Current(ish) Songs for Old(ish) Farts

Cafe Society
1

Over the last couple of years, I keep hearing people in their forties and fifties (and sixties) decrying how there is no good music anymore, there hasn’t been any good music made since the seventies, and at first it sounded a little wrong to me, but as I thought about it more, I realized they were not just a little wrong, but quite spectacularly wrong. In some ways it’s harder to find the good stuff, but in other ways it’s never been easier to get access to all the music you can stand. I’m not sure what exactly Boomers and Gen Xers are talking about when they say things like that; that radio stations aren’t playing good music? Well, yeah, I’ll give them that one. I haven’t listened to the radio in years. But if you think there’s no good music available, you really aren’t looking very hard.

Here’s my list of recommendations for old(ish) farts for music from 1999 to present. I had a hell of a time reducing the list to these 200 or so songs. There’s a little bit of everything in the list; hip hop, rap, R & B, jazz, instrumental, soul, salsa, ska, rock, easy listening, country, metal, and, of course, pop - I skew strongly towards pop, since it’s what I enjoy. I tried to keep it as accessible as possible (leaving out the stranger stuff) - if you can’t find anything on this list worth listening to, I guess you’re doomed to just keep on listening to your old “The Who” albums for the rest of your life. :slight_smile: Most of these songs can be Youtubed. I’ll leave it up to anyone interested to do any links; I’m not that keen.

ps - I tried to get the dates and albums correct; if there are errors, please feel free to point them out.

