Honestly it was classical. I had a music appreciation class in high school and the teacher was incredible, ended up being a step by step historical analysis of how music changed over the years and how it’s all connected from Ancient Greece all the way to Tupac. I truly believe that there isn’t another musical genre that has the ability to capture such a wide range of emotions with such pinpoint accuracy as classical music without having to rely on any lyrics to explain what’s going on. What would the musical equivalent of falling down the steps sound like? Losing a loved one? Getting lost in the Sahara? Riding a bike through Paris in 1925? Traveling to different planets? It made me realize how limited other genres are because they’re so stuck in their own mold and can barely wiggle out of the predefined standards of what that genre requires. It doesn’t make that music any less important, but it’s interesting to think about.

Shoegaze and dream pop.

I will always remember the first day I listened to the otherworldly guitars of my bloody valentine, or the combination of the haunting dreamy vocals and guitars of Cocteau Twins.

I did not know music could sound so mystical and magical. It’s like being in another world’s soundscape.

Arcade Fire saved me from religion and now speaks to me on a religious level. M83 speaks to me on a celestial level. Both have deepened my love for music.

This might sound stupid as hell, but vaporwave music. It captures the essence of a feeling I've had since the mid 2000's, but could never articulate in words. Then I read this thing about its anticapitalist roots, and I felt even more seen.

Hearing ambient for the first time (specifically Eno's Music for Airports) was an epiphany. It fits the inside of my head.

I was listening to Jonathan Coulton on the drive to an unfulfilling job that I probably would have just kept doing forever because change is hard and scary. I was sitting there that day with “A Talk with George” stuck in my head on a loop.

Don't live another day unless you make it count
There's someone else that you're supposed to be
'Cause something deep inside of you that still wants out
And shame on you if you don't set it free

That was the day I walked out the door, sent in my resignation, and started a career that made a lot better use of my skills.

I wasn’t really in to music until a friend introduced me to Dragonforce. Little did I know that would be my gateway band to all sorts of metal genres. Depending on the mood I now mostly listen to atmo black, folk, prog, melo death, and of course power still holds a special place.

Aphex Twin

Blackgaze, in my case. Listening to Holy Fawn is just....I cant describe.

Punk.

I'd been pondering a change in career anyway, but I was at work one hot summer's day, sweating my arse off, listening to my tunes on the stereo in the workshop. Pennywise - Same Old Story came on and something clicked in me. Cycled past a tiny local radio station on the way home, went in to ask how to volunteer my help, and a couple of months later I was starting on a radio production degree.

That track still fires me up to this day.

Dubstep, more specifically an artist called MARAUDA. It sounded insane and chaotic to me at first which is why it got me obsessed. The more I listen to it I realize the kind of art that it is and I love it so much.

My church’s choir, went to school to become a recording engineer because of that.

Jrock, specifically The Pillows, which lead to dozens of other jrock band discoveries. I don't listen to it much anymore but it defined me and my friends from the years 16-26

Kobaryo and Speedcore

Half the reason I've picked up music as a hobby

Tool

MOD/S3M and demoscene tunes from the early 90s. Moved to electronic music as the genre matured. Never looked back for over 30 years. Still have an archive of all of the tracker tunes from back then.

Deftones. Been my favorite band when I first discovered them and that hasn't changed the past decade or so

Punk > indie > hip hop > jazz, roots, Americana, > all

I play music and I love almost all music styles as long as there is a weighty performance and evokes the human spirit.

There is just something about creation itself that I find beautiful, and there is no one genre or artist that changed my perspective.

If there was it'd be this band Subtle. That informed a lot of my ideas on what good art even means.

My favorite guitar player is Richard Thompson.

I have a bunch of fav drummers, buy anyone who's got soul is worth a listen.

I think that's the point. There is no best, there is only you.

I think poetry changed my musical identity more than music itself.

I can't pick just one band, however, I clearly remember the first time I listened to

• Black metal as a genre
• Aphex Twin
• Aenima by Tool
• Traversee by Year of no light
• Black Sabbath
• Industrial Rock in general and Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails in particular
• Hyperballad by Björk

I'm sure there are more if I think for longer.

Terrorvision were the first rock band I heard and was like, 'this is it'. In was sat on the floor in the living room listening to the radio on big ass 80's headphones and Alice What's the Matter came on. I was hooked and from then on I've been a rock and guitar fan. You just can't beat a good overdriven rock guitar sound it's magical.

Shaka Ponk The fact that's it's been 12 years where and I have 1200 hours of listening them in those years, they are my taste

But they have also accelerated the importance of ecology and taking care of our planet on their social medias back when I was on Instagram l

Rare Americans. Baggage and moving on are the two songs that had a large influence when going through a divorce.

For ne that was "Cantautorato". That's the equivalent of the singer-songwriter, but in Italy it's so cool. It's a genre that talks about the people, living conditions, daily life, humble loves, collective politics...