Great post Scott. As I was growing up my biggest influences musically were: Aerosmith, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Kansas, ELO, Styx, Boston and my one oldies (i.e. not totally current) favorite was Led Zeppelin. etc. Guess who I didn't have single album from? The Beatles. I didn't hate them.. they just weren't edgy or current either one. It's what my parents generation listened to. And it was pretty sickly sweet.

That's not to say that now, as an adult who has access to a lot of music, I don't have a lot of respect for the Beatles and especially their pop songwriting skills which are still unriveled, but as a kid, I wanted the bombastic style of the bands above (Kansas Leftoverture album was pretty damn bombastic.. in a good way...) more than what I considered at that time to be light pop fluff which was the Beatles. Those bands were Rock and edgy Pop. The Beatles were already oldies and about as pop light as folks in the 60's/70's must have considered The Rat Pack crooners. The cool kids (read: pot heads) loved Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton and the Who. Still.. the Beatles weren't much in the discussion. My cousin DID love the Beatles and had their posters on his wall. I had Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin posters on my wall. You wouldn't have caught me with a Beatles poster.

Right now the most popular music outside of the US Radio market (and in some cases even INSIDE that) is 1980's music. Yup. I just visited most of Europe and guess what 4 out of 5 stations are playing? US and UK 80's music. When talking to the kids there (i.e. 12-22) they all told me enthusiastically that they listened to it because it was clearly the best music ever made. It seems to be "classic rock" for them much as Zeppelin and Clapton have long been until now. Now, since the 80's represent my late teens and early 20's, and I played a lot of that music in college and in subsequent bands and listened to it and loved it and was told by the Beatles snobs of the time that it sucked and was horrible and I should be ashamed, I think it's pretty funny that kids in Europe love it and apparently so do the adults. And ironically, it sounds more melodic and accessible to me than today's music. But...

In 20 more years.. Rap will be classic rock. And there will be many who LOVE listening to Britney and Ashley and Christina and Lindsey and the other pop tarts. And there will be plenty of ressurection for the Spice Girls (hell.. they're trying it now) and all those generic pop/rock bands that seem to replace each other one after another on the radio charts today. It seems unimaginable now... but when those 6-12 year olds who can't (or couldn't) get enough of it are in their 30's and 40's.. it will come back for them and their kids. It always seems to.

You know who I didn't hear mentioned a single time in Europe for 7 weeks, nor on the radio a single time? The Beatles. I think they've moved into Golden Oldies for most kids today, especially due to their bad decision not to sell their music digitally. Kids may later discover it.. but right now they couldn't care less. But they DO listen to Kiss. Oh yes!

(A side note: Those who like current music over the age of 20 are generally males who listen to Korn. In Europe.. Corn Syrup doesn't exist.. but make no mistake.. among late teen to late 20 year old males.. KORN is clearly KING).

Brian

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