I'm studying music at college and i'm currently writing an essay on Marketing, promotion & publicity and how it affects what we get to listen to. For example: why are there NO 40yr old men starting careers in the pop industry?

I've come across a question that I can't give a definitive answer to and would like other peoples opinions.

Does the music our parents listen/listened to define our music preferences?

I personally like the music my parents were into, such as ELP, Pink Floyd etc, but its not my main preference. I prefer soul, jazz and pop diva's. If my parents had been into ABBA instead of Pink Floyd, I don't think i'd have gone along with that, but friends i've spoken to believe that they would like whatever their parents liked because that would have been all they were exposed to.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions

Ellie

What's wrong with Abba?

If we were solely interested in our parents' music, I'd by scouring iTunes for James Last and Demis Roussos right now.

Having said that, we do have a better knowledge of music we hear a lot, particularly when young. And as Marc Bolan sang, "to know you is to love you". Lots of bands have been regurgitating disco for the past ten years, either directly through House or indirectly through groups like Soulwax. What does that tell you?

Incidentally, probably the world's most famous tunes were written following direct parental influence, as Johann Strauss followed the lead of his father, Johann Strauss, to the point where the father started intimidating organisers that booked the son! I kid thee not. There was only room for one Johann Strauss in Vienna. The father, incidentally, was a James Brown-like character that made a fortune with the waltz style, bringing his full orchestra around Europe to play for the crowned heads and fat wallets of the day. The scandal drive ticket sales. Imagine taking frail young things by the waist and spinning them around in circles until their heads were reeling - that hardly happens today any more let alone back then.

I am a parent and have works by every act/artiste mentioned in the above posts.

As far as parental influence goes, I must say it has taken me a very long time to appreciate the Miles Davis music my Dad so loves, but don`t think I will ever find time for my Mums James Last collection which I now own.

Think Beatles, they have crossed every generation since they had their first hit and move from there, then contrast and compare.

For me Ellie - none at all.
My Dad liked Nat King Cole (OK but not really me) - My Mum liked musicals - so do I but a different set.

My tastes were entirely based on pop in the early to middle 50's when I was growing from 6-16.

But great songs surpass everything - Noel Coward, genius; We'll Gather Lilacs, great song...

JK2006 wrote:
For me Ellie - none at all.
My Dad liked Nat King Cole (OK but not really me) - My Mum liked musicals - so do I but a different set.

My tastes were entirely based on pop in the early to middle 50's when I was growing from 6-16.

But great songs surpass everything - Noel Coward, genius; We'll Gather Lilacs, great song...
My mother was the Nat King Cole fan, and I must admit I have grown to love some of the tracks such as "Delilah", "Lush Life" (very, very dark when you listen to the words) and even "Walking my Baby Back Home". It's funny, as he always considered himself a piano player (an exceptional one at that). About time someone did a biopic!

We played Unforgettable at my Mum's memorial last month; Andy wanted Let There Be Love but I refuse to allow the word COOKOO. My personal fave is Mona Lisa.

Even with the introduction of Nat King Cole into the thread, the artist is still amazingly in my collection with 3 albums of his no less.

I still think we are not that influenced by our parents taste, but might develop a snobbery against depending on how the music was introduced as a young listener.

Where this thesis could get really interesting, is on the topic of "how much were the records bought for us by our parents an influence?"

Smurfs, Chipmunks,(1 album still, sorry!), Wombles, Teletubbies?

My parents music tastes definitely influenced my own. They were very young when they had me so were still consuming the pop music of the day (early 70s). They had many singles from the mid 60s onwards and most of The Beatles, Kinks, Simon and Garfunkel albums to name a few and I heard it endlessly whilst growing up. Its music that remains dear to me. In the mid 80s, I did not like the oversynthed stuff that was getting in the charts so I began looking backwards for music I'd like and became a full fledged 60s and 70s nut in the process.

My younger brother also got the same diet of music as I did and he's a big Dance music freak so he turned out the opposite of me in many ways since I can't stand the stuff. Neither can my parents.

Last week I was talking to my Uncle. He told me with genuine sadness that his 17 year old son loves anything that is Rap. This, in spite of my Uncle never owning (let alone liking) Rap music and playing mostly 60s and 70s pop and rock and various singer/songwriters in his home.

So, I think its fair to say it varies from individual to individual. I most definitely was influenced by my parent's tastes but my brother wasn't. Nor was my cousin.

Mother was into Cliff Richard... so for influences I can say a definite NO

my mum threw my first Rolling Stones record in the bin and my father disowned me when I took my first professional gig at the tender age of 17.

I am hoping we live in more enlightened times?

That said, the act that I am currently developing listens to, and is heavily influenced by, Aretha, Martha, Diana Ross and James Brown. She is 18 years old and had a packed venue of all ages jumping up and down to "Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide..." last Saturday. Splendid fun to watch by the way.

Age is just a number. The rest is a load of Media hyped bullshit.

Under 40? Are we talking about age or IQ?