Kids and their music.

Things sure have changed.
Earlier today I was driving with my kids on the way home from picking up Sydney from school. We often listen to the radio while in the car, and we always try to find "good" songs to listen to. Or, I sneak in some sports radio before the realize it's not just a commercial! But as we closed in on home I switched the channel to a station that plays light rock and I heard the unmistakable sound of a guitar being struck in an unforgettable tone. It was the first note of "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. Just hearing that one note brought back a really cool memory for me. I was a really big Michael Jackson fan when I was younger(and still am if you must know.) Now, I don't agree with a lot of his behavior, but that's beside the point. I loved his music, and hearing that song brought back the sense of excitement I would get whenever that song would come on the radio. In today's world you can pretty much hear any song you want, whenever you want to. Back when I was growing up you were resigned to hearing it on the radio, or if you were lucky enough to have bought the tape(8-track, or later cassette.) I guess you could get REALLY lucky and record the song on your blank cassette tape and hear the grainy version of it and everything else that was going on in your house during the recording of the song. But it wasn't the same. So like I said, I would get really excited when "Beat It," or any other song that I really liked would come on the radio, and hearing it recently got me to thinking.
What do kids like today?
I usually don't listen to Top 40 radio channels anymore due to the fact that I can't stand what I hear on them. I know that sounds like something an old dude would say, but it's true. I just don't hear anything that I find tasteful anymore. A lot of the music nowadays is heavily tilted towards sex, or drugs, or violence. I just don't understand why that is either. My daughter, again she is only four, made the comment that she really liked Lady GaGa, and my wife and I put the kibosh on that right away. We told her that there is only one of her songs that she is allowed to listen to. I just don't find it appropriate for a child to listen to what Lady GaGa has to say. And the thing is, Lady GaGa is not alone in her message. It's everywhere. It goes back to a post I did a while back in that we as a society are desensitized to what we see and hear anymore. Kids don't know any different, so they think that hearing some song with sexual innuendo is the norm, and that it's okay to hear. I have a hard time accepting that. We purchased a "Phineas and Ferb" soundtrack CD and we listen to that a lot anymore. I know every song word for word because we listen to it so much, and I might be getting a little sick of it, but it's better than subjecting my kids to the crap that's out there now.
Nothing original.
The biggest problem I have with the music today is that it seems like none of it is original anymore. No one has new ideas. They take older songs and remake them with different lyrics. In essence, ruining the song! It's like everything has been done already, so they just steal older artist's ideas and call them their own. I will say this about Lady GaGa, I complain about there being nothing original, but she sure is. At least she has that going for her.
Alright, I'll come down off of my rant now and let everyone get back to enjoying their own taste in music, weather it new or old. I have however included this link to one of my favorite songs of all time, and I hope you enjoy it. I also hope that there are songs out there that take you back like this one did for me.
Thanks, and have a great day.