I was doing some research on the average age of the people in the Top Ten songs of the Year End Billboard charts and it turns out the mean ages are something like this:


2012: 26.44 years - Born 1985-86
2007: 29.33 years - Born 1977-78
2002: 26.35 years - Born 1975-76
1997: 26.60 years - Born 1970-71
1992: 24.30 years - Born 1967-68
1987: 32.05 years - Born 1955
1982: 30.93 years - Born 1951
1972: 32.00 years - Born 1940
1962: 25.64 years - Born 1936-37

For the past 20 years, at least based on the data from 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 the median age of a musician has hovered around 26-27 years. 2007 has a higher average because it was a good year for Gwen Stefani and I think Jay-Z who are older well established artists so it's a bit of an anomaly.

Do you think the reason 80s artists tended to be older than the ones of the early 90s to present is because so many of them were Baby Boomer artists, many with established music careers and mature long-term fan bases? Unless 1987 was a really 'old' year for music and 1992 unusually 'young' (and admittedly, the fact I put in the ages of Kris Kross skewed the average a bit  ;D  ), it seems like in the late 80s/early 90s there was a dramatic shift from Boomer musicians born in the 50s to Gen X musicians born from the mid 60s to early 70s, which I suspect is part of the reason why music changed a lot during this period.

Interestingly though, despite the old chestnut that today's music is dominated by teen artists, the fact is that today's musicians are on average the same age they were in 1962!  :o  And in the past 20 years, have actually become slightly older on average, perhaps because some of the artists that have become well-established since the 90s/early 2000s are still popular.

Rock and R&B/Soul were still the two most dominant genres of music in the '80s as in the '60s and '70s, meaning that many older artists could simply adapt to some updated synth technology. By the early '90s, the tail-end boomers had all settled down with marriage and kids and Gen X was composed of teens, college kids, and fresh college grads that embraced the current sounds and the Boomers would wax nostalgic mostly listening to oldies/classic rock and felt that the new grunge was too "dirty" and the rap/hip-hop was "too vulgar", feeling it would be bad for their children. But remember that Generation X was a small demographic, and it took a while for the Boomers to pass through their creative phase. It was easier for a '60s artist to adapt to '80s trends than it was for a '70s (even early '80s) artist to adapt to '90s styles. This is despite the presence of MTV; perhaps it was Reagan's neoconservatism that allowed a more family-friendly image?

Rock and R&B/Soul were still the two most dominant genres of music in the '80s as in the '60s and '70s, meaning that many older artists could simply adapt to some updated synth technology. By the early '90s, the tail-end boomers had all settled down with marriage and kids and Gen X was composed of teens, college kids, and fresh college grads that embraced the current sounds and the Boomers would wax nostalgic mostly listening to oldies/classic rock and felt that the new grunge was too "dirty" and the rap/hip-hop was "too vulgar", feeling it would be bad for their children. But remember that Generation X was a small demographic, and it took a while for the Boomers to pass through their creative phase. It was easier for a '60s artist to adapt to '80s trends than it was for a '70s (even early '80s) artist to adapt to '90s styles. This is despite the presence of MTV; perhaps it was Reagan's neoconservatism that allowed a more family-friendly image?


I think you're right. It was a generation gap, and also the fact the Boomers were still fairly young in the 80s and so are great in numbers. Gen X music didn't last nearly as long, they dominated music from about 1992 to 2005 before Gen Y really usurped them. In fact even by the year 2000 you had Christina, Beyonce and Britney who are all early Gen Ys.

Dominated by older musicians?

It's good to know that you were around in the 80s so you know how it really was ::)

Dominated by older musicians?

It's good to know that you were around in the 80s so you know how it really was ::)


Charts don't lie son!

Charts don't lie son!


Depends what charts you're looking at...

The world doesn't begin and end with Billboard, y'know...

Yeah I wouldn't say the 80s were dominated by older artists, really. More so than today perhaps, but if you look at the most commercially successful artists of the 1980s you get:

Prince, born 1958
Michael Jackson, born 1958
Madonna, born 1958
Janet Jackson, born 1966
Whitney Houston, born 1963
George Michael, born 1963
Jon Bon Jovi, born 1962
Duran Duran, founders born in 1960 and 1962
Cyndi Lauper, born 1953
Phil Collins, born 1951
Huey Lewis, born 1950
Lionel Richie, born 1949
Hall and Oates, born 1946 and 1949
U2, born 1960-1961
Bruce Springsteen, born 1949

So only a few of these people were in their 30s when the decade started, and many of them were in their 20s for the vast majority of the decade. Pretty young group.

