📣 News Our Listening Habits

[Michael Hagerty]

I've seen Mendes in many different record store sections (easy listening, jazz, Latin)...but never New Age. 🤔

In the declining days of Tower Records, Sergio Mendes’ CDs vanished. This was shortly after the Brasil ‘66 re-issues—-too soon to have gone out of print, but there wasn’t even a placeholder. I asked—-turns out, at least in that one location (the last one left in Phoenix), they re-categorized them as “World Music”.

 

[Harry]

I recall that Tower Records in Disney World's shopping area had a few of the older classic Brasil '66 stuff in with the "Easy Listening" section, but they also had some of his later - and earlier - titles back in the "World Music" section. This was back before they closed the store down and turned it into a "destination" bowling alley. I recall finding some imports there that I hadn't seen elsewhere.

Herb's stuff was all over the place too, with the old TJB stuff in with instrumentals, while his later solo stuff was in the jazz section.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

It appears “PMA” (Peak Musical Awareness) has survived, though it’s no longer labeled that, and there is now a complement to it—-three musical attributes that people seem to gravitate to.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/09/25/music-taste-personality-traits/

 

[Rudy]

The only "musical attribute" I have is that I like listening to it. 👍

My daily playlist, some days, would probably make your head spin. 🤣

 

[JOv2]

It appears “PMA” (Peak Musical Awareness) has survived, though it’s no longer labeled that, and there is now a complement to it—-three musical attributes that people seem to gravitate to.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/09/25/music-taste-personality-traits/

These things work better for casual listeners. On the other hand, those of us for whom listening to music is a way of life akin to breathing and eating such "psychopseudoscience" doesn't work. I align 100% with Rudy. The only specification I would add is that m e l o d y must be present (which safely eliminates about 85% of what is currently passed off under the guise of "popular music" in the U.S.).

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Tower Records in Disney World's shopping area

Was that store originally a Tower Records? All the years I ever saw it, it was a "Virgin Megastore." I got my Herb & the TJB Greatest Hits there.

Yeah, Sergio's music is a lot of things but New Age is definitely a reach!

 

[Harry]

You're right, it was Virgin. Sorry, senior moment.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

These things work better for casual listeners. On the other hand, those of us for whom listening to music is a way of life akin to breathing and eating such "psychopseudoscience" doesn't work. I align 100% with Rudy. The only specification I would add is that m e l o d y must be present (which safely eliminates about 85% of what is currently passed off under the guise of "popular music" in the U.S.).

Absolutely. But the vast majority of Americans, especially listeners to commercial radio at any point in the last 65 years, fall into that “casual” group.

 

[rockdoctor]

I still very much listen to 60's to 80's. It is far better than most of what is now out. The vast majority of modern stuff I do not care for at all. So may songs have trashy lyrics and when I was working, I hated having to listen to an "R&B station, which was more rap garbage with no classic R&B artists and the same selections day after day.
I have impressed several of my scouts with Alan Parsons, Moody Blues, Sergio Mendes, Herb Alpert and others from my collection. One of them is very much into movie soundtracks, especially John Williams.
Back when I was starting out buying LP's, there were no categories in the stores. Everything was arranged alphabetically. Most artists had a divider with their names on them. There was a bin and then there was a high back with room for three small groups of albums. The Brasil'66 was very prominent with a full bin and generally Look Around, Crystal Illusions and Fool On The Hill up the back side in good view. Gradually the high back sections went away.
Later on, when I started buying cd's, everything was grouped by genre. The 5th Dimension were located in R&B and Brasil'66 was located in the World section. Herb Alpert was back in the Jazz section.
At a used book and record store that I go to, both Herb and Sergio are listed as Jazz.