An interesting but arguable bit over at the Graun, about when people stop listening to music. Or really, to new music. Early 30s according to the streaming data, which feels right (and a long, long time ago) to me.
Most people don’t stop discovering new books, films, podcasts or TV. Yet music seems to be something that more commonly slips away – or is even perceived as something you’re supposed to grow out of. Music is a key part of youthful identity formation: once your idea of yourself becomes fixed, perhaps by distinct markers like marriage and kids, the need for it slips away. Sometimes when I speak to people about going to gigs, festivals or raves, I see an almost pitying look wash over their face: “Really? You’re still doing that? Bless.”
I still listen to a lot music, and some of it is even new. But that tends to be for functional purposes. I have a dog-walking playlist, a cardio workout playlist, a strength training playlist, a five-hour-and-growing playlist for driving, and I tend to add to them promiscuously. Subtract too, to keep it fresh.
But I’d be fucked if I could tell you the names of more than a handful of the songs, or the artists who made them. I just sucked them out of the aether with Shazam and added them to the list.
And yeah, if I’m looking for something to ‘do’ or just listen to, I’m a fair chance to fire up a podcast or an audiobook. I guess I’m old.
I kind of had a do-over in my middle/late 30s & into my 40s. Found myself at Uni and was lucky to be accepted by tons of the Young Folk. Bless their little cotton socks...they introduced me to the music of the time (being the 90s). I still love that era even more than music from my teens. But once back in the world of Old Folk I fairly rapidly lost my hold on the new & novel. Sad to say I listen to very little new stuff...although I do like The Hu. So yes I am definitely old.
Ya gotta make an effort to find new stuff. Just as with books or any other art media. Waiting for JJ/JJJ/ZZZ or whatever to serve it up to you means you will be stuck in their time warp algo forever.
There is always heaps of cool new music coming out. It might not sound just like your favourite artist but that is the point - it's new!
Trippin balls podcast still rocks (but don't tell them that). Listen to Iggy confidential on BBC. Go to a music festival. Don't go to a music festival (but check out their lineup's work). Click on something new.
I'm of Birmo vintage, so age is no excuse.
Wet Legs, Bob Vylan, Amyl & the Sniffers, King Stingray, Telikinetic Yeti, black midi, Bloodywood, Deep Vally, Alien Weaponry - these are but a few recent choice acts (over a few genres) that I've gotten into.
TV series I watch have lead to my discovery of most of the new music I have added to my playlists in the last few years. Tunefind app has been a godsend. Most recent examples 'My heart Has Teeth' by deadmau5 from the Netflix Resident Evil series. Before that Secret (Feat. ISHXRK) from the soundtrack to the Korean time travel drama - Alice (actually the soundtrack is playing at the moment in the background) and Welcome to the Playground and Enemy from Arcane (league of legends) series. Though I regret to admit I also download songs that are prompted by memories that I am reminded of when I am shopping and the music comes over the store music (yes I am looking at you The Unguarded Moment by The Church)
this is a favourite topic. JJJ is something you move into and out of but with the internet the options are unlimited. Life is too short to listen to stuff you don't like. I've been getting into folk stuff from other countries. Russia, asia, that whole scandinavian area. Modern stuff drawing on the old is hitting that spot. Australian pub/garage bands have seen a resurgence in the last decade - there are some pretty good examples of those. Nothing like hearing an aussie accent banging out of the speakers (unless of course its a scandinavian dirge sung in an old language about the gods of old).
One of the difficulties is the finding, and the other is the buying, IMO. Finding used to be an automatic continuous process, because of radio. (TrippleJ since moving to Sydney, ZZZ when I was in Brisbane.) That has mostly gone away: there just aren't radios in the house any more. Yes you can stream them over the internet, but no, you don't... I still try the Js in the car every so often, and sometimes hear interesting stuff, but these days the youf themselves annoy me, so I turn it off. Must be old. I'm happy to say that the discovery task has been picked up by Youtube and discussions with friends and colleagues who are still "into it". Cultivate a few of those! Youtube was a surprise: it's suggestions are often rubbish, but much less often than all of the other streaming services I've tried. I've found some really good artists that I now follow, through there.
The second difficulty is buying CDs, once the shopping center CD shops all closed. I order some by post ("big" stars like Nick Cave and Paul Weller, and most of my jazz collection) but a lot of the smaller, indie acts publish on Bandcamp now. Bandcamp is great, because they still actually sell you albums, in FLAC.
Perhaps I still listen to music because I have so determinedly avoided the talking podcast. I can read or do other things, or just properly relax while listening to music. I find that I have to pay attention to talking, and that stops me doing other things. I have a single-task mind.
Yeah I've kind of disengaged with music...only listen to radio in the car (JJJ and bloody MMM) or the metal cds in the car. don't even play my guitars, haven't been to a gig for ages too. Symptomatic of general malaise I reckon.
