This is interesting Russ, It goes along with what I started tripping into, while tripping over my thoughts during my post regarding confusion when discussing "good vocals" vs what we hear on "pop 40' radio. The evolution of music.
I doubt those that had little exposure to something, or never grew up in a predominantly blues style oriented 'rock' era such as some of the middle-aged folk did, would "miss it", at least anymore than you and I might miss "big band era" swing type blues genre's of music...Or those that like some of Clapton's covers would miss the original "Delta" blues versions. These older styles of course are resurrected time to time, and eventually fade out given enough time. At least in terms of the mainstream exposure they get, but from what I've been exposed to in terms of preference, younger folks have their own conditioned aesthetic likes, so naturally they lean to their own specific styles, as well as hero's..
Today things might be abit more eclectic in terms of exposure to a broader, more diverse listening choice of music for younger folks. When we grew up (and again depending on geographic location, and stations provided) The Everly bros, Elvis, Buddy Holly, and soon the british invasion ruled much of the top 40 stations.. Mostly blues oriented in basic format (the 1-4-5 style was dominant), but we weren't listening to as many genre's of music as the kids do today. Today the times of the great ballad have tapered down, as has traditional blues-based rock styles, however todays kids have country, rap, ballad, classic rock, grunge, and their own styles of rock to choose from... Jazz bands in HS still naturally focus on big band, and Ellington, Gershwin, etc... and it's still VERY competitive as to who get's the seats to play in these bands. I'd say given the wealth of music available today, and during many transition periods during the evolution of music it's tougher to "miss" a style... Todays younger listener just has a different set of aesthetic preferences, and musician hero's. SOME do wish they grew up when we did, so some do in a sense "miss" not having grown up in the 60's.. Yet when I was young, certain kids in my age bracket wished they had grown up back in the Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey period of "Swing" and "big band" too, (although these kids were few and far between)... I think people tend to adapt, and choose preference from that which they are exposed to, and usually tend not to miss that which they have less exposure to. Just as Everly bros. might bring a set of memories/emotions to those that experienced a part of their life while listening to them... Nirvana and Pearl Jam will do this for some of the younger kids today down the road. From what many younger have told me, it might translate to this Russ...
"What's to miss, that stuff was boring dude, even more insipid than that ancient Bon Jovi song, "Dead or Alive"... It all sounds the same"
or in the case of the more polite kids;
"Ah, that was OK, it sounds SO old though"
This is true btw, I've heard alot of blues based styles of music referred to by some of the younger generation as boring. So styles and aesthetics evolve with or without us. Traditional rock might be history, but rock hasn't really died, because the term "rock" seems to always get salvaged somehow, but the style keeps evolving. Which is why when I taught, it was crucial I designated "CLASSIC rock, and blues styles" of music, and even today, THAT'S not specific enough.
So I'll tell you where *I* personally come from in terms of listening preference, since this is more along the lines of what you are asking. I'm a few years younger Russ, 50 in a few months. I don't miss Elvis, Buddy Holly, Everly bros., yet I don't wish I grew up in the 50's musically.. To me there wasn't as broad a base to listen to as when the british invasion moved in, and Motown was competing with some of that for airplay. To me the 60's was "where it was at"
Again, naturally this is JUST my opinion
because what *we individually* listened to while growing up is what has emotional value, and memories associated with it, it becomes more than just background music, it often becomes filled with emotional value and then memories of experiences, Nostalgia for OUR OWN past. Yet even today, regarding just music style alone, some of these young musicians might surprise us, and actually turn-out a classic rock style song. Creed did this with Weathered.. That's classic Rock style. Now while I gained some respect for Creed in recognising they were capable of also playing other styles, I also read some of the younger Creed fans reviews;
"That song is boring dude, even more insipid than that ancient Bon Jovi song Dead or Alive, it sucks"
ADDED IN:
In terms of "having to quit listening after a certain point". I never had to. What we refer to now as "classic rock" never really fell off've the face of radio play in my geographic listening areas. Disco did replace "classic rock" styles in terms of what was presented on "Top 40" somewhat in 1975, but classic rock always remained popular, and many stations still favored it (at least in the Northeast). Also late 70's VanHalen emerged to Rock, (even though Anita Ward was still doing stuff like "you can ring my bell" and other disco songs were being hammered out left and right simulataneously -during that period). In the 80's when British Invasion style rock started to become more of a past memory, Dire Straits emerged, and MTV made rock pretty interesting, 80's listening wasn't as exciting to me as 60's and 70's decades were, but the content was tolerable.. Arc Angels, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Black Crowes, Tesla were around, and quite tolerable to those of us that liked Rock and Blues... 90's took the biggest turn, however around the mid 80's on, big, and new names in fusion guitar started emerging; and that's also around the time older styles re-emerged, "Classic Rock" airplay picked up, and "Classic Rock Oldies" (the rock of my school days), became the popular FM stations, and there was abit of a resurgence of that style. (I did however abandon "top 40" to an extent, yet still listen out've curiousity at times, eminem and alot of that style isn't my listening preference)
So from the perspective of a person a few years younger, Russ... I never had to abandon FM radio in my geographic areas all together. What I liked to listen to, was always offered. Some of the ballads I liked became "Easy listening", (Buffet, JT, Chapin, Lightfoot) Most other heavier stuff, "Classic Rock Oldies" but it's all still available today. On a few stations, at any given time. More available if a person has cable.
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