Most of my favorite songs being almost an entire decade away before I was born is bizarre. Was it just 80’s nostalgia in the following decades that made it so appealing or was there something in the culture in particular that time had that other decades didn’t?
I think it was the last decade before the culture began to fracture into various silos by cable and internet (and I'm not just talking news, I'm talking about what people watched and were interested in). Most people only had 3 channels and if you had a cable box you maybe had a dozen or two more. People watched the same shows each week, talked about the same things, largely listened to the same music. The final episode of MASH was watched by over 100 million people-- no scripted show will ever see those numbers again; 10 million is considered a smash hit.
When it comes to music, the primary way people received music was MTV and radio (which played whatever was big on MTV). That singular channel was the town square of America's cultural youth and influencers of the day. It was a shared experience.
After that, endless options meant endless streams of differences. People could rally around different styles, ideas, and tastes. The social fabric splintered and has only gotten moreso since. There is no longer a shared cultural experience in the same way, particularly when you can binge something whenever you want. You no longer have to adhere to a schedule or watch things once a week.
Also, have you seen the movie "Weird" about his life? It's a riot. It twists his whole schtick into the idea that HE was the original star and that everyone was leeching off of HIM to try to become famous, especially Madonna. I howled at how funny it was. Check it out.
Coolio was offended by Weird Al's parody "Amish Paradise" but from what Weird Al said, he knew Coolio liked the royalties it provided. I still think that one is his best. You should check out some of the videos-- they're hilarious.
It’s 2 AM and the fear is gone... Perfect for studying while at law school
Most of my favorite songs being almost an entire decade away before I was born is bizarre. Was it just 80’s nostalgia in the following decades that made it so appealing or was there something in the culture in particular that time had that other decades didn’t?
I think it was the last decade before the culture began to fracture into various silos by cable and internet (and I'm not just talking news, I'm talking about what people watched and were interested in). Most people only had 3 channels and if you had a cable box you maybe had a dozen or two more. People watched the same shows each week, talked about the same things, largely listened to the same music. The final episode of MASH was watched by over 100 million people-- no scripted show will ever see those numbers again; 10 million is considered a smash hit.
When it comes to music, the primary way people received music was MTV and radio (which played whatever was big on MTV). That singular channel was the town square of America's cultural youth and influencers of the day. It was a shared experience.
After that, endless options meant endless streams of differences. People could rally around different styles, ideas, and tastes. The social fabric splintered and has only gotten moreso since. There is no longer a shared cultural experience in the same way, particularly when you can binge something whenever you want. You no longer have to adhere to a schedule or watch things once a week.
Also, have you seen the movie "Weird" about his life? It's a riot. It twists his whole schtick into the idea that HE was the original star and that everyone was leeching off of HIM to try to become famous, especially Madonna. I howled at how funny it was. Check it out.
Coolio was offended by Weird Al's parody "Amish Paradise" but from what Weird Al said, he knew Coolio liked the royalties it provided. I still think that one is his best. You should check out some of the videos-- they're hilarious.