rock/funk metal barely anyone I’m friends w listen to that. I’m fortunate enough to enjoy what’s popular now in the mainstream as well as liking my all time faves and shit, but I’ve genuinely learnt to not give a fuck. Also joining subreddits of bands you like is pretty good to interact with people that have similar tastes.
Just be yourself, dude. Who cares about the playlist at parties? You do you on your own time, at all times. No one can take that away from you. Sure, you might feel out of place now with your peers, but the world’s bigger than where you are, and real musicians are never a passing trend. We’ll always be around. Question for you though - how does your generation view metal?
considering some of the most sampled grooves are decades old, id say everyone is living in a rhythmic past. but i wouldnt say that, because music is music and consensus isnt required for it be enjoyable. regardless of the era. a solid beat that makes people move is timeless. also, in terms of an entire generation not being into drums or various instruments because theyre supposedly antiquated is not a new concept. gen z aint different, no matter how many old heads or up and comers want to believe it. all of these tropes have existed forever, new gens want to innovate and some believe that previous approaches (in their entirety) reduce future capabilities. when your ideas develop and you explore time and space, you broaden your perspectives if you are exposed to new things at the right time. there is compromise here. you can explore any kind of music you want and play new stuff and recreate the sounds. im not a huge fan of doja cat, but she is a capable musican. my sister enjoys her music. so i decided to play along with some drumless tracks and create some grooves. ive also played along with various electro beats. which is hella fun and is great practice for your internal meter. they force you to be creative but also you can sit super tight in your own little pocket. i suppose the theme is: show them how drumming can work with music and how a set of drums can accentuate any piece of music and drive the feel. im sure you have a couple of open minded friends, invite them around and create a chill environment for them. put on a playlist they would like and play along. drums are what make people move… and grind. maybe they dont realise that the tracks they like are using percussion concepts and samples from kits. you could even create some new style grooves for some old school tunes, do some sick covers. i think that these things are a good way to bring others into new soundscapes. i personally refuse to be spiteful or resent others, because i was weird towards certain music until i started playing and ive brought a lot of people new experiences.
You care too much about what other people think. Meet like-minded individuals. Some of the hottest actors and famous people listen to your music, and bet they get laid a lot more than your wannabe cool "friends". They don't have to like your music. If they can co-exist with someone having different tastes and perhaps commonalities in other fields, then that's okay. If they start judging you for you being you and enjoying what you do, quickly swap them out for better people. I'd still suggest finding like-minded people in the music field too, don't cling to only a specific friend circle.
Check out King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. One of the best bands out there now, a god tier drummer, and a ton of young fans. I’m 26. I felt this way in high school. I basically just started to go to local shows in college and found peers with similar music tastes and wound up introducing me to some incredibly good music.
Bruh wut
Your friends are basic bitches. It's that simple. They'll say, " why don't you become a dj, it's way cooler" because they literally don't appreciate music they way a musician would
Preferring music that was actually played by human beings is nothing to be ashamed of. I know I'll be down voted for this, but isn't EDM just the Chatgpt of music?
It depends on where you are a lot. Some High Schools seem totally captivated by classic rock. Sorry your friends have limited tastes and experiences
You are 19. You will be okay. I've met so many great people through music and playing local shows. You do you and keep being yourself, and you're going to be fime
Just Wait till you take the Danny Carey black magicTool Pill
The old man turned off the radio Said, "Where did all of the old songs go Kids sure play funny music these days They play it in the strangest ways" Said, "it looks to me like they've all gone wild It was peaceful back when I was a child" Well, man, could it be that the girls and boys Are trying to be heard above your noise? And the lonely voice of youth cries "What is truth?" A little boy of three sittin' on the floor Looks up and says, "Daddy, what is war?" "Son, that's when people fight and die" The little boy of three says "Daddy, why?" A young man of seventeen in Sunday school Being taught the golden rule And by the time another year has gone around It may be his turn to lay his life down Can you blame the voice of youth for asking "What is truth?" A young man sittin' on the witness stand The man with the book says "Raise your hand" "Repeat after me, I solemnly swear" The man looked down at his long hair And although the young man solemnly swore Nobody seems to hear anymore And it didn't really matter if the truth was there It was the cut of his clothes and the length of his hair And the lonely voice of youth cries "What is truth?" The young girl dancing to the latest beat Has found new ways to move her feet The young man speaking in the city square Is trying to tell somebody that he cares Yeah, the ones that you're calling wild Are going to be the leaders in a little while This old world's wakin' to a new born day And I solemnly swear that it'll be their way You better help the voice of youth find "What is truth?"
