I saw an interesting post from this forum that said:

"I do find it very weird 95+ Gen Zers will be listening to Duran Duran, Madonna, MJ, Prince, and hair metal as the first music they know, largely...I wonder if that'll impact their future musical preferences."


This was the first type of music I was exposed to when I was a kid and I was born in late 86. My dad listened to stuff like Guns N Roses in the 90s and my mom listened to things like Huey Lewis and the News and Tears for Fears. I heard music from all of the above music as a kid.
One question I have is would it make me seem older for my age or younger for my age? This probably explains why I have different music taste than most Yers.

Before we start this discussion, can explain and define Gen Yer first?

Before we start this discussion, can explain and define Gen Yer first?


To begin with, I mean people who wouldn't be old enough to firsthand remember the music of say the 1983-1987 and know what it was all about on average. I'm also talking about people who had parents older than the Brat Packers. This should give a good range.


I'm not speaking of earlier 80s births who were technically late 80s kids even though some may count them as gen Y. I'm not talking about remembering the very late 80s New Kids on the Block/Paula Abdul era either. Sure someone born in say 1984 could remember say 1989 but he's not going to remember the classic Cyndi Lauper/ John Hughes era 80s.

I was also exposed to lots of 80s music as a kid. It was not uncommon to hear 80s songs in the early-mid 90s on the radio. They were not too old yet. So as for me: No, it is not odd.

I actually remember quite a few late 80s songs and vaguely remember when they were new, or maybe one or two years old.
I don't think that this is imagination, because I don't feel the same for example for mid-80s songs.

I was also exposed to lots of 80s music as a kid. It was not uncommon to hear 80s songs in the early-mid 90s on the radio. They were not too old yet. So as for me: No, it is not odd.

I actually remember quite a few late 80s songs and vaguely remember when they were new, or maybe one or two years old.
I don't think that this is imagination, because I don't feel the same for example for mid-80s songs.


I remember this too. I used to get a lot of 1989 songs confused as early 90s songs. Even 1988 had a lot more of a true 80s feel although in a late way.

I'm Generation Y and the first music I heard was oldies, then I got into the 80's because it was still played alot.

http://fistfuloftalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gen-y.jpg

http://fistfuloftalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gen-y.jpg

Lmao!!!  ;D

I was also exposed to lots of 80s music as a kid. It was not uncommon to hear 80s songs in the early-mid 90s on the radio. They were not too old yet. So as for me: No, it is not odd.


I too was exposed to 80's music almost all the time.

I'm Generation Y and the first music I heard was oldies, then I got into the 80's because it was still played alot.


I'm Generation X and I remember listening to my Father's Doo Wop music from the late 50's.

http://fistfuloftalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gen-y.jpg


;D

I'm Generation Y and the first music I heard was oldies, then I got into the 80's because it was still played alot.
I have no idea which generation I am, but the music I first heard was classical from the 19th century.

I have no idea which generation I am, but the music I first heard was classical from the 19th century.


You are a baby boomer, Philip. Apparently so am I, at the tail end of it.

I too was exposed to 80's music almost all the time.

80's music...a class all on it's own!

No, because radio only plays '80s and modern mixed, and my father has load of tapes from that time :)

You are a baby boomer, Philip. Apparently so am I, at the tail end of it.



am I considered a baby boomer?

I'm generation Y (1989) and I listened to a lot of older music as a child because of my parents.

am I considered a baby boomer?

Absolutely not. You're 40, you're definately Generation X.

Before we start this discussion, can explain and define Gen Yer first?


Generation Y is people born circa 1980 to 1996.

Generation Y is people born circa 1980 to 1996.

There are people who will call 80 the last of X, but I don't think so.

There are people who will call 80 the last of X, but I don't think so.


Me neither!

I'm generation Y (1989) and I listened to a lot of older music as a child because of my parents.


I used to listen to Doo-Wop music back in the early 80's on WCBS-FM back when they had the cool deejays.

Absolutely not. You're 40, you're definately Generation X.


so I would be a baby boomer in the next 10-20 years? When does one get out of the Generation X stage?  ???

so I would be a baby boomer in the next 10-20 years? When does one get out of the Generation X stage?  ???