Yeah I wouldn't say the 80s were dominated by older artists, really. More so than today perhaps, but if you look at the most commercially successful artists of the 1980s you get:

Prince, born 1958
Michael Jackson, born 1958
Madonna, born 1958
Janet Jackson, born 1966
Whitney Houston, born 1963
George Michael, born 1963
Jon Bon Jovi, born 1962
Duran Duran, founders born in 1960 and 1962
Cyndi Lauper, born 1953
Phil Collins, born 1951
Huey Lewis, born 1950
Lionel Richie, born 1949
Hall and Oates, born 1946 and 1949
U2, born 1960-1961
Bruce Springsteen, born 1949

So only a few of these people were in their 30s when the decade started, and many of them were in their 20s for the vast majority of the decade. Pretty young group.


and a lot of them are still recording music.

Rock and R&B/Soul were still the two most dominant genres of music in the '80s as in the '60s and '70s, meaning that many older artists could simply adapt to some updated synth technology.

There are a great many factors.

One thing that can't be overlooked was the "Disco Backlash".  A lot of artists that were super-big in the mid to late 1970's were unable to make the transition away from their Disco Era, and quickly faded away.  This meant that a lot of people who were big prior to disco were able to return to pop (Olivia Newton John, Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart) while the younger acts were totally stereotyped and faded away.

Then you had 2 styles more or less merge, punk rock (Blondie, Talking Heads, Ramones, B-52s) who had a following already and been performing for a decade or more suddenly make it nationally at the same time that groups from overseas (Elvis Costello, Madness, The Cure) suddenly break in over here with the New Wave, where the polished and experienced bands suddenly had legions of new fans.

Because younger musicians could not be bothered.

Platinum Blonde Founders: Born 1959, 1960, and 1961 and their added bass player born 1956
Tears For Fears founders born 1961
Depeche Mode singer: Born 1962
INXS singer born 1960
Duran Duran singer born 1958
Boomtown Rats Singer born 1951
Starship singer Born 1939

It also depends a lot on the genre. With that said, let's look at two broad genres that interest me: goth/industrial/synthpop and to a lesser extent, metal.

It seems that most of the great gothic icons were born in the second half of the 1950s or the very early 1960s (so basically, the end of the Baby Boom generation with a handful of Gen X cuspers). For example:

Siouxsie Sioux and Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) - 1957 (an honorable mention for David Vanian of the Damned, born in October of 1956)

Andrew Eldritch (Sisters of Mercy) and Robert Smith (the Cure) - 1959.

Rozz Williams of Christian Death was born a little later in 1963 (same year as Carl McCoy of Fields of the Nephilim).

The same general age range is in place for the pioneers of industrial music too: Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy (1962), Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM (1961), Al Jourgensen of Ministry (1958), Bill Leeb of FLA (1956). Etc. And of course, we have Dave Gahan and Martin Gore (1962 and 1961 respectively) of every goth's favorite synthpop group, Depeche Mode. Can you think of any 80's goth/industrial personages born before 1956 or after 1963?

One thing I found interesting is that 80's metal and glam musicians seem to have had a much greater age range than the gothic or industrial types. For example, with glam metal you have everything from Klaus Meine of the Scorpions (born in 1948) to Slash of GNR (born 1965). And if we talk about all types of metal, you have everything from Ronnie James Dio (born in 1942) to Chuck Schuldiner of Death (born in 1967). That's three generations in one (admittedly broad) genre in a single decade!

So, having looked at just two genres, why would there be such a huge difference in age ranges between genres?

I've often thought about this too, and I think a big factor were the comeback singers and bands from the 50s/60s/early 70s. Since the 80s had alot of soft rock and adult contemporary-tinged music (and almost every genre was melodic) it was fairly easy for older established musicians to come back into the charts. All they had to really do was put some synths or keyboards into their music, maybe streamline their sound a bit, and make some videos for MTV.

Taking that into account, tons of 80s singers were in their 40s even early 50s.

Just off the top of my head...Peter Cetera (1944), Tina Turner (1938), Daryl Hall (1946), Grace Slick of Starship (1939), John Fogerty (1945), Rod Stewart (1945), Sammy Hagar (1947), Paul McCartney (1942), Roy Orbison (1936!!! He must've been the oldest)

Maybe that's why music was better back then. I mean, music today is aimed at thirteen, maybe fourteen year olds at the oldest.

Maybe that's why music was better back then. I mean, music today is aimed at thirteen, maybe fourteen year olds at the oldest.


Yeah, I think the catchy melodic nature of the music made it easy for almost anyone to get into it. I agree, with a few exceptions, I don't like how rhythmic and hip hop oriented most 2010s music is, and even the clean cut pop is boyband little girl stuff like 1D.

Yeah, I think the catchy melodic nature of the music made it easy for almost anyone to get into it. I agree, with a few exceptions, I don't like how rhythmic and hip hop oriented most 2010s music is, and even the clean cut pop is boyband little girl stuff like 1D.


