Granted, it's a positive mind-virus, but still infectious and chronic. Once it's in your soul, it's there to stay.
I've known several music enthusiasts throughout my life. Both of my parents and several other family members, most of the people I've gone on more than one date with which is not intentional but still true, friends, coworkers, neighbors - they have all managed to leave their mark on my soul by way of the music we shared. One particular ex admitted to me when we amicably broke up that he dated me mostly because of my music; at the time, that felt somewhat insulting, but I can appreciate that as the compliment it was meant as, especially given his music background. I've known several people in the music business, as well, and if you think you have a varied taste in music, ask a sound engineer for recommendations sometime, or a showrunner, or indie venue owner.
My varied taste in music is not exclusively due to these people - it's probably about 50/50 my upbringing and the people that have infected me with their music. Our music. The influence of my upbringing leads me to actively giving everything a try at least once, giving it a fair shot, and revisiting it if it's something that it sounds I'll need to be in the mood for. Tonight, that's led me to Big Gigantic, it led me to The Floozies not long ago, and Dirtwire, and Rakede, and at some point in the past, Public Service Broadcasting, and The Dead South, among many others spanning a large range of genres. To extend the metaphor, this disease is spread by human contact and organically.
I never would have happened upon Jellyfish had it not been for a sound engineer friend a couple of decades ago. I would not have the appreciation for Madness, Mazzy Star, Ben Folds, or Elliott Smith that I do - along with the complicated feelings that arise while listening to them now - were it not for a couple of exes. I'd have no idea who Maître Gims is were it not for a family member. One audiophile friend from an old IRC group I used to belong to gave me both Gogol Bordello and Любэ. My parents, on the other hand, gave me Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, David Bowie, Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, and so much more.
How I acquire music and add it to my soul is no different than how other people get it. It's a disease, it spreads, and it infects the way you think, the way you relax, the way you motivate yourself. Humanity has had music since we could start stringing sounds together into a rhythm and it's part of our rituals, our literature, the way we process the world, and it's so ingrained that I think it's one of the few things that you can't find on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that is so common to every human. Chances are that if you fail to find common ground with someone else, you can at least start by listening to their music, and they to yours, and you'll eventually reach something that you both connect to.
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