Music Nostalgia

I am so lucky to be the age that I am. I started listening to popular music while quite young, so my music memory goes back in 50's. People say that the 60's were a special time in music...and so they were. Today is special as well, but for different reasons. I think that it is fair to say that we all enjoy hearing the music we listened to as teenagers, when the hormones were raging and the world seemed like a small, simple place.

The 60's saw the emergence of rock&roll, blues and jazz on a large scale. Kids could attend large music festivals and stay stoned for the weekend. Wear your hair really long, paint your vehicle psychedelic colours and you were good to go.

Now, as a mature adult, I have those memories as well as that shared history with my friends. So, what is different about today? Kids still go to big music festivals and get wasted. Is the music different? Better? Not as cool?

In my mind, the music today is at least good as any time in the past. There is just a lot more of it (or at least better access to it). With iTunes and MP3 players, kids can chase down whatever they like, then share their likes with their friends and thru social media.

The variety of music kids listen to these days is breath-taking. Old blues, jazz standards, Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, African guitar, South American Indian flute, Beijing Opera...there are no limits.

This is so cool. My playlists seem so random. I like what I like, and don't mind skipping genres every tune. I just wish I had more time to chase down more music. I get my kids to send me some of their current favs every so often and cherry-pick what I like.

What will this mean when my kids are my age? How much shared nostalgia will they have with their friends??? For certain, it will not be like we now enjoy...but is that a bad thing??

My guess...there will be enough crossover that when the old fogies get together and have a little party, the tunes list will make most people happy, just like the 60's revivial stuff does for this generation.