Hey, what’s new? In music. Certainly not 90 percent of my Spotify music choices. I’m man enough to realize that maybe the problem is me. Have I not tried to find new music as I’ve aged? Or am I just burdened by buying so many awesome cassette tapes in the 70s and 80s and CDs in the 90s that this whole new century (so far) can’t compare?

From a sheer number of years, 1976 - 1999 vs 2000 - 2024 is a fair fight. I can’t fight brain biology, so everything that was burned into my mind as a younger person is really burned in. On the other hand, access to music this century is easier and less expensive.

Since I had nothing to do this evening (I’m waiting for paint to dry), I made a list of musicians who rose to fame this century. I looked far and wide, to make sure I wasn’t excluding anyone. Heck, I even listened to a Radiohead album. I scoured my Liked songs and playlists in Spotify.

Here is my unedited/unordered list of bands/performers (this doesn’t include “One Hit Wonder” types. I’m looking for staying power.)
Shins/Broken Bells
Alt-J
My Morning Jacket
Death Cab For Cutie
John Mayer
Chris Stapleton
Alvvays
Pete Yorn
Ryan Adams
War on Drugs
Luke Combs
Khruangbin
Courtney Barnett
Mark Knopfler (post Dire Straits)
Brothers Osborne
Foo Fighters
Kings of Leon
Coldplay
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Green Day
White Stripes
U2
Pearl Jam

You may have noticed the Coldplay Parachutes image. That album was released in 2000. A Rush of Blood to the Head followed in 2002. Both of these albums are stacked with great songs. Nothing needs to be skipped. American Idiot by Green Day is similarly good. Mark Knopfler made an album with Emmylou Harris called All the Roadrunning in 2006. I listen to this all the time still. If I can’t sleep, I play An Awesome Wave by Alt-J. Puts me away every time.

I have lots of songs from John Mayer, Ryan Adams and Death Cab for Cutie in my playlists. Possibly just a side effect of being divorced (kidding/not kidding). I have entire playlists of country music now - most of it from this century.

Even after searching, I’m not finding the same quality of entire albums this century. I’m going to blame the iPod. We are in a “song at a time” era. Or maybe it is just me…