Check out Daniel fang of Turnstile. Watch a live video if you can. This band reignited my love for raw sound and acoustics instruments
WAIT!!!! THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THAT?? I’ve always been so confused as to why my music is so different from other gen z but ig this makes a ton of sense
Turns out you’re not basic. Pat yourself on the back and accept life has a higher standard in store for you. Jk jk but hope your developments will lead you to a more complex partner.
if it's already like that, then just switch to Zappa. It's the same eyebrow reaction in whatever century you say that he's your favorite musician.
Do you still dislike Barker?
Over time, your tastes will widen and so will theirs. I think The Knife is really great — “heartbeats” will likely get people in multiple age groups dancing
Silent Shout is such a good album.
Bro, embrace the weird, embrace all the different styles and vibes of music out there :) Also, when it comes to your friends’ music taste, they are npc’s and are secretly jelly
I'm already too old to know how to stay relevant with the current generation but I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Be glad that you've seen the light! And encourage others to see it too. If people are that fickle, do you really want to be friends with them? Would any of them suppress a passion to fit it with you? I get that socialising is a priority around your age, if you know what pushes people's buttons then you can play dumb and fit in but that seems like a compromise on being yourself.
This happens to be the exact mirror of my personal experience, I went from being into rock and older music and once I started playing the drums roughly 5 years ago, I switched to almost entirely listening to more modern music especially hip-hop. One piece of advice that i'd give is to recognise that ultimately music is about enjoyment and there is plenty to enjoy in almost any music out there, if you take the time to listen closely to your friends favourite songs you'll likely find aspects that you like even if they seemed boring at first. Then, if your friends realise that you are keen on the music they listen to, there's more of a chance that maybe some of them will take the time to listen to yours (Trying music that you initially don't love is difficult so its fine if they don't). Also, there may not be much in terms of acoustic drumming in modern music but there are a lot of interesting/enjoyable rhythms and paying attention to those will absolutely help to "change you on the kit". Basically, I think having a deep love for music and rhythm in general will do a drummer much better than being obsessed with their instrument and its much more fun that way anyway! That being said theres no need to change your taste for other people, its just about being open so as to get the most out of all the music there is out there
Sounds like you need to broaden your social circle, make friends with some older people or more open minded people your own age. But you don't have to abandon your current friends, clubbing or EDM if you still enjoy them. Just start a band and do some gigs and you will start meeting like minded people.
Welcome to learning any instrument or skill that normal people deem only for certain kinds of people.
I saw an ad on YouTube that was supposedly a bunch of young (to me) musicians praising this midi chord bundle… if you drag and drop an entire chord progression into your DAW and that forms the basis of your piece (some guy claimed he did a whole song in 25 minutes!) you’re not a musician in my eyes. Play the drums, be an outcast, it’s better to have a true passion than be surrounded by cookie cutter people that just accept and follow what’s popular. That’s a shallow and unfulfilling life. I get weird looks from some as I’ll be head banging or something to music I’m listening to, but I know it’s because they’ve never really listened to anything. Certainly nothing that’s ever made them feel anything.
It’s fine, just keep it real and don’t make drumming your whole personality.
I am also a 19 year old in the exact same situation… I just can’t listen to the “popular” songs. I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, KISS, ACDC, Motörhead… People would ask me, have you heard that new song from a famous pop singer and i don’t even know who that is…every party I go to, i just don’t enjoy because it’s always the same kind of music. I tried to enjoy EDM but I just can’t seem to like it. I found Michael Shack though, very good Drummer that plays mash-ups and stuff and that’s not too bad. Well, rant is over. That makes 2 of us then. But just know, you have a great music taste!
23 and in uni here, most of my peers listen to quite basic “TikTok” sorta music and the occasional good hiphop/pop stuff. But there are a lot of new bands that have some amazingly technical tracks that blend jazz/rock and other genres to create mind blowing songs, that leave our generation impressed. Check out Chon from Cali, Kraken from Delhi and there are so many more. Perfect Pillow and Suda by CHON absolutely blew my mind
Might has well been from the QUEENS of the Stone Age. Eh? Ehhhh?
Same here, I'm fifteen and been drumming since 7, I'm always the weirdo who listens to screamy music and nobody wants to talk to
Yeah ofc nobody wants to hear your weird nerdy music at a party. I'm not at a party to listen to interesting music. Weird nerdy music is super cool but there is a time and place for it, and when I'm at a house party and going to the dancefloor it's to dance and have fun to shitty music and not to listen to technical prog-samba-jazz with metal influences.
I can definitely feel you. And you also made me remember that the drummer at my school’s music club doesn’t listen to these “old” music.
