Cultural Relevance Has a Soundtrack, And It’s Not Classic Rock
Put Down That Liz Phair Record and Go Get Yourself Some Lola Young
I love ‘80s music and always will. I came of age in the ‘80s, and it will always be, for me, the best music decade ever. Truthfully, I love most musical eras, from the psychedelic ‘60s to the grungy ‘90s. I love all genres, even some country (I know…who have I become?)
But while I regularly go back and listen to the artists I love from bygone eras, I also spend time looking for and listening to young artists. I know plenty of you prefer to stay in your lane and perhaps think nothing good has been released since Nixon was in office, but I appreciate new voices and go out of my way to stay up-to-date with what the kids are into.
I’m not saying you have to listen to modern music to be relevant, but I am saying that if you aren’t listening to young artists, you are missing out on some incredible talent. You’re also going to have a tough time understanding your kids and the rest of today’s youth. But mostly, it’s about the music.
Let me give you an example. Do you think Mick Jagger wrote songs about sex that pushed the envelope? Or even Prince? Well, they can move over because there’s a new sheriff in town, and her name is Chappell Roan. I promise you, this 27-year-old musical force of nature would make Jim Morrison blush. She’s got mad talent, and she has no fear.
Do you think Björk used an alternative sound and image to make modern music? Say hello to Laufey, the 26-year-old Icelandic singer and multi-instrumentalist who sings with a gorgeous voice that has reinvented jazz pop.
Think Bob Dylan was talented because he could play guitar and harmonica at the same time? Meet Marlon Funaki, a 22-year-old alt-rock singer-songwriter from California who writes, creates, mixes, and masters all of his work and found initial success after dropping his first single at age 16 on Soundcloud.
You may be thinking you don’t have the time or inclination to add all these young artists to your regular rotation. That’s okay, but it’s not that hard to identify great young talent in today’s day and age. I find new artists in many ways. My Gen Z kid sends me artists to listen to all the time. I have them to thank for introducing me to amazing talent, including Lola Young, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Clairo, and Remi Wolf to name just a few.
I also listen to cultivated Spotify channels like “New Music Friday” and “All New Indie” regularly. I really enjoy SiriusXM’s “The Spectrum,” which has introduced me to many new artists.
It’s not rocket science — you just have to listen. What you will find is great new music being written and performed by talented young artists. It’s even kind of exciting to catch on to a new artist before they make it big. My kid has been telling me for a few years that Lola Young was one to watch, and today she has nearly 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify. I “found” 25-year-old British artist beabadoobee a while back, and now she has 23 million Spotify listeners and is currently headlining a huge tour across the U.S. and the world.
I don’t listen to young artists all the time, but a few have found their way into heavy rotation on my Spotify account. I am seriously obsessed with Chappell Roan’s music and her bad ass attitude. But just yesterday I listened to a ‘70s rock playlist while on the treadmill at the gym.
All I’m trying to say is open your ears. Hell, I’ll even give you a head start. Here’s a Spotify playlist I made called 30 Under 30 featuring young artists I really like.
Some of these artists may be familiar to you by now. I mean, you’d have to be living under a rock to have not heard of Chappell Roan or Benson Boone by now. But maybe you haven’t listened to them yet?
Go ahead and blast some Rush, The Smiths, Foo Fighters, and Bruce Springsteen. But give a listen to Alana Springsteen, too.