Why Do We Stop Exploring New Music as We Get Older?

[davideduardo]

An interesting article about why people are less interested in new music as they age:

Why Do We Stop Exploring New Music as We Get Older? - Neuroscience News

As we age, most of us tend to stop paying attention to new music and stick with the songs from our past. Researchers explore why we narrow our horizons for exploring new music as we age and say listening to new tracks can help create new memory bonds and experience new pleasures.

neurosciencenews.com

 

[Kelly A]

An interesting article about why people are less interested in new music as they age:

I'd imagine the same conclusion could be assumed for media and entertainment consumption habits. Those who grew up with AM, or radio in particular, assume that younger people are similarly attuned to the same listening habits, ignoring the fact that the younger generations get their music, media, and entertainment via smartphones.

 

[CTListener]

I can tell you that while maintaining my interest in country music far beyond its beginnings in my late teens has definitely created new "memory bonds," so has the interest in classical music that I only started to develop in my late fifties. And I still hate jazz.

 

[TheBigA]

The article seems to be written around a pre-determined conclusion. It ignores the fact that there are entire genres of music, such as Americana, that aim at older audiences, but are all new songs. The difference is that those new songs deal with issues that older audiences can relate to. Older audiences will listen to new music if it speaks to them.

 

[davideduardo]

The article seems to be written around a pre-determined conclusion. It ignores the fact that there are entire genres of music, such as Americana, that aim at older audiences, but are all new songs. The difference is that those new songs deal with issues that older audiences can relate to. Older audiences will listen to new music if it speaks to them.

On the other hand, if you use "Americana" as an example you are selecting a genre that is both "fuzzy" in its definition and very limited in its mass appeal.

If you take some genres, like Country, the lyrics certainly speak to all ages; the same is true of the "country" music of other nations and countries, too.

 

[TheBigA]

On the other hand, if you use "Americana" as an example you are selecting a genre that is both "fuzzy" in its definition and very limited in its mass appeal.

There's also AAA, that will sometimes include 20-30% currents, quite often more than Alternative or even Active Rock. Yet the median age is about the same as news/talk.

 

[CTListener]

The article seems to be written around a pre-determined conclusion. It ignores the fact that there are entire genres of music, such as Americana, that aim at older audiences, but are all new songs. The difference is that those new songs deal with issues that older audiences can relate to. Older audiences will listen to new music if it speaks to them.

What issues (and songs) are those?

 

[OriginalSample]

I must be an outlier cause I’m always seeking new music.

 

[b-turner]

How often is music consumed in older individuals as a positive memory? For example, an escape to a more carefree time when less attention was paid to work, keeping up a household and other such responsibilities. Could this be a lure to listen to music from ones youth? Could that memory-ridden music seem 'better' than later music that has less developed memories?

If anything, age has broadened my musical tastes extensively however, I am always drawn, as a preference, to music I grew up with.

 

[TheBigA]

What issues (and songs) are those?

Here's a list of the most popular Americana music:

RADIO CHART

The chart reporting period is from Tuesday at 12:00 AM through Monday at 11:59 PM. TRACtion only recognizes detections on songs that have been “fingerprinted.” Please send MP3 files with title, artist, label, and add date to [email protected] for fingerprinting at least two weeks before...

americanamusic.org

Music for adults by adults.

 

[OriginalSample]

Is that really what it is? In my case, my favorite kind of music is not made all the time (freestyle) although it’s still being made and charting on iTunes, peaking #1 in some cases. Cynthia’s “Are you ready for love” comes to mind. What does that tell me? Radio has accepted the fact that there are certain genres or demographics they don’t care about. That’s putting it nicely.


And who cares cause I have YouTube,Spotify,iTunes etc. Direct support to the artists. Now I feel like going to a concert. Let me check their calendar on FB.

 

[TheBigA]

Radio has accepted the fact that there are certain genres or demographics they don’t care about. That’s putting it nicely.

"Radio" is not a thing, and it doesn't care what music it plays as long as it can be monetized. If someone wants a personalized music service, there are lots of choices.

 

[davideduardo]

How often is music consumed in older individuals as a positive memory? For example, an escape to a more carefree time when less attention was paid to work, keeping up a household and other such responsibilities. Could this be a lure to listen to music from ones youth? Could that memory-ridden music seem 'better' than later music that has less developed memories?

I've posted this before but my best example was a one-on-one interview years ago for what was then an oldies station in Washington, DC.

I was doing the interview with a woman, then about 50, who worked as a file clerk in the second level basement of the DoJ and had been doing that for over 25 years. Obviously, work and social activities were boring and routine for her.

When probing (my one-on-ones are not scripted and depended on the interviewer to find a scent and follow it), I asked what made the oldies station appealing: "the music brings back the memories of the one time and one period when my life was fun".

Here High School and early college days were fond memories, and they were the only truly find ones she had. The oldies were a time capsule and they transported her back to golden memories.

 

[davideduardo]

Radio has accepted the fact that there are certain genres or demographics they don’t care about. That’s putting it nicely.

"Radio" did not decide that. Advertisers and ad agencies did. Under 18? No radio budgets. Over 55? Nearly no radio budgets.

So commercial radio stations program, almost totally and exclusively, to audiences that attract advertiser interest.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Many of the "new" songs I like are old and I'm hearing them for the first time. But I'm unwilling to listen to styles of music that are considered "new" in most cases.

I'm hearing "new" songs on oldies radio or discovering I actually like them when I didn't before. That's because oldies is the best format I can hear in the car. There is also classic country but the station with the good signal has a number of songs I don't like, though it must still be better than oldies.

 

[TheBigA]

So commercial radio stations program, almost totally and exclusively, to audiences that attract advertiser interest.

What's interesting is that even non-commercial radio, such as NPR or even SiriusXM, is now experiencing budget cuts due to fewer subscriptions. How long before such service cuts and price increases come to streaming services? I expect very soon.

 

[OriginalSample]

"Radio" did not decide that. Advertisers and ad agencies did. Under 18? No radio budgets. Over 55? Nearly no radio budgets.

So commercial radio stations program, almost totally and exclusively, to audiences that attract advertiser interest.

Maybe that needs to change…… oh but that’s too much for radio.

 

[Mrtejano]

In my case, I start liking new music when it becomes old 😂.

Say for example I have always liked Regional Mexican music. When the Reggeaton music started showing up here in Houston I didn’t like it. Now that people have moved on from it I like it. Never liked Pitbull, now I like it. Never liked Duranguense, still don’t.

I was never into romantic Banda Songs, Now I am.

I still like old Bands and their new songs. Of the new music coming out I like maybe 2 out of 5.

 

[TheBigA]

Maybe that needs to change…… oh but that’s too much for radio.

It changes when YOU pay for it, rather than advertising. You get what you pay for.

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe that needs to change…… oh but that’s too much for radio.

Leaders in the radio and TV industries have tried to get agencies and their clients to change for the last two decades.

CBS had engaged in constant meetings with top client execs and their agencies to promote "25-64" as the new "18-49". TV buys are still aimed at or within 18-49 despite huge efforts.

When advertisers refer to proprietary research showing how expensive it is to make a 55 and over sale and how there is no profit in trying, there is not much that radio or TV can do to change that.