METAL MOUTH-OFF: Lists

 

   For some reason, I FUCKING LOVE LISTS. Weather it's a list of greatest albums of all time from whatever genre in a magazine or a list of hottest whoever-the-fucks on VH1 or E!, I just can't help but watch or read the damn things, and why? Cause I want to see who's number one!

   But honestly, that's not the only reason I love lists of all kinds. I just like to compare my own opinions and preferences to those of others. For example, Decibel's Top 100 Death Metal Albums of All Time issue at the top of this page: "Okay, let's read this thing...Unholy Cult...In Their Darkened Shrines...well, two of my top three favorites are at the bottom of the list, that's unfortunate...Yes! That album is so underrated!...Human is only number 3? That's my number one pick but whatever...Altars of Madness?! I should've known! But it's so overrated!" But comparing your own tastes to others can oftentimes be a negative thing. You can easily get mad when a list ranks one of your favorite bands, albums, or people at the bottom of the list while albums you find to be inferior are ranked much higher, and sometimes some of your favorites aren't listed at all. But the thing is, getting grumpy about lists is ridiculous, because it's just a goddamned list, made by other people, not you. I think it's important to remember that when it comes to, in this case, music, your own opinion is the only one that should matter to you, and the reason for that is because music is all subjective. Remember that music is art and obviously no one's list will ever, ever be definitive of anything.

   Still, I love reading lists and that's not going to change anytime soon since I'll always find them entertaining. But remember: DO NOT base your musical preferences on what a magazine that you deem to be "superior" to yourself tells you is the best of whatever. Deeming what is good and bad by comparing your own personal taste to what a magazine or website says is the best or worst is the logic of a fool, and you shouldn't ever measure your taste against others, shit, it's just music. Now if you'll excuse me I got to read the latest update for metalsucks.net's list of Top 25 Modern Metal Frontmen.