Ew, One direction. 8-P

Maybe that's why music was better back then. I mean, music today is aimed at thirteen, maybe fourteen year olds at the oldest.


or it could be why we hate today's music because it's aimed at kids.

or it could be why we hate today's music because it's aimed at kids.


Back then it was aimed at 15 year olds and older.

Back then it was aimed at 15 year olds and older.


I guess we're getting older.

Back then it was aimed at 15 year olds and older.


For a real answer and someone who knows what he's saying  ;) ....I think 80s music was probably aimed at 15-30 year olds (perhaps with some casual fans as young as 6 or 7, and some as old as their 40s or 50s). Especially the retro tinged stuff like Bruce Springsteen or Hall and Oates.

Of course, the teenpop from the late 80s like NKOTB or Debbie Gibson wasn't that different from Bieber or 1D in that it was also targeted at 11 year old girls...but at least the crap was a small percentage of the entire music scene, unlike today.

Of course, the teenpop from the late 80s like NKOTB or Debbie Gibson wasn't that different from Bieber or 1D in that it was also targeted at 11 year old girls...but at least the crap was a small percentage of the entire music scene, unlike today.

and also guys enjoyed listening to Tiffany which was also targeted by small teen girls.

and also guys enjoyed listening to Tiffany which was also targeted by small teen girls.


She wasn't the only one who was targeted by small teen girls.  So was Debbie Gibson and New Kids On The Block.  The Jets and every one of those teen pop acts.

She wasn't the only one who was targeted by small teen girls.  So was Debbie Gibson and New Kids On The Block.  The Jets and every one of those teen pop acts.


all those artists back in those days such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, they both started a fad where fans started dressing like them, remember those days?

She wasn't the only one who was targeted by small teen girls.  So was Debbie Gibson and New Kids On The Block.  The Jets and every one of those teen pop acts.


Yeah, that crap is a blight on the otherwise amazing 80s music. :) It doesn't really happen much these days (since its all a long time ago now), but years ago I'd really hate when you'd say "80s music" and someone brought the garbage pop from 1989 up. It didn't deserve to get lumped in with classic 80s music like Huey Lewis, MJ's Thriller, or Hall and Oates.

and also guys enjoyed listening to Tiffany which was also targeted by small teen girls.


Every mainstream artist pretty much targets teenagers their two or three albums, after that their sounds start to mature.

Every mainstream artist pretty much targets teenagers their two or three albums, after that their sounds start to mature.


Just like Michael Jackson in the 80's and after the 90's and early 2000's, his sounds changed.

Same with actors and actesses of the 80s! Most of the musicians and band members from the 80s were the same age as my parents, and a much older.

Same with actors and actesses of the 80s! Most of the musicians and band members from the 80s were the same age as my parents, and a much older.


Back then, music tended to change much more often.  There was a huge variety in pop music of the era, when people of all ages had to listen to whatever was on the radio at the time.

I know in the 1980s, my parents and I all listened to the same music.  And it was mostly Top 40.  Hall & Oates, Kenny Rogers, ONJ, Juice Newton, I think most under 60 could enjoy that music.  And Kenny Rogers was already well into his 40s by then.

At that time, the music was much less "youth oriented", and the artists frequently crossed decades and generations.  Kenny Rogers first charted in 1968, and regularly charted from 1977 to 1984.  But other than a single song that hit #40 in 1999 he has fallen off of the pop charts.

And not just him, Stevie Wonder first hit Top 40 in 1963, reaching #1.  And was still breaking the Top 40 until 1987, when that streak ended.  Billy Joel first hit in 1973, and hit regularly for 20 years until he fell off after 1993.  In the US, Sir Elton started his streak in 1970, but other than essentially a re-release in 1997 his hits stopped in 1994.  Today it is almost unheard of to find somebody in the Top 40 that has been in the industry more than 10 years, let alone the often 30+ years of many in the 1980's and before.

Not counting the occasional bone thrown by a young artist to an old and respected one.  I do not count Sir Elton's 1999 hit where he sang with the then hip LeAnn Rimes.  Or Willie Nelson singing with Toby Keith in 2003.  As a solo artist he has not broken the Top 40 since 1982.

It is rare today for me to find a pop song I can actually enjoy listening to.  Most to me just sound like recycled oldies thrown into a horrible synth cover with almost computer singing lyrics that are not recognizable.  Hell, the first time I heard "Blurred Lines", I was like "Oh no, what in the hell did they do to Marvin Gaye?"  And this has been going on for decades, I had the same feeling the first time I heard Gangsta Paradise.

Late Baby Boomers and early Xers were listening to both old and new singles of their favorite music artists from the 60s and 70s in the 80s.

