Why are we so few girls that like electronica/ambient/idm?

Syberia · Post by **Syberia** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:34 pm

Okay, my first thread, so be nice..

I have sneaked around here on the forum and I would say there are a lack of girls here..

I'm a girl myself and I always liked electronic/ambient/idm music more then any other music. What I can't get is why there are so few of us girls that likes this type of music..

All you other girls on this forum, what do you think? (guys you may say your opinion too, if its sensible)
What do we have in common? (except being better

)

Yshar · Post by **Yshar** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:19 pm

yeah syberia !! congratulations for your first thread !!

for my part I've always listened kind of cutting-edge music that was non-commercial...

I would say that the point is not that there are less girls listening to ambient/down-tempo/idm , the REAL point is that they are less expressive about that.
It's not because there is less girls on this forum that we must conclude there is less girls listening to that music...What we can conclude maybe is that girls tends to be less expressive,and even if they listen to a genre, they won't have the same behaviour, they won't need to discuss on it and join a forum....

Let's just say that girls feel less the need to join a social group, maybe particularly music community...maybe because this subject tends to be more technical or too abstractive (comparing to dance,paintings and other kind of arts...)

Then we'll may have to turn to biology too...

ninetyoneplus · Post by **ninetyoneplus** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:37 pm

without being sexist, i think it is because of a lack of a singer putting forward a tangible image for many (all) of the downtempo groups out there.

i think women view music as more social than men tend to. men can enjoy music by itself, but women need social connection and more tangible emotionality in music.

again, not always, everyone is different in so many ways that is just my theory.

Syberia · Post by **Syberia** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:03 pm

Thanks! It was I big step

I agree with you in one way, but not fully..
You have right on that girls won't have the same behaviour, they won't need to discuss on it and join a forum but I'm very convinced that there are less girls that like electronic music then guys. I know a lot of guys that are in to this music but not one single girl! Also if you go to a electronic/ambient/idm concert there are a clear majority of guys.

And still, why are we then some girls that have the need to express our music taste? What brings us to this forum?
I have a hard time to understand how anyone, boy or girl could just sit at home, listen Boc and not feel the need to express the feelings you get when listen to such music. I think we all have a need to share things that we like and that are important for us. I mean, I have met a lot of girls that express there love for Beyoncés music..

But you are right, its hard to know how many electro-loving girls that are out there..

Syberia · Post by **Syberia** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:07 pm

ninetyoneplus wrote:without being sexist, i think it is because of a lack of a singer putting forward a tangible image for many (all) of the downtempo groups out there.

i think women view music as more social than men tend to. men can enjoy music by itself, but women need social connection and more tangible emotionality in music.

again, not always, everyone is different in so many ways that is just my theory.

Hum..So the conclusion is that I'm more like a man..

Treefingers · Post by **Treefingers** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:22 pm

Cause they're all in my bedroom.

...

...

I'm so sorry.

ninetyoneplus · Post by **ninetyoneplus** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:09 am

you must have a big room to fit ~3.5 billion ladies

Waterbagel · Post by **Waterbagel** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:55 am

i honestly have no idea as to why there seem to be fewer girls than boys that like this kind of music.

maybe because the realm it's associated with has to do with video games and other electronics (hence "electronica"), and most women just aren't into that?

it's a damn shame there aren't, though, i tell ya w'hut.

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:19 am

In my experience a lot of girls wind up saying they like music like BoC, but in my experience the extent of their liking it seems to be using it for study-music (college). In my experience most of the girls I knew listened to music with expressive, more or less concrete lyrics and waxed poetical about that more than music that had no lyrics. I've found there's a definite correlation with lyrics. But I've also found that most guys aren't music geeks themselves either. I would hazard a guess that there are a fair many women who lurk this forum and never post.

JosephG · Post by **JosephG** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:30 am

Hm.
Well, my wife is coming around to some BoC (mostly campfire headphase). She likes a lot of electronic music, but more upbeat ( think Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers - which I like them, too!

)

I think it's because maybe... well... I don't really know. Maybe it has to do with the social expectations and limitations placed on women worldwide? I mean... I don't know how it is in Europe, but in America, a lot of guys want girls to be expendable, sexy, and opinion-less. That spills over into advertising. i.e. commercials, billboards, radio shows. Constant exposure to products and ideals that are supposed to transform you into some generic, faceless supermodel has to have some consequences when it comes to developing a personality. Which probably extends to music.

I don't know. Maybe that helps? Glad to hear some ladies posting, though!

P.S. - My 17 month old daughter really likes electronic music!! She dances so cutely to BoC, especially roygbiv and Dayvan Cowboy. :p I had to throw that in there, she's so awesome hahah!

coffee grapes · Post by **coffee grapes** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:41 am

AFX.NL · Post by **AFX.NL** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:55 am

They have no time with all that shopping, putting make up on and gossiping about boys

I'm kidding

Post by **Aesthetics** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:14 am

My experience is that is has to do with the lack of lyrics.
I also think that girls are much more susceptible to fashion and something to look up to. Music, like the majority use it, is fashion. If electronic music get's more popular there sure will be more female fans.

Syberia · Post by **Syberia** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:33 am

Woow! Thanks for all yore answers, I really appreciate it!