The generation you're born into is the one you're stuck with. Greatest Generation are the parents of Baby Boomers. They would have been born in the 20's and 30's. Baby Boomers were born in the 40's through some time in the 50's. That's their era. After that comes X, then Y and so on. I'll always be Y because that's when I was born, you don't become a different category when you get older.

I don't think so. Remember that Baby Boomers were subject to Big Band/Swing and non-rock ballads (Sinatra and Geezer-type pop) since their parents (except possibly at the tail end of the generation) grew up and came of age with that kind of music. They then rebeled against this music to creat the rock/R&B/Soul/Funk music to distinguish themselves and create a fresh energy (with watching the Beatles being their rite of passage). But in terms of odd, absolutely not for the early part of Gen Y; there were stations in the '90s that played (the greatest hits of the '70s, '80s and '90s) and into the '00s for the tail end of Y with regards to the hits of the '80s, '90s, and today. Liking the older music was the equivalent of being a "square" for the Baby Boomers (I fall into that category). My parents frequently had the oldies station on the radio full of '60s/'70s songs, but I still consider those standards to my generation and not really in vogue. Unfortunately, the enviornment for Gen Y as having a distinguished soundtrack is not as strong as the past few generations due to the multitude of choices and lifestyles offered for them, and its even worse for the rising Gen Z.

The generation you're born into is the one you're stuck with. Greatest Generation are the parents of Baby Boomers. They would have been born in the 20's and 30's. Baby Boomers were born in the 40's through some time in the 50's. That's their era. After that comes X, then Y and so on. I'll always be Y because that's when I was born, you don't become a different category when you get older.


I have read that boomers are born from the end of WW2 until 1964. that's what I say I am a boomer.

The generation you're born into is the one you're stuck with. Greatest Generation are the parents of Baby Boomers. They would have been born in the 20's and 30's. Baby Boomers were born in the 40's through some time in the 50's. That's their era. After that comes X, then Y and so on. I'll always be Y because that's when I was born, you don't become a different category when you get older.


So My Parents were born in the 1940's.

There are people who will call 80 the last of X, but I don't think so.

1980 is cuspy imo and is XY.
The 80s was the gen X decade like the 00s is the gen Y decade. The 60s is the boomer decade and the 40s is the silent generation decade.
To be Gen X you have to have at least some memories of 1980/1981.
The last would be around 76ers/77ers

am I considered a baby boomer?

No. You have to remember the JFK assassination to be a boomer IMO.

No. You have to remember the JFK assassination to be a boomer IMO.


I don't remember the JFK assassination but I do remember the late 70's and mid 80's.

I don't remember the JFK assassination


It was more than 10 years before your birth  ;D

It was more than 10 years before your birth  ;D


I only remember the early to mid 80's.

I was born in the 90s and my first exposure to music was my parents rock music from the 70s, mostly Led Zeppelin and Yes. My mum seemed to enjoy a lot of AC in the 90s as well. Most of my older cousins listened to grunge and nu-metal, and my family from Europe mostly listened to Eurodance and other wacky European music.

I don't remember the JFK assassination but I do remember the late 70's and mid 80's.
I do not remember the JFK assassination, but remember England winning. the World Cup on television, I watch it in black and white, and remember the Robert Kennedy assassination. I will recall others later.

I do not remember the JFK assassination, but remember England winning. the World Cup on television, I watch it in black and white, and remember the Robert Kennedy assassination. I will recall others later.


I remember when Princess Diana & Princes Charles got married, The Space Shuttle incident and USA For Africa.

I remember when Princess Diana & Princes Charles got married, The Space Shuttle incident and USA For Africa.
I was given a day off work for Charles Diana wedding.

I was given a day off work for Charles Diana wedding.


Did you attend the wedding?

I saw an interesting post from this forum that said:

"I do find it very weird 95+ Gen Zers will be listening to Duran Duran, Madonna, MJ, Prince, and hair metal as the first music they know, largely...I wonder if that'll impact their future musical preferences."


This was the first type of music I was exposed to when I was a kid and I was born in late 86. My dad listened to stuff like Guns N Roses in the 90s and my mom listened to things like Huey Lewis and the News and Tears for Fears. I heard music from all of the above music as a kid.
One question I have is would it make me seem older for my age or younger for my age? This probably explains why I have different music taste than most Yers.


