Comment by mihaaly

You are right.

Children today can be as conscious music listeners as we, who collected and sought out music of our own in our youth in the 80' and 90'. Or as unfastidious as those listening to top chart hits exclusively (including both Mike Oldfield and Milli Vanilli, whichever is in the top) in our childhood.

Two, possibly related anocdote.

My goddaughter is 12. She is in a revolting phase where difficult to find way to her heart. But we are on the same wavelength and can engage in hours and hours of excited conversation (we are 40 years apart btw.) about music beacuse she listens to those I listened when I was in her age or more. "Today's music sucks", she argues, and we share playlists. Actually I am able to show her those do not suck today but rarely found because you have to broese similar atrists of a similar artist from somthing you found by accident as a background music of a movie. These kind of discovery through huge music databases is great! About the same good as being lost in a huge vinyl/cd shop. You cannot touch, but you can listen!

Another is just interesting, and a reflection to the "todays music suck" kind of oversimplification. But also to how young people can discover their own music. Once in Germany waiting for a tram a loud group of graduating high school student like figures came by shouting the refrain of '99 Luftbalons' while it was playing from an uncomfortably loud boombox. I could not stop smiling thinking of them. : )