I noticed recently that my current listening habits are barely recognizable given what I listened to in high school.
Granted, that shouldn't be that much of a shock, but what surprised me is how little moved I am now by songs - some objectively good ones, even - that seemed to define big parts of my life at the time.
Take Incubus, for example. I had Morning View on repeat for at least an entire year of high school - and now it's been several years since I last heard it. The last album or two haven't been worth more than one listen.
Jimmy Eat World is a similar case. They were the soundtrack to my college life. Aside from a brief love affair with Chase This Light during the rock-bottom of my time in Japan, I haven't heard much out of them lately either (though that will likely change with a new album around the corner).
The same thing could be said for John Mayer, I suppose. I was a huge, huge fan in late high school and early college. Now, his live DVD following his third album appeared from Netflix, and after staring at the envelope for a week I sent it back without watching. Just not interested anymore. I don't think he's capable of moving me anymore. I couldn't watch that DVD, dated one or two years ago, and get past the subsequent crappy album or his impending collapse as a tabloid fodder kind of celebrity.
Looking back, I think those correlated much better with more topsy-turvy times. High school exists only to stress you out, and college just comes with identity crises and other such inconsistencies out of the box. The raw edge of the first two bands and Mayer's self-aware, moment-in-time mellowness were a good fit for those days.
Can I be moved anymore? Life is about as comfortable as it could be lately. I've spent the last couple of years enjoying pretty much everything. There's no danger, no topsy-turvi-ness, and stress is short-lived.
I went to concerts for all three of those artists when I was younger. Would I still go to another concert of theirs tomorrow? Hard to say.
In fairness, there are some things I've listened to ever since high school. Basement Jaxx seem to get better and better, for one. Daft Punk are established makers of classics by now. BT's latest rekindled something that had been neglected for years. And the hip-hop habit I was introduced to in mid-college is still going strong.
It makes me wonder how long I'll listen to what's on heavy rotation now. It's been a great four years of Nujabes, but since he's passed away he won't have any new works coming. iTunes tells me I'm really into Specifics and The Sushi Club - been listening for 1 and 4 years, respectively, and I have no idea when either of those guys will crank out anything new either.
Is it a sign that I need a new adventure? Another stress test in a foreign land? I can't kick my feet up forever, you know. Maybe Jimmy Eat World needs me back - or, more accurately, maybe I need them back and I don't even know it.