A theory on the music that we love the most.

Submitted by willk95 t3_zypnq1 in Music

A few years ago, one of my friends told me about a theory he had read somewhere, that whatever music you listen to between the ages of 14-19 is the only music that you're ever going to truly love.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and there is some truth in it. The music I have on my iPod is about 75% the same as what I was listening to at that age (I'm 27 now btw). I also feel stuck in a weird way in that I mostly listen to music through either the radio or my iPod shuffle/aux on long road trips. It's the mode that I'm used to and I haven't graduated to Spotify or other streamers on my phone as a primary way of listening to music.

On the other hand, my dad loves musicians who weren't even alive when he was 14-19, so I feel like there are some holes in this theory.

Thoughts?

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bloodyell76 t1_j27b0j2 wrote

It's certainly how it works for some people, yes. Though I'd be inclined to extend that to around 25 on the top end.

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But that's not all people. I've managed to find new artists to listen to well into my 40's, although I will admit that a lot of the newer artists tend to be heavily influenced by older styles (mainly 70's) I haven't heard a Top 20 song I liked since the late 90's.

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BrassOwlRing t1_j27gb5m wrote

Lots of studies like this https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2011.650182

show that the music we listen to during stages of development are extremely crucial in establishing our musical tastes and preferences for later in life.

This short journal discusses the importance that music has on identity: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/pom/collections/music-and-adolescence

That doesn't mean you can't love other music, it's just it seems to come in waves or when we experience change. I know my life has been marked musically by many stages in my life from college where I studied nothing but jazz for about 36 months straight, my time in the Army where I listened to metal of all kinds, and later in my life when I was heavily into EDM. All these things are still pertinent, but I do hold a special place for the music of my younger years.

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thatweirdbeardedguy t1_j27z0r7 wrote

The thing is that if you don't consciously seek out new stuff you continue at those points in your lives. There was a book on music that was edited by George Martin and in his piece he said something to the effect that "you will never grow old if you know what is in the top 40". I think he is right and I wish I didn't give the book away because my gf at the time wanted to give it to her nephew. But it means that you have to work at knowing the new stuff you don't have to like it just be aware of it. I must admit I don't want to know because I can't stand the thought of Taylor Swift it happens when you get old.

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badword4 t1_j277jh2 wrote

Your theory seems like it coukd legit for a lot of people. Maybe the age range might change a bit. More like 18 to 23 for me.

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willk95 OP t1_j278sso wrote

Yeah I first started getting super into music when I was 14, and by the time I was 19 or 20 my interests had shifted more towards movies and television. Nostalgia and Primacy bias have an interesting effect though.

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badword4 t1_j279zbm wrote

80's and 90's country is nostalgic for me. I discovered most of the bands I still listen to after I graduated high school.

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DavidEarnest t1_j278dxu wrote

I saw that episode of Criminal Minds too

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Birdapotamus t1_j27f4nc wrote

I had a boss at a music store in the 90's that theorized most older people's musical taste revolves around what they listened to during the time of their first intimate relationship.

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SexDadNZ t1_j280sfd wrote

That’s up to you. Personally, music’s a never ending journey. I’m 43 and I just keep digging. There’s stuff I listened to when I was a teenager that bores me to tears now. Although there are some favourites from around that time too.

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root_b33r t1_j277asg wrote

I love rap, I've always loved rap, I continue to stay up to date on new rap and enjoy new artists as I do and did old artists, your theory does not hold up against people like me in the slightest

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ancastervillagers t1_j27bvi3 wrote

If you’re a music head, you’ll find new music all throughout your life. But there is a stat out there somewhere that showed by around 34-36 years old, listeners stop venturing outside of their known comfort zone. Again, if you’re a music head - discovery will never cease to exist. Stay curious and explore! We are in the great access age and personally, having access to YT, Apple Music, Spotify, etc. has been such a blessing musically. It’s allowed me to go down many rabbit holes exploring music from artists I normally wouldn’t have because of believed taste/distaste. I used to hate The Cure for example. Then I spent time listening to their discography and now I’m obsessed. Their Disintegration album is one of my all time favourites now. And as I text this, I’m listening to Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound album. WTAF.

