Much like the insufferable word "hipster," "music nerd" is a loaded term. Not that obsessing over vinyl, headphones, tour dates and obscure Dutch tape music will get you stuffed in a metaphorical locker or anything -- nowadays, nerds are embraced as society's cool kids (see: the San Francisco tech boom, the North Brooklyn music explosion, the mainstreaming of Comic Con, Game of Thrones, etc). But unless you never leave the safe, weirdo-beardo confines of your similar-minded friends, admitting your love for epic doom metal, chiptune, '80s college rock or avant-guarde free jazz can result in a lot of eye rolls from the normies.
Dave Watt
Anyway, music nerds: Maybe you love them, maybe you hate them, maybe you ARE one. Whatever your relationship with these dollar-bin dumpster divers, however, chances are you've met a few already. And, much like a music nerd's record collection, the very term itself can be divided into myriad subgenres. Let's flip through them together, shall we?
The Vinyl-Or-Die Nerd
This guy (or girl) has a vast record collection, and where they go, it goes. Are they moving cross-country? You know they're gonna shell out a few extra Benjamins to get that wide load on the moving van. Are you heading outdoors with Mr. Vinyl? Do yourself a favor and steer them away from the local record store. Once one creeps into their peripheral vision, you'll lose the next three hours of your day. To the Vinyl Nerd, if it hasn't been pressed into a wax cylinder, then you might as well not even own it.
Dave Watt
The Audiophile
This guy isn't too far removed from the Vinyl Nerd, but instead of spending any disposable income on records, the Audiophile invests in only the highest sound quality listening devices. His mouth waters when he hears the word "Sennheiser," he'd give his left foot for an EAR Disc Master Turntable, and most of his conversation topics consist of amps, arguing over setup techniques and best practices for un-muddying the sound.
Dave Watt
