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Question Of The Week: What Music Will You Be Nostalgic For In 20 Years?

Courtesy of