Why do we stop listening to new music as we get older?

really? I’m in my 50s and still digging for new music daily to the point of totally forgetting classic rock and most of golden age jazz. Not only digging, but enjoying as well. Audiophiles are totally different story. They can get stuck on just 4...5 albums and never go beyond.

I’m a Boomer who considers discovering new music one of the joys of this hobby. Streaming new titles on my Amazon Music subscription makes this pursuit easy and risk free. I also consult AllMusic.com to help research new artists, albums and musical genres that I am unfamiliar with. It’s also a great tool to explore the back catalogues of artists I already know.

I have a habit of trying out new/unfamiliar material that Qobuz puts on their home page (or is my personal home page thanks to their sneaky algorithms?). It's kind of like it was when I maniacally listened to AM...and then FM...pop radio.

OP, …”I gave it some thought and started wondering what defines "new music" in the context of this conversation?”.

For me, music I never heard before.  I started in the 60’s and 70’s with rock… then discovered Jazz, (stopped listening to rock) the jazz fusion, the classical, then world, world fusion… I’m sure a few more. About 20 years ago I added rock back in to the mix occationally.

Now I listen to new albums as they are released on Qobuz in most genera. I skip hip hop and rap. So, my horizons are ever increasing. If I find an album I like I will work backwards in their history if the have one… and try “similar” bands. I probably listen to 70 % music I never heard of two years ago. Some from the 1950’s most from the last decade or two.

Here's the great thing about streaming not only do I discover new music I also discover old music cause if I haven't heard it then it's new to me!