One of our sponsors puts on concerts. They told us the Pixies might be coming to town. I got excited about this in a meeting. Everyone asked me who the Pixies were. I tried to explain. Multiple people said something to the effect of "Well we asked" as if my explanation was somehow not exactly what rock critics had been writing and people had been understanding for years.
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Bands that I've (with a few exceptions) unsuccessfully presented to my coworkers. by Rob Kuczynski
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1The Pixies
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2My Bloody Valentine
I put this on when everyone was gathered to help with some mundane task. Everyone asked me if the stereo was broken. -
3Ennio Morricone
I thought the Morricone RMX compilation would be a safe bet, seeing as how it's all based on recognizable music from some of the most popular and acclaimed westerns of all time. The consensus was that it was "scary." -
4Deerhoof
Yes, I know. All I'm saying is that on the whole, my coworkers have subjected me to way more music that I find offensive and I've never said anything to make them try to feel small. -
5The National
Put "Fake Empire" on during a car trip. Someone said something to the effect "Tom Waits' son shouldn't quit his day job" -
6Broken Social Scene
Used to "7/4" play in a context where customers could hear. An associate would always skip over because Emily Haines' voice "sounds like sex." -
7Sleater-Kinney
When you put on Sleater-Kinney and get no reaction from someone you wouldn't think to be familiar with them, odds are they are now a little afraid of you.

MBV is no surprise. I'm pretty sure I once cleared a room in *college* by putting them on. The National surprises me. They're way more superficially pleasant than Tom Waits. Overall, I admire your gumption. Also, there may not be a more efficient way to evaluate someone's innate curiosity and/or inner workings than how they react to unfamiliar/unusual music.