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Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 14:06:09
I'm interested in other people's opinions/experiences with this. I've only been listening to hardcore for about 6 years so I have no experience of its public perception before then. It seems to me that the general perception of hardcore amongst non-listeners who are aware of the genre is currently the worst it has been in those 6 years.
When I first got into hardcore in 2008, it was actually reasonably "in". I would hear people in my peer groups listening to CXH 4. Hardcore got played at house parties (often by me but other people would happily dance to it). It was almost fashionable in my area at that time and it was certainly acceptable.
When I tried the same thing recently, I was told to turn "that faggy shit" off. It was unanimous that listening to hardcore was unfashionable, uncool and weird. Now, I don't care about that shit at all - I will admit my love of hardcore to anyone who asks - but it got me thinking about how the fickle public opinion of hardcore has changed over time.
I'd like some more stories about it, if anyone has any to share.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elipton Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,268 posts Joined: Apr, 2013
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 15:04:10
All my friends say it's crap now, but one or two did used to enjoy it. But remember, it's not solely about it coming into fashion or falling of it, it's whether people outgrow it too
latininxtc Advanced Member
United States
7,307 posts Joined: Feb, 2006
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 15:04:28
hardcore has always been considered "uncool" and that doesn't look like it's ever going to change. It's a niche genre and that means only a select few around the world properly enjoy it.
djDMS Advanced Member
United Kingdom
10,304 posts Joined: Feb, 2003
572 hardcore releases
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 15:26:45
Anybody listening to Hardcore because it's 'cool' or 'in' is barking up the wrong tree.
The very few times it's looked like gaining some decent momentum, somebody has come along with the 'next big sound' and ballsed it up.
Those with genuine crossover appeal like Styles, Gammer to some extent, and F&D (if they really went for it), are very much in a minority. And if they can't get anywhere with spreading the word no-one can.
Over the years, I've successfully got loads of people interested in Hardcore, but the one thing that's always bugged me is that I've had to go down the cheesy vocal/rip route to get them there.
__________________________________
Taking my time to perfect the beat
trippnface Advanced Member
United States
1,654 posts Joined: Jan, 2010
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 18:24:32
if it was not for HU ; i would agree haha.
i get alot of shit for it but honestly; i think the early actual happy hardcore is the uncoolest it ever was. actually not even the early breakbeaty stuff but the 4x4 happy shit that came after. i think the real good UK hardcore that is being released right now; near(almost) rivals any of my favorite mid 2000'y stuff. i guess it's subjective to when you got in the scene and what you really liked about it though. the energy and power of uk hardcore is way cooler to me than any old happy hardcore.
trippnface Advanced Member
United States
1,654 posts Joined: Jan, 2010
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 18:27:49
quote:Originally posted by Elliott:
I'm interested in other people's opinions/experiences with this. I've only been listening to hardcore for about 6 years so I have no experience of its public perception before then. It seems to me that the general perception of hardcore amongst non-listeners who are aware of the genre is currently the worst it has been in those 6 years.
When I first got into hardcore in 2008, it was actually reasonably "in". I would hear people in my peer groups listening to CXH 4. Hardcore got played at house parties (often by me but other people would happily dance to it). It was almost fashionable in my area at that time and it was certainly acceptable.
When I tried the same thing recently, I was told to turn "that faggy shit" off. It was unanimous that listening to hardcore was unfashionable, uncool and weird. Now, I don't care about that shit at all - I will admit my love of hardcore to anyone who asks - but it got me thinking about how the fickle public opinion of hardcore has changed over time.
I'd like some more stories about it, if anyone has any to share.
"turn that faggy shit off" wait but these people listen to other dance music?0.o
isn't trap & bigroom house the faggy shit?
sounds like people just got dumber or something xp
Hard2Get Advanced Member
United Kingdom
12,837 posts Joined: Jun, 2001
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 18:46:50
I'm pretty sure it was much more uncool when it was 'happy'. Either way it's never been cool. What you experienced is just what it has always been like. Maybe for a brief period it was more acceptable but only the stuff that sounded like pop anyway so that doesn't really mean anything.
