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The "I'm in my 30's" phenomenon

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:26 am
by ghosty
I've had this theory for a while now and I thought I'd try and get some input from everyone here. I don't know if this is entirely correct and as always there are exceptions to the rule.

It seems to me that most everyone gets "heavily" into music in their teens and twenties and then once they get in their 30's, they seem to feel that most current music is'nt any good (or at least not AS good as the music they listened to when they were in their teens and twenties). For the most part, when you hit your thirties you're dealing with issues and lifestyle changes that you could'nt have forseen or did'nt think about ten years ago (marriage, kids, job security, etc.) and you simply don't have the time nor much of an interest in what "kids" are listening to, despite this new music dealing with pretty much the same subject matter as the older stuff you cherish (love, relationships, getting drunk, depression, etc.).

Maybe you're not supposed to.
Maybe you're just like all those parents who could'nt relate to Elvis or those late 60's adults who felt threatened by the Woodstock generation, or those laid-back 70's Moms and Dads who were horrifed by Punk, or...

..the folks here who can't stand 90's Grunge and hate Rap (and I'm in the latter category).

I happen to like or appreciate music from the 50's, 60's and 70's and I absolutely LOVE 80's and 90's stuff...and maybe I do love 80's and 90's music...not because it was radically so superior to what's coming out now..but because I was in my teens and twenties in the 80's and 90's and it all seemed really groundbreaking,important and inspiring because I was at the right age at the right time.

I'm writing this after having gone out to a club last night and watching all these people in their 20's go nuts over all this music I can't relate to. It hit me that maybe this music is'nt intended for me anyway.

With all that said, there is plenty of new music out there that I do like (I'm in radio so I better like what I play) but I'm thinking about the bigger picture of popular music and not the handful of bands and artists that still appeal to me.

Anyway, I could be wrong about all this and I'd be interested in what you think.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:44 am
by pikeprof
Try Being in your 40s-

Well, I don't know I still find music I really like-I happen to stay up fairly late and while, I don't know how HIP this is -If I see a band on Conan or Jay that I really like-I'm likely to get their CD-but I do replenish and rep

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:36 am
by EchoBeachBunnyBoy
I like 1920's jazz.
I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house growing up.
Sue me.[:I]

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:30 am
by devildog
I once read somewhere that as people age, they always identify with the things that recall their youth. Back in the mid 80's, I had an occasional verbal battle over the music scene with some older co-workers who were in their mid thirties. Their view wa

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:39 am
by ghosty
Hey Kimiiii,
Just think, in about twenty years there will be a message board like this devoted to Korn, Slipknot and Puddle Of Mudd with all those fans bemoaning how horrible 2020's music is compared to THAT! LOL

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:43 am
by ghosty
Devildog,
I had the same running debate with a coworker in his mid-50's who thought music died when Punk came on the scene and that all 80's music was worthless...and of course he was in his thirties when Punk happened and yet praised the music of his yo

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:39 pm
by skinnytie
I think a lot of music is generational. I know I didn't get into music until my late teens (late '70's), and I wasn't particularly fond of a lot of the music that was out at the time. Then the punk/ new wave movement hit, and I was totally absorbed by i

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 8:30 pm
by golfer
All you have to do is remain with an open mind.......By that I mean there some great music happening today....shit, I'll be 50 in 6 months.
I was never been bothered about peer group pressure in what listened to when I was younger but it seemed that a lo

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:03 pm
by Quite Life
good way at looking at thingss Golfer...

I may not be old enough to take Geritol but I can have some respect and appreciation for old bands like Caravan, Yes, Wishbone Ash and heck Sonya and Stewart Colpand's old band Curved Air. I have an older broth

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:22 am
by mare_idol
I am 40-years-old and have to listen to new music as part of my job and I do like a lot of it. Not the popular stuff that's on MTV, but cool stuff that's being put out by new artists of various genres.

But I'd like to say, what about these kids that a

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:24 am
by EchoBeachBunnyBoy
[quote]Originally posted by ghosty
[br]Just think, in about twenty years there will be a message board like this devoted to Korn, Sl

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:36 am
by hexicon
As I've mentioned on this site before, I'm writing a novel about my experiences at Seattle's teen dance clubs, and of course the book is saturated with references to and the atmosphere created by the New Wave Dance music that was the soundtrack of that ti

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:35 am
by KYYX4ever
I think you all had great points, and I'd agree. My husband & I (we are both 36; however, altho he likes New Wave, his music of choice is "Classic Rock" ) have discussed this many times. Mainly we wonder: Is the music today really that crappy? or is it ju

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:50 am
by ghosty
"My boss, who's 51 and is still the hippest, most up-to-date music fan I know, has this theory that we'll never be as emotionally attached to the music we come to as adults because it doesn't steep in the adolescent/barely post-adolescent hormonal brew of

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:03 pm
by hexicon
Great thread; I've enjoyed this discussion.

I too, am really enjoying Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse. Any theories on why they appeal to we old Wavers?

P.S. Sorry about my rather unitelligible earlier post; I must have had some problems with