The music of the young is not music for many older generations! It is noise! Loud noise! Turn that thing down! Turn it off!

Now for some extreme generalizations; but there is a sliver of truth in the comments. To many in the older generations, good music must have a certain sweetness, rhythm and clear message lyrics. For many in the younger generation, with special reference to teenage taste in music, music should be hip, dance active, loud and “Does the video clip have exciting special effects”? For the older generation, music creates a kind of dream; for the younger generation, music is a chance to scream rebellion, be controversial (even anti-social) and ask questions. Rose-coloured glasses versus a lashing sword! The oldies believe they have to turn off the “lashing sword” for sanity.

But has the “grey” generation forgotten the outcry against the shameful, leg kicking Charleston of the 1920’s? That dance needed “boppy” jazz, quite opposite to graceful, Viennese waltz music! Has the “baby boomer” generation forgotten that the sensual “rock and roll” music of the 1960’s and the challenging, protest music of Bob Dylan were regarded by the oldies of that time as depraved, almost sinful? And what about the head banging, heavy metal grunge music and the eclectic, experimental mix of music styles in the late 20th century? Teenagers of that era are now on the threshold of being oldies. Have they already forgotten the “fire in the soul” of that music?
The music of the young is all about the release of pent up energy. The older generations tend to be locked in the musical energy of their own teenage years. That was the music of their “growing up”. They simply can’t relate to the impassioned “discord” of new teenage music. They have moved on. New teenage music is not their teenage music; it is an alien world, almost irrelevant to them now, so they turn it off.

In any era, current music develops a “sameness”, because radio stations and (now TV music shows as well) churn out the latest flavours in music repetitively. Their existence depends on informing audiences of the latest chart spinners! Conveniently, the older generation forgets that media sameness of their younger days. How many times were Beatles songs played, till the oldies of the 60’s were almost ready to tear their hair out?

And a burst of new music styles always breeds the “wannabes”, grasping for the latest and greatest commercial hype. Thankfully, over time, the clones disappear, and the real musical gems live on. So it is today. Just wait! Within a few years, a new wave of music will rise and today’s music of the younger generation will reveal “buried treasures”! Then it will be time for the new oldies to bemoan the younger generation’s taste in music!

The older generation only turns off the music of the young because it all seems to have a loud, repetitive sameness. The media should share much of the blame for this! The oldies’ reaction is based on an impression mostly generated by media propaganda; not necessarily a reality.

Once upon a time, not so many years ago, I loathed Metallica, Def Leopard and Black Sabbath. Their music had no appealing style and created no atmosphere other than annoyance, for me anyways. This was the music of my children’s teenage years and I hated it! But then, over time, these groups seemed to evolve and find a unique sound of their own. Maybe they just received less pounding airplay. And suddenly, I found I was liking them, just a little. Give the music of the young time to “settle”. And the off button might wait a little while.