Yeah, I'm only a few months younger and that was pretty much my experience too. My parents were pretty young when I was born so I spent my entire childhood listening to quite a bit of music from the 70's, and 80's. On the other hand, alot of my friends, however, had parents that were several years older than mine, and many of them grew up hearing alot of early rock 'n' roll like Elvis and Chuck Berry.

I saw an interesting post from this forum that said:

"I do find it very weird 95+ Gen Zers will be listening to Duran Duran, Madonna, MJ, Prince, and hair metal as the first music they know, largely...I wonder if that'll impact their future musical preferences."


This was the first type of music I was exposed to when I was a kid and I was born in late 86. My dad listened to stuff like Guns N Roses in the 90s and my mom listened to things like Huey Lewis and the News and Tears for Fears. I heard music from all of the above music as a kid.
One question I have is would it make me seem older for my age or younger for my age? This probably explains why I have different music taste than most Yers.


Yes... I think it is very unusual. I remember that back in the 90's no one used to listen to 80's music. I don't remember 80's music being played on the radio either. My first exposure to music from the 80's was in the mid 2000's, when 80's nostalgia took off.

Yes... I think it is very unusual. I remember that back in the 90's no one used to listen to 80's music. I don't remember 80's music being played on the radio either. My first exposure to music from the 80's was in the mid 2000's, when 80's nostalgia took off.
From what I remember of the 90s, there was 80s music on the radio. The 80s weren't that long ago in most people's minds. A lot of films from the 90s have 80s songs in their soundtracks.

Did you attend the wedding?
I had a good view of the Charles and Diana wedding from the seat I was sitting on.

Yes... I think it is very unusual. I remember that back in the 90's no one used to listen to 80's music. I don't remember 80's music being played on the radio either. My first exposure to music from the 80's was in the mid 2000's, when 80's nostalgia took off.

Are you kidding me? Several adult contemporary/lite rock stations would play 80's songs in the 90's! There were even hour segments on certain nights for nothing but 80's music! You're not very observant. Classic rock stations still play it!

Are you kidding me? Several adult contemporary/lite rock stations would play 80's songs in the 90's! There were even hour segments on certain nights for nothing but 80's music! You're not very observant. Classic rock stations still play it!


'88 is not that much of an early birthyear to remember everything about the 90s either. 2-3 years mean a lot. Like I have said, I remember a lot of 80s music being played in the 90s; especially the early 90s.

BTW, in Germany, it is now common to play 80s songs along with 10s songs on regular pop music stations. And people seem to like it, because those are mainstream stations.

'88 is not that much of an early birthyear to remember everything about the 90s either. 2-3 years mean a lot. Like I have said, I remember a lot of 80s music being played in the 90s; especially the early 90s.

BTW, in Germany, it is now common to play 80s songs along with 10s songs on regular pop music stations. And people seem to like it, because those are mainstream stations.


Well I do remember ace of base, the macarena, the spice girls, alanis morrisette and a lot of things about the 90's. :P I honestly never listened to 80's music because it was not popular. And to say that 2 years mean a lot is plain stupid, you were born in 1986 and I was born in 1988, so probably you're not more than 2 years older than me, so what you're saying does not make any sense at all. I remember as much of the 90's as you do. I just preferred listening to 90's music and my parents didn't listen to 80's music back in 90's anyway. 80's music was not popular in my country back in the 90's, it was considered uncool and shunned on the radio. I might not remember the early part of the 90's very well, but from 1992 onwards I don't remember 80's music being that popular as it was in the 00's.

And to say that 2 years mean a lot is plain stupid, you were born in 1986 and I was born in 1988, so probably you're not more than 2 years older than me


I am 2 years and 2 months older than you, so of course, I know more about the 90s than you do - as well as somebody born in 1984 knows more about the 90s than I do... and so on and so on. Just deduct those years from the year of your first memories and you will know what I mean.

It's however not that I think we are different generations or something... don't get me wrong. I was just 2 years older in the 90s and was aware at least 2 years earlier about what was going on. No offense ;)

I honestly never listened to 80's music because it was not popular.


why wasn't it popular? ???

I agree that it was absolutely not popular in the mid 90s, I would say when I was about 9 and older. By this time, everything was about 90s music. But in the early 90s, late 80s songs were still very popular and played everywhere just like they were new. I mean, I am in Canada right now and also hear songs from the late 00s on the radio or being played at shops etc. So Europe is probably not that different from North America in playing older songs.