Name / Album / Artist
Karma / Diary Of Alicia Keys / Alicia Keys
Heartburn / Diary Of Alicia Keys / Alicia Keys
When You Really Love Someone / Diary Of Alicia Keys / Alicia Keys & Lellow
Love Is My Witness / Everybody’s Got A Story / Amanda Marshall
Marry Me / Everybody’s Got A Story / Amanda Marshall
Rehab / Back To Black / Amy Winehouse
Back To Black / Back To Black / Amy Winehouse
Hey Ya! / The Love Below / Andre 3000
Make It Last / The Art Of Love And War / Angie Stone
Frantic / Power Ballads / Aqueduct
Keep the Car Running / Neon Bible / Arcade Fire
White Knuckles / White Knuckles / The Bacon Brothers
Peace Dance / White Knuckles / The Bacon Brothers
Back To The Matter / Root Fire / Bedouin Soundclash
When the Night Feels My Song / Sounding A Mosaic / Bedouin Soundclash
If I Was A Boy / I Am…Sasha Fierce / Beyoncé
Hip Hop Star / Dangerously In Love / Beyoncé Feat. Big Boi and Sleepy Brown
Crazy In Love / Dangerously In Love / Beyoncé Feat. Jay-z
Spaceman / I Bificus / Bif Naked
I Love Myself Today / Purge / Bif Naked
Way You Move / Speakerboxxx / Big Boi Feat. Sleepy Brown
Pump It / Monkey Business / Black Eyed Peas
They Don’t Want Music / Monkey Business / Black Eyed Peas
Union / Monkey Business / Black Eyed Peas
One Month Off / Intimacy / Bloc Party
Equus / Misery Is a Butterfly / Blonde Redhead
Swingin’ / So Blu / Blu Cantrell
So Blu / So Blu / Blu Cantrell
Bulletproof / Palace of Gold / Blue Rodeo
(You Want To) Make A Memory / Lost Highway / Bon Jovi
Astounded / Discosis / Bran Van 3000 Feat. Curtis Mayfield
The Shame Of Life / Weird Revolution / Butthole Surfers
Dracula From Houston / Weird Revolution / Butthole Surfers
I’m A Jerk / Buzzcocks /The Buzzcocks
Song For The Day / Tapes, Breaks and Out-Takes / The Cat Empire
In This Life / What If It All Means Something / Chantal Kreviazuk
Julia / What If It All Means Something / Chantal Kreviazuk
Worked It Out Wrong / Always Got Tonight / Chris Isaak
Notice The Ring / Always Got Tonight / Chris Isaak
I See You Everywhere / Always Got Tonight / Chris Isaak
Hurt / Back To Basics / Christina Aguilera
Candyman / Back To Basics [Disc 2] / Christina Aguilera
Save Me From Myself / Back To Basics [Disc 2] / Christina Aguilera
Oh / BLaZn Sykwitit Vol 27 / Ciara with Ludacris
Clocks / A Rush Of Blood To The Head / Coldplay
Watchin’ The River Flow / Limelight / Colin James
Far Away Like A Radio / Limelight / Colin James
Misplaced Heart / Limelight / Colin James
Speakeasy / Limelight / Colin James
Give Me A Reason / In Blue / The Corrs
Seven Days / Born To Do It / Craig David
Insatiable / Spin / Darren Hayes
Bar-Ba-Sol / David Cook / David Cook
Dangerously In Love / Survivor / Destiny’s Child
Tell Me (feat. Christina Aguilera) / Press Play / Diddy
Old School Love / Divine Brown / Divine Brown
Hanging On Too Long / Rockferry / Duffy
Mercy / Rockferry / Duffy
Bedroom Toys / Astronaut / Duran Duran
Nice / Astronaut / Duran Duran
Latin Soul / Masterpiece Theatre / En Vogue
Call Me When You’re Sober / The Open Door / Evanescence
Dance, Dance / From Under The Cork Tree / Fallout Boy
Paralyzer / Them vs. Me vs. You / Finger Eleven
Low / Mail on Sunday / Flo-Rida
Take Me Out / Franz Ferdinand / Franz Ferdinand
Flathead / Costello Music / The Fratellis
Jump In The Pool / Friendly Fires / Friendly Fires
Crazy / St. Elsewhere / Gnarls Barkley
Life Styles Of The Rich And Famous / The Young And The Hopeless / Good Charlotte
American Idiot / American Idiot / Green Day
Holiday / American Idiot / Green Day
Long Way To Go / Love. Angel. Music. Baby / Gwen Stefani & André 3000
Talk to Me, Dance With Me / Make Up the Breakdown / Hot Hot Heat
Summertime In Void / Blue Green Orange / I Mother Earth
Too Deep / Brown / Ivana Santilli
If Ever I Fall (Part2) {The Heavy Hand Remix} / Brown / Ivana Santilli
Drink the water / Brushfire Fairytales / Jack Johnson
Still Believe In Love / Resurrected / Jacksoul
All Nite (Don’t Stop) / Damita Jo / Janet Jackson
Spotlight / Jennifer Hudson / Jennifer Hudson
Can’t Stop The Rain / Jennifer Hudson / Jennifer Hudson
Are you Gonna Be My Girl / Get Born / Jet
Gravity / Continuum / John Mayer
Sweat of your Brow / This is Me / Jully Black ft. Demarco
SexyBack / FutureSex / LoveSounds / Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
Black Ice - Hymn 4 Disco / Atlantis (Hymns For Disco) / k-os
Man I Used To Be / Joyful Rebellion / k-os
Crabbuckit / Joyful Rebellion / k-os
Empire / The Four Seasons / Kaddisfly
Fire / New Musical Express / Kasabian
Underdog / West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum / Kasabian
You’ll Think Of Me / Golden Road / Keith Urban
All I Ever Wanted / All I Ever Wanted / Kelly Clarkson
Already Gone / All I Ever Wanted / Kelly Clarkson
Let It Rock / In the City / Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil’ Wayne
Picture / Cocky / Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow
Joy Ride / Day & Age / The Killers
Somebody Told Me / Hot Fuss / The Killers
Shadowplay / Sawdust / The Killers
Taper Jean Girl / Aha Shake Heartbreak / Kings Of Leon
Black Horse & The Cherry Tree / Eye to the Telescope / KT Tunstall
