The Older I Get, The Weirder My Playlist Gets

Episode 14: The Older I Get, The Weirder My Playlist Gets

Ever realize your playlist starts making less sense to everyone else… but somehow makes more sense to you?

In this episode of Mostly Me, Occasionally Wise, Brian talks about how music changes as we get older and how certain albums and artists become attached to different chapters of our lives.

We dive into the records that shaped us growing up, the artists we never thought we'd end up loving, and how becoming a dad somehow changes the way music hits you emotionally.

From The Offspring and Poison to country music, Sam Cooke, and Chris Stapleton, this episode turns into a fun conversation about nostalgia, growing up, and the weird journey of realizing your playlist has become complete chaos.

In this episode:

• Albums that shaped my life
• Music I never thought I’d actually enjoy
• Why your playlist changes as you get older
• Songs that instantly take you back in time
• How becoming a dad changed the way I hear music

Question for listeners:

What song or album instantly takes you back to a specific moment in your life?

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You know you're getting older when your playlist starts confusing even you. Like one minute I'm listening to The Offspring, and then suddenly I'm emotionally invested in a Chris Stapleton song while driving home from the grocery store. And somehow after that I'm listening to Sam Cook like I've lived through three divorces and a factory shutdown. I don't even know who I am anymore. And the craziest part is I used to make fun of some of the music I love now. Country music, I didn't get it. Older music, I didn't appreciate it. And now I'm over here talking about songwriting and vocal emotion like a tired dad music critic. Somewhere along the way, your playlist stops being about looking cool and starts becoming therapy. And honestly, I kind of love it. Welcome back to Mostly Me, Occasionally Wise, the podcast where we talk about dad life, real life, pop culture, and of course, we occasionally stumble into wisdom completely by accident. I'm your host, Brian, and today we're talking about something that honestly surprised me as I got older. My music taste has become so confusing. Like at one point in life, I thought I had myself figured out musically. I really, really did. I knew what I liked, I knew what I hated, and I definitely knew the kind of music I would never listen to. So we fast forward a few years, and now I'm driving around emotionally connected to songs that I would have roasted my younger self for listening to. I've become that guy that says, Man, this song has got some meaning to it. And that's dangerous territory. And somewhere along the way, your playlist stops being about looking cool. It really does, and it starts to focus more on the timeline of your life. So today we're talking about the records that shaped me, the music we never expected to enjoy, and how your taste completely changes as you get older. And honestly, I think becoming a parent changes it even more. And speaking of music completely changing as you get older, I had a moment this week that made me realize just how weird my playlist has become as a dad. Let's talk about that in a dad life debrief. If you're new to the podcast, dad life debrief is just an opportunity for you as the listener to get to know me outside the radio airwaves, how my week goes leading up into recording a new episode of the podcast. Before we get into the musical taste of my four-year-old, which I adore and love, I want to brag a little bit on my 13-year-old. This week he graduated middle school. He will be going to junior high starting in August for the next school year. I talk a lot about my struggles as a parent and trying to understand my 13-year-old son. And a lot of doubt creeps in sometimes. I doubt myself a lot. Then there are magical moments that occur, like the middle school graduation. And as he's walking to get his certificate, you realize, okay, I'm doing something right. The knowledge that I'm putting into him, the lessons that I'm teaching him, something's sticking. And yes, as a parent, you want to pat yourself on the back, and you know, you do. But at the same time, after he's received his certificate, and then he goes and hangs out with his two best friends, and he's smiling and laughing, you realize, okay, me doubting myself, those nights where I've lost a lot of sleep because I was just beating myself up about something that I did earlier in the day. Seeing him smiling and laughing and just enjoying the moment, it really puts things in perspective for you as a parent. It makes you realize I'm I am doing a great job. I'm doing something right. And for my son, he may be listening. I'm still still kind of uncool at the moment. But if you are listening, your mom and I are so proud of you. The the things that you have accomplished. And then graduating middle school, moving on to junior high, you're growing up. And it I'm so proud of that, but at the same time, it breaks my heart because I remember you being 11 and you know, moving in with us and just being this little kid, and now you're a young man. And you're starting to mature and create memories with your best friends and just in your life in general. I am so proud of you, bud. I really, really am. Ah man. It's just it's just crazy to think about how how life just goes by so quickly. It really does. So to my 13-year-old, I am so, so proud of you. Keep up the amazing work. We're gonna have so much fun this summer, and I just can't wait to just get into the full swing of things with you this summer. And I just I love you. So let's talk about the musical taste of my four-year-old. So I was driving, you know, with my son. I had just picked him up from preschool, and we were listening to a playlist that I had created. And and, you know, one of the older songs that I just love and enjoy came on, and I started turning, you know, blasting it out a little bit. I turned, I didn't turn it all the way up, of course, because I didn't want to, you know, I don't want to make my kid deaf. And for a second, I was back to the memory that that conjures up with listening to that song. And and you know what I mean, because suddenly you're not an