You know, when posted, I had originally said “junior high” and the decided to give the benefit of the doubt and wrote high school instead. Either way, it was a hell of a long time ago.
It sounds like it is important to you to have conversations with people about current, trendy things - that sounds like trying to be cool (also known as “with it”). I have conversations all the time about things that aren’t trendy or current. I’m not trying to be mean or anything; I’m just not sure you’re being honest with yourself about what you’re trying to achieve.
I hope the Backstreet Boys don’t sue them for stepping all over I Want It That Way. 
(..stumbles out of room, crying, clutching CDs. I’m not with it!, sob sob…) I can’t help it, I’m weak. I shop at stores selling CDs aimed directly at us baby boomers, right there at the checkout, so I give in. Otherwise I’d be walking around with a list of songs, an iTunes card, and a bunch of blank CDs, wondering how to get the songs out of the computer.
I do have a MacBook and am going to get the newest model when the income tax refund comes in. And I’m on Facebook - just look for the world’s most boring Facebook page, that would be me.
I believe she’s in her forties, and has a crush on Justin Bieber.
Hard work to stay on top of ‘with it’ new music? Yeah, not for me, thanks.
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Some people just like music for its own sake. Doesn’t matter if it’s new, old or whatever. I discovered Pitchfork.com because current pop music sounds like a mishmash of electro-hip hop Britney Spears feat. Will.I.Am vs. Adam Lavine from Maroon 5 (Daudmau5 remix). Although truth be told, a lot of indie rock sounds like 80s new wave and synthpop to me.
Well I thought I was with it.
Then I read the OP and realized that I’ve never heard of One Direction. So I guess I’m not with it at all. 
I’ve listened to them now; you’re not missing much. 
They are aptly named; sadly, that direction is Down.
I still buy CDs. So there! (I probably need a new mp3 player anyways. It’s not like I don’t download music, I just like buying CDs too)
But not boy bands. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have a new album out. (Anthony Kiedis needs to ditch that godawful mustache)
So I’m guessing if I win the 1D interview taping tickets tomorrow you don’t want to go? >l:[
Take your (ex?) husband, he’d love them.
“With it” as far as technology and general movie/tv pop-culture. I’m getting way behind in music though, I have very little music produced after about 1995 or so.
A prime example is watching “The Voice”. I didn’t have a damn clue who any of these supposedly multi-platinum-grammy-icon judges were, except for Christina Aguilera who I recalled being some teen pop one-hit wonder or something. I thought she had a fizzled attempt at a comeback with that Lady Marmelade remake 10 years or so ago, but apparently she’s still relevant.
CeeLo who? Maroon 5? Did it show my age when I got all excited about Lionel Richie being a mentor?
My dream judges panel for “The Voice” would be Alice Cooper, Ian Anderson, Billy Idol, and Pat Benatar.
I bloody well define it!
Ok, not sure why everyone is trying to make a pop culture discussion all deep or whatever but what I’m trying to achieve is fun and enjoyment of life.
Example: A few months ago I overheard someone talking to a friend about “have you heard about this movie that is the world’s worst movie?” and I immediately (of course) thought “Manos” but then realized he was probably too young for “Manos” and thought: oh, “The Room.” and he said “It’s called ‘The Room’?” And I took great delight in knowing that. I’m easily amused is all.
Hmmm. I’m not hearing that so much, BUT their “Stole My Heart” is pretty much Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite”.
Technically yes, when you start at #1.
Christina Aguilera - “Birds of Prey.”
Christina Aguilera - “Candyman.”
Cee Lo Green - “Forget You.” (The original and better version is “Fuck You,” but I thought I’d stay PG.)
Cee Lo Green as lead singer of Gnarls Barkley - “Crazy.”
Maroon 5 (lead singer Adam Levine) - “This Love.”
I can’t speak to the hits and songs of Blake Shelton because I don’t listen to country, but I assume he’s a pretty big name in that genre.
“The Voice” has gotten some pretty impressive people as coaches, in my opinion.
I haven’t been with it since about age 13. Occasionally (and completely by accident) I have been ahead of the scene, though.
Over the years there have been a few bands that I really got into long before most people had heard of them. By the time they got popular, I was bored with them or decided they had sold out. My piercings had already healed over by the time that fad came around. And were still healed when it came around again. I almost got a tattoo about 30 years ago. Glad I didn’t-- now I feel different by not having one.
Who am I supposed to be “with it” to? I’m a grown man in his late 30s. I’m I expected to be “with it” to high school and college kids? I don’t really know or care anything about their world. I suppose I could be “with it” to my 20 something staff. But as far as I can tell, they are a bunch of ubernerds and I’m just not “with” whatever “it” they are into.
I’m 45, I have never been with it and never cared if I was with it, which has ironically made me more with it than most. Other people should be worrying how much they deviate from my norms.
“It” and I stopped seeing each other ages ago. I’m certainly not stuck in the past and I do enjoy a good deal of recent/contemporary music. But I don’t try to keep up.
I don’t really care about being with it. I like what I like. I never listen to pop radio, I did hear my kid playing some Lady Gaga a few years ago and commented that she does a great ABBA, Madonna, and Ace of Base impression. If someone is really passionate about something I might check it out to see if I’m missing something.
OTOH, I’m an information sponge so I know a bit about many things, some of those are going to be current pop culture.