Suddenly I See / Eye to the Telescope / KT Tunstall
Smile / Alright, Still / Lily Allen
In The End / Hybrid Theory / Linkin Park
This Love / Songs About Jane / Maroon 5
She Will Be Loved / Songs About Jane / Maroon 5
Blame It On the Girls / The Boy Who Knew Too Much / Mika
Out Of My Head / Tomorrow Starts Today / Mobile
Southside / Play / Moby Feat. Gwen Stefani
Float On / Float On / Modest Mouse
Closer / Year of the Gentleman / Ne-Yo
Powerless (Say What You Want) / Folklore / Nelly Furtado
Showtime / Loose / Nelly Furtado
Somebody To Love / Loose / Nelly Furtado
I’m Like A Bird / Whoa Nelly! / Nelly Furtado
Turn O The Light / Whoa Nelly! / Nelly Furtado
Promiscuous / Loose / Nelly Furtado Feat. Timbaland
Waiting Room / Rock Steady / No Doubt
Don’t Know Why / Come Away With Me / Norah Jones & Michael Bublé
Supersexworld / Abnormal Pleasures / One Ton
I Write Sins Not Tragedies / A Fever You Cant Sweat Out / Panic! At The Disco
Most Girls / Can’t Take Me Home / Pink
Love is Such a Crazy Thing / Can’t Take Me Home / Pink
Gone To California / Missundaztood / Pink
Misery / Missundaztood / Pink Feat. Steven Tyler
Hey There Delilah / All That We Needed / Plain White T’s
Colonized Mind / LOtUSFLOW3R / Prince
$ / LOtUSFLOW3R / Prince
(There’ll Never B) Another Like Me / MPLSoUND / Prince
A Million Days / Musicology / Prince
Cinnamon Girl / Musicology / Prince
Planet Earth / Planet Earth / Prince
Mr. Goodnight / Planet Earth / Prince
Chelsea Rodgers / Planet Earth / Prince
Rainbow Children / The Rainbow Children / Prince
Mellow / The Rainbow Children / Prince
The Everlasting Now / The Rainbow Children / Prince
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold / Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic / Prince
So Far, So Pleased / Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic / Prince With Gwen Stefani
The Sun, The Moon And Stars / Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic / Prince
It’s About That Walk / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale / Prince
She Spoke 2 Me / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale / Prince
5 Women + / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale / Prince
When The Lights Go Down / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale / Prince
There Is Lonely / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale / Prince
Erotic City (unedited!) / The Work Vol. 1 / Prince
Te Amo Corazón / 3121 / Prince
Incense And Candles / 3121 / Prince
The Dance / 3121 / Prince
Hot Show / Hot Show / Prozzak
Lonely American Nights / Saturday People / Prozzäk
Rev 22:20 / Underworld Sountrack / Puscifer
Halo / Doll Domination / The Pussycat Dolls
Right Now / PCD / The Pussycat Dolls
No One Knows / Songs For The Deaf / Queens Of The Stone Age
Moskau / Reise, Reise / Rammstein & Tatu
The Zephyr Song / By The Way / Red Hot Chili Peppers
Throw Away Your Television / By The Way / Red Hot Chili Peppers
Can’t Stop / By The Way / Red Hot Chilli Peppers
The Way I Feel / The Way I Feel / Remy Shand
I Met Your Mercy / The Way I Feel / Remy Shand
Nobody Wants To Be Lonely / / Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera
Private Emotion / Ricky Martin / Ricky Martin Feat. Meja
Kisses Don’t Lie / A Girl Like Me / Rihanna
Disturbia / Good Girl Gone Bad / Rihanna
Don’t Stop The Music / Good Girl Gone Bad / Rihanna
Russian Roulette / Rated R / Rihanna
Pon De Replay / Rihanna / Rihanna
Umbrella / Good Girl Gone Bad / Rihanna ft. Jay-Z
Lonely No More / …Something To Be / Rob Thomas
Brother Down / Brother Down / Sam Roberts
Maria, Maria / Supernatural / Santana
Migra / Supernatural / Santana
El Farol / Supernatural / Santana
Love Of My Life / Supernatural / Santana & Dave Matthews
Winter In July / La Luna / Sarah Brightman
He Doesn’t See Me / La Luna / Sarah Brightman
Take Your Mama Out / Scissor Sisters / Scissor Sisters
I Don’t Feel Like Dancing / Ta Dah / Scissor Sisters
Whenever, Wherever / Laundry Service / Shakira
Timor / Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 / Shakira
Hips Don’t Lie / Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 / Shakira Feat. Wyclef Jean
Juicebox / First Impressions Of Earth / The Strokes
Last Night / Is This It / The Strokes
All The Things She Said / 200Kmh In The WrongLane / Tatu
Hey Boy / Fresh / Teddybears
Yours to Keep / Rock’n’Roll Highschool / Teddybears
New Fang / Them Crooked Vultures / Them Crooked Vultures
Beautiful Day / All That You Can’t Leave Behind / U2
Wild Honey / All That You Can’t Leave Behind / U2
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own / How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb / U2
Love And Peace Or Else / How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb / U2
A Man And A Woman / How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb / U2
Caught Up / Confessions [Special Edition] / Usher
Don’t Listen To The Radio / Vision Valley / The Vines
Take Me Back / Vision Valley / The Vines
Seven Nation Army / Elephant / The White Stripes
Switch / Lost and Found / Will Smith
Woman / Wolfmother EP / Wolfmother

