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Displaced Youth: 8 Pros and Cons of Being a Millennial “Classic Rock” Fan

When you think of the typical mid-century music fan, who comes to mind? Probably someone in their mid-50s to early 70s who’s been there, done that, and yes, bought the t-shirt which now has a few well-earned holes and severely faded silkscreened tour dates. Someone who can tell you about that time they saw Led Zeppelin in concert and how amazing it really was, who can show you their battered LPs that were played endlessly in their youth, who still has ticket stubs that read “$5.74” as the price of admission, and who has a musical memory like the back-catalog at a now-defunct radio station.

But would you picture someone born in the between the mid-‘80s to mid-‘90s? Someone who grew up with personal computers, in the age of iPods, Starbucks, and auto-tune? Someone who wasn’t even a twinkle in their parents’ adolescent eyes when these music groups first set out to conquer the music industry?

Probably not. But that’s okay.

Being a 20-something and loving “classic rock” is what I know best, and thanks to the Information Age, I’ve met countless other next-generation fans who share my interest in established music artists. There are large communities of us, in fact, sharing our passion on social media sites like Tumblr and Facebook, who Instagram our record store finds, and freak out when a tour comes to our neck of the woods, like any other fan. Occasionally we run into some raised eyebrows when we discuss our tastes, both from young and old alike. And sometimes being a “classic rock” fan means accepting some unfortunate realities.

The Classic Rock Confessions blog on Tumblr is an anonymous way for (mostly) Millennials and younger fans to express their thoughts and feelings about music. (Photo via classicrockconfessions.tumblr.com)

Obviously, there are good and bad points to everything, and loving the music you love is no different. Here is a compilation of the pros and cons of being a Millennial throwback fanatic for you to enjoy.

Pro: You have a cornucopia of resources to learn about “classic rock”

We Millennials grew up with access to our parents’ records (assuming these collections weren’t destroyed, lost, or thrown out), listened to the “oldies” radio stations on the car ride home from school, and watched PBS retro-specials that our folks turned on during donation seasons (which is just about every month nowadays, or so it seems). Our parents were often responsible for cultivating our interests and making us into the fans we are today. Team that up with the benefit of the Internet, which allows us to access almost any information on bands, from songs and videos to biographies, photo archives, and articles. We’ve really got a great deal going on.

Con: Record collecting is an expensive endeavor

So you’ve got some of your parents’ old records, but they don’t have everything you want. You start looking to build upon the foundation they’ve started. You take trips to local record shops, hunt thrift stores, and scour flea markets. But then you realize the records you really want are hard to find in playable condition, and you turn to the wonderful world of eBay to solve your problem. TWO HUNDRED-FIFTY DOLLARS FOR AN ORIGINAL THE VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY??? Completing your collection just became a life-long mission and despite your current youth, you might never achieve it. You could always buy a reissue, but your vintage-loving soul just won’t have it. #firstworldretroproblems

Pro: Seasoned fans see you as a saving grace

If you find yourself becoming a hardcore fan of a certain artist by visiting online forums, pages, going to shows frequently, etc., you end up meeting a lot of fans, both online and in person. Most of these people are probably older fans, and it’s very likely that they will not only be impressed by your good taste in music, but they will likely adopt you wholeheartedly into the fan community. Following a tour with a lot of fans your parents’ age means that you’ll be mothered and fathered endlessly. You’re the baby, you’re the light, you’re the one who wants to hear the stories from the past and revel in their rock ‘n’ roll memories. You’re the proof that their music means something. You become the beacon of hope for generations to come, the legacy that will keep the music alive. You become the surrogate child of the fandom. And it’s pretty great, really. But more importantly, Millennials can meet some pretty amazing people with awesome recollections. Listen to the stories and take it to heart. These people are the passport to your favorite music and the experience of being a fan “back in the day.”

Con: Older fans question your legitimacy as a fan

Of course, there are some older fans who will scoff at your interest. You “weren’t there” so you “don’t really know” what it’s like to have grown up listening to that music and going to those concerts. Your opinion is often devalued because you don’t match what they expect a classic rock fan should be. You’re expected to have little-to-no knowledge about bands, albums, songs, etc. and they will always know more than you. BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE, MAN! If there’s one term I absolutely despise that is often thrown around, it’s “real fan.” The only thing that should make Millennials, or anyone for that matter, a “real fan” is liking certain music. Not how many concerts they’ve been to, when they started being a fan, or how big their record and memorabilia collections are.

And the stigma of being a Millennial is no help. “Oh, do you listen to them on your iPod?” “Do you even know what a record is?” I’m sorry that current technology somehow negates the fact that I like a band. Nothing like a dose of music elitism to encourage your interests.