adult with responsibilities anymore, and you're just a teenager with terrible gas mileage and zero back pain, obviously. And then reality kicks in because from the back seat, you know, you hear your four-year-old saying, Can we listen to jingle bells? And of course, I love Christmas. Christmas is my second favorite holiday besides Halloween. And it made me realize that's where I'm at in life now. You know, my my Spotify algorithm has completely no clue who I am anymore because it's like 90s rock, sad acoustic song, old country, then there's a podcast, and suddenly it's Frank Sinatra's jingle bells or the stray cat and the stray cat strut. I mean, I'm I'm emotionally unstable in traffic. And an and another thing I realized this week is the older you get, the more music becomes attached to the memories instead of trend. You know, songs become time machines. They they really do. You hear one chorus and suddenly you remember a summer night, an old friend, your first apartment, the times you got in trouble, a moment you completely forgot existed. And man, that that's powerful. It really, really is. And that's the thing about music. Certain songs just don't rem remind you of memories, they remind you of versions of yourself. Which brings me to the albums that honestly helped shape a huge part of my life growing up. Now, everybody has certain albums they base, you know, that are basically chapters of their life, not just songs that you liked. I mean, these albums are albums that you wore out. The kind where you knew every lyric, listened front to back with no skips, and honestly thought those artists completely understood your life better than you did. And it's funny because when you hear those albums years later, you instantly are transported back to who you were when you first heard them. And for me, there are three albums that instantly come to mind. The first one, open up and say, Ah, by poison. Before I get into this, I shouldn't have been listening to this album as young as I was. But this album is pure energy, it's loud, it's fun, and and it doesn't apologize for what it is. And and at that point in my life, this kind of music felt cool. Songs like Nothing But a Good Time, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, my personal favorite, Fallen Angel. Man, those songs just stick with you. And what's funny about when you're younger, you mostly connect with the attitude of an album. You you're sitting, you're not just sitting there analyzing the lyrics. You just know you feel something when you're listening to this. This record reminds me of being younger when music was all about turning it up too loud, driving around, getting into trouble, and thinking life was way simpler than it actually was, obviously. And honestly, even now, when I hear those songs, there's still something fun about them, and you can't not sing along. Then there's Americana by the offspring. This album absolutely owned a period in my life. This was one of those records where every song felt like it had personality, it had humor, chaos, energy, and somehow still had songs that actually said something underneath all the craziness. And let's be honest, if you grew up listening to The Offspring, there's a good chance you were screaming lyrics. You probably shouldn't have been screaming at your age. And and this album just felt rebellious in the best way. It was a soundtrack for hanging out with your friends, acting dumb, laughing constantly, and not overthinking life yet. And honestly, Americana still holds up. It really does. The older I get, the more I appreciate albums that knew exactly what they wanted to be. And this record had so much confidence. Now, this next one is where you can really tell how your music changes when you get older. Dreamboat Annie by Heart. Top five favorite album of all time. Younger me probably wouldn't have appreciated this album the same way I do now. But man, the older I get, the more I love records like this. There's something timeless about it. It's calmer, it's more layered, it's more emotional. And now I actually pay attention to the vocals, the songwriting, the atmosphere, the lyrics way more than I used to. Back in the day, I mostly wanted music that punched you in the face immediately. And now sometimes I want music that actually breathes a little bit. And albums like Dreamboat Annie hit differently because life experiences change how you hear music. You start appreciating things you never noticed before. And honestly, that's probably the moment you realized your music taste is evolving whether you wanted it to or not. And and honestly, albums like that probably should have warned me what eventually was going to happen. Because somewhere along the way, my music taste changed completely. And now I listen to artists I thought I'd never end up loving. Now, this is where things get dangerous. Because every adult reaches the point where they start liking music they once made fun of. It happens slowly and it happens to all of us. At first we're joking about it, not making a big deal. And then one day you catch yourself saying, You know, this country song is actually pretty good. And suddenly your whole identity is under attack, you're short of breath, you just you feel a little woozy and you have to sit down. Because if you told the younger me I genuinely would love country music someday, I would have laughed directly in your face and then I would have walked away. I used to think country music was trucks, dirt roads, heartbreak, and somebody's somehow always standing in the middle of a field emotionally. And now I'm sitting there like, man, this guy has really been through some stuff. Something changes as you get older. You start appreciating storytelling more. And honestly, country music does storytelling better than almost any genre. The older I get, I I connect more with songs that pertain to family, growing older, working hard, slowing down, and realizing how fast life moves, especially after becoming a dad. Those songs hit differently now. And the craziest part is, is I didn't even realize it was happening. At first it was just one song, then suddenly my Spotify starts recommending more country. Then one day you realize, wait a minute, I've actually got a country playlist now. And that's a life-changing