Songs and Artists That Grew on You

[IDOL]

What are some songs or artists that for whatever reason you didn't like, but grew to love or appreciate?

For me, since my mom had me at such a young age (barely 17), I spent a ton of time with my grandparents at their house growing up. They loved old country/western music and it was always on, whether it be 8 tracks, vinyl or eventually CDs. One of the artists I heard the most? Conway Twitty.

I HATED Conway Twitty. 

Or at least I thought so.

After losing my Grandfather 10 years ago, I went back and listened to a lot of that music again. In a way I guess it brought him back for me. And guess what? Dude had some bangers. The one I appreciate the most, especially after becoming a dad is "That's My Job."

 

So yeah, sorry Conway. You were just too good to appreciate at such a young age.

What are some of yours?

[Mick]

Elton John. 

I had always preferred Billy Joel over Elton John, so I'd just kinda sigh and quietly sulk when I'd hear Elton John on the radio, but he has grown on me quite a bit the older I get. 

[METALMAN]

I guess for me it might be the entire genre of metal? I couldn't be arsed with it before and thought it was just a lot of people shouting stuff but then I listened to it a bit more during lockdown because I had nothing else to do and now I think it is okay. Not particularly good, mind you. Just okay.

[White Castle of Fear]

Bob Dylan. I could never get past that raspy gruff voice. But then I heard Shelter from the Storm and I loved it. I became obsessed with Dylan over the next few years and he's now probably my favourite artist.

[RPS]

Tom Waits. I thought as a youth he was a try hard and not that interesting. In my older age I have grown to love his songwriting. I wouldn't say I love him, but I do appreciate him. 

[METALMAN]

hmm i'm the opposite. I used to like Tom Waits but now I think "what's the point in this guy, cba". Although I still like Closing Time and Heart of Saturday Night I guess.

[Naitch]

When I first heard Enter Shikari in ~2007 I wasn't really keen on them. A few years later and they're probably my favourite band and still are.

[Benji]

Ed Sheerhan. Kind of just fobbed him off as another dull British singer songwriter that the music media wanked over for a long while.

He still very much is that, but he's also got talent and writes good songs.

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

I've had a few where I've just gone through phases with. When I first heard The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance I thought it was the best song ever but I never listened to anything else they'd done. Kerrang showed me that one song and I decided that was it.

Taste gradually changed and it got to the point where I couldn't stand the song and actively turned it off if I heard it. Don't remember what caused the change. Maybe the break up just annoyed me.

Fast forward a few years (still pre-reunion so wasn't that, probably 2015-16) and I heard it again, thought it was great and had no idea why I hated, bought the album and now own all four on CD and vinyl and think they're one of the best bands ever having discovered all the great songs I'd missed out on the first time around.

Done that with a few bands, but they're the most prominent example. 2016 I properly discovered the entire genre of pop-punk having written it off before that really.

Most recent one that comes to mind is probably Bring Me The Horizon, they really turned my opinion around with Post Human: Survival Horror and they're sound evolution has put them right into my niche after hating them prior to 2017. Ignored two fantastic albums as a result of that.

[Ruki]

The whole Bo Burnham - Inside album.

 

I went in expecting the regular ol' Bo type of stuff. So it didn't really stick with me. Watching/listening a second time was game changing. 

[GhostMachine]

On 30/08/2022 at 17:33, White Castle of Fear said:

Bob Dylan. I could never get past that raspy gruff voice. But then I heard Shelter from the Storm and I loved it. I became obsessed with Dylan over the next few years and he's now probably my favourite artist.

Bob Dylan, much like Willie Nelson, is a brilliant songwriter who oozes charisma but isn't exactly an earth-shattering singer.

My three favorite Dylan songs are Shelter From The Storm, The Times They Are A-Changing and Lay Lady Lay. But Jimi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower blows Dylan's out of the water, and Dylan himself said as much so. (Michael Hedges (sadly also deceased) did a damn fine version, as well.)

For me, I'll go with Brooks and Dunn. Could not stand them, at first, but now I like most of their stuff. Long story why, but I still hate Boot Scootin' Boogie.

[METALMAN]

m8 what you saying? Willie Nelson is a proper good singer. This is why so many of his cover versions are great. Sure, he has a weak and reedy voice but he used it well. Quite jazzy phrasing, always before or after where you expect it to be. I'd go so far as to argue the singing is the best thing about Willie Nelson.

[White Castle of Fear]

Willie Nelson's rendition of Always On My Mind is just incredible singing.

 

[Skummy]

Dylan, too, is at his best when he got older and learned how to use his voice as an instrument more. Songs like "Lovesick", where he has a bit more bass and gravel in his voice compared to how reedy and nasally it used to be, don't sound anywhere near as good sung by anyone else.

[Hobo]

14 hours ago, GhostMachine said:

Bob Dylan, much like Willie Nelson, is a brilliant songwriter who oozes charisma but isn't exactly an earth-shattering singer.

They both just have nasally voices. That's it.

Dylan has changed up his vocal style a few times over the years and kinda settled into that nasally, see-sawy, gravelly thing he's got now. Which when it work it sounds amazing. His albums of folk blues covers from the early 90s World Gone Wrong and Good As I Been To You sound wild because it's just him with a guitar and harmonica singing these old songs that sometimes just sounds like they come from another planet.

Willie Nelson's voice, particularly in stuff from the late 70s-early 80s, is gorgeous. The album/documentary Teatro from the  mid 90s is also great. I'm not sure his voice has really sounded as good on an album since. He's no musical slouch either. He won a grammy for an instrumental jazz album in 1999.

Over the passed couple of years Bill Callahan/(Smog) has started to grow on me more and more. I didn't dislike his stuff before but I have just kept finding myself listening to his music especially in the last 2-3 years for some reason.

[VerbalPuke]

Bob Dylan is a good shout. I didn't care about him for years, but then I heard Subterranean Homesick Blues, which I was familiar with but for whatever reason it really captured my attention this time around. I ended up becoming a big fan of his other work.

The Reatards are another, kind of never fussed about them but gave them a second chance. Its not ground breaking stuff but pretty cool dirty garage punk.

[Benji]

I don't care for Yungblud, but his appearance on Never Mind the Buzzcocks revealed to me he isn't some douchey joker wannabe like every single one of his publicity would make you think he is, and he's actually quite a nice a normal guy who has a lot of energy.