Pro: Many bands and artists still tour

Millennial fans are still in a pretty sweet spot when it comes to the music artists we enjoy. So many artists still make new music and go out on tour promoting it as well as playing the old hits. The Rolling Stones hit the road every few years, touring across the globe. McCartney and Starr just don’t seem to have an off-switch. The Who have just started their seemingly eight-millionth farewell tour. There are tons of multi-group tours that go around showcasing some popular artists, such as the British Invasion tour, which we’ve covered here on REBEAT, or the Happy Together tour, which goes out every summer. Some of these acts still manage to headline massive music festivals, or at least appear near the top of the bill, such as Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters playing Bonnaroo or Fleetwood Mac at Isle of Wight  this year, or countless other artists in the past few years such as Neil Young & Crazy Horse last year at British Summer Time at Hyde Park.

And there are constant rumors of certain acts going back out after years of supposed retirement and never-ending whispers of possible reunions (I’m looking at you, Ray and Dave Davies. C’mon now.)

Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan still perform as the Turtles on the Happy Together Tour. (Photo via tammileetips.com)

Con: Many bands will never tour again

Of course, my generation has missed out on some pretty amazing live experiences. Despite the endless rumor mill, it’s unlikely that I will ever get to see Led Zeppelin tour. Their one-off reunion at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in 2007 was probably the only opportunity for anyone born after 1980 to see the band (and of course, incomplete at that). The unfortunate reality that our music heroes are mere mortals is the most pertinent reason that my generation is on the losing end of the mid-century stick. So many great artists have passed, leaving bands we love incapable of going out as they were, and some acts that still use the original name are missing key players. We will never see the Beatles or know the Jimi Hendrix Experience. And of course, we’re constantly losing artists every year. While these losses to the music world affect every fan, no matter what generation, for Millennials it’s like a child being given a brand new toy that quickly becomes their favorite, only to have it taken away the next day.

Pro: You feel part of a special community of youths

It’s one thing to become friends with the older generation of music fans, but it’s another to meet someone your own age who has similar music taste. It’s easy to find a fellow 20-something who listens to Beyonce, Muse, or Foo Fighters. It’s another to find someone who knows who Steve Marriott was or who understands why Yes is amazing as much as you. No matter how many older fans you befriend, you always feel a little out-of-place until you can find someone your age who loves the same bands with the same ardour as you. Thankfully, the Internet and social media make that a bit easier. And although it can still hurt to have your music-soulmate living across the country, or perhaps an ocean away, having that connection with another Millennial is a wonderful thing. In fact, REBEAT can partially owe its creation to social media bringing together several young fans who met and shared their love for mid-century music, fashion, etc.

Con: You need to restrain yourself from an elitist attitude

Would you judge this girl? (Photo via forever21.com)

Related to my earlier remarks on boomer-generations doubting fan-credibility for Millennials, we’re just as culpable when it comes to judging our own generation. We may not like to admit it, but I’d like to meet a mid-century music fan who hasn’t occasionally thought that the rest of our generation should be listening to “real music” like we do, or who hasn’t thrown some serious shade at a 16-year-old wearing a Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt thinking, “God, I bet they don’t even know what Ummagumma is!” Whether we like it or not, we’ve all been guilty every now-and-then of assuming that we know better than the next person and that someone just discovering a band that we only started listening to a year or two before isn’t as cool as us. Perhaps we have more hipster in us than we’d like to confess.

We sometimes equate retro taste in music, movies, fashion, etc. with being cultured and therefore peers who like current pop culture are somehow not as worldly as we think of ourselves. Guess what? Taste in anything is subjective and personal. And to my fellow throwback Millennials, don’t ever let your retro interests keep you from liking anything more current as well. You can be a huge Monkees fan and still enjoy Lady Gaga if you want. You can like rap and country and still dress like a Mod. You can appreciate the beauty of a vinyl record while toting your iPod. You’re certainly not required to like contemporary artists, but you’re not fundamentally restricted from exploring and enjoying current trends either.

Are you a Millennial mid-century music fan? Tell us some of your own pros and cons in the comments!

Jen Cunningham
Jen Cunningham is an editor in the puzzle-publishing industry, an amateur artist, and Anglophile hailing from New York. She was raised on good ol' British rock and the smell of vinyl records. When she's not working, she enjoys going to concerts, playing tabletop games, and making unfortunate puns.
  • Sarah Stacey

    Fantastic piece, Jen! You pretty much summed up the whole experience of younger fans perfectly. I can relate to all of this.

  • John Sheridan

    Back about 15 years ago Plant & Page toured together. I, born in 58, and my wife, born in 70 went to the United Center in Chicago to see them. I was shocked at the wide range of ages there. There were sixthysomethings and teens. The concert was great, of course, but when they went into the LZ catalog the place went wild. Definitely one of the best concerts ever. My wife even agreed and she wasn’t a fan of my ‘old’ music.
    I believe that great music transcends generation. There is Classical music I enjoy, George M. Cohan songs, 40’s big band (In the mood), 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, some 90’s and 21st century. I’m not a music expert but I wonder if there are some common elements that create great music. Probably not, since the same music can seem good or bad depending on the performer.