DJ_FunDaBounce Advanced Member
Colombia
1,913 posts Joined: Nov, 2001
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 20:35:17
I think we have to set a clear definition of what "cool" is. If it means mainstream acceptance, then I agree on it practically never having been. To me, it means having something in it's form/shape(aesthetics?) that just gives you goosebumps/makes you rush and feel alive. It is being on the cutting edge of emotiveness. Pure soul.
imo, every outstanding producer in the hardcore scene has given it just that, making it "cool" in my book, at least.
__________________________________
"Fun with a capital F-D-B!"
Alert moderatorEdited by - DJ_FunDaBounce on 2014/10/26 20:38:14
DJ T33 New Member
United Kingdom
21 posts Joined: Jan, 2014
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 22:59:11
Hahah this takes me back to college where I did a DJ & Electronic Music Production Diploma, there was roughly 50 odd pupils on it and I was the only one who listened to Happy Hardcore.
I remember the first week and everyone did a mix in front of people which got graded. The friendship groups were soon separated by genre being Deep House & House being a large group who were all taking vallium and of which most dropped out. The dubstep kidz (when dubstep seemed to be a thing) who then moved on to big room house and trap which were all the douchbag dre beats wearing stereotype who were all up there own arse hated anything melodic. The drum and bass boys who were essentially 'badmen' which consisted of a few guys. Then there's me. My turn to go up on the desks and showcase what you like.
So me thinking they were open minded open minded played what I wanted and I opened with Cat Like Theif - It Starts With a Whisper (Nu Foundation Remix).
One by one I saw nearly everyone walk out the room giggling and smirking hearing one of them say what the f*** is this B****** ect ect leaving only 3 other people left in the room one being the tutor.
I couldn't help but feeling a little angry being close to the time of mikey passing (R.I.P) and for the fact that I am an open minded person and the respect showed to me or the music was little or none. The mixed was followed by a couple of Orbit 1 tracks and some more of the HU/Next Generation tracks.
At the end of the mix I received the highest grade of the group for the mix and I remember my tutor clapping telling me "Looking past the genre and music selection thats the best mix i've seen all day" This kinda made me feel a little embarrassed but at the same time a little glad that someone actually liked it.
So in the next couple of days obviously already making myself an outcast tried talking to people in my group and generally making friends saying alright mate to people, all I would get in return was people completely ignoring me I mean not even acknowledging my existence or just dirty looks and here thinking 'all this because I like Happy Hardcore and its a different genre to what they listen to and its uncool?'
It was a pretty depressing stage for me and a year into the course they only started talking to me because I was getting the highest grades in the course and they essentially wanted help from me which to them meant copy you, where I pretty much said 'Naaaaa'
Come the end of the course I left with one of the highest grades of the lot with only 50% of the students finishing or passing the course.
Although going of track a little however this is how I look back at the events of college, just because hardcore isn't cool and some people are close minded it made me an outcast.
Do I care? No.
I don't care if it is uncool, cheesy, gay or however else they put it. I'm not gonna change what I like and listen to just because other people don't like it because it is uncool. :)
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 23:40:23
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
It's a niche genre and that means only a select few around the world properly enjoy it.
Personally, I struggle with this. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying that I can't understand it.
The few times I've managed to corner someone open-minded enough to give hardcore a fair try, they ended up with tracks on their MP3 players. I like to believe that it's a fundamentally likeable genre but some combination of its underground status and uncool image conspire to keep it unpopular.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 23:47:11
quote:Originally posted by djDMS:
Anybody listening to Hardcore because it's 'cool' or 'in' is barking up the wrong tree.
The very few times it's looked like gaining some decent momentum, somebody has come along with the 'next big sound' and ballsed it up.
Those with genuine crossover appeal like Styles, Gammer to some extent, and F&D (if they really went for it), are very much in a minority. And if they can't get anywhere with spreading the word no-one can.
Over the years, I've successfully got loads of people interested in Hardcore, but the one thing that's always bugged me is that I've had to go down the cheesy vocal/rip route to get them there.
I get you. It's not the sort of thing you drive around pumping out of your car to pick up girls.
I think maybe I latched on to hardcore at a high point in terms of momentum, certainly in my area. I'm fortunate that it did see a short surge in popularity or I might never have discovered it. I listened to more or less exclusively rock and metal as a teenager.