2

As one of those old farts, I agree that they don’t make music like they used to. There are too many artists and too many genres, and some of the stuff played has no chord progression, rhythm, melody, or meter.

In our day, there were no synths, samplers, synclaviers, backing tracks, or auto tunes. You sang/played, or you got your butt off the stage. End of story.

I do like some of your choices, but I hate to point out that two of them are MINE.

Santana is an OLD FART (and I mean that will the highest respect). But he is an example of what I’m talking about. He was making hits before many of the artists you named were reproductive cells in their male parental unit’s pants.

Prince: He is an OLD FART as well (and has a pantsload of unreleased music in the vault). When the artists you mention can continue to write music that moves with the times, I will listen. But very few of the artists you mention have more than five albums (CDs) to their name.

As a test, young whippersnapper (:)), go get a copy of “The Jam” by Larry Graham. If you’re not tapping your feet by the time it’s over, you don’t know music.

-One of the OFs

3

I forgot to post my credentials - I’m 43 years old, and have been listening to pop music for almost 40 years now - this is music for old(ish) farts BY an old(ish) fart. :slight_smile:

4

I’m struggling to figure out what this could be. Lou Reeds Metal Machine Music? Certainly nothing on the radio fits this description.

Nice list overall. I’d also suggest stuff by Wilco, Neko Case, The New Pornographers, The Arcade Fire, and the like for good modern music with mainstream appeal.

5

I’m 39. There’s no Cake. Too much Rihanna and Beyonce. Only one White Stripes (what about Icky Thump?) and no Raconteurs. Way too much U2 (they are old farts too btw), but no Foo Fighters, who won one more Best Rock Album Grammy than U2 in the 2000s. No Nine Inch Nails (my husband loves Only). Oh, yeah and what about Johnny Cash’s version of Hurt–but yeah old fart? Still, it’s a contemporary song.

Anyway, there’s quite a bit of good stuff out there and some of it is on your list. There’s really too much for one 200-song list and it’s going to vary by taste. I think my tastes generally lean a little differently than yours.

Only this year I discovered Nitin Sawhney (sp?) and wondered how I missed it. I was also surprised to discover I like M.I.A. (she’s missing from your list, too). I have a 19 year old son, who turns me on to newer music and I share stuff I like with him, too. That helps.

6

Oh yeah, and Muse! I forgot them.

7

I perused the list and did not recognize a single song. Yep, I am officially an old fart. (51).

8

I’m 64, and I’ve reached the point where I just don’t care anymore. There’s too much ***really old ***stuff that I still haven’t discovered. Too much classical, opera, broadway, standards that I still haven’t heard and loved. Life is too short to waste it searching for the odd rap or hip-hop song that I can barely stand.

My chorus did an “80s” concert last spring, and most of the music was very forgettable. And just today, I had to escape from a store, because the loudspeaker was blaring:

*Why can’t we be friends,
Why can’t we be friends,
Why can’t we be friends
Why can’t we be friends,
Why can’t we be friends,
Why can’t we be friends
Why can’t we be friends . . .

