Yessss. . .A thread I can sink my teeth into. Another endless list for me - being surprised I like music I have never heard is one of my main music pastimes. I love rummaging thru the dollar cds. A real thrill finding a raggedy old record at the record store, carrying it over to the thrashed stereo, putting on the phones and having an unknown sound leap out and grab you.

Had same reaction to Yo La Tengo, liked it a lot when I finally heard it. I would see the name in the bin and flip past thinking it was some salsa or mariachi, which I can't handle.

Vietnamese pop 1960s - 1980s, especially anything featuring the danbao. Have plans to build one. Gotta be the weirdest most random and surprising one Ive got.

Shoegaze, or Dream Pop: Lush, Belly, Slowdive , wide ambient echo jangle and ethereal vox

1970s African psychedelic, Zamrock: Peace, Witch, Amanaz, Crissy Zebby Tembo, Blo

Françoise Hardy: Very surpised. recent obsession, French pop early 60s - her early "Ye Ye" records are great. All remastered recently, here (Light In the Attic is a stellar reissue outfit, their catalog is a wonder) https://lightintheattic.net/artists/1184-francoise-hardy
(Bob Dylan by the way was a big Françoise Hardy fan, courted her when he was in Europe.)

Hugh Masakela - never listened, the litlle I heard got by me, until an HTW person sent me an anthology. Phenomenal.

Plasmatics - Surprised. Makes me wonder if I am ill.

Def Leppard - ^^^ " " " " " the song "Hysteria" kills me

Ratt - ^^^" " " " " I have issues. The worse the song tbe more I like it. It's got a certain undeniable purity - 200 proof trash.

Moby Grape - Another great one slipped my radar, same HTW person sent me the stack . . . thanks again brother

Toru Takemitsu - Japanese composer, you've heard his work if you saw "Ran" or a lot of samurai and other Japanese films. Amazing music.

TLC - their big record, with the hit Waterfalls, clean funky compressed, sultry vox, beautiful production. Liked Waterfalls on radio in the 90s, but figured it was a one-off because I didn't like hip-hop. So it took 20 years before I gave their record a spin. (So sad, the tragic isolation of bigotry.)

Ennio Morricone - more film music, Good Bad and the Ugly

and on and on. and on.

This is why I never understand folks moaning about how music died.

He not busy being born is busy dying
- Bob Dylan

[Edited on 11/25/2019 by BrerRabbit]

I dismissed a lot of 1980s music during the 80s because I was so in love with the 1960s/70s sound and aesthetic. However, I enjoy much of it when it crosses my path now.

Two examples are INXS and The Bangles. It's great guitar rock with big hooks. I just didn't like the haircuts or production at the time, I guess.

That band Khruanghbin IS great.

I listen to a lot of classical music on NPR stations at night now. I don't know the field, don't know which orchestra or interpreter or version is the one to look for; I just find it beautiful.

Bluegrass

The Talking Heads

I listen to a lot of classical music on NPR stations at night now. I don't know the field, don't know which orchestra or interpreter or version is the one to look for; I just find it beautiful.

Same here!!! I started listening to the local classical channel on the drive to work about 4 months ago. Just found it easier to handle first thing in the morning than rock or talk. Ended up really liking it. But I’m still rather clueless to it all. I’ve started really concentrating to recognize what instruments I’m hearing, what key, and so forth. Figure that little bit of thinking can do nothing but help me as a “hobby musician” who knows only a few years of guitar lessons worth of music theory. But regardless, I enjoy my daily dose of classical. I’ve even started listening while reading in the evening too.

Pink. Crazy about most some of her albums and a lot of her songs.

My friends just shake their heads and laugh. Primarily at me, not Pink.

[Edited on 11/26/2019 by DeadMallard]

Classical. My mother played it constantly when I was younger. Hated it then but about five years ago I briefly dated a violinist in the RI philharmonic orchestra and she got me into it big time. So many elements to it. Pretty awesome.

Talking Heads. Byrne's lyrics are off the wall and some tunes are "out there" where I am.

Dropkick Murphys

Saw them at the NY State Fair and enjoyed every minute of it.

Inxs is a good one. I was surprised how many of their songs I like.

Faces and early Rod Stewart - growing up in the 80s I hated Rod Stewart. I never realized how great he once was until listening to Faces.

Also lots of 90s bands...

Hootie & The Blowfish's Cracked Rear View album (I feel like I am one of the 20 people who actually admit to purchasing it out of the 20 million who did.)

The Gin Blossoms

Soul Asylum

Faces and early Rod Stewart - growing up in the 80s I hated Rod Stewart. I never realized how great he once was until listening to Faces.

Same exact experience, his 80s pop was brutal - very surprised to unearth Stewart's early catalog, pretty recently. Always loved Maggie May, just never dug deeper.

Hootie & The Blowfish's Cracked Rear View album (I feel like I am one of the 20 people who actually admit to purchasing it out of the 20 million who did.)

Let Her Cry is one of my all-time favorite songs.

Dropkick Murphys

Saw them at the NY State Fair and enjoyed every minute of it.

X2 on these guys

POLKAGEIST

Crosstown Traffic