I noticed something funny during the Oscars this past Sunday, and no, I'm not talking about how Elton John kept licking his lips like a bulldog, or that somebody finally pronounced Idina Menzel's name right. It was the fact that maybe for the first time, I noticed the generational difference in the audience when it came to the appreciation of music.
I have always loved music for a number of reasons. Most of all because of the way it connects with my emotions and how it makes me feel. But one of the other things I appreciate most about music is how it can cross barriers: age, gender, culture, and even language. I love how music can bring people together regardless of background and status. Now one of my questions is: is the age gap a real thing in music? Does your taste become "antiquated" and "irrelevant" as you get older? And if so, how or why does this happen? The answer in my mind, is yes. But why?
I was having a conversation with friends the other day about how if tastebuds regenerate every 7 years, then why do most people stop trying new food as they age? The simple answer is that it's a mental thing. Willingness to grow and learn and be open, can sometimes fade as we age. We know what we like, or "who we are," and we can become set in our ways. But then, how is it that sometimes younger generations say they don't understand "old music?" Old music used to be your parents music, maybe a few decades old. Now, with the frequency of turnover and fame, and the unprecedented amount of artists out there, old music can mean a divide between someone in their late 20s and someone in their early 20s. Just listen to any local radio station play "throwback Thursdays," you'll find most throwbacks are from 2000-2008. Sure, many a timeless beat came from that era, but that really wasn't that long ago. If you want anything older you have to switch to an adult contemporary station.
I think that the Academy was attempting to bridge this gap by having Billie Eilish, arguably the biggest pop star right now cover a song from one of the biggest bands of all time during the Ceremonies. It seems some people didn't get it, or questioned why her. But I appreciated it. I though she killed it and it was the perfect song choice to accompany the "In Memoriam" tribute. In the same breath, it seems there were a few people who didn't understand why Eminem was there. Promoting a new album? Sure. But nostalgia and hype were much higher on the agenda, and to be honest, other than the domination of Bong and Parasite, it was probably my favourite part of the evening.
I think it makes me old that I don't understand how Top 40 music or the iTunes charts work anymore. Go and look -- it's mostly rap, and tends to stray away from what I consider traditional rap music (don't think Kendrick or Chance, but more like Migos and Drake). Again, I know this makes me sound old. There's nothing wrong with rap these days. Like always, there's good stuff and there's bad stuff, but it's so ingrained in our top 40 and our top charts that it makes me think "true pop" and "true rock" are dead. Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park tweeted after the Grammys' that the industry needs to move on from genre based awards because of how fluid music has become, and I tend to agree. Case in point: even Justin Bieber's next album is a self proclaimed R & B project (my current favourite term is R & Bieber).
I promise I'm not an old man ranting right now. I will rag on everyone equally -- the people that can't seem to appreciate Billie Eillish, are the same kind of people who couldn't appreciate Lorde 8 years ago, and then there's the people that can't seem to appreciate anything before 2015. But I understand that if you were born after the year 2000, you're likely not reading this blog or making a face at me like these two were making at Eminem last night (on both sides of the age gap divide).
All I'm trying to say in the end, is why not choose to have some more positivity? Let's be open minded, and ready to experience and learn about new things. Expand your horizons and worldview, adventure a little more (even if it's simply with new music) and in general let's challenge ourselves to take less time looking inward, and more looking outward.
In the spirit of the globalization of music, and as a tribute to Bong and all the success Parasite deserves, tune in next week when I feature some of my favourite non-English songs.
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