Let's say you've met a someone, and he or she has pretty much everything you're looking for in a relationship; they're cute, they're funny, they love Lord of the Rings, everything about this person is spot-on. But then you discover something unsettling about them: this person doesn't listen to the Stooges. In fact, this person has somehow never even heard of them. Maybe they're not as cool as you thought they were. How could you possibly date somebody who doesn't listen to punk? Fortunately, having a different taste in music isn't as much of a deal-breaker as you may think. Here are some reasons why you shouldn't worry about it so much.
1. You don't want to be a snob
If you want to sound like a ridiculous, shallow person, just try explaining how the main reason you didn't ask somebody out on a date was because of his or her fondness for the Dave Matthews Band. If you're the kind of person that finds these sorts of things so incredibly important, though, you probably don't get many dates anyway, so you shouldn't be so picky.
2. Making mixtapes is a ton of fun
One of my favorite things to do is to make mixtapes (or mix CDs, since I don't live in the 19th century) for new friends, so I can turn them on to music they might not know about, and this even more exciting when you're making a CD for someone you're dating. However, you can't really do any of this if you two have the same taste in music. Here's a very disappointing conversation:
YOU: I made you a mix. I put this band called Dirty Beaches on there, and-
THEM: Yeah, I listen to them already.
YOU: Oh, ok...
3. They can make you mixtapes, too
You don't have to like all of the music that your significant other listens to, and you probably won't anyway, but they're bound to show you at least one song or artist that you'd enjoy, and expanding your horizons is always a good thing. I mean, have you ever met somebody who only listens to hardcore punk, or somebody who only listens to EDM? They can be pretty annoying, so try letting your girlfriend or boyfriend show you something new if you don't want to turn into one of these annoying people.
4. Inter-Genre feuding can get ugly
If you love metal, but the person you're seeing loves country, there's a basic understanding that your tastes don't really intersect anywhere, and you'll come to terms with this. But let's say you and this person actually do share a taste in music. You both love thrash metal. Your favorite band is Megadeth, but when you ask what their favorite band is, you're crushed when they say...Metallica. This would be like a Yankees fan dating a Red Sox fan. Fans of different genres usually leave each other alone, but arguments within fanbases can get intense. People have died because of stuff like this (See: East Coast v. West Coast hip-hop, Norwegian Black Metal). You might be better off dating a country fan, so that the minutiae of heavy metal doesn't tear you two apart.
5. It'll give you two some time apart
Couples need some time apart every now and again if they want to refrain from tearing each other's heads off, and if their musical tastes don't match up, going to a concert is a perfect excuse to occasionally get away. Your hip-hop loving boyfriend/girlfriend probably doesn't want to go see Bruce Springsteen, so don't try and force him/her to come with you. Go and enjoy the show on your own or with some friends; your boyfriend/girlfriend will be totally fine with it (if he's worth dating, anyway).
