Do you still listen to music from your high school years? Neural Nostalgia

[besserheimerphat]

I still remember hanging out with a buddy and hearing Stone Temple Pilots (Dead and Bloated) for the first time. Changed my musical taste forever. Up to that point I'd just listened to what my parents listened to - mostly country and oldies.

I like to think that I was able to quickly recognize the music that had "staying power" even if some of it was kitschy (e.g. Peaches, No Rain...). But a lot of the stuff I listened to then still sounds modern today.

And like @coolerifyoudid said, you can find modern versions of older style music with the smallest bit of effort (bluegrass for old country, Greta Van Fleet or Jack White for bluesy classic rock, etc.) Let Spotify, Amazon Music or Pandora play random music based on your likes and you can find all sorts of great new-to-you music.

 

[0u812]

I listen to all sorts of music including some brand new stuff weekly. However my high school years were pretty golden to my ears to this day. 1988 to 1992 was heavy to hair metal/butt rock, and some good pop, early rap tunes. Country was popular in small town iowa, but the songs were not something I appreciated at the time. Still love Van Halen (with Sammy), Dokken, Whitesnake, Motley, etc that were popular at that time. I probably appreciate it more than then, but it was definitely everywhere. The girls with the big hair at the time were awesome too.....my $.02.

 

[Dirt Boy 2]

I have recently gone back to listening to music I grew up with in the early 90’s grunge era. I haven’t listened to much music for 10-15 years when the radio went out of my car. Preferred some kind of talk radio at that time anyway.
If you have a nostalgic moment, watch the movie “The Music Never Stopped”, a tear jerker along the lines of this topic. The Dead wasn’t really my folks music but it was close enough and the Dead had some overlap with my generation. There is music overlap with my parents and I, but I don’t think as an older parent of a 5 and 3 year old there will be as much music to share with my kids. We are a whole
Generation apart.
My wife is more Happy Goodmans/Gaither Vocal band that her older parents listened to. So my kids hear a lot of that and when I slip and have Smashing Pumpkins on, I get yelled at. Except Juicy Wiggle. We use that song to clean up in the kitchen. The 3 year old daughter had the “whooo” down pat. She is my diehard Cyclone fan.
I remember where I was the first time I heard Smells Like Teen Spirit. MTV in the YMCA. Cast a spell.

 

[HFCS]

I was a teen in 90s but grunge and gangster rap didn’t ever click with me at all.

Teens/College years: 60s rock, mostly British Invasion but a lot of classic rock too

Mid to late 20s: early alternative rock like REM and the Pixies

30s: new wave and a little britpop

40s so far: 60s, 70s and 80s soul and r&b

Trend is I’m always 20-60 years behind but I do change and move around.

 

[Gunnerclone]

This article is 10 years old but there have been some fascinating studies talking about using music from your childhood for therapy and for dementia patients. It’s a truly incredible connection

Childhood is a totally different story for me than HS. Childhood was the 80’s. Had the “modern” country stuff of that time from grandparents: Alabama, Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny & Dolly. Then had the stuff like Crowded House and Tears For Fears that holds up pretty much better than anything else from the mid-80’s from a radio play standpoint. Then other good 80’s stuff: Cutting Crew, Prince, Bon Jovi, Tecnotronic, Young MC, Duran Duran, Huey Lewis, Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, the cure, Paula Abdul, Janet, Whitney, and on and on the late 80’s is the most criminally underrated music from a transitional standpoint. Plus hearing NWA for the first time is probably something most of us remember, which led to Too Short and the solo NWA stuff, (MC Ren was some dirty dirty stuff) It’s the first time where more than two styles were “trying and sometimes failing” to mix which eventually got us to the level of production and production technique that made a lot of the 90’s so good (along with compact disc technology).

Hair metal was what we had for “hard” stuff until Metallica became really widespread. Motley Crue, Ratt, Skid Row, Great White, Kix, Warrant, Tesla, Def Leppard/Scorpions (a little outside of this group). Never was a huge GnR guy. Ratt, Tesla, and Skid Row were always my favorite. I think all of these bands specifically hold up.

 

[Fishhead]

80s music. Best ever

 

[IASTATE07]

I listen to a bit of everything, but Ruby Soho by Rancid came on the radio the other day. The memory of watching them on SNL and just playing their cd in junior high. Nostalgia definitely hit me.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Still get a little tear every time tha crossroads comes on.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I listen to a bit of everything, but Ruby Soho by Rancid came on the radio the other day. The memory of watching them on SNL and just playing their cd in junior high. Nostalgia definitely hit me.

I remember when Salvation hit MTV. That was a wild time with that little punk explosion. Green Day, Offspring, Rancid, Blink 182 Dude Ranch era….and No Doubt for some reason lol.

That was a cool little thing. I could have done without the “Swing” revival though around that same time. WOOF.

 

[isucy86]

Somewhat, but much of my music collection from HS years (70's) was discarded when LP & cassette's became old technology. Unfortunately, I didn't have foresight that LP's would make comeback

So when I go nostalgic it's music from 90's/00's that I still have CD's/ripped to hard drive.

 

[HFCS]

I remember when Salvation hit MTV. That was a wild time with that little punk explosion. Green Day, Offspring, Rancid, Blink 182 Dude Ranch era….and No Doubt for some reason lol.

