So the question we expect from a future friend today is “What kinds of music do you like to listen to?”

Talking about music is pretty tough for me because I am not enthusiastic about any kind of music. But I am sure this is a widespread topic among people all over the world so there is a high chance that I would be involved in the conversation about music. 

Before we look at my answer, let’s glance at the genre of music. According to ChatGPT, here are some broad categories that give us an overview. Number one, “Classical Music” includes music from the Western classical tradition, Composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and many others fall into this category. Number two, “Popular Music” which includes Pop, Rock, Hip-hop, Country and Electronic, Dance… I think, generally speaking, when we talk about music in a daily conversation, in most cases, they intend to this type of music. Number three, “Jazz” Originating from African American communities. Number four, “Blues” Often characterized by its 12-bar structure and expressive lyrics, blues has been influential in the development of many other genres. Plus, “Folk Music”, “Reggae” and “Rhythm and Blues (R&B) Soul music” often emphasize vocal and emotional expression. That’s quite a lot. I don’t think I have enough knowledge of each genre to let myself indulge in. 

Now, let’s go back to the question we are referring to. How would you like to answer the question “What kind of music do you like to listen to?”

“I listen to music every day, and my preference leans towards classic Rock, particularly from the 1970s and 1980s, like Queen, the Beatles, Red Hot Chilipapers etc since I'm not particularly keen on exploring new songs or artists. On the other hand, when I'm running home from work at least three days a week, I rely on upbeat music to stay motivated and maintain a faster pace, typically opting for Japanese pop which tends to include the latest hits.”

One thing I found interesting was when we say “Classic” in the Japanese language, most people deem them to the classical music such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Nevertheless, in many English-speaking contexts, especially among popular music enthusiasts, "classics" often refers to iconic and enduring works, which can include both traditional classical music composers like Mozart and contemporary popular music acts like Queen and the Beatles. That means when people say “classics”, they might just intend not only classical music but also an old-school, immortal or timeless masterpiece. 

Before we finish this episode, why not take note of useful adjectives that can be used to describe music? 

When you describe music as optimistic, cheerful or upbeat, we can say “lively”,” Vibrant”, as well as ”Energetic”. On the other hand, when you want to talk about some relaxed or calm music, you can say it is “Soothing” or “Mellow”, often associated with a gentle and pleasant sound. For instance, I will say “Overall, I prefer lively or vibrant music to soothing or mellow ones because I listen to music to stay motivated while running.” 

Now I am sure you can describe the music that you love based on your preference. Try some new vocab to talk about music with your friends!