I was born in 1989 and my first exposure to music was from the 80s.  My parents were around 25 years old when I was born (I'm 25 now and can't imagine that).  So they spent a lot of their youth in the 80s and that's most of what I heard when I was little.  As a result, I'm actually more familiar with music from the 80s than I am with music from the mid-90s.  Show me a Billboard top ten from a random week in the 80s and I probably know most of the songs or singers in some capacity.  Show me a Billboard top ten from 1994 and I'm lucky to know half the stuff on there. 

My late 90s familiarity is about equal with the 80s, but by that point, I was getting old enough to the point where I was conscious enough of music around me that weren't just what my parents were listening to.

I was born in 1989 and my first exposure to music was from the 80s.  My parents were around 25 years old when I was born (I'm 25 now and can't imagine that).  So they spent a lot of their youth in the 80s and that's most of what I heard when I was little.  As a result, I'm actually more familiar with music from the 80s than I am with music from the mid-90s.  Show me a Billboard top ten from a random week in the 80s and I probably know most of the songs or singers in some capacity.  Show me a Billboard top ten from 1994 and I'm lucky to know half the stuff on there. 

My late 90s familiarity is about equal with the 80s, but by that point, I was getting old enough to the point where I was conscious enough of music around me that weren't just what my parents were listening to.


Interestingly enough, because my mother listened to 90s radio as well in the 90s, I'm also more familiar with the 1994 pop charts than the 2014.

If you were a precocious kid that knew about the world, with 90s music exposure (and other decades) through your parents and TV and video games in your room, you would know a lot of things people don't expect you to know because of age. I do admit though 1996 is when I get really familiar as in knowing basically everything on the list.

I'm a very early Yer and my first memories are from 1984/85 (god d*mn I'm old :D) so I've always regarded the music from back then as pretty much magical. My mom (1955) was always listening to the pop radio stations and cassette tapes of tons of current music, and my dad (1939) likes actually quite a bit of the mellow or classic rock-y 80s music too.

Thinking back, I can also remember hearing lots of songs from 1979/80 and of course the early 80s as a kid too, so I'm assuming those were still being played on pop stations in the mid or late 80s.

I was and still am far more familiar with the Billboard charts of the early to mid 80s than I am of the charts in, say 1999. I only like a handful of cherrypicked songs from my teen years to be honest, and never got into a vast majority of music that was big back then. Of course I think this depends on the person and their individual experiences. There were countless people around my age that were total white rappers or grungers or stuck in the late 90s (think the American Pie crew) and dissed the 80s nonstop too.

84er and I do remember a bit of that late 80's sound. REM Stand was a popular song...I remember some INXS when it was relatively fresh. Madonna, Fine Young Cannibals etc. This was pretty much what my parents were listening to when we were in the car.

Personally, I define the gens as follows:

...
Gen X: 80s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of computers)
Gen Y: 90s kids, earlier 00s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of internet access, and through the early days of the web)
Gen Z: later 00s kids and 10s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of wi-fi, mobile internet, and the "tablet kids")

Next, I assume, we shall go to gen AA, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH... but that is a problem for the generation namers.

anyway.... I listened to my dad's tears for fears, which was 15+ years old at the time. So it's not odd.

As I posted in another thread, the first Top 40 song I was aware of was "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx in 1989 at four years old.  It is possible to be musically aware at that age. 

Personally, I define the gens as follows:

...
Gen X: 80s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of computers)
Gen Y: 90s kids, earlier 00s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of internet access, and through the early days of the web)
Gen Z: later 00s kids and 10s kids (first generation with mass proliferation of wi-fi, mobile internet, and the "tablet kids")

Next, I assume, we shall go to gen AA, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH... but that is a problem for the generation namers.

anyway.... I listened to my dad's tears for fears, which was 15+ years old at the time. So it's not odd.
How about those born before the 1980's?

As I posted in another thread, the first Top 40 song I was aware of was "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx in 1989 at four years old.  It is possible to be musically aware at that age.


Unless you were old enough to remember. Or born before 1989.

As I posted in another thread, the first Top 40 song I was aware of was "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx in 1989 at four years old.  It is possible to be musically aware at that age. 
Yes it is, I can easily remember Nut Rocker by B. Bumble & The Stingers and I was four years old then.