That was a cool little thing. I could have done without the “Swing” revival though around that same time. WOOF.

I rewatched the movie swingers recently and only the title and the swing dance club at the end are like “huh what H is this?” But otherwise kind of holds up with the comedy/drama and even aspects of LA now that I live there.

It was a brief but massive trend. I remember the Brian Setzer Orchestra played at the Sioux City annual music fest almost exactly when their song blew up and it was kind of wildly contemporary for Sioux City.

Also not a fan yet very intense nostalgia.

 

[matclone]

Nostalgia for the music of my teen years is certainly there but I don't listen it real often. To draw a finer line, I like a lot of music from that era, but it's usually different than the songs that get a lot of air play.

As one Des Moines broadcaster once said (probably 30 years ago), commercial radio stations are still playing the same 200 songs they played 20 years ago (KGGO for one). Now that we have satellite radio and TV stations, there are more songs readily available, but a lot of the same songs (pick a year; any year) are still played.

I was at a pool party last weekend, and the host (my age) had all the best known 70s/80's songs (a Pandora station) playing but they were the same 200 that have been getting played or decades Eagles, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Boston, Steve Miller etc. (but never more than the same five songs per band). I hate that music.

So, to circle back, I am nostalgic for some music from a certain era, but I listen to a lot of other stuff (often, it is older than I heard in my teen years). And I also like to discover new (old or newer) stuff. Also, I don't listen to a lot of rock anymore. My tastes have spread out.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I rewatched the movie swingers recently and only the title and the swing dance club at the end are like “huh what H is this?” But otherwise kind of holds up with the comedy/drama and even aspects of LA now that I live there.

It was a brief but massive trend. I remember the Brian Setzer Orchestra played at the Sioux City annual music fest almost exactly when their song blew up and it was kind of wildly contemporary for Sioux City.

Also not a fan yet very intense nostalgia.

At least Brian Setzer had pedigree. I’m glad he got his bag during that time but it was a far cry from the Stray Cats.

 

[matclone]

It was a brief but massive trend. I remember the Brian Setzer Orchestra played at the Sioux City annual music fest almost exactly when their song blew up and it was kind of wildly contemporary for Sioux City.

Unless he played there more than once, I was at that show (my only trip to Sioux City). Robert Cray was there too.

 

[HFCS]

Unless he played there more than once, I was at that show (my only trip to Sioux City). Robert Cray was there too.

Yeah I remember him playing too same year. It was a great festival in those days, maybe still is but I'm rarely back in July. Saw Santana a few years before that when I was just really getting into classic rock and before Santana had the big pop comeback.

 

[CRcyclone6]

Heck ya!! 80s metal/rock! Listening to Blue Murder as I type.

 

[cyclones500]

As one Des Moines broadcaster once said (probably 30 years ago), commercial radio stations are still playing the same 200 songs they played 20 years ago (KGGO for one). Now that we have satellite radio and TV stations, there are more songs readily available, but a lot of the same songs (pick a year; any year) are still played.

Good observation that even with expanded availability, it still seems narrow.

[I'm going to get into tl/dr ramble. Wasn't my intent, but that's what transpired.]

Back in that first wave of classic-rock radio, I used to wonder why it was so limited. It spun from the FM AOR, but became "the new AM" (but retro, instead of recent releases*). Over the years I realized/learned marketing & advertising drove it, research went into what set lists will draw highest # of listeners.

I get the $ angle, but sometimes I wonder if it sometimes underestimates how much breadth or depth listeners will "accept." If you like music, a specific era or artist, a little more variety seems normal.

Additional caveat, record companies promoters are going to play it as safe as possible, I'm sure.

Sirius and ilk is doing same thing in a way, but the difference is (1) channels are even more niche-focused ("Grateful Dead Radio") (2) It's subscriber-driven for entire service vs. OTA "free" broadcast.

*AM model did pretty much the same thing, but it was interwoven with singles instead of albums.

 

[HFCS]

Good observation that even with expanded availability, it still seems narrow.

[I'm going to get into tl/dr ramble. Wasn't my intent, but that's what transpired.]

Back in that first wave of classic-rock radio, I used to wonder why it was so limited. It spun from the FM AOR, but became "the new AM" (but retro, instead of recent releases*). Over the years I realized/learned marketing & advertising drove it, research went into what set lists will draw highest # of listeners.

I get the $ angle, but sometimes I wonder if it sometimes underestimates how much breadth or depth listeners will "accept." If you like music, a specific era or artist, a little more variety seems normal.

Additional caveat, record companies promoters are going to play it as safe as possible, I'm sure.

Sirius and ilk is doing same thing in a way, but the difference is (1) channels are even more niche-focused ("Grateful Dead Radio") (2) It's subscriber-driven for entire service vs. OTA "free" broadcast.

*AM model did pretty much the same thing, but it was interwoven with singles instead of albums.

 

[simply1]

I do listen to different eras, and they all bring certain memories back. I prefer to catch new alternative more often though as music discovery. I’ve not found a great way for that and I imagine it’ll get worse as I get older.

 

[Urbandale2013]

More or less mine is up to highschool/college age. Don’t like much new stuff. Part of mine is I listen to a lot of country and the genre has changed a ton since then.