*Like I said, life is too short.

9

I didn’t say it was a complete list. :slight_smile:

U2 and Prince are indeed old farts but they’re still putting out new albums. Good new albums, I might add.

10

I agree, to a great extent, but “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” once you get past the chorus and get into the verse and the groove, is great. Not “The World is a Ghetto” great, but pretty good.

But I’m nine years younger than you. :smiley:

A host of local “old time radio” program recently apologized before broadcasting what had been #1 that week in 1049 and for six more weeks, A Little Bird Told Me, noting that the previous week’s #1 of 1939 had been “Deep Purple.” I need to preface my description by stating that I love crappy music, but that song was the worst shit I have ever heard in my life, and I’ve heard The Shaggs..

Before it was “Buttons and Bows,” which, thanks to my mother, still turns up as an earworm to drive me crazy until I can drive it out with “Linus and Lucy.”

11

Me too, except I’m 57.

It’s not that I think there’s no good modern music. It just doesn’t speak to ME. I don’t really care for over-processed sound/auto-tune music. I can’t pull a lot of the words out of music any more, so songs that depend on words instead of tunes (I’m kinda thinking of rap here, but my experience is small) is pretty much a total loss for me. Thumping bass is not enough music for me.

But I almost never listen to music anyway, and what I listen to is more folky style than anything.

Yup, old fart.

12

My kids forced on me videos by a Korean boy band that has hit in Japan (Japan?!?) and the US. I think it’s name is four initials. Doesn’t really matter but I noted the first video stole from not only Korean pop (have I mentioned that the TV in my bedroom doesn’t have a digital converter and I’m stuck watching the low-def shit that was grandfathered in?) but also from Bollywood?

“Keep watching. They also steal from the Backstreet Boys, circa 1994.”

Then it was one in which the same boys abused furbies. Youtube is a wonderful invention. :rolleyes:

13

I’m 52.
Heard of most of these. Own many. Think you missed a few by some of the same artists listed, but you had to draw the line somewhere, I guess. Still, Angie Stone’s “Wish I didn’t miss you” from Mahogany Soul is deserving of a place on my list. And I prefer K.T. Tunstall’s “Heal Over” to “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”
I’m a sucker for “Hometown Glory” , from 19, by Adele.

But a noble effort, and I will endeavor to learn of those artists I had not previously known. Thank you.

14

That song is over 35 years old, so I’m guessing you didn’t care for pop music when you were under 30 either.

Fine pop song tho. Black group selling across racial lines, with a funny song about making friends outside your own social group.

It contains the excellent rhyme:
I know you’re working for the CIA,
They wouldn’t have you in Ma-fie-A.

15

Some indie bands that might not scare old people too badly:
Arcade Fire
The Bravery
Cat Power
The Decemberists
Fleet Foxes
Franz Ferdinand
Iron & Wine
The Killers
Kings of Leon
Modest Mouse
The National
Owl City
Phoenix
Regina Spektor
Rodrigo y Gabriela
The Shins
The Strokes
Wilco
Yeah Yeah Yeahs

16

That’s a shame.

17

I know - I hear people complaining that modern music has no creativity, and I think, “What! The good stuff is nothing but creativity!”

18

If I can add to the list, here are some nice things that have come out since I turned 40…

“Amber”, by 311
Lots of things by Camera Obscura, for example “I Love How You Love Me”
“Chasing Pavements”, by ADELE
“Shenandoa”, by Merrie Amsterberg
“Linger”, by the Cranberries

19

Try this album:

Never Hear The End Of It/Sloan

Terrific “classic” sounding rock.

20

See, I was gonna mention some too but the ones I was going to mention are now old too. Pop music goes too fast these days. Here’s a few examples:

Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl
D’Angelo’s Untitled (How Does It Feel)
Anything off of Maroon 5 and Jamiroquai’s first albums
These all feel very old school to me and now they’re all old by pop music standards anyway.