Groups abound on social networks, hashtags and discussions about which decade had the best music. The only coincidence is that, at some point in the past, there were artists, songs and genres of greater quality and taste, while the judgment depends on the generational segment to which one belongs, with each age group believing, with absolute certainty, that music of his youth he stands out and surpasses the others. However, there is a single breed much more willing to explore the music and styles of other eras. Generation Z, those born at the turn of the millennium who grew up with the internet (just as boomers with radio and Generation X with television), are less prejudiced.
A survey of seventeen thousand Americans with data from June 2021 established that for boomers The best musical decade was the seventies; Gen X chooses the eighties, and millennials choose the nineties. On the other hand, postmillennials—Gen Z—spread their preferences. 14% of that segment enjoys music from the eighties, and 12% enjoys music from the nineties. Even past periods, such as the fifties, account for 2%, and the seventies, 5%.
The heterogeneity of his tastes is based on the fact that he has had a gigantic musical base from the cradle, which has been taking shape since the emergence of Napster in 1999, derived from a variety of applications with instant access to a monumental discography, a situation absolutely unprecedented in the history of pop culture.
On the other hand, according to a study by the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Montreal, our musical tastes are anchored in early adulthood, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. It does not mean that new music is not still listened to at all—those who have children connect with new expressions, whether they want it or not—but the formative stage and the palate are shaped when the energy overflows. Music and its idols are the soundtrack of a stage where responsibilities are few, while songs and melodies take over the landscape when life is still light and uncomplicated.