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peedge0419 t1_j27d553 wrote

I got into my favorite band when I was like 30

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TaylorMonkey t1_j27f0nf wrote

There’s a lot of truth to this. In college I was a lot more intentional and re-discovered the stuff the “cool kids” were actually listening to when I was a dork in high school, like New Wave and classic U2, and then getting back into British bands that were popular around then later in life, like Oasis. I picked up some new bands into my 30’s but they were all kind of adjacent to my jam of 80’s and 90’s rock and alternative.

I didn’t major in hip hop and rap, but I do like some of it— and again I lean towards a sound that the kids now call “old school”, when it just sounds like rap. Or rap that is actually listenable to me. Hah.

But I found myself not really exploring or latching onto new songs and bands when I hit 40, where there was almost a clear cutoff point where I wasn’t picking anything up even organically, and no song left an impression that made you want to look up the band or hum it afterwards. It felt all samey-samey, bland, and overproduced, with few truly catchy hooks and lyrics that didn’t sound like gaff. Even some artists that had hits I liked a few years back seemed to suffer from the same trend, and I keep asking myself did musicality really dip or am I just old? It makes me understand the boomer thing where they say there’s no good music today. Hah.

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Charlatangle t1_j27grkk wrote

Might ring true for the sorts of people who stop trying to discover new music. The sorts of people who subscribe to r/Music, whine about modern rap, and think that Pink Floyd is the only artist in the genre of prog rock.

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thisizusername t1_j27u21v wrote

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”

― George Carlin

Extend this generalization to to way the average person approaches music and you have your answer.

Most aren't looking to expand horizons, it's just a thing that they dappled in when they were young.

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ApprehensivePlum2302 t1_j27vlbq wrote

I’m obsessed with music I have been since I was 11 and that’s when it really began for me. Some of the music that was huge then: smashing pumpkins, bush, sound garden, nine inch nails, etc. I will still play to this day. But, I will play music on repeat from of all stages of my life and what I want to listen to varies according to my mood. In fact, it can even be influenced by the season. I don’t understand people that listen to mostly a certain snapshot of music. One of my older friends only listens to 70s music…she has lived through so many other decades is there nothing else that interests her? I will always be interested in discovering new music.

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Adventurous-Card7072 t1_j27zqjl wrote

I've found that everyone taps out at some point from accessing new things, be it music, fashion, even political views and that becomes their identity for the rest of days. For a bunch of people there teenage years Is the last time they are exposed to and accepting of new music

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Mesocorticolimbico t1_j284gql wrote

I am 50 and still love punk and new wave but I discovered classical too...

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That_bad_ass_cook t1_j28ckib wrote

I’m 46 years old and the last time I loved the music I listened to in my teens was in my teens. Sure, I occasionally get nostalgic and throw on a hair metal power ballad or two, but otherwise I have no desire to listen to the past.

I do have some favorite artists (and genres) from certain points in my life, but I am always listening to new music, always seeking out that which I haven’t discovered yet. It is one of life’s greatest pleasures to have a whole new discography to work through. Some of my newest favorites include Dope Lemon, Snaildartha, Elwan, and Michael Kiwanuka. Seriously cannot fathom only (or mostly only) still listening to the same thing all these years. Not when there is so much good music out there all the time!

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purpdrank2 t1_j28k6r1 wrote

For me personally that’s not the case. Most of music I listened to in that period I find to be good but I don’t love it.

I feel it’s more about where you are in your life when it comes to the music that you love because people change so their tastes change as well

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Blinkth3dog t1_j28ncb3 wrote

I've heard this and fully, 100% disagree. As I've gotten older and had different experiences, songs and sounds I used to be emotionally sprung by have stopped, or changed, thier relevance. Some stuff I used to love I no longer connect with the lyrics or moods. Likewise otherstuff I only have appreciated after having lived through life longer.

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badbender14 t1_j28so4s wrote

14-19 included a bunch of hair metal for me, which I do still love. But most of what I truly love and appreciate, and listen to more, I learned about later, and was created both before and after those "formative years" you talk about. So, I'd say for me, not necessarily true.

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rimshot101 t1_j290jdt wrote

There comes a time (for me it was mid-30s) when you don't really seek out new music. I'm definitely open to it and have discovered a lot of great new stuff, but I don't go looking for it like I used to.

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