I don't see why it's a problem that you had to use cheesy vocal tunes or bootlegs! CXH 4 was my entrance point and I loved the cheesy vocal stuff. Sometimes you've got to hook them in with a gateway drug (although, for me, the big vocal anthems are still the highlight of the genre!). In fact, at parties where I was in charge of the music and I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to play hardcore, I'd always run the gamut of bootlegs. It's familiar enough to provide opportunities for a good sing-along but warms people up to the hardcore tempo. Classic tactic for forcing your own choice of music down unwilling throats!
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 23:55:09
quote:Originally posted by DJ T33:
Hahah this takes me back to college where I did a DJ & Electronic Music Production Diploma, there was roughly 50 odd pupils on it and I was the only one who listened to Happy Hardcore.
I remember the first week and everyone did a mix in front of people which got graded. The friendship groups were soon separated by genre being Deep House & House being a large group who were all taking vallium and of which most dropped out. The dubstep kidz (when dubstep seemed to be a thing) who then moved on to big room house and trap which were all the douchbag dre beats wearing stereotype who were all up there own arse hated anything melodic. The drum and bass boys who were essentially 'badmen' which consisted of a few guys. Then there's me. My turn to go up on the desks and showcase what you like.
So me thinking they were open minded open minded played what I wanted and I opened with Cat Like Theif - It Starts With a Whisper (Nu Foundation Remix).
One by one I saw nearly everyone walk out the room giggling and smirking hearing one of them say what the f*** is this B****** ect ect leaving only 3 other people left in the room one being the tutor.
I couldn't help but feeling a little angry being close to the time of mikey passing (R.I.P) and for the fact that I am an open minded person and the respect showed to me or the music was little or none. The mixed was followed by a couple of Orbit 1 tracks and some more of the HU/Next Generation tracks.
At the end of the mix I received the highest grade of the group for the mix and I remember my tutor clapping telling me "Looking past the genre and music selection thats the best mix i've seen all day" This kinda made me feel a little embarrassed but at the same time a little glad that someone actually liked it.
So in the next couple of days obviously already making myself an outcast tried talking to people in my group and generally making friends saying alright mate to people, all I would get in return was people completely ignoring me I mean not even acknowledging my existence or just dirty looks and here thinking 'all this because I like Happy Hardcore and its a different genre to what they listen to and its uncool?'
It was a pretty depressing stage for me and a year into the course they only started talking to me because I was getting the highest grades in the course and they essentially wanted help from me which to them meant copy you, where I pretty much said 'Naaaaa'
Come the end of the course I left with one of the highest grades of the lot with only 50% of the students finishing or passing the course.
Although going of track a little however this is how I look back at the events of college, just because hardcore isn't cool and some people are close minded it made me an outcast.
Do I care? No.
I don't care if it is uncool, cheesy, gay or however else they put it. I'm not gonna change what I like and listen to just because other people don't like it because it is uncool. :)
Wow. Thanks for sharing! You rose to the occasion with a really great (and angering) story! It was totally relevant to this thread.
Good for you for playing what you like and keeping up with it! Stuck up cnuts!
And the "It Starts With A Whisper" remix is a beautiful tune. Fine choice.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 23:58:45
quote:Originally posted by trippnface:
"turn that faggy shit off" wait but these people listen to other dance music?0.o
isn't trap & bigroom house the faggy shit?
sounds like people just got dumber or something xp
Pretty much!
And, yeah, these same people were happy to listen to complete ****ing tripe like Animals by Martin Garrix.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/26 : 23:59:57
quote:Originally posted by Hard2Get:
I'm pretty sure it was much more uncool when it was 'happy'. Either way it's never been cool. What you experienced is just what it has always been like. Maybe for a brief period it was more acceptable but only the stuff that sounded like pop anyway so that doesn't really mean anything.
Wait. You didn't like CXH4?
That's upsetting. :(
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2014/10/27 : 00:05:25
quote:Originally posted by Elipton:
All my friends say it's crap now, but one or two did used to enjoy it. But remember, it's not solely about it coming into fashion or falling of it, it's whether people outgrow it too
That's true. Although if something was perpetually cool and popular (as hardcore ideally should be!), you would expect a constant influx of younger people replacing the older ones as they outgrow it.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Is hardcore the uncoolest it has ever been?
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Posted - 2014/10/26 : 14:06:09
