When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to listen to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 every weekend. I always had to keep up on what music was hot. I used to also visit Tower Records and grab a fresh issue of Billboard magazine to check out the Hot 100 singles and the Top 200 Album charts. I loved reading these charts - and to this day - every Thursday I visit Billboard.com to check out these same charts as I've done since I was 13.
Now having said that - I'm aware that "popular" music doesn't equal "good" music or "critically acclaimed" music. My tastes in music have always been mainstream. I guess because mainstream is usually what I'm being fed on the radio so that's been my diet.
And I've noticed that as I get older, music seems to be playing a less and less important role in my life. In fact, I don't really feel that I've ever really gone out seeking new music in a way that so many others do. I'm always fascinated scrolling through someone's iPod and seeing tons of artists of whom I've never heard.
But today - I really felt old.
I was snooping around the web and came across a webpage/blog that had various lists...Top 100 albums of the 1970s, etc. I decided to check out the Top 100 Albums of 2007. Just last year. Well, needless to say, i recognized like only two artists' names and I'd heard of (or heard) NONE of the albums. Damn!
Made me realize how out of it I am but more significantly I felt as though I've been missing out on a bunch of great music. I hate to admit it but I don't even really know who Radiohead is. I've heard the name but couldn't tell you any of their music. Boom told me that "In Rainbows" is amazing and was ranked #4 on this Top 50 list. So he's going to burn me the CD so I can do some new music research.
I wish I had the time to really investigate more of these other albums. I'm sure there's some amazing stuff out there that, unless it's being fed to me, I just haven't been eating. I'm excited to listen to the Radiohead CD. And as I seek exposure to more new music, I have high hopes that I'm going to discover something that really touches me profoundly. I guess that won't necessarily make me feel young again... but maybe feeling old wasn't actually what I was feeling in the first place. I think I was feeling more left out. Feeling as though there is this orbit that's happening that other people are a part of - and I've been just beyond its reach.
Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2007
How many do you know or own?
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-top-50-albums-of-2007
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5 comments:
I recognized 12 artists and own 3 of those albums. Ta da!
Not to belabor the point Rex n Fx, but the album name is "In Rainbows", not "I Rainbows". Tee hee.
I knew or knew of 14 or 15 artists, and own 4 of the albums. Hmmm.
Typo corrected. Tx! Now I have to beat you for correcting me in public! LOL...
By the way, i'd like to think I am one of those in the know...I only recognized 10 of the artists and own 8 of those albums.
I recognize 7, own 1. But now I have some research to do to see which ones I just "can't" live without.
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