Yes it is, I can easily remember Nut Rocker by B. Bumble & The Stingers and I was four years old then.


Ha. Funny I can remember Faith by George Michael and Got My Mind Set On You by that other George ;) from 1988 as well. I was also 4 years old.

I remember Turn Back time by Cher in 89. And how my mom made me close my eyes during the music video because Cher was supposedly not wearing any underwear.

I remember Turn Back time by Cher in 89. And how my mom made me close my eyes during the music video because Cher was supposedly not wearing any underwear.

I know, that was the whole point of the video was to turn those sailors on by the way she dressed.

Yes it is, I can easily remember Nut Rocker by B. Bumble & The Stingers and I was four years old then.


Yes, I enjoyed that song too. I think it was basically a loose faster version of The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky.

Op2U-qGUDkg


Ha. Funny I can remember Faith by George Michael and Got My Mind Set On You by that other George ;) from 1988 as well. I was also 4 years old.

I remember Turn Back time by Cher in 89. And how my mom made me close my eyes during the music video because Cher was supposedly not wearing any underwear.


Both Faith and Got my mind set on you were great though George Harrison's hit had two videos made for it. This video is the one I remember:

XZGYYDvZnpg

As for Cher, she nearly showed us where her kids came from, lol. I suppose her stroking that cannon she was sitting on didn't go in her favour either.

Ha. Funny I can remember Faith by George Michael and Got My Mind Set On You by that other George ;) from 1988 as well. I was also 4 years old.

I remember Turn Back time by Cher in 89. And how my mom made me close my eyes during the music video because Cher was supposedly not wearing any underwear.


Yeah, that's like me with Huey Lewis, The Cars, Lionel Richie etc. circa 1985.

I've always been fascinated by how there's some people (like you, myself, and seems like lots of other nostalgists/old school people) who have really good memories of music from early childhood (like 3-6), while some others act like they didn't even exist until age 12, and anything before then is oh-so old and way before their time.  ;D

My guess is just early exposure from parents/older siblings or family members/babysitters, etc. Maybe the late bloomers just had more conservative or old fashioned parents who were already out of touch with/didn't care about pop culture by then.

How about those born before the 1980's?


Ah, forgot to note that the other definitions were left as an exercise to the reader. Also, I wanted to note this is by the time that one grew up in and was a kid in (so, Gen X isn't those who were born in the 80s, it's those who grew up in the 80s/late 70s, which means they were born earlier)

I didn't make these, but....


The Greatest Generation: grew up in the Depression, age to fight in WWII
The Silent Generation: Born during WWII or just before, grew up during WWII, and most were of age to fight in the Korean War
Baby Boomers, Part 1: Born right after WWII into the mid-50s, young adults during first moon landings
Baby Boomers, Part 2: Born from mid-50s to early-mid 60s, kids during first moon landings, registration for the draft, lower drinking age, oil embargo, Iran-Contra, Carter and Regan.

Yes, I enjoyed that song too. I think it was basically a loose faster version of The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky.

Op2U-qGUDkg

Both Faith and Got my mind set on you were great though George Harrison's hit had two videos made for it. This video is the one I remember:

XZGYYDvZnpg

As for Cher, she nearly showed us where her kids came from, lol. I suppose her stroking that cannon she was sitting on didn't go in her favor either.


I remember that George Harrison video too.

Yeah, that's like me with Huey Lewis, The Cars, Lionel Richie etc. circa 1985.

I've always been fascinated by how there's some people (like you, myself, and seems like lots of other nostalgists/old school people) who have really good memories of music from early childhood (like 3-6), while some others act like they didn't even exist until age 12, and anything before then is oh-so old and way before their time.  ;D

My guess is just early exposure from parents/older siblings or family members/babysitters, etc. Maybe the late bloomers just had more conservative or old fashioned parents who were already out of touch with/didn't care about pop culture by then.


I suppose you could say I'm sort of "in between" the two extremes (those who can remember music from their early childhood years and those who didn't get into any music at all until around the time they started junior high).

The first year that I can remember hearing a significant number of current-at-the-time songs is 1994, the year I turned seven. That does make me a bit of a "late bloomer" compared to other posters. It's kind of odd really because I have literally zero in the moment memories of hearing any big radio hits up to that point, but then, suddenly, for 1994-95 I can remember "The Sign", "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", "I Swear", "All I Wanna Do" and "Shine" like it was yesterday.