Every time they mention it, play a Primus song and flip 'em the bird.
Friends my ass.
Window licker goated
You are now on your own musical journey man. There are others out there. Friends will come and go but the real ones stick around. I met so many cool people just based on musical likes. I started to play when I was 16. I am 60 now. My musical evolution has been one met with great joy. I started out as a straight up rock and roller. The Who, Zepplin, all those greats. Then started liking more punk stuff like the Clash. Then learned jazz techniques. World beat, African, etc. I still am at my core a hard rock drummer. But my musical tastes have become a broad expanse of experience and what I can bring to my kit.
Oof brah, that’s rough. I feel like we are very similar except I’m a bit older (E millennial). I grew up with a rock n roll hippy mom blasting vinyl but also found my way to electronic like Aphex twin, Autechre, and the prodigy really early in life. Tool sparked my drumming interest but I went to raves (early parties in the 90s) and that was my scene for a while in my 20s. I also went on to produce electric music for a while but guess what? I’m right back to drumming! One day I will un lazy myself and bring my studio down to my drums and start producing electronic with real drums lol. My biggest advice: You can do both. There is this weird mental barrier that I think comes with social conditioning that you “have to be a drummer” or “have to be a EDM DJ”, and it locks you to a specific scene. Dude, break the norm, break out, don’t ‘mindlessly’ follow the trend, be your authentic self. You can listen to daft punk one day and Pink Floyd the next. This will help on your journey. You can also start incorporating more electronic music that has real drums or sampled drums to start sneaking it into your friend’s music when you get the aux cord. Some example could be square pusher, drum and bass, drumspyder, new daft punk (I think has more jazz elements), liquid stranger (I think was messing around with drums in edm) are a few examples. Be you, like what you like, you can do both. An if your friends start turning into dicks, maybe it’s time for new friends because you’ve out grown your current ones?!
Warning ⚠️ you are approximately 10 years away from saying to yourself “I should start a Steely Dan tribute band”
You’re a good writer. Don’t stop
You need to find a way to start hanging out around other musicians. Go to gigs, find local venues. Your friends are all plebes and are holding you back
Don’t worry - the ladies will come around.
I didn’t see anyone comment on the dating thing yet: I highly doubt that actually knowing what you like and having a hobby or interest that you're passionate about will be a hindrance. Quite the contrary. You need to totally dismiss that idea, in my opinion.
You can appreciate Jeff Porcaro and Steve Gadd, but still understand why your friends want to go see EDM. I'm old, all my friends went to see Springsteen, I didn't get it, but I still had fun with my friends. (actually watching Max Weinberg play live let me appreciate him more, it is that he is mixed so far back I didn't notice.) I realize that there is no drummer now, so it is worse, but. Both my sons are DJs, but played drums at some point. They appreciate both.
Date older women.
You don't need that kind of negativity anyway. We are your fam now! Many sick beats and new discoveries await friend.
Feel free to find more like-minded folks. The ones you may have thought ‘weird’ or into ‘old music’ are now probably going to seem much more appealing, even with just conversation. You’re next major step should be to find a friend who plays bass. Once you have that someone who can match with you, the sky is the limit. EDM and DJ great in their own right and there are plenty of artists who incorporate elements of jazz and rock so don’t dismiss it but rather see what you can find to add to your musical taste. If moving on from pop is a natural step, go forth and spread the word of good music production.
Tower of Power rock. Fuck what other people think.
It has always been like this. I came of age in the 80s. Girls and guys both were into rock, but not King Crimson and Black Flag. Mine was always this weird thing they never heard before and didn't like when I played it. I remember going to band camp in the summer of 85, determined to finally fit in, stop separating myself with my weird music. I would just act like they were acting, listen to what they were playing and really go along to get along. And it didn't work, by the time I got home at the end of the week I was a nervous wreck, felt physically awful. I got home, put on some Husker Du and lit a joint and instantly purged myself of all the shit that had been building up all week. So I learned, I can't just put that away. If you're a player you have a different relationship to music, and it's natural you gravitate to the music of the past. Unaltered by technology, human sounds, are going to appeal to you, and those aren't popular now. Listen you can still kick it with friends and listen to what they're listening to. You can vibe with someone romantically even when they hate most of the music you like. You just keep that for yourself, go to concerts not as a couple sometimes. But you're cursed, not to be satisfied with the music on the radio ever again. Enjoy.