As both Waterbage and lcoffee grapes says, that it has something to do with boys being more interesting in computers and video games was my first idea too..But then I have 4 sisters and one brother and I'm the only one that aren't a a complete computer-video game nerd but the only one that likes this type of music. I agree on that it has to do whit this fact but there are still exceptions..

I very much like JosephG idea, that its a question of social expectations. Why haven't I thought of that..? I guess I often forget how powerful the media is..
I also think that as turquoise70 is saying there are probably girls that lurk this forum and like this music but its not accepted in the same way as it is for boys.
This theory fits in very well one me because I grow up in a very tolerant and accepting family. My parents wasn't making such a big difference on boys and girls so we where free to choose what we wanted to play and what tv-programs we wanted to watch. So we grow up whit Turles and Cyber rider because we liked that shows better. When I started to get interested in a bit odd and different music my dad (that is a musician) was very supporting. He always give my new cd's on my birthday and I always felt that I was free to listen to what ever I liked.

But It wasn't that accepted in school. I was soon stmap't with the "odd-girl-stamp" and I guess I still have that stamp today. I really don't care because I have my family and my friends (mostly guys because they seem to be more accepting) but I guess I'm a lucky exception.

But I feel too there is hope. The electronic music is still quit "new" but today its Ok for a girl to say that she likes Daft Punk or Chemicla Brothers. So I feel that it's going in the right direction.

I guess it's good that we are some girls that are willing to stand up for this music. Maybe it will give some other electro-music-loving girls a little more confidence..

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:03 pm

Yeah, now that you mention it - I should add that in my experience "mean girls" tend to be meaner than "mean boys" at most ages. If you're not playing the pretty pink pony dressup game as well as they are, they are much quicker to ostracize and ridicule you than guys are. I think so-called "weird girls" have a harder time just being accepted as offbeat than guys do - and I can say from experience that it's hard enough just being accepted as an offbeat guy

So becoming a "fan" of music like BoC - or Coil or Skinny Puppy or Stockhausen or /whatever/ - is probably perceived by most girls as more of a threat to their peace of mind and social fluidity than it is for guys, and they're probably right. I've seen it happen where a girl is expressing that she likes something to other girls and they just give her this "who farted?" look with their noses, and she smiles and does that little fake "aHEHEHEHhehe" laugh thing and just totally withers inside. It's not easy choosing to be different no matter which gender you are, but I've noticed that popular girls are meaner and more vicious to offbeat girls than guys.

EDIT: 4000th post! I haev no lief!

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:18 pm

turquoise70 wrote: So becoming a "fan" of music like BoC - or Coil or Skinny Puppy or Stockhausen or /whatever/ - is probably perceived by most girls as more of a threat to their peace of mind and social fluidity than it is for guys, and they're probably right. I've seen it happen where a girl is expressing that she likes something to other girls and they just give her this "who farted?" look with their noses, and she smiles and does that little fake "aHEHEHEHhehe" laugh thing and just totally withers inside. It's not easy choosing to be different no matter which gender you are, but I've noticed that popular girls are meaner and more vicious to offbeat girls than guys.

Thats so true because its sad.

Waterbagel · Post by **Waterbagel** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:43 pm

if there's a nail to hit, turquoise hit it on the head.

Julian Candy · Post by **Julian Candy** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:12 am

Over here in America's asshole, the average teenage girl has the IQ and attention span of a snow shovel (probably because they're either plain bitches or too high and stupid), so they all seem to gravitate to what's considered "in" (e.g. rap, pop etc.) and aren't smart enough to give thought into instrumental music, as most instrumental music, at least for me, allows more thought as opposed to lyric peppered songs which force thought through a song.

Basically I'm saying that over here, girls are just too damn stupid to search and listen to any music that doesn't play round the clock on MTV, excluding the 0.0001% that may be avid music listeners.

Just my two cents, though as I always say - "Two cents won't buy you a goddamn candy bar"

asymmetrical head · Post by **asymmetrical head** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:04 am

i first met my now wife in late 1994. although i was into aphex, fsol, the orb, and plastikman at this time, she was the one who introduced me to "the black dog". she brought over some cds to my pad so we can listen, cook, talk, and other unmentionable stuff. she threw on spanners and I knew from that moment that she was a special lady!

fast forward to 2011. she still likes the experimental electronic music, but she doesn't seek it out like she used to. she still likes aphex and she got all interested when he played coachella a few years ago (we didn't go though). She's not into autechre but she appreciates and understands them. she's more an italo disco, daft punk, gus gus, justice, yelle lady now.

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:24 am

asymmetrical head wrote:i first met my now wife in late 1994. although i was into aphex, fsol, the orb, and plastikman at this time, she was the one who introduced me to "the black dog". she brought over some cds to my pad so we can listen, cook, talk, and other unmentionable stuff. she threw on spanners and I knew from that moment that she was a special lady!

fast forward to 2011. she still likes the experimental electronic music, but she doesn't seek it out like she used to. she still likes aphex and she got all interested when he played coachella a few years ago (we didn't go though). She's not into autechre but she appreciates and understands them. she's more an italo disco, daft punk, gus gus, justice, yelle lady now.

that's awesome dude

lucky you!