Listening to music as a hobby

[thyme4change]

I have bemoaned for years that I don't have a hobby.  One thing I really like is listening to music, so I thought maybe I could make it a hobby instead of just a habit, or something I do in the car.  I was thinking that I could make an effort to find more artists and songs in different genres.  I started googling around to see how I should go about this and lo and behold - what do I find?  A bunch of people who say that listening to music isn't a hobby.

If I said that I watch every sport avidly, would that be a hobby?  If I saw every movie, would that be a hobby? 

Regardless, I think I will start by going to the billboard charts and making sure I've heard all the songs on every chart (or most charts - there are a couple I am totally disinterested in.)  If I like doing that, I will figure out the next step.  I don't care if it is actually a hobby or not.  But I thought the question was interesting...

What is the criteria for something to be dubbed a hobby?

[Shooby]

   Good question.  I love music too.  And, i LOVE my smartphone and how easy it is to store music.  I have the amazon app and if i buy music from amazon it immediately sends it to my phone.  Awesome.

  But, music is a big part of my life.  And, there are many ways that it is a hobby.  I play the guitar for fun.  I enjoy listening to my dd play the piano.  And, i love to go to concerts and hear live music.  Part of your "hobby" might be exploring local bands and or going to some of those concerts you never got to see but now might have the money too.
  And, if you enjoy it, you enjoy it and don't have to explain it to anyone.

 But, i think people think of a hobby as something you 'do" and people don't seem to think that listening is "doing" in that sense i guess.

[Malarky]

Aren't we your hobby?

NotMoney is one of my hobbies.  And like the Victorian practices of making pictures out of bugs and the hair of dead people, my real life peeps can't understand why I spend so much time at it.  

[mmhmm]

It's a hobby if you want it to be a hobby. Hobbies are personal things people do for enjoyment, as far as I'm concerned.

[Blonde Granny]

My hobby is making quilts. When I first learned how to make them, I discovered that it fulfilled the desire to be creative and also had a purpose.  Playing with the colors of fabric, altering designs of patterns whether on purpose or because I made a mistake I didn't feel like fixing.  The purpose that was met was being able to give them away to friends & family and injured soldiers.

I have a good friend who is "into" music.  She now is finally looking for a home in Nashville so that she can enjoy her passion on a daily basis.  Small bands that are local or Reba McIntyre makes no difference.  I believe a hobby is anything you enjoy.

[dannylion]

Why do you care what some random people on the internet think?  If you want to listen to music as a hobby, then it is a hobby. You get to decide what you consider a hobby and how you want to spend your hobby time.

Start your own music-listening-hobbyist website. That would probably make it an official hobby and allow you to connect with others who also consider listening to music a hobby. Of course, it could also attract the rabid loons who really, really do not want music listening to be a hobby because they are just, you know, bat-crap crazy, so proceed with caution. 

[NastyWoman]

Definition:
Hobby: An activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure

Don't let those ignorami tell you that listening to music is not a hobby.  They know bupkis! Just refer them to the library to use a dictionary.   

[cronewitch]

I see listening isn't a hobby but collecting information or going places is a hobby. For example collecting sheet music is an activity, going to events is an activity, learning the names and facts about artist would be an activity those activities could be a hobby but not so much just having the radio on while you are driving.

Now fishing is a hobby and a sport so I am a hobbyist and an athelete.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Now fishing is a hobby and a sport so I am a hobbyist and an athlete.

Anything you can do with a beer in one hand isn't a sport.

[Malarky]

Jul 29, 2014 19:58:44 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

Now fishing is a hobby and a sport so I am a hobbyist and an athlete.

Anything you can do with a beer in one hand isn't a sport.

So bowling isn't a hobby? Malarky sad.

[chiver78]

Jul 29, 2014 20:03:57 GMT -5 Malarky said:

Jul 29, 2014 19:58:44 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

Anything you can do with a beer in one hand isn't a sport.

So bowling isn't a hobby? Malarky sad.

I suppose softball on the company team is out too then? vball at the dive bar definitely is, b/c that's not beer on the sidelines! 

oh, and um....bugs and the hair of dead people?  

[chiver78]

Jul 29, 2014 19:10:20 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I have a good friend who is "into" music.  She now is finally looking for a home in Nashville so that she can enjoy her passion on a daily basis.  Small bands that are local or Reba McIntyre makes no difference.  I believe a hobby is anything you enjoy.

a handful of friends I've met through our mutual love of music have recently moved to Nashville for their jobs. I am incredibly jealous, and will be working my way to wearing out my welcome in each of their places over the next few years    Nashville isn't exactly known for its biotech companies....

[Deleted]

thyme4change, what genres are you thinking about exploring?

I've been sayng for a while that I was going to do the same thing and never got around to it. I love music.

What are some of your favorite songs? If you post them, I'll look them up and listen to them!

[Malarky]

Jul 29, 2014 20:07:59 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Jul 29, 2014 20:03:57 GMT -5 Malarky said:

So bowling isn't a hobby? Malarky sad.

