Music Taste as Assemblage

Abstract

The concept of ‘taste’ is central to an analysis of music consumption. The concept builds an understanding of the underpinning reasons why individuals like the music they listen to, how they use it and associate it, and how they are affected by it. However, taste mostly remains quite a blurry concept. In fact, ‘taste’ is an umbrella term that alternately refers to ‘music preferences’, ‘musical meanings’, or even ‘listening practices’ in scholarly research. Depending on the discipline where these analyses originate, and the methodology deployed to grasp upon ‘music taste’, the concept has different theoretical definitions and implications. In return, conclusions are drawn about the composition of individuals’ music taste, its origins and what it means for their relationship with the social environment and with their peers.