Late Baby Boomers and early Xers were listening to both old and new singles of their favorite music artists from the 60s and 70s in the 80s.


From my standpoint, in the 80's, "oldies" had become really cool and we were exposed to music of the past in a major way.  We late Boomers were eating it up.  (70's music wasn't considered "cool" in the 80's, but it was familiar goodness.)  Until very late in the decade most of us were also enjoying then-current 80's music as well.  For those of us with a voracious music appetite, we had it really good then.  :)

From my standpoint, in the 80's, "oldies" had become really cool and we were exposed to music of the past in a major way.  We late Boomers were eating it up.  (70's music wasn't considered "cool" in the 80's, but it was familiar goodness.)  Until very late in the decade most of us were also enjoying then-current 80's music as well.  For those of us with a voracious music appetite, we had it really good then.  :)


40s to 60s music was being played on the radio a lot in the 80s. Like you were saying, the 70s were “yesterday” to most people in the 80s, so most Boomers were mainly listening to 60s and the then-current 80s music with some 70s in between.

40s to 60s music was being played on the radio a lot in the 80s. Like you were saying, the 70s were “yesterday” to most people in the 80s, so most Boomers were mainly listening to 60s and the then-current 80s music with some 70s in between.


Well, technically not "40s" music.  The oldies trend of the 80's featured music from the mid-50s on.  "40s" music never got big to younger generations in a major way, save some very slight TV acts coverage, because nostalgia wasn't a thing (at least to young folks) prior to around 1973, the time 50's rock era nostalgia started.  The only people listening to pre-rock era music in a big way (excepting classical) was the older generation.  60's and early 70's youth just weren't into nostalgia then.

Well, technically not "40s" music.  The oldies trend of the 80's featured music from the mid-50s on.  "40s" music never got big to younger generations in a major way, save some very slight TV acts coverage, because nostalgia wasn't a thing (at least to young folks) prior to around 1973, the time 50's rock era nostalgia started.  The only people listening to pre-rock era music in a big way (excepting classical) was the older generation.  60's and early 70's youth just weren't into nostalgia then.


40s music on the radio in the early 80s was a carryover from the 70s. It was gone before the 80s ended.

40s music on the radio in the early 80s was a carryover from the 70s. It was gone before the 80s ended.


Well, there was indeed 40's music on the radio.  But unlike "oldies" stations, stations playing 40's catered only to folks like my parents (aka "the old folks").  As a 20-something, I spent countless hours listening to "oldies" radio in the early/mid 80s, to WJMK the #1 Chicago oldies station (it was among my favorite stations while I was in college - and I listened plenty afterwards, too).  Music before around 1954 just wasn't played on it.  Plenty of 50's music, yes - but that was the oldest music being played.  Of course there was a ton of 60's music being played on it, and a little early 70's music.  But no appreciable amount of 40's music was played on it.

The older musicians were falling off in different years of the 1980s. Of course, the musicians were nowhere near as great in the 80s as when their debut albums were sold in stores. Regardless of that fact, I seem to remember Boomers, at the time, enjoying the singles by the artists mentioned by the original poster of this board. Everything really started to change in the summer of 1990. My folks really did not like the hit singles on the radio from 1991 onward.

...Everything really started to change in the summer of 1990. My folks really did not like the hit singles on the radio from 1991 onward.


As a late Boomer, I concur with this (for me personally, my disenchantment with "current" music happened even earlier, probably late-88ish)...

40s to 60s music was being played on the radio a lot in the 80s. Like you were saying, the 70s were “yesterday” to most people in the 80s, so most Boomers were mainly listening to 60s and the then-current 80s music with some 70s in between.


More like late 50's Doo-Wop And Motown music was being played on the radio back then.

The 80s were to Boomers what the 10s have been to Gen Xers and the 2020s will be to Millennials.

Most Baby Boomers would prefer to live in the 60s and 70s again over the 80s. Their favorite artists from the 60s and 70s lost their spark in the 80s by changing their sound.

The 80s were to Boomers what the 10s have been to Gen Xers and the 2020s will be to Millennials.

Most Baby Boomers would prefer to live in the 60s and 70s again over the 80s. Their favorite artists from the 60s and 70s lost their spark in the 80s by changing their sound.


Just like Tina Turner, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson to name a few.

Just like Tina Turner, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson to name a few.


Tina Turner was in the safe zone in the 80s along with Aretha Franklin. I know plenty of Boomers who play 80s singles from Tina and Aretha. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” was even the title of a 1993 biographical film about Tina Turner.

As for Lionel Richie, his singles released before 1984 can be heard by quite a few Boomers today.

Many late Boomers and early Gen Xers were not feeling Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Bad albums in the 80s either.

Groups like Jefferson Starship and Fleetwood Mac were fell off in the 80s also and no one saw that coming at the time.