Raises hand.
My favorite era is probably the post punk explosion, although I do love the rock from the late 60-70s too. If I made a favorite album list most would predate my birth in 1983.
If I understand the question or issue, there are quite a few of my favorite songs and performers from before I was born. I can remember very early on in my life being impressed by things on the radio that were earlier than “present day.”
But if I had to pick my Favorite Era I would go with the mid-50’s to early-60’s and that period mostly for the jazz. Even though it coincides with the “birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll” I was not as big a fan of the early stuff. That period would be from my teens and early 20’s.
If that’s off-topic, I apologize.
There had been a lot more music written before I was born than there had been in the last fifty years, so there are many more choices.
Contemporary music at any time is ephemeral; the odds are that anything which is still performed or played after twenty, sixty, or two hundred years has to be better than any given recently created piece.
Yes. Top six periods for me are:
- 1965-1969
- 1971-1975
- 1715-1740
- 1949-1956 (for jazz)
- 1850-1875
- 1992-1997
Of these, I was only alive for two, and old enough to remember (as it happened) just one.
To be honest, I pretty much like all aspects of pop culture from before my birth: music, TV, movies, fashion, etc.
I was born in 1978, and grew up listening to the local oldies station (50s & 60s) as well as watching Nick at Nite almost exclusively. I was probably the only kid around who watched the Donna Reed Show and Make Room for Daddy. Most of the shows I own on DVD now are those ones I used to watch on Nick - since they are now somewhat harder to find on TV.
When I got to be a teenager, I started listening to more current music, as a way of keeping up with my peers - so now listen to a mix of current and older stuff. In college I took a course in music history and was surprised to learn that there was even good music before rock & roll. I think, with all the emphasis given to rock & roll for changing the culture, it sometimes leaves the implication that all music before it was stuffy and boring. I was happy to learn this was not the case. Now I have quite a collection of standards of the 30s & 40s, including lots of Sinatra, Crosby, and collections of Gershwin and Porter.
I can’t really say exactly how all this interest started. I remember once seeing my mom watching Nick at Nite in the kitchen, and I sat down at the table and watched it with her. Then I discovered that I liked the shows there, and kept watching. I don’t remember how or why I started listening to oldies radio - as far as I can remember, I “always” listened to it.
I think my interest in older fashion grew out of the TV shows I watch. (And the fact that I discovered that, with my pear shape, I look really good in the fitted waist/full skirt looks of the 50s). I’ve seen a lot of fashion blogs by people who make a point to look authentically vintage from head to toe (to the point of seeming costumey, IMHO), but I don’t go quite that far. But most of the outfits I wear (except when being very casual) have a definite 50s or 60s vibe to them.
I will confess I sometimes watch Lawrence Welk. Ironically, and out of a sense of nostalgia. Every so often they feature songs of The Big Band era, and I really enjoy Glenn Miller and that kind of music. Especially the swingin’ numbers like One O’Clock Jump.
Early Frank Sinatra? Love.
Going back earlier, I also enjoy music of the 30’s, which makes watching oldies on TCM much more enjoyable. I can’t think of anything in particular beyond the usual standards, but the soundtrack from “Pennies From Heaven” puts me in the 30’s mood.
It all depends on the mood I’m in, but I’d rather listen to what is called the standards, originals or remakes by more current artists, than what passes for music now. This comes with age, folks, someday you will feel the same!
Most of my iPod selections are pop songs from ca. 1905-40. And yes, that was before my birth.
You punk kids… I bet you think Mozart is one of the Three Stooges…
Yes.
Certainly all of the Mediaeval, Baroque, Classical and Romantic music I love was written before I was born. Much of the Contemporary Classical I listen to was written before I was born as well.
It doesn’t mean that I don’t also love much of the music of the last 50 years; it’s just that there is so much more written before then, and some of the earlier stuff is the music that completely rules my world.
Most of what I like is classical and folk. Granted, there’s still some of both still being written, but they’re both old genres.
Pretty much, anything with a violin or a fiddle in it, it’s a good bet I’ll like it.
Born in 1950.
Without going into all the kinds of music I like, I’d say maybe 40% of it predates me.
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Last night FtGKid2 mentioned two albums played in the previous couple days: The White Album and a Sly and the Family Stone album. Predating and then some.
On vinyl, of course.
I found it interesting 20+ years ago how the Rock and Roll era was a divider. No oldie stations for prior music. Several for oldies after.
It’s still pretty much the same.
So, as far as this thread is concerned, people born around the dawn of Rock and Roll weren’t nearly as likely to be exposed to older music that much. Aside from a small number of Classical music fans.
My niece’s husband is 27; he’s an Elvis tribute artist. He seems to almost exclusively listen to music from the 1950s and 1960s. Then again, it’s his job. 
Me. I was born in 1959, but my favorite music is the jazz of the '20’s through the '50’s. I also like a lot of classical music.
More than 99% of my Classical collection predates me (1945). Also, quite a lot of Broadway, pop (old standards/Great American Songbook), classic jazz and even movie scores.
It’s all ragtime and hot jazz for me.
In my youth I like mostly music from slightly before my time. Maybe not strictly before I was born but before I was aware of music. (born in 67) Never liked Top 40 of any era. As I got older my range expanded.
Until recently, I didn’t really have a preference. However, music has now achieved perfection with the advent of Ke$ha.