When The Audience Grows Up But The Music Doesn’t

"As often happens with bands that I love, the Beastie Boys got older and started making bad records and somehow remained as popular as ever…What changed?"

"I can’t say for sure, but some connection was lost. Maybe it was just time for me and my people to move on, to keep the bad jokes and TV shows and board game terminology to ourselves. A few words whispered in private among the aging children of the Baby Boomers; perhaps this was the proper place for suck discourse. It’s better this way. But for a while there it was crazy fun.’ – Mark Richardson, Pitchfork

As "aging" starts to hit the bands and fans of the early ’90’s, we’re again reminded of the ephemeral nature of most "popular" music be it rock, pop, hip-hop or whatever.  When the lyrics are thin or celebrate attitudes and behaviors that are sophomoric, should we be surprised that they loose their charm after graduation?

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place and a time for all kinds of music and lyrics.  But it’s hard to believe that the manufactured bravado of much hip-hop or the empty sexiness and mile wide but inch deep emotions of most pop music will fail to hold up well over time.  Give me a voice that sounds like it’s known deep pain and soaring joy and a lyric that speaks to my soul or makes me think rather than just trying to tickle my groin, and I believe you ‘ve found music that I’ll care about when I’m 100.