The science behind why old people hate new music (2024)

FAQs

The science behind why old people hate new music? ›

There is an actual psychological reason behind why this happens and it's called the 'mere exposure effect'. It means more exposure to anything creates comfort and likeness towards it. As people grow older, their taste keeps changing with time and is finally set. After that their relationship with music gets skewed.

These same researchers point to age-related changes to hearing acuity – specifically a lowering tolerance for loud and high-frequency sound – as one cause for a reduced interest in new music for some people.

These same researchers point to age-related changes to hearing acuity — specifically a lowering tolerance for loud and high-frequency sound — as one cause for a reduced interest in new music for some people.

Three in ten older adults (30%) said that lack of time limits how much they listen to music. Other limits included lack of interest (12%); health factors (e.g., limited mobility, changes in dexterity, vision/hearing impairments, pain) (3%); and lack of access (3%).

After analyzing playlists and listening data, the study found that people stop discovering new music at age 33. Discovering Pearl Jam at 35-years-old or falling in love with some James Taylor tracks doesn't count—this study is focusing on new music you'd currently find on the Billboard charts.

Learning and practicing music could contribute to a reduction in typical age-related cognitive decline. Music is an extremely powerful tool for memory enhancement in both general and clinical populations.

Listening to old music can be like taking a trip down memory lane. It can also help us to appreciate how far we've come since then. Also, as we mentioned, old music often sounds better than new music. This is because it was recorded on analog equipment, which gives it a warmer, more natural sound.

There's evidence that the brain's ability to make subtle distinctions between different chords, rhythms and melodies gets worse with age. So to older people, newer, less familiar songs might all “sound the same.”

If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.

For some people, musical anhedonia is a life-long trait, while in other cases it may be a response to trauma or a symptom of disorders like depression (“it's not a disorder in and of itself,” clarifies Professor Scott.) It could be something that changes over time, or something you're stuck with.

Why do people stop looking for new music? ›

Some interpret the observed decline in music engagement in terms of psychosocial maturation. Adolescents use music as an identity marker and engage with it to navigate social circles. Adults have developed personalities and established social groups. As such, drivers to engage with new music are lessened.

Singers Who Started Late

But many performers have proved that with dedication, commitment and hard work they can achieve their goals. No matter how old they are when they get started. Age is not a barrier to being a good singer.

For some people, musical anhedonia is a life-long trait, while in other cases it may be a response to trauma or a symptom of disorders like depression (“it's not a disorder in and of itself,” clarifies Professor Scott.) It could be something that changes over time, or something you're stuck with.

The older adult population go through the natural process of hearing loss. Years of exposure to sound have a damaging effect on the tiny hair-like features of the inner ear. The damage done to the inner ear tends to have the earliest and most significant effect on receptivity to high-pitched sounds.

The researchers concluded that music preferences are strongly associated with personality, age, and status in life. As a result, your taste in music changes over time.