It’s incredible the sheer volume of music available and the relatively narrow selection from which most people partake. I’m certainly not claiming that I have the largest frame of reference of any music fan, but I am open to listening to anything. The random artists that your friends or coworker are aware of could be the next big thing in your listening life. There are also all the artists that you are aware of whose extensive catalogs are largely unknown to the casual listener. There’s no substitute for an obsessed fan’s favorite deep cuts when you are introduced to someone, or when getting a different perspective on someone you only kind of know.
