Acclaimed Music Forums

Passing thought -- Why do you think some forum members have left over the years (or if you know the person outside of the forum, do you know the actual answer, assuming that it's not prying)? The reason could be pretty dry, though it's still a bit surprising when some prominent people leave, even if replaced by new people. Burnout or time demands are a likely explanation.

As someone who wasn't really involved in the forums for more than a year until recently, I can say for my part it was mostly a combination of burn out (Compiling my all-time albums list took something out of me) and personal life (starting a new business). A part of it was also seeing the tastes of the forum veer further away from my own. There's just too much love of atmosphere over structure and mood over meaning for my ears, but that's just me.

I've once left a forum for movies where I was active for 10 years, because of several reasons. An important one was time (a new, more demanding job), but even before that I could feel I was getting less close to the forum, actually because the atmosphere of the board had changed. There had been a slow turnover there and I noticed that whereas at first I felt I met a lot of like-minded people, I started feeling a disconnect. And in a way I just wanted something new.

Not unlike reasons your life changes, when you think about it.

I'm sure a certain amount of turnover is inevitable at any forum, but I truly miss some of the voices at AMF; HRS, jamieW, Stephan spring to mind.

As for me, I've cut way back on my participation and I can identify three factors;

Far more emphasis on songs (discussion, games, listening) rather than albums. I am strictly an album guy and really dislike the trend towards streaming as the principal distribution of music.

A youth movement among the most active posters. No offense, but I'm getting older and the world is getting younger. And get off my lawn.

A desire to spend less time online in general. Got rid of my computer three years ago. Still wedded to my phone, but when this one dies I'm getting an old style Nokia.

Interesting topic! The various responses have touched on several reasons. I think on the whole this is one of the friendliest places on the internet, so I can't see that there is a clear problem the forum has that would scare users away (though some of the remarks about the newer/quieter voters in our polls could maybe have that effect).

For me, there have been times when my personal life or work life has been too stressful/depressing for me to post, but there hasn't been anything about the forum itself that has made me not want to post.

If I ever have a job that does not allow me to listen to music all day every day I will probably drift away from the forums.

Rocky Raccoon wrote:As someone who wasn't really involved in the forums for more than a year until recently, I can say for my part it was mostly a combination of burn out (Compiling my all-time albums list took something out of me) and personal life (starting a new business). A part of it was also seeing the tastes of the forum veer further away from my own. There's just too much love of atmosphere over structure and mood over meaning for my ears, but that's just me.

DocBrown wrote:I'm sure a certain amount of turnover is inevitable at any forum, but I truly miss some of the voices at AMF; HRS, jamieW, Stephan spring to mind.

As for me, I've cut way back on my participation and I can identify three factors;

Far more emphasis on songs (discussion, games, listening) rather than albums. I am strictly an album guy and really dislike the trend towards streaming as the principal distribution of music.

A youth movement among the most active posters. No offense, but I'm getting older and the world is getting younger. And get off my lawn.

A desire to spend less time online in general. Got rid of my computer three years ago. Still wedded to my phone, but when this one dies I'm getting an old style Nokia.

Rocky and Doc, while some of these are natural changes in life, I'm sorry that you feel that the forum taste/emphasis veer away from yours. The change from structure to atmosphere is not something I've been thinking about myself, but I kinda feel guilty as atmosphere plays an important role for me and I have really become a songs guy. I really wish this forum could be a place where people with all kinds of tastes feel equally welcome. That is extremely hard to establish or maintain, I reckon, but I also think AMF has done quite well in that regard over the years.

I will definitely miss you, if you would leave the forum completely one day!

Hear, hear, Henrik! I'd miss you both as well, Rocky and Doc!

Although I'm technically one of the oldest members of the forum, in terms of contribution I'm lightyears away from the "elders", some of them posting above.

My slight active participation has several causes:

One is a pretty limited spare time. After substracting work / family / stuff life brings up, I still have to divide the little that's left to several passions / hobbies I have, mainly gravitating around culture / sports.

Speaking of forums, I'm a member on (wait ... Have I ever counted them ? Should do it now:) 5, but on each of them I post only a handful of times a year, although I browse and read them at least once a week.

Specifically about AMF and music in general, I do share the feeling some of the members have, that my own taste / value system and the critics' are steering further away from each other in terms of new music and AMF usually echoes the crix in that respect.

But even so I really like this place, the atmosphere of decency and genuine cultural pursuit (especially if I think what bottomless pits of dirt the social networks have become these days) and I will always return to it to find little music gems (old or new) even if I have to do some digging for it.

Henrik wrote:I really wish this forum could be a place where people with all kinds of tastes feel equally welcome. That is extremely hard to establish or maintain, I reckon, but I also think AMF has done quite well in that regard over the years.

Just want to add that I don't think it's my duty as the administrator to try to stay neutral or "objective" in discussions. AM is not a professional service, so I hope (and think) my opinion is as appreciated as anybody's. Now and then I might get carried away..., but again, I really want all kinds of tastes feel equally welcome and valued here.

Henrik wrote:

Henrik wrote:I really wish this forum could be a place where people with all kinds of tastes feel equally welcome. That is extremely hard to establish or maintain, I reckon, but I also think AMF has done quite well in that regard over the years.

Just want to add that I don't think it's my duty as the administrator to try to stay neutral or "objective" in discussions. AM is not a professional service, so I hope (and think) my opinion is as appreciated as anybody's. Now and then I might get carried away..., but again, I really want all kinds of tastes feel equally welcome and valued here.

It certainly isn't your role to dictate the tastes of the forum. And I think Chambord stated it well; the tastes of the forum tend to follow the tastes of the critics, and I haven't liked a critically acclaimed popular album in years. Almost feel like Bruce just saying that!

But AMF continues to be the most civil place on the net. As a regular contributor to the database, I spend far more time at RYM, but I avoid their forums like the plague. And while I do contribute more to the forums at Steve Hoffman, it certainly is a less pleasant place, and nowhere near as useful for musical discovery (unless you need to know which Beatles reissue is most faithful to George Martin's original vision).

So keep doing what you're doing, Henrik (et al). If I am less inclined to comment, I continue to visit daily. I treasure my on-line AM friendships, and miss each one that fades away. It is, after all, better to burn out than to fade away! (My my, hey, hey)

In fact, if the lists of critics have not interested me at all for about 5 years and the predominance of hip-hop / r'n'b, the forumers still bring as much pleasure and discovery and allow to feed this forum of culture and sharing... that's why I still like this forum a lot

Moonbeam wrote:Hear, hear, Henrik! I'd miss you both as well, Rocky and Doc!

I appreciate that, both of you. I plan on being around for some time, it just may be with varying degrees of participation depending on what's going on with me at the time. I at least have to stick around to counterbalance the trend toward mood and atmospheric music. Also, to add support to most things Prince, and detract from the Cure whenever possible.