Frankly I kind of envy you guys that can remember new songs from when you were like four. It would be really cool to remember hearing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" when it was still a "current" song, but the only thing I can remember from age four is wearing out my VHS tape of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. ;D

I suppose you could say I'm sort of "in between" the two extremes (those who can remember music from their early childhood years and those who didn't get into any music at all until around the time they started junior high).

The first year that I can remember hearing a significant number of current-at-the-time songs is 1994, the year I turned seven. That does make me a bit of a "late bloomer" compared to other posters. It's kind of odd really because I have literally zero in the moment memories of hearing any big radio hits up to that point, but then, suddenly, for 1994-95 I can remember "The Sign", "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", "I Swear", "All I Wanna Do" and "Shine" like it was yesterday.

Frankly I kind of envy you guys that can remember new songs from when you were like four. It would be really cool to remember hearing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" when it was still a "current" song, but the only thing I can remember from age four is wearing out my VHS tape of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. ;D


Yeah, I'd actually say age 7 is about average if you're talking about everybody collectively (of course people like us on boards like these obviously swing more old school). I think alot of the pop culture and atmosphere in 1994 was pretty magical too, especially if you were a kid and weren't aware of the news stories like Tonya Harding and OJ. Even though I was 12-13 I loved a lot of the Disney movies, and TV was amazing around this time too, although I mostly only liked the mellower adult contemporary music by then.

Yeah, I'd actually say age 7 is about average if you're talking about everybody collectively (of course people like us on boards like these obviously swing more old school). I think alot of the pop culture and atmosphere in 1994 was pretty magical too, especially if you were a kid and weren't aware of the news stories like Tonya Harding and OJ. Even though I was 12-13 I loved a lot of the Disney movies, and TV was amazing around this time too, although I mostly only liked the mellower adult contemporary music by then.


I was aware of both, especially since I watched Nancy Kerrigan skate and kept watching the coverage. I remember there were so many things that made fun of Tanya Harding on TV too. I particularly remember SNL. The OJ Simpson trial is something that just wouldn't come off the TV as well as something the adults would always discuss. However, I was very precocious and had cable in my room at that age. It didn't stop me from thinking the times were magical.

I was aware of both, especially since I watched Nancy Kerrigan skate and kept watching the coverage. I remember there were so many things that made fun of Tanya Harding on TV too. I particularly remember SNL. The OJ Simpson trial is something that just wouldn't come off the TV as well as something the adults would always discuss. However, I was very precocious and had cable in my room at that age. It didn't stop me from thinking the times were magical.


Yeah I had a cable box by 1991 and that's when I definitely started paying attention to news and world events too by age 9 or 10. That's true, the OJ trial was pretty much nonstop for over a year, you'd almost have to be living under a rock NOT to know about it.  ;D I almost think of anything before Dubya Bush and 9/11 as magical and innocent in that aspect too.

Speaking of that, I miss times before that scrolling ticker on newscasts starting in late 2001. Watching old TV clips with less stuff on screen seems really nostalgic to me.

Yeah, that's like me with Huey Lewis, The Cars, Lionel Richie etc. circa 1985.

I've always been fascinated by how there's some people (like you, myself, and seems like lots of other nostalgists/old school people) who have really good memories of music from early childhood (like 3-6), while some others act like they didn't even exist until age 12, and anything before then is oh-so old and way before their time.  ;D

My guess is just early exposure from parents/older siblings or family members/babysitters, etc. Maybe the late bloomers just had more conservative or old fashioned parents who were already out of touch with/didn't care about pop culture by then.


I've always had a good long term memory, but what helped is having older siblings and cousins always around me. I have a big family so I was always exposed to whatever pop culture things my older brothers and sisters (and cousins, lived in the same town) were into.

Yeah I had a cable box by 1991 and that's when I definitely started paying attention to news and world events too by age 9 or 10. That's true, the OJ trial was pretty much nonstop for over a year, you'd almost have to be living under a rock NOT to know about it.  ;D I almost think of anything before Dubya Bush and 9/11 as magical and innocent in that aspect too.

Speaking of that, I miss times before that scrolling ticker on newscasts starting in late 2001. Watching old TV clips with less stuff on screen seems really nostalgic to me.


