Anyways, I also don't get the idea of "personal identity heavily linked with choice of music", especially to the exclusion of other genres. Music seems like a weak thing to tie your identity to so heavily.
I wouldn't call it a weak thing for personal identity to be tied to. Without writing an essay on personal identity vs. culture, I might not be able to write a convincing argument here, but the short hand is that art impacts culture; culture impacts personal identity; music is a pervasive and influential medium of art in western culture; therefore musical themes inform personal identity through that process. It's not the only medium that people use to form parts of their personal identity (see: bronies, furries, ect.) but it is a common one due to the popularity and pervasive nature of music in the west (and arguably almost everywhere these days).
Oh, I have no doubt that it informs your identity, but I'm scared and confused by people who treat it like THE THING that defines them. That's why I'm focusing on exclusionaries. It doesn't confuse me at all that people should listen to metal, like it and even identify with it, but I see and know lots of people who won't listen to anything that ISN'T metal, and that's what I'm confused by.
Ravers make sense to me because rave music is heavily tied with the rave scene and all its trappings, including drugs, socializing and party-til-you-puke all-nighters (which is desirable, apparently). Electroheads and classical elitists tend to focus on technical aspects, which makes music a bit like a giant puzzle or complex painting, and it's a visceral thrill to tease the artist's decisions apart. Hip-hop is more obviously about message and social commentary, so I can see people flocking to it for those reasons. None of these factor in the identity aspect.
The rave scene and all of it's trappings absolutely factor into personal identity for those who are into the scene. Any scene is filled with people who link their personal identity to the art they are enjoying. Self-described movie snobs? Metal-heads? Poetry jam artists? Trekkies? All of them to some degree or another form part of their identity around the genres they enjoy, that's why we label them, and they label themselves, after these things. All of it factors into identity, especially for the youthful who may still be wrestling with their personal identity vs the culture at large. This is why many (not all) go through phases in their teen years of strongly identifying with music sub-cultures before giving up that identity later in life.
I didn't communicate this clearly enough.
The rave scene has a hook to it beyond identity: Addiction. Rave music is a crazy rush, usually played in a crazy environment, often supplemented with drugs. I know ravers who won't listen to anything else other than jacked up dance music, because it "doesn't make them feel". It's messed up, but I understand rave exclusionaries.
Classical and technical electro teases the brain in ways that other genres do not (I was an exclusive electrohead myself for a while, even though I didn't know the scene or what the subculture I was supposed to identify with was). The exclusionaries in this group also makes sense to me, because I was one, and it was because the involved music actually appeals to one's nitpicking and intellectual analysis.
Lastly, hip-hop is so message driven that I've met people who listen to exclusively hip-hop because "no other music has anything good to say". Again, makes sense to me.
Other genres do not have these "other hooks", so aside from identity ties, I don't get why one would be exclusively attached to them.
Again, I'm not trying to say that the above genres are "better", just that I can come up with reasons that people might tie to them and ignore all other genres. Imagine a Trekkie that only watched episodes with Data in them, or a movie snob that only watched comedies.
Also, I never went through that stage of "I identify with this music and its subculture", but that's probably just my problem.
Metal, rock, pop, noise, etc... I don't understand why those attract large numbers of exclusionaries (metal has the largest exclusionary group). But of course, I also don't get why people would tie their identity to ANY genre, so...
I don't know if metal does have the largest exclusionary group. I grew up with Hip Hop/Rap because of the areas I lived in and it was easily the most influential medium for a huge number of people. The themes in hip hop are derived from the culture and the culture is affected by the changes in style and theme of hip hop. The same can be said for any influential genre of music, of which metal is one. I do hope I'm understanding your thoughts correctly and answering you effectively.
