Aging into a dadrock funk? Try these new bands on for size.
It finally happened: you don’t understand the younger generation’s music. When did you become your parents? Here’s how to stay “with it” a little longer
WE’D JUST WATCHED Dave Grohl join Prophets of Rage, the Rage Against the Machine spinoff band, for a surprise performance at their Toronto show. A sweaty man I don’t know is standing beside me. “They don’t make ‘em like this no more!” he says. The gentleman in question is wearing cargo shorts, a trucker hat, a System of a Down shirt, and the apparent belief that music reached its creative peak in 2001. You could describe, him, technically, as a dad rocker. Except, this was no suburban baby boomer. He was about my age. I’m 31.
According to a recent study by The Echo Nest, a music intelligence company, most people stop searching for new music at 33. The research, based on Spotify listener data, says our musical tastes tend to solidify in our 20s, then stagnate in our early 30s. It happens for various reasons; sometimes the demands of parenthood and/or a career leave less time to invest in pop culture; sometimes your brain just takes more comfort in the familiar. But essentially, early Millennials/late Gen-xers are now turning into their parents: dismissing new music, insisting it was better back in their day. Think Young Thug sounds like tuneless noise? Boomers said the same thing about Nirvana.
I’m making a pact with myself, as I get older, to never slip into this sad cycle of playlist malaise. (This is in addition to the pact I already made with myself to never wear a trucker hat). And so should you. After all, it’s not like you hit 30 and stop watching new movies, or trying new restaurants, or reading new books (hopefully). So why only listen to the (relative) oldies? There’s still a ton of great music being made by today’s younger cats, and it’s more readily available than ever (thanks, Internet). Let’s start here: we’ll recommend some newfangled artists to you, based on the oldfangled artists you already like. Open your ears, gramps.