Entertainment reporter Tom Percival has confessed that he hates music and never listens to it, baffling colleagues and friends who cannot understand his choice to live without song. In a candid article, Percival explains that his aversion to music stems from childhood trauma and a deep-seated insecurity about his taste.
Childhood Trauma and Bad Taste
Percival traces his dislike of music back to a formative experience in his youth when he expressed admiration for the band Nickelback to a friend. The friend reacted with shock, as if Percival had said something outrageous, leaving him confused and embarrassed. This was not an isolated incident; similar reactions followed whenever Percival mentioned liking a particular artist or song. He notes that unlike films, books, or TV shows, music seems to invite harsh judgment from others. 'If you told someone your favourite colour was red, you wouldn’t expect them to go “ughhh that’s terrible”, would you?' Percival writes.
Avoidance and Identity
As an insecure youth, Percival avoided discussing music altogether, from high school through university, to spare himself further embarrassment. This left him without a 'musical hinterland'—he has no shared connections or emotions tied to music. He never kept up with new releases, and his appreciation is limited to early 2000s pop punk and a natural Mancunian enthusiasm for Oasis. 'All I have is some enthusiasm for some early 2000s pop punk ditties and my natural Mancunian enthusiasm for Oasis,' he says.
Attempts to Engage with Music
Despite his aversion, Percival has made efforts to engage with music. He downloaded Spotify and tried listening to Doechii on a colleague's recommendation, but found it not to his taste. He has also attended concerts, which he describes as a miserable experience: his feet hurt, he was annoyed by the price of drinks (£9 for a beer in West London), and the volume was too loud. 'I’d rather strip wallpaper with my teeth than go to another one,' he writes.
Boredom and Preference for Other Media
Ultimately, Percival concludes that he is simply bored by music. It does not engage him the way other media do, such as films, painting Warhammer miniatures, or listening to podcasts. He prefers podcasts about historical topics, like why one should not get involved in a land war in Russia, over a forty-year-old crooning about lost love. 'Seriously, why would I listen to a forty-year-old croon about some lost love when I could hear a fifty-year-old explain why you shouldn’t get involved in a land war in Russia?' he asks.
Identity and Odd Looks
Percival also admits that his musical distaste has become part of his identity. He enjoys the odd looks people give him when he says he has no favourite artist or song. 'I get a buzz when I say “I’m Tom, and I don’t like music,”' he confesses. His article has sparked curiosity and debate among readers, many of whom find his perspective both baffling and refreshing.