I'd bet that many people aren't aware of the fact that the scrolling cable news ticker was actually a product of 9/11. The three major cable networks all employed a ticker for the first time on the afternoon of September 11th as a way to keep up with the fast breaking events of the day, and have stuck with it ever since.

At any rate, I totally share the perspective of 9/11 feeling like a "loss of innocence". It's especially true for me, because I actually had just started high school three weeks before 9/11 happened, and, on top of that, my parents moved out of my childhood home that November. Having such a traumatic event occur right in the midst of a major transitional time in my life truly signaled the "end of childhood" for me. I recall most of the other major events of the 90's (the O.J. trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Olympic Park Bombing, the Clinton impeachment, etc.), but was really too young for any of that to have that big of an impact on me personally.

I'd bet that many people aren't aware of the fact that the scrolling cable news ticker was actually a product of 9/11. The three major cable networks all employed a ticker for the first time on the afternoon of September 11th as a way to keep up with the fast breaking events of the day, and have stuck with it ever since.

At any rate, I totally share the perspective of 9/11 feeling like a "loss of innocence". It's especially true for me, because I actually had just started high school three weeks before 9/11 happened, and, on top of that, my parents moved out of my childhood home that November. Having such a traumatic event occur right in the midst of a major transitional time in my life truly signaled the "end of childhood" for me. I recall most of the other major events of the 90's (the O.J. trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Olympic Park Bombing, the Clinton impeachment, etc.), but was really too young for any of that to have that big of an impact on me personally.

That's actually a good point I wonder about too! The ticker is totally normal to anyone under 18 even 20 who probably would've always remembered and seen it their whole (TV watching) lives. I wonder if it would've been implemented at all had it not been for 9/11? Probably but in a limited capacity or something.

Oh yeah that was like a double whammy for you if 9/11 coincided with you guys leaving your childhood house. Was that the first time you started remembering feeling nostalgic and like, "Wow things are really changing, huh?" I guess that happened to me a teeny bit at age 9 leaving this one house and hometown I really liked, but moreso by 12 in late 1993 with my parents (for the time) separating, moving again, and my last grandma passing away. Maybe that's why I started really missing the 80s after that.

That's actually a good point I wonder about too! The ticker is totally normal to anyone under 18 even 20 who probably would've always remembered and seen it their whole (TV watching) lives. I wonder if it would've been implemented at all had it not been for 9/11? Probably but in a limited capacity or something.

Oh yeah that was like a double whammy for you if 9/11 coincided with you guys leaving your childhood house. Was that the first time you started remembering feeling nostalgic and like, "Wow things are really changing, huh?" I guess that happened to me a teeny bit at age 9 leaving this one house and hometown I really liked, but moreso by 12 in late 1993 with my parents (for the time) separating, moving again, and my last grandma passing away. Maybe that's why I started really missing the 80s after that.


Yeah, late '01/early '02 was when I first really started thinking about the passage of time like that. I suppose moving sort of forces you to do that in a lot of ways. I didn't really get fully into the whole nostalgia thing until I started coming to this site in the mid '00s, but you could certainly say that that time period was the beginning of my obsession with the past.

I'd bet that many people aren't aware of the fact that the scrolling cable news ticker was actually a product of 9/11. The three major cable networks all employed a ticker for the first time on the afternoon of September 11th as a way to keep up with the fast breaking events of the day, and have stuck with it ever since.

At any rate, I totally share the perspective of 9/11 feeling like a "loss of innocence". It's especially true for me, because I actually had just started high school three weeks before 9/11 happened, and, on top of that, my parents moved out of my childhood home that November. Having such a traumatic event occur right in the midst of a major transitional time in my life truly signaled the "end of childhood" for me. I recall most of the other major events of the 90's (the O.J. trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Olympic Park Bombing, the Clinton impeachment, etc.), but was really too young for any of that to have that big of an impact on me personally.


fwiw I still don't like the ticker and haven't warmed up to it. To me it feels too distracting. I definitely prefer pre 9/11 news.

9/11 happened my senior year of high school, and living in northeastern NJ we were right in the shadow of things. I still remember classmates (and teachers) with no cell phones. I had one and literally about 20 other students asked me to borrow it to call a loved one that day.