Under 20/Over 40

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Okay so the best music is always made between the ages of 22.5 and 23.9, but what are the best examples of precocious teens and durable (or upstart) geezers?

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 26 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

those numbers are not statistically proven and i made them up. but feel free also to theorize about how age relates to quality in music, especially rock/pop/punk. what makes it such a rare achievement to write affecting pop past age 30? general willed or unwilled complacency, or does this particular creative talent just have a short half-life?

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 26 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i mean, everyone fawns over the latest Costello or Dylan. You know it's crap (or positively puny compared to 20-25 yrs ago). Why do we WANT to believe they've still got it?

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 26 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i love that the "planned obsolescence" meme has been fused onto the "critically daring" meme, it makes actually listening to records seem almost quaint

― mark s, Wednesday, 26 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

well maybe for some. but for me it just makes listening to a new record from an old artist a more formal experience in that i have to tell myself that i'm gonna listen to this with an open mind and check any baggage or memes beforehand. BUT the last 2 Dylans and Costello's didn't do it for me. Robert Pollard at 43 can still be brilliant, and I mean AS brilliant as vintage GBV.

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 26 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bah.

I don't agree, the peak time would be more 30-70 years.

Age brings experience.

― Geoffrey Balasoglou, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The industry luvs people under 23 because they're easier to exploit. Young bands with deals always remind me of Tom Hanks in 'Big' getting his first paycheque at the toy corporation - "A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY- SEVEN DOLLARS!!!! Golly!"

― dave q, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ack! I have but months left!

― sundar subramanian, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Older artists who deliver : Tom Waits, Scott Walker, Momus(?)

― phil, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Under 20, the best answer would be X-Ray Spex's PolyStyrene. One of the best albums of the 70s, great band, amazing lyrics. The band also spawned teen saxophone player Lora Logic. PolyStyrene's lyrics outdid anything the Sex Pistols or The Clash ever did.

― Carey, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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