Thats different for sure RB. Where did you hear about all the out of the country music? What kind is it? I do not listen to the radio very often for the same reason. They seem to play the same thirty or so songs over and over and over. Drew
You ask an excellent question and that is what determines what type of music a person enjoys? Scientifically speaking, I've heard that music is very heavily associated with mathematics. Complex timing, changing timing, frequencies that are multiples of each other, etc. Our brains are very precise timers, timing multiple events at once and they make associations and prefer certain structures based on timing and mathematics, all subconsciously.
...the music genome project on which the
Pandora streaming service many of us enjoy is based on a very complex series of calculations including a team of individuals who job is to break down each song to it's elemental structure. If you listen to Pandora a tab provided as you listen to the song at least on the on-line version provides a detailed structure of a song.
...for some a favorite musical style might involve
- simple, repeating, catchy melodies
- unusual vocalizations. Hard to describe, but I'm drawn towards unique-sounding choruses.
- heavy beats
- (sometimes) fast beats, 180 bpm or so
- structured music
- "riffs", both guitar and synth
- superimposition of one musical style over another
...if you like Country Western, the above motif will sound terrible. As you know, most CW songs don't have have complicated guitar structure nor complicated drum pieces unlike the various forms of jazz. Some folks dislike jazz because they can't have the typical 3 1/2 minute song with lyrics that follows pop music format. Jazz at times can feel almost frantic changing tempo and timing frequently. For this same reason, "jam bands" like Phish or even Allman Brothers can take a 3 1/2 minute studio song and extend the playing time by 20-30 minutes by adding longer solos etc.
Now as to why I might have an eclectic song list compared to the next guy? ...this has to due with two component like brand preferences in other areas of brand loyalty.
Nature: our DNA makes us differently receptive some things vs. others. (Think: cilantro, either you love it or it tastes like soap). Similarly, there are some things that might instantly appeal to your sensibilities for complex physiological reasons that can't even begin to understand. However, other things may be acquired tastes, in that subtlety that comes through repeat listening might appeal to us for other difficult to understand reasons. There are some songs or genres that you despised growing up but after time it "grows on you" as was the case with C&W at least for me. I "entered" the appreciation zone for C&W through the related genre of
Southern Rock via Allman Brothers and LS.
Nurture: What music we're previously exposed to informs and affects how we listen to all other music (especially the music we're exposed to during critical periods of musical development (this is childhood and 17-25) like Classic Rock for me and yea, I even saw the Jackson Five in the Astrodome in Houston in the 70's. They were superb! In this vein, a song that is in your "nurture" comfort zone might appeal more to you more immediately, whereas an unfamiliar genre, tonality, etc. may take some time to appreciate. If a new band plays a song reminiscent of "your song" with your
high school girlfriend, then it might immediately appeal to you, as opposed to something entirely unfamiliar to you.
Be open to new listening modalities.
Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
with:
Drew
