More proof that much of today’s music just isn’t that good.
Okay, that’s a bit of a clickbait-y headline because, of course, there is plenty of solid new music made by brilliant artists today. But I think it’s safe to say that there isn’t as much of it as there used to be. (You might want to read this before I back this up with new research.)
Here is a fact verified by the Wall Street Journal: The biggest, most popular songs on Spotify right now are older songs. I quote:
“More listeners across generations are turning to songs from the past, according to ‘Retro Revival,’ a new report from the entertainment-data company Luminate.” (Luminate is the chronicler and observer of music consumption in North America.)
What’s surprising is that Millennials and Gen Z are nostalgic for music that, in many cases, is older than they are. So far this year, one out of every three stream listens went to a song that was at least ten years old. A Spotify spokesman called 2026 “the most nostalgic year” in the history of the company since it launched in the US in 2011.
This is especially prominent in the 13-24 age group. Check out these trends.
Why?
- Current music has been in the dumps recently, dominated by a few artists and with much of today’s pop music sounding so bland that it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between one song and the next.
- Older music has been time-tested by generations. If we’re still listening to it, it’s proven to be good.
- It’s easier to discover old music. Instead of sorting through playlists for the latest and greatest, it’s easier just to gravitate to old favourites.
- Music of the 90s is showing the greatest growth. In fact, 90s music is the most listen-to era on streaming music platforms. That was an amazing decade, wasn’t it?
What could this mean? Well, the 90s were pretty rock heavy, so maybe the young’uns will start making more music like that. Hey, I’m here for it.
