Has anyone else noticed a revival of the 70s with today's youth? You can see lots of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd tee-shirts at my old school (I'm almost 19) on just about any given day. I'm not sure how many are hardcore fans of the 70s, but many are fans of some of the legendary fan from that era. So instead of the usual teens rebelling against their parents music, they are instead rebelling against the music that society expects them to like. Almost like it's not considered socially acceptable for teens to like classic rock, so they're kind of doing their part to rebel against social expectations. Anyway, what do you think?

Very well put. :)

In the last severl years, what I commonly have noticed (which confuses/slightly annoys me sometimes) is the common expectation among many people, that you'll automatically like whatever is popular in your high school years. And that you won't like anything else, before or after, on the same level.

Of course it's all relative, but I notice this coming alot from people who were teens in the '70s and '80s.

The real irony is, I will 100% agree with them on what they like ('cause I love "their" high school era stuff), but will vehemently disagree with them on the idea that a person born in 1970 is an "80s kid" and therefore wouldn't care about the '70s.

That would mean me, being born in 1981, is "supposed" to like the '90s (esp. the late '90s) and not the '80s. For the record, I do happen to like quite a bit of '90s, but I don't like being told I'm "supposed" to like something from 1997 more than something from 1987.

So, on that level, I suppose my "rebellious" nature has come out a bit. Not really rebellious per se, but in the "What are you talking about? This is who I am, why is that so unusual?" sense.

P.S. Musically speaking, I tend to gravitate towards more '80s pop/rock (Huey Lewis, Journey, Tom Petty, Foreigner, Hall & Oates), but I love The Beatles, Alice Cooper, Rolling Stones and tons of '60s and '70s rock too.

Im laughing reading this. My son is 13, and some of the things he complains about makes me laugh too. One of the things was about kids in his school wearing the old band shirts, like the Beatles , Stones, Pink Floyd.... He says a lot of them wear them just because they think they look cool. He said most of them but dont really like or know the music.

I have to give him credit though, he is fairly open to different types of music. I will play him something he will say its ok, then six months down the road he will ask me if I have anything by a certain band...  LOL... usually some of the bands that I have played for him.

NozmoKing

Well, the difference between the teens of the 70s and the teens of today lie in the type of music that their parents liked. Let's face it, the music that parents of teens in the 70s listened most most decidely do not rock. So it was virtually unthinkable for teens in the 70s to like their parents' music - so they maybe assume that teens today would feel the same way. So perhaps, for many years, it was virtually considered 'socially unacceptable' to listen to music from your parents' era. At least it's assumed that if you're a teen, that you'll automatically like what's considered hip and current. Man, don't you just love social expectations? ::) Well, I hope things improve in the media soon - now that teens are finally starting to take a stand. Time will tell, I guess.

Well, the difference between the teens of the 70s and the teens of today lie in the type of music that their parents liked. Let's face it, the music that parents of teens in the 70s listened most most decidely do not rock. So it was virtually unthinkable for teens in the 70s to like their parents' music - so they maybe assume that teens today would feel the same way. So perhaps, for many years, it was virtually considered 'socially unacceptable' to listen to music from your parents' era. At least it's assumed that if you're a teen, that you'll automatically like what's considered hip and current. Man, don't you just love social expectations? ::) Well, I hope things improve in the media soon - now that teens are finally starting to take a stand. Time will tell, I guess.


Yeah, I bet there were very few 15 year olds in 1975 listening to music from the '40s. ;)

Also, would you agree that the kids/teens who DO like rap/reality TV etc. tend to "set the tone" for everyone else. In other words, when older adults see that, they assume all people that age group are the same way?

Well, I think what tends to happen is that the older adults see what is considered current and trendy, so they do tend to assume that all teens would like the same kind of music. So, as a result, they maybe do to be a bit condescending to teens who do like older music - even when it is the same music that the older adult in question listen to. I really don't understand why they would feel that way, though. I mean, shouldn't they be encouraging us? Shouldn't they be happy for us? Is it that they're so possessive of their music that they don't want to share it with us younger ones - or are they just so gung-ho on what's considered 'socially acceptable', theythey act like there must be something wrong with you for deviating from the social expectations.

Anyway, let's hope there's a classic rock revival soon in the mainstream! Maybe things will improve in the the 2010s.

Well, I think what tends to happen is that the older adults see what is considered current and trendy, so they do tend to assume that all teens would like the same kind of music. So, as a result, they maybe do to be a bit condescending to teens who do like older music - even when it is the same music that the older adult in question listen to. I really don't understand why they would feel that way, though. I mean, shouldn't they be encouraging us? Shouldn't they be happy for us? Is it that they're so possessive of their music that they don't want to share it with us younger ones - or are they just so gung-ho on what's considered 'socially acceptable', theythey act like there must be something wrong with you for deviating from the social expectations.

Anyway, let's hope there's a classic rock revival soon in the mainstream! Maybe things will improve in the the 2010s.


I think it could be a bit of all, depending on the person.

I would say if you were a teen in a particular time, you tend to be more "protective" of it. I mean, on the other side, my parents sometimes tease me about being old school with many things, but I know they understand. They were adults by the 80s, so they like it, but aren't as attached to it as someone born in 1970 is.

Alot of Brat Pack-aged people (born 1968-71ish) can be a bit "possessive" about the '80s. In other words, thinking unless you were in high school when Thriller premiered, you couldn't possibly like/know about the era if you weren't "there" etc.

But in short, when I'm faced with the other end of it, I always encourage/congradulate people younger than me who like "my" stuff. For instance, one of my older friends has a 11 year old son who really likes '80s movies (i.e. Ferris Bueller, BTTF) and even if his descriptions or observations are a little off, I don't care. I just focus on the positives.

I'm always happy to see people younger than I am liking the 80s. I would never discourage anyone from liking the same music that I like, and I never did understand this whole 'possessive of your music' mentality. You like what you like, and it's wrong to tell other people that they should be liking to a style of music more 'appropriate' for their age group. Who defines social expectations anyway, and decides what's considered socially acceptable? So, yeah, I have to admit that I do tend to fly off the handle when older adults make comments like, 'Shouldn't you be listening to Hillary Duff, like other people your age?' I usually say to them, 'I'll listen to whatever I damn well please - so shut your fat lip!' I don't usually throw a tantrum, though - although it is tempting. It's one of those things that really gets my goat.

^ LOL, I hear you.

I wouldn't mind so much if it were a simple, "Oh, I would've thought you'd like rap, but hey, that's cool" response. I can maybe see a 12 year old being like that (hating anything "old" for instance), but a 16, 17 or 20 year old can easily have a broad range of tastes.

Also, what about when the teens get older? Wouldn't you expect people to become more open-minded, as they get older. I don't mind if older adults are impressed that I like older music - but it's only when they cop an attitude about it. At any rate, we do need younger people to carry the torch onto future generations, right?