Diminishing Interest in POP. I hate earworms

I read the first line of your post and, FWIW, I thought I had written it. Now in my sixties, and considering my investment in stereo equipment and music, I try to listen to music every chance I get. However, I feel a little ridiculous when I put on an early Bowie or Lou Reed CD (or cassette). The beat gets my feet tapping but the words seem silly. It's funny how your tastes change!

Years ago, I gave up trying to find a niche of new artists to listen to. There are a few that I like, acoustic music like Norah Jones, Mumford & Sons and even Rufus Wainwright, but hip-hop and rap do nothing for me. So yes, I believe age does play a part in changing your musical tastes. While I used to think my situation was unique, I believe that others are in the same boat and would be interested to know if this is a common affliction.

Just to be clear, my favorite artists began (and many ended) in the 60's and 70's. Jackson Browne, Jethro Tull, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Led Zeppelin, Joan Baez, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Beatles and Stones (of course) make up the bulk of my listening (not a complete list). Tonight, my wife and I are going to hear a Gordon Lightfoot concert in San Francisco, so you get the idea.

Like you, Ps, I'm not saying that new music is not worth hearing, but when I read my latest issue of Rolling Stone I don't get motivated to run out and buy the newest Katy Perry album (sorry, Katy). I'm not sure about the "earworms" part but you asked for a response and now you have mine.

Tonykay:
I probably could have written YOUR post! Although I never got into Led Zep. I once saw them at the Fillmore in SF and Robert Plant seemed comical to me. I know, I'm probably a ZEP luddite. But in those days I had the opportunity to see dozens of great blues musicians at a club in Berkeley, CA - I think it was called Mandrakes, and the "british invasion" blues types didn't compare too well in my mind. Hmmm. I'm getting off topic here. Sorry.

One exceptionally talented singer-songwriter I heard recently at a small club where we live is Mary Gauthier. She is the "real deal" and it was a great experience. Fortunately I was left with no ear worms.

In many ways my sense of audio adventure is far greater when it comes to what we generally term "classical". I'm even enough of a masochist to have 3 or 4 Alan Petterson symphonies in my vinyl collection. :) I will say however, that one or two hearings is enough.

The ear worm problem is invariably related to pop music and it's maddening. I've looked for antidotes, but so far have not had any success other than to avoid listening.

If anyone else is reading this and is plagued with ear worms, I'd be grateful to learn how you "cope"

I tend to like the most mindless pop and the deepest most serious, complex, involved and well thought out and executed music the best. The rest is MOR. Still lots of good tidbits, but much more impure.

Here is one recent tune that I continue to like just as much or better every time I hear it with no definite horizin for growing tired of it in sight quite yet.
Muse Uprising.

My enjoyment of the music of Muse in general has been on a big upswing in recent years.

My wife swears that the universal antidote to any earworm is to sing "Bang a Gong". Maybe, but the cure will kill you!

Must be a terrible thing, not to be able to control one's mind any better than that. I'm able to erase virtually anything from mind, via one simple meditation: Twoallbeefpattieslettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun.