Interesting observation and question, and interesting responses thus far.
I have noticed similar responses in me to many things. Sometimes it is a “mood thing”: something that I usually enjoy, like a particular comic or a particular TV series, doesn’t land for me when I am in a certain mood, and I quickly recognize this and move on. Sometimes it is a “discernment thing”: I won’t continue to listen to people who are lecturing about a topic that is interesting to me unless they are pointing out something that is new, and/or unless their presentation has a certain flow or dynamism that is engaging. And my mood definitely affects whether I want to listen to music, whereas in the past, I almost ALWAYS wanted music on as I woke up, as I drove, as I relaxed.
When it comes to music, and especially solo guitar stuff, I have heard a lot of players over the years, and there are some that offer surprises in regards to notes and phrasing, and some that just move through a song in a way that is derivative or repetitive (though it may be technically challenging and well-executed). I won’t listen to something that doesn’t offer surprise, or meaningful variation. I used to find repetition to be enjoyably hypnotic....not so much anymore.
Last: “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”. Some players and bands seem to manifest a certain bounce or swing, others don’t. More and more, I enjoy that quality when present, and won’t endure music that lacks that quality.
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