To break or not to break (the 30-year ‘wall’)
If you still have Blink 182’s “All The Small Things” on your playlist and jam to it once in a while, be reminded that in most countries around the world, that song is already old enough to buy alcohol or vote for the president—in whatever order one deems a priority.
A new survey from music streaming service Deezer hit the internet just this week and different articles have popped up out of everywhere sharing their take on the survey’s shattering premise: “People stop discovering new music at age 30.”
If you were born in 1988 and you’re reading this for the first time, take a deep breath and know that while most surveys usually reveal a current state, they do not necessarily seal one’s future—unless you’re one of those stubborn people who refuse to use Deezer, Apple Music or Spotify and stick instead to your cassette tapes of Alanis Morissette or The Smashing Pumpkins. (Good, classic ‘90s music, yes. But not any younger).
When the EDM craze hit from 2012 to 2017, did you soak up all the new music? Or did you refuse Zedd like how water repels oil?
When NU Metal hit 1998 to 2003, did you soak up the new style of metal? Or were you devoted to Pantera’s chops and theirs alone?
When Grunge hit 1991 to 1996, did you soak up the lazy guitar work? Or did you think Earth, Wind and Fire were the last of the best?
When Disco hit the ‘80s, did you feel an obligation to stay with the singer-songwriters of the ‘70s? The pattern goes on and on and on.
The Deezer survey involved 1,000 people and here are some of the results.
“The peak age for discovering new music, the results suggested, was 24. This is when 75 percent of respondents said they listened to 10 or more new tracks a week, and 64 percent said they sought out five new artists per month. After this, though, it seems people’s ability to keep up with music trends peters off,” an article on Business Insider stated.
“Some of the reasons the survey revealed were people being overwhelmed by the amount of choice available (19 percent), having a demanding job (16 percent), and caring for young children (11 percent). Nearly half of respondents said they wished they had more time to dedicate to discovering new music, so at least for that 47 percent it wasn’t due to a lack of interest.”
It really depends who you want to be and what you want to listen to. But if the results of the survey alarm you, then it’s time to roll those sleeves up, and put those headphones down—you have some mental work to do.
Psychologically, people stop listening to new music as they grow older because they prefer to listen to the music during their younger years—years when they felt most alive. But it’s not surprising to conclude that older people don’t have the time and privilege to enjoy music like they once used to.
If you know 10 Eraserheads songs and refuse to listen to IV of Spades’ hit “Mundo”—who you are and who you choose to be is one random Today’s Top Hits playlist away.