I recently heard younger co-workers discussing "THEIR"
music. They were speaking of 80s rock. The discussion went a bit like this-

They talked about a favorite group and the lead singer who now has a real life tv show. They progressed to talking about many other favorite groups, songs, concerts.

Then I hear IT- that telling statement. The declaration was about how wonderful THEIR music was and they question- will there ever be the like again. The implication being that nothing in the 90s, today, or the future could touch it. I chuckled and tried to keep eating. I knew there was no kind way to tell them they'd just stepped through a new door in their life span. They are ageing and it shows in a way they haven't yet perceived.

We all get there and most of us will progress through this period and on through other doors along the way.

Most of us have our favorite GENERATIONAL music which enriches our lives and helps define who we are and what we believe. We carry it with us throughout our lives.

Then one day we find ourselves searching for radio stations that play "OUR" music instead of whatever it has been replaced by. It happens slowly - not all at once. We find ourselves replacing the records, tapes,and cds we've lost along the way. We seek out "Greatest Hits" and "The Best Of" of all our favorites. We thrill at and buy concert tickets when "OUR" favorites decide to do one more tour. At some point, we make that telling statement, that declaration. We declare "OUR" music was the "BEST" never to be matched.

Eventually, this too will pass.

The door that leads to our awareness of the superiority of "OUR" music usually appears sometime between our mid to late thirties birthday(for a few as early as the 30th birthday) and carries on through the forties.

Then we turn 50 and something changes. We find we're tired of the "Oldies", "Golden Oldies", and the unreliable "Classic Rock" stations we've come to depend on. For one thing, as we enter this new decade of our life cycle, the "Classic Rock" station has broadened its playlist to include the music of the decade we found not quite up to "OUR" high standards and taste.

Somehow and for some reason we begin to relax. We find ourselves listening to the "Newer" music. We realize there is some pretty fantastic music being made again! It doesn't hurt at all that some of the "GREAT" rockers of "OUR" generational music never stopped rocking. They aren't just doing reunion tours, they're still rocking and turning out some amazing stuff. We get to rock right along with them! They're also still pretty darn sharp on political, moral, and civil liberty issues.

Then we hear a younger generation reminiscing and wondering if THEIR really "GOOD" music will ever be matched.

It's better not to tell them.

Its kinder to just smile and empathize.

They're not ready to hear the truth,yet.

In all likelihood the really GOOD music has always been and in all probability will always BE right where it has always been- in our hearts.