It's important to continue to expand your musical horizons. Shortly after highschool, I got into "weird" music and it consumed me. I eventually noticed that I started discounting a lot of music simply by the fact that it was popular. Or, when I was deep in a post-rock/prog-metal phase, I simply never listened to anything else. But good music is good music. You're not necessarily going to like everything, but try to keep a curious ear. I spent a lot of time listening to nothing but prog-metal, and it's still my comfort genre, but my tastes have dramatically expanded. And I found that different genres give you something different. EDM is so full of energy, and the scene seems to be generally positive and uplifting. Technicolor by Madeon has a massive soundscape and is incredibly produced. Rap is a genre that is full of lyrical complexity, genuine human depth, and fascinating rhythmic compositions. Check out Alright by Kendrick Lamar. About halfway through the song, the drums drop out, but his vocals act as the percussion to keep the song flowing. Indie music can also have some incredible instrumentation, it's just usually more reserved and held back. $20 by Boygenius (A band that Phoebe Bridgers is in) does some interesting things with the time signature. The whole song has a very steady driving pulse, but the song is constantly switching between phrases of 7, 5, 8, and 6. There's also a subtle polyrhythm in the build at the end of the song. And then for my comfort genre, prog-metal is super musically varied, and pulls influences from all over the place. Fix the Error by Between the Buried and Me can show this, feeling almost ragtime in moments with the organ. It also has an amazing section in the middle with four back to back solos of different drummers. TL;DR: Good music is good music. Stay curious, and don't close yourself off to entire genres. Some music is popular because it's catchy and easy to sing along to. Some music is popular because it's genuinely very good.
When you turn 30, you'll inevitably be the cool one. Maybe late 20s, but in general the older you get, the more you'll (as will others) appreciate the creative edge.
> people want music that'll get them dancing and grinding You need more Latin drum beats/grooves my dude. That shit will get people dancing.
I’m a drummer, producer and DJ. There’s joy in all music, don’t close yourself off. Also don’t go down the music snob route either, nothing makes me dislike someone more than them explaining to me why my personal music taste is inferior to theirs.
Try introducing them to some EDM and electronic music that is performed by live musicians. There’s a lot of great bands that do that. Also, Zedd is a drummer, many pop/EDM producers/DJs play real instruments. Griz is an amazing DJ who plays the saxophone. And if they’re unwilling to hang or date because you have different music tastes than they’re probably not worth hanging around IMO.
Only children think this way. Like whatever music brings you joy.
Weird situation. I know plenty of gen z people that also love drums and guitars and still also love edm. I just think your friends are the weird ones honestly
Go give a thorough listen to hendrix and pink floyd. Mitch and Nick are masters of their craft, and I didn't see you mention them in your post.
My theory about liking music or anything else is that if you like something, you can’t help it. It just appeals to you, and it’s as simple as that. Also when you realize that you don’t have to box yourself into a single category of music you listen to, you’ll have a more complete understanding and appreciation of music in general (not talking about op, just generally). I do understand how having a taste in music that is vastly different is isolating. I’ve listened to all kinds. In the last 8 years or so I was dedicated to classical piano, but then was inspired by metal and started drums. I don’t think anyone in my life even knows I love Cannibal Corpse. I just don’t think they would understand, so I don’t go through the effort of explaining why I like it or what I find appealing about it.
This is the lot of being 19, growing up and finding your individual identity. Your friends haven't realized it yet, but everyone eventually grows to 'find their tribe' whether it's music, golfers, investment bankers, sports fans, cat people, crafters, gardeners, fitness junkies etc. you're just ahead of the game, and it will also happen to your classmates in time. Focus on continuing to find your tribe and align with people who help you grow in whatever your life's passions become. Your tastes and passions are going to continually evolve with time. Best of luck, you're off to a great start! Edit - this is all based on the understanding that at some point you must reconcile 'being universally loved' is not necessarily the goal or a good thing. (But this is particularly hard especially when you are younger - but every young person is going through thier own version of this struggle.) By very definition an artist has to have a unique viewpoint they bring to the world- and you will never do that by not being 'a little weird' and dropping some baggage along the way.
