A little out of touch

VIEWPOINT

By RALPH HARDIN

Evening Times Editor

OK, so I’m 50 now, and I get it that I’m not really the target demographic for the music industry, but it’s probably time to admit that I might just be a little too out of touch with the current state of popular music.

I’m a “list guy” and proud of it. Since I can remember, I’ve been into making lists of things like my favorite movies, my all-time favorite songs and that kind of thing. I have a ranking system for just about anything that can be ranked, which has included everything from super-heroes to restaurants.

So, the first time I can really remember paying attention to the Top Songs of the Year countdowns was in 1982, as I watched Dick Clark or someone like that counting down the top songs of that particular year on New Year’s Eve. I would have been nine years old at the time. I distinctly remember songs like “Jack and Diane” by John Cougar Mellancamp and “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor and “Electric Avenue” by Eddie Grant being on the list.

I was sleeping over at a friend’s house and his Mom was letting us stay up until midnight, and while my friend wanted to play with our Star Wars toys, I got really caught up in finding out

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what the No. 1 song of 1982 was, only to be quite disappointed to find out it was “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John. I don’t know what I was hoping for but that wasn’t it.

But most years since then, I’ve probably made at least some effort to find out what the top hit single was for the year. This year was no exception. Turns out it was “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, followed by “Antihero” by Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night.” I did, at least know who all of those people are and knew of those songs.

But as I scrolled through the rest of the list Billboard Magazine put out, I was bemused to see so many unfamiliar names and song titles. I guess I’ve gotten spoiled by streaming services that just play the songs I ask them to.

There were a few more I knew like Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish… but Boygenius? Laufey? SZA was a fun one, as my daughter scoffed at the way only young people can scoff at old people and sad, “It’s pronounced ‘Siz-Zah’ as if I was supposed to know that.

Other acts on the list (and this is still in the Top 20, so these were big hits) included 100 Gecs, Gunna, Sexyy Redd (her spelling, not mine), and Ryan Gosling… who I actually do know… for acting. Apparently his song “I’m Just Ken” from the “Barbie” movie was a smash single. Who knew?

It was nice to see some familiar names further down, like Jason Isbell, Paul Simon, Christ Stapleton and Paramore, but I’m definitely behind the curve, over here slowly turning to dust…