Our constant discovery of new music allows us to expand our worldview and appreciate different kinds of songs. Yet even with these constant discoveries, people still tend to gravitate to their old favorites.
Finding comfort in old forms of media, including music, is not a new phenomenon. However, despite its persistence, the idea of sticking to your old favorites can actually be met with disdain. In fact, not outgrowing your older music tastes can even be used as an insult.
But is it really, truly all that bad? In this article, we had two young musicians from Generation Z weigh in on the role of the music they grew up with on their current artistic pursuits.
Development of music taste
How one develops their music taste is an interesting topic in and of itself. Previous studies show that many factors influence one’s music taste, from the environment one grows up in, the culture they are exposed to, as well as their overall personality.
Alt-rock band Suspiria Pink’s main drummer and songwriter Carlos Benson affirms this; in fact, he boldly claims that the music you love finds you. Growing up, he was exposed to rock bands like Queen, Black Sabbath, and Nirvana, as he would hear his lolo listening to these songs. Hearing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” in fact, felt like love at first listen, and it would be a moment he would keep coming back to even as a musician in his twenties.
“That was the first time I realized that music can be love. As a young kid, I realized that it’s really an art form that isn’t just background noise, and [music has the capacity to] make you feel all kinds of things,” he shares.
But it goes without saying that music taste inevitably evolves. Benson likens the process of discovering new music to traveling the world: the more you listen to, the deeper your understanding of the world and of people.
As a musician, he shares that he intentionally listens to new music. “As a musician, it’s hard to keep yourself boxed in as well. In terms of writing music, listening to more music lets you get a fuller understanding of how other people do things. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll write that way, but [it does give you ideas], from the production level to music theory.”
At the same time, Benson admits to still listening to his usual playlist filled with old, nostalgic favorites.
The beauty of nostalgia
We’ve all associated a song, or perhaps even a playlist, to a particular time in our lives, whether that be heartbreak, childhood, or coming of age. For singer-songwriter Kai Buizon, what takes her back is The Weepies’ “World Spins Madly On.” Growing up, it was a song she would often listen to and sing with her siblings; now, it’s a reminder of how life was in the past, and that the clock continues ticking whether or not you’re ready for it.
As she makes her own music now, Buizon has harnessed the power of nostalgia by incorporating it into her music and even her own singing style. “I strive towards making something with feelings I’m naturally drawn towards [like nostalgia]. [It allows me to tap into] what’s personal to me, such as the songs I grew up with, from Christian music [all the way] to jazz and theater music.”
The makings of a classic
Although people’s preferences might change over time, research has shown that people naturally gravitate towards music from their adolescent years. To combat criticism about sticking to old favorites, Buizon suggests that we can view these songs as classics, instead of seeing them as a sign of stagnation. Classics stand the test of time, and that is why we keep going back to them.
But what makes a classic, a classic? Some define it as what is remembered, enjoyed, and recognized by different generations. Buizon extends this definition — for her, a classic becomes a classic when special memories are attached to the song, making it part of one’s psyche. “In my high school, ‘Harana’ by Parokya ni Edgar became a classic for us – despite it already being one – when we sang it at one of our performances, since we tied it down to an experience,” she shared.
Benson shares similar sentiments as he recalled hearing “Ang Huling El Bimbo” by Eraserheads live — before going to that concert, the song was already a cult favorite. But to him, listening to it live was an awakening. “The beauty of that song [is that it shows us] what the Filipino is capable of doing. It became a core memory because of the different kinds of people I was surrounded by. There were old people, people my age, and even people younger than me in that concert. When they sang that song, they were singing it for their own reasons. It [represented] something special: that music is for everyone.”
So, is constantly listening to your old favorites a matter of concern? Not at all. Though Buizon stresses the importance of being open to and exploring new music, she doesn’t see the harm in going down memory lane with your old classics. “It’s [unfair to judge] because music means different things to different people [especially if we view it as an] art. Every song is a reminder of something you love. If you listen to a love song, you value that emotion. If you listen to music for the sake of the music, not the lyrics, it’s because you like the energy that the genre plays for you. It’s different for all kinds of people,” she expressed.
On the other hand, Benson feels that there is no need to move on from the music you grew up loving. “There’s no need to move on from [old songs] because it’s a part of you that makes you happy! That’s something you found. That’s something you naturally gravitated towards for yourself. At the end of the day, there’s no shame in liking what you really like,” he points out.
All in all, one of music’s gifts is that there are no strict rules to it. While our music taste can change because of how we change, there is definitely no need to feel shame in finding comfort in and frequently listening to old songs. Benson puts it perfectly: “I think the person in you would have sought out the kind of music you want anyway. I know what I love. I continue to like new music, but I know where my home is. I think [the same goes for] others.”
That’s what music is: a universal language of love — one you discover at one point in your life, to be redefined again and again. – Rappler.com