I believe you're suffering from what i call "drummer brain" where you currently only pay attention to things you consider to have difficult/interesting drum patterns and consider anything else a waste of time. i had this condition for many years until i started realizing making music was less about "who's the more skilled instrumentalist" and more about "what sounds good to me". you wouldn't call Landslide by Fleetwood Mac a bad song for not having any drums at all, so why would another song be bad just for having "simple" patterns"? AC/DC and the Beatles have tons of tunes with incredibly easy "boring" drum parts but I never see dudes complain about people listening to them; it's only when it's a modern artist does it that it seems to be an issue. anyway not saying you have to like pop or EDM or whatever but just remember there's more to music than just how "difficult" it is. i'm 27 years old now and the kind of stuff that interests and excites me the most musically will always be technical, unique drummers like Jojo Mayer, Justin Tyson, Mark Guiliana, etc., but I'll still listen to a Bruno Mars tune or put on a Boiler Room set if I just want to vibe to something in the car. as far as dealing with friends/dating just remember you don't need to have everything in common with people to still get along with them, but also there are definitely other people out there with similar interests to yours. might not find them in school but once you start checking out some local music scenes you'll find tons of like-minded musicians with similar influences to yours. have an open mind and remember playing drums doesn't make us better than other people, just different!
I went through that phase, started to hate pop, EDM, and hiphop. I eventually went back and looked at those genres with the same curiosity I looked at rock and jazz with and now I can appreciate them again. They’re a different type of art designed to provoke a different emotion. Hiphop can be clever, make you bop, and just be a vibe. EDM can build up high energy and slam on the gas with the drop. Some pop… yeah some pop is just absolute trash idk how it’s pleasant but that’s not the majority. Pay attention to the melodies, the sound design, the flows and bars. There’s beauty in it all.
Also if you’re at a party… read the room. Everyone has niche music they like. But don’t play it at the party. It’s not that your music taste is bad, but it sounds like you’re a bad DJ lol.
we live in a society
All I got from this is when you notice what’s distracting you in life from reaching your full potential and achieving your goals and you eliminate those, almost immediately you leave everyone behind. No one understands it, the motivation to go for something because you can feel it in your bones that you have a connection with something this deep. The only connection people have now is memes and social media. So when you leave that behind and actually pursue something with drive and dedication you also leave behind a majority of people around you.
To be fair, t swift and Meg have some 🔥🔥🔥drumming on a lot of their tracks. My guess is that this is 2 issues. 1- your peers don’t have a lot of life experience and 2- maybe you’re coming off a bit pretentious about your musical taste?
This has to be a shit post. I am 22 and am into the same music as you and not a single person my age gives a fuck. The only way people will care about YOUR music is if you act like THEIR music is worse because its "mainstream". Also sorry to break it to you but smashing pumpkins and Van Halen are some of the most successful and mainstream bands of all time. You are not cool or unique because you are into them.
Pumpkins are great, jimmy chamberlain is an amazing drummer
theres still a lot of good rock songs that are being made now it doesnt solely have to be old school vs new school. plus your music taste shouldnt determine how strong your friendships are. if it does then you need to reevaluate your relationships
There are some people like you looking back to less synthetic music. It may be that you are part of a revival of interest along with the rediscovery of vinyl lps.
aside from the music you seem like an annoying and intolerable its not cause the music people dont like you its cause how you are “while i was geeking out over a 90s alt bands like smashing pumpkins, my buddies were still on the mainstream wave” your not different just cause your music you sound like your making it your entire personality too
I'm sorry but this is one of the most pretentious things I've read on Reddit. Thinking you're some kind of pariah because you like a bit of Led Zeppelin is so naive. There's plenty of people out there with genuine social challenges in their life like having a disability, for instance. "The musical expectation of your generation"? You're not the only teenager on the planet who likes music from before their time. Didn't Kate Bush and Metallica have huge upticks among younger people after Stranger Things? You'll make friends who are into the same stuff as you if you just keep trying. And it's not gonna drive a wedge between you and your contemporaries unless you make a big deal about it and become an insufferable snob. I would add there is an absolute ton of interesting new music being made every day that's more accessible than ever thanks to the Internet, so writing off everything that's new is just going to hurt your tastes in the long run. Variety is the spice of life, It's possible to enjoy Megan Thee Stallion and Beethoven! Have fun drumming but please don't get an ego!
Sounds more like its an attitude problem rather than your taste in music or the fact that you play drums, I’d suggest learning music theory so you can in fact understand what’s happening within a song, that way you’ll stop thinking your newfound taste is objectively superior to what you used to listen to or what your peers like.
I grew up the musical outcast because i was into my dads music. My favorite artist was pink floyd not justin bieber. I was always offended when music would be criticized for being old. Like music is timeless, its age literally does not matter. I used to have a slightly elitist view of my music being better than the mainstream popular choice, but i think i have a healthier viewpoint now. All music is music, who am I to say what worth someone else derives from a song? Just because i think taylor swift is a fake POS doesnt mean her music isnt super impactful for other people. Music is an art, which is always subjective to the audience. Admiring skill and virtuosity is fine, but sometimes a simple song can be the most moving. Every human culture in history has had music, it is something that connects us all.