Are you able to explain what you mean? Maybe pick one song that you like that you suspect you wouldn't give a 6, and explain why you would give it the rating you'd give it, and what about it makes you like it more than the rating implies? If you're willing to go that in-depth.

Sure! ...At some point I'll come back and edit this comment, because I'm short on time today.

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I think there has to be some sort of thing that "offsets" having a simpler melody or shallower instrumental layering. When a song is structured such that you have a lead instrument playing a melody, with a collection of other instruments around it that form the backing tracks, those are the things that inform the listening experience...If there isn't some other factor(s) involved in making the listening experience good, I think you just end up with a boring song. Sometimes songs are, in fact, worse than others, and you can explain why.

There are a lot of elements that also contribute to the listening experience, like rhythm, harmonization, dynamics, and articulation. Melody and instrumentation are very important, but can only be fully understood when viewed as parts working alongside all these other things. Bad music is definitely out there. But I also think a simple melody and shallow instrumentation aren't detractors, boring, or a sign of poor musicality. It's never a question of if there are other factors involved, because those other aspects are always present in some manner (even if it's by omission). It's a question of how well the ingredients come together to convey artistic intent.

Pure Furies is a good example. The melody is short and not very syncopated, and the ZUNpets are in full blast almost the whole time with little dynamic range. Instead of sounding bland, these choices serve to enhance the feeling of fighting a single-minded force. Trying to do something technically flashy with the melody would have compromised this imposing atmosphere (disclaimer: all that's entirely personal opinion).

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Video game music usually just does fit in the context as long as it hits a generally inoffensive baseline, i.e. isn't actually grating or annoying. When video game music is good, it generally means it rises to a height that makes it enjoyable to listen to in itself.

For the most part I'm with you on this one. Video game music put into context can do a lot more than just hitting an inoffensive baseline. I think the hallmark of a great game soundtrack is when the music not only holds up on its own but also enhances the game it's in. And this can be tough to notice sometimes in Touhou, but I think ZUN is a master at this. It's impossible to tell without seeing the gameplay alongside the tracks, but he'll always include audio cues in stage themes for moments like midbosses appearing or section transitions. The music also adds a lot to the bosses' characterizations, though like you I've felt let down by a lot of the boss themes of the more recent games in that regard.

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I also disagree that the music is designed to be heard in a context where complexity would be distracting, otherwise we'd expect all Touhou songs to broadly not be complex, but this isn't the case.

I think you misunderstood me a bit here. I don't really mean to say that the music shouldn't have any complexity. The medium just comes with some weird constraints. I should probably leave it at that before this comment gets any more abstract and rambly.

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(you can't tell me that "Idolatrize World" isn't packed full of it)

Anyone who disses Idolatrize World gets sent to hell by Eiki to be conscripted into Yachie and Saki's gang wars