Unfortunately when meeting new people, you don't always have control of the conversation's direction. Once I know someone, they'll know I don't like talking about it, but having conversations with people I already know is the easy part of life.
Why not just go to local gigs to socialise? I've been going to gigs in Melbourne for 11 months now and its how I've met all of my friends here. At first I felt out of place that I didn't listen to Misfits growing up like many people here did but you will find there is always a band you can talk to someone about.
A few years ago I took your approach with music, I'd listen to every new major label hip-hop/rap album on the day of release and guess what? No one I knew could talk about any of the albums in the detail I knew because they listen to whats on the radio or in the club - not saying that its a bad thing, but I think you are over-rating how much people care about "pop culture"