I suppose softball on the company team is out too then? vball at the dive bar definitely is, b/c that's not beer on the sidelines! 

oh, and um....bugs and the hair of dead people?  

Not everyone understands your hobbies..joost sayin'

[Apple]

Is pandora still free?  I discovered a couple bands by putting in the name of a song or a band I liked.  I once went two hours and liked nearly every song.  Another time I put in a band, and the songs that played for the next hour were ones I already had on my mp3 player--they definitely nailed my taste.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Well if it's not a hobby, then what is my husband spending most of his fun money on.  When I balance the checking account, iTunes is on there a lot!

iTunes can also help you sort genres of music. And, there's the 69-cent song list every month. 

[thyme4change]

Jul 29, 2014 19:12:36 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Why do you care what some random people on the internet think?  

So I should take advice from a random person on the internet and not care about what random people on the internet say?



I actually stated that I don't care - it just sparked the question.

[ArchietheDragon]

In order for it to be a hobby you have to start talking about music in ways that bore other people and making snarky comments about people that listen to Nickleback. Good luck.

[Shooby]

LOL!

[chiver78]

Jul 30, 2014 8:27:08 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

In order for it to be a hobby you have to start talking about music in ways that bore other people and making snarky comments about people that listen to Nickleback. Good luck.

[dannylion]

Jul 30, 2014 8:26:02 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jul 29, 2014 19:12:36 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Why do you care what some random people on the internet think?  

So I should take advice from a random person on the internet and not care about what random people on the internet say?



I actually stated that I don't care - it just sparked the question.

Okey dokey.  Sorry to have bothered you. 

[Sum Dum Gai]

So bowling isn't a hobby? Malarky sad.

It's a hobby, it's not a sport.

[Shooby]

OH, well once we nail the hobby thing, then we can go on to argue about what is a "sport"! lol

[Tiny]

I kinda like the "listening to music" as a hobby. Hobbies tend to be more informal than actual jobs or areas of study. And there's Musicology for the area of study.

I think you've got a great hobby - there's all sorts of ways to enjoy listening to music. Have you ever taken in a old Silent Movie (like Charlie Chaplin's City Lights) in a theater with an organ and organist? or better yet accompanied by a full orchestra?

What about something geeky like "The Evil Dead - the musical"? I love Bruce Campbell and the Evil Dead movies.

Or what about finding and listening to all the covers of a partical song OR songs of a particular band?
OR recordings with a particular musician (or studio musician)?


Cool stuff is out there!

[wyouser]

A hobby is what a hobby is in the mind of the hobbyist. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but it is still a hobby. Mix it with dance or ice skating or floor exercise an it is a sport. If both you and it have the beat an you are rockin to it on the floor...then its also exercise...not?  So..    "hobby on"   

[Deleted]

Anything you want to call a hobby is a hobby. I don't think there are any "guidelines" Sitting on your butt and watching TV is a hobby so I don't see why listening to music wouldn't be

[movingforward]

I love music.  There is everything from Usher to Luke Bryan on my ipod.  I also like a lot 70's and 80's stuff.  I like pretty much all types of music with exception of heavy metal (is that what they call it?)  I like stuff like Staind and God Smack but not Slip Knot or some of the other bands where all they are doing is screaming.  Not music to me.  My BFF apparently loves to be screamed at because slip knot is her favorite band.  Honestly, I don't get it... To me music needs a melody and I am also one of those people who likes to be able to hear the words of a song.  I like to sing along and/or think about the meaning of the song.  To me a song should either be fun and catchy or tell some sort of story.  I listen to a lot of music at work (at a reasonable volume while using my red stapler). 

[thyme4change]

Jul 30, 2014 9:25:44 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Jul 30, 2014 8:26:02 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

So I should take advice from a random person on the internet and not care about what random people on the internet say?



I actually stated that I don't care - it just sparked the question.

Okey dokey.  Sorry to have bothered you. 

Lighten up - it was funny.  Hence all the tongue-sticking-out emojis.

[thyme4change]

Jul 30, 2014 15:15:26 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I love music.  There is everything from Usher to Luke Bryan on my ipod.  I also like a lot 70's and 80's stuff.  I like pretty much all types of music with exception of heavy metal (is that what they call it?)  I like stuff like Staind and God Smack but not Slip Knot or some of the other bands where all they are doing is screaming.  Not music to me.  My BFF apparently loves to be screamed at because slip knot is her favorite band.  Honestly, I don't get it... To me music needs a melody and I am also one of those people who likes to be able to hear the words of a song.  I like to sing along and/or think about the meaning of the song.  To me a song should either be fun and catchy or tell some sort of story.  I listen to a lot of music at work (at a reasonable volume while using my red stapler). 

There are a few genres that go past my limit.  Really anything that is angry and violent.  I thought it was cool when I was younger, but being a 45 year old happy, rich, white lady - I just can't connect with a lot of the hard core stuff.  All the rap about killing each other and stuff - not my bag.  I just don't get it.  

[movingforward]

I love hip hop. It is fun and has a great beat IMO but I agree the gangster rap doesn't appeal to me.  Just like the heavy metal stuff it is just way too angry for my taste.