I listened to TripleJ up until Covid hit; the reason I stopped is pretty much because where I am picking up FM music just became painful. Another factor was, to be honest, the kind of new music they usually play isn't my cup of tea. Or coffee. It's safe to say it isn't any kind of beverage I'd consume.
There were some great songs that I heard (Miike Snow's Genghis Khan comes to mind; Arctic Monkeys' Four Out of Five), but they were the exception rather than the rule, I guess.
Now I listen to a particular radio station that plays the so-called Greatest Hits of the '60s, '70s and '80s. It makes me wonder if there is a market out there for the Greatest Alternative Hits, or some New Songs by Artists you Followed from the '80s to Today.
I kind of had a do-over in my middle/late 30s & into my 40s. Found myself at Uni and was lucky to be accepted by tons of the Young Folk. Bless their little cotton socks...they introduced me to the music of the time (being the 90s). I still love that era even more than music from my teens. But once back in the world of Old Folk I fairly rapidly lost my hold on the new & novel. Sad to say I listen to very little new stuff...although I do like The Hu. So yes I am definitely old.
Ya gotta make an effort to find new stuff. Just as with books or any other art media. Waiting for JJ/JJJ/ZZZ or whatever to serve it up to you means you will be stuck in their time warp algo forever.
There is always heaps of cool new music coming out. It might not sound just like your favourite artist but that is the point - it's new!
Trippin balls podcast still rocks (but don't tell them that). Listen to Iggy confidential on BBC. Go to a music festival. Don't go to a music festival (but check out their lineup's work). Click on something new.
I'm of Birmo vintage, so age is no excuse.
Wet Legs, Bob Vylan, Amyl & the Sniffers, King Stingray, Telikinetic Yeti, black midi, Bloodywood, Deep Vally, Alien Weaponry - these are but a few recent choice acts (over a few genres) that I've gotten into.
Get searching...
TV series I watch have lead to my discovery of most of the new music I have added to my playlists in the last few years. Tunefind app has been a godsend. Most recent examples 'My heart Has Teeth' by deadmau5 from the Netflix Resident Evil series. Before that Secret (Feat. ISHXRK) from the soundtrack to the Korean time travel drama - Alice (actually the soundtrack is playing at the moment in the background) and Welcome to the Playground and Enemy from Arcane (league of legends) series. Though I regret to admit I also download songs that are prompted by memories that I am reminded of when I am shopping and the music comes over the store music (yes I am looking at you The Unguarded Moment by The Church)
this is a favourite topic. JJJ is something you move into and out of but with the internet the options are unlimited. Life is too short to listen to stuff you don't like. I've been getting into folk stuff from other countries. Russia, asia, that whole scandinavian area. Modern stuff drawing on the old is hitting that spot. Australian pub/garage bands have seen a resurgence in the last decade - there are some pretty good examples of those. Nothing like hearing an aussie accent banging out of the speakers (unless of course its a scandinavian dirge sung in an old language about the gods of old).
One of the difficulties is the finding, and the other is the buying, IMO. Finding used to be an automatic continuous process, because of radio. (TrippleJ since moving to Sydney, ZZZ when I was in Brisbane.) That has mostly gone away: there just aren't radios in the house any more. Yes you can stream them over the internet, but no, you don't... I still try the Js in the car every so often, and sometimes hear interesting stuff, but these days the youf themselves annoy me, so I turn it off. Must be old. I'm happy to say that the discovery task has been picked up by Youtube and discussions with friends and colleagues who are still "into it". Cultivate a few of those! Youtube was a surprise: it's suggestions are often rubbish, but much less often than all of the other streaming services I've tried. I've found some really good artists that I now follow, through there.
The second difficulty is buying CDs, once the shopping center CD shops all closed. I order some by post ("big" stars like Nick Cave and Paul Weller, and most of my jazz collection) but a lot of the smaller, indie acts publish on Bandcamp now. Bandcamp is great, because they still actually sell you albums, in FLAC.
Perhaps I still listen to music because I have so determinedly avoided the talking podcast. I can read or do other things, or just properly relax while listening to music. I find that I have to pay attention to talking, and that stops me doing other things. I have a single-task mind.
Yeah I've kind of disengaged with music...only listen to radio in the car (JJJ and bloody MMM) or the metal cds in the car. don't even play my guitars, haven't been to a gig for ages too. Symptomatic of general malaise I reckon.
What headphones are you using for workouts? Especially the sweaty sessions
Might just be that most of the new music sucks
I listened to TripleJ up until Covid hit; the reason I stopped is pretty much because where I am picking up FM music just became painful. Another factor was, to be honest, the kind of new music they usually play isn't my cup of tea. Or coffee. It's safe to say it isn't any kind of beverage I'd consume.
There were some great songs that I heard (Miike Snow's Genghis Khan comes to mind; Arctic Monkeys' Four Out of Five), but they were the exception rather than the rule, I guess.
Now I listen to a particular radio station that plays the so-called Greatest Hits of the '60s, '70s and '80s. It makes me wonder if there is a market out there for the Greatest Alternative Hits, or some New Songs by Artists you Followed from the '80s to Today.