realization right there. And honestly, one of the artists that really pulled me deeper into country music was Chris Stapleton. I am a lifelong member of the Church of Stapleton because Chris Stapleton doesn't just sing songs. That dude feels every word. The first time I really sat down and listened to him, I finally understood why people connect so deeply with country music. It's raw, it's honest, it's emotional without trying too hard. And his voice sounds like somebody who has just lived some life. Songs about love, regret, slowing down, family, and trying to figure out life, those hit harder than you those hit harder the older you get. Especially you know, like I said, especially after becoming a parent. And that that's another thing I never expected. The older I got, the more I appreciate authenticity in music, not perfection, not trend, just real emotion. And Chris Stapleton absolutely has that. And that's not just country music either. The older I get, the more I've started appreciating older artists. I probably wouldn't have fully understood when I was younger. Like Sam Cook. Man, Sam Cook's songs just feel timeless. When you're younger, sometimes you can only hear the surface of music. But as you get older, you start hearing emotions differently. The vocal, the storytelling, the stuff, the soul behind it. Songs like A Change is gonna come or bring it on home to me, hit differently once you've lived life a little. And then there's Dion and the Belmont. That style of music used to feel old to me when I was younger, and now I hear it completely differently. There's something simple and honest about those songs that really stick with you. And honestly, I think getting older makes you appreciate music history more. You realize great music stays great no matter how long time passes. And look, I love rock music. I still love the albums that shaped me growing up. But now my playlist has evolved into complete chaos. It really has. One minute is the offspring, the next minute it's an in, you know, it's an emotional country song about raising kids and appreciating life. And somehow both feel equally important now. I I think getting older makes you stop caring about whether music is cool. You just care whether it connects with you. And honestly, that's probably the best part about getting older musically. You stop listening to impress people and start listening because it genuinely remain it genuinely means something to you. You know what nobody warns you about? Your playlist starts aging with you, and honestly, it becomes all over the place. At this point, my music taste makes absolutely no sense. One minute is classic rock, it's hip-hop, it's an emotional acoustic song. Then sometimes it's a podcast, and then you throw in a song that my kids love, and then you you know, the next thing you know, you're listening to something that's like set that sounds like it belongs in a retirement home coffee shop. And and somehow I love all of it. And that's the weird thing about getting older. Your your playlist stops making sense to other people, but somehow makes more sense to you. Because now my music rotation can go from the offspring, country music, heart, Sam Cook, Dionna Belmont, Chris Stapleton, and somehow it all fits together in my brain. You stop listening by genre, and you start listening based on feeling. That's a huge difference. I think getting older makes you less worried about what music says about you. Because when you're younger, music, you know, music feels tied to identity. You want your playlist to, you know, to look cool. But now I I really don't care anymore. If a song is good, it's good. I've reached a stage of life where I'll hear an old song in the grocery store and think, hold on, this is actually a masterpiece. That's when you know adulthood has fully got you. And honestly, I love every second of it because music becomes less about impressing people and more about connecting with the moments in your life. And once music becomes connected to your life like that, certain songs stop being just songs, they become memories. And everyone has a few songs that can instantly take them somewhere. All right, rapid fire time. Everyone has songs that instantly transport them somewhere. You hear five seconds and suddenly you're back in high school or summer break, your first job, a relationship, a random road trip, or just a simpler season of life. And it's crazy how fast music unlocks that memory. Sometimes it's it may not even be a song you particularly loved. It just existed during an important part of your life. And now it carries that entire season of your life inside of it. And that's why music sticks with people forever. It's like an emotional storage. And and and now I'm curious what songs my kids will someone someday hear and instantly think about their childhood. Will it be a song I played in a car? Will it be a random cartoon song? I hope that it's not Baby Shark, because I honestly refuse to let that be my legacy. But that's really the magic of music, isn't it? A three-minute song can somehow hold entire years of your life inside it. And the older I get, the more I appreciate it, the more I appreciate it. This was a fun one today, because music really does become the soundtrack of your life. And the older I get, the more I realize your playlists tell the story of who you were, who you become, and what has mattered the most to you along the way. Even if it includes cartoon songs, random guilty pleasures, and country music you swore you'd never listen to. I want to thank you for hanging out with me today on Mostly Me Occasionally Wise. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone whose playlist has also become completely unexplainable. Also, I'd love to hear, I'd love to hear from you. What song or album instantly takes you back to a specific moment in your life? You can reach out to us on the Facebook page, Mostly Me Occasionally Wise, or send us an email at mostlymecontact at gmail.com. Seriously, send us your favorite albums, the songs that shaped you, or artists you honestly thought you'd never end up loving. I'd love to hear it. Until next time, keep surviving dad life, keep laughing through the chaos, keep the music loud enough to feel something, and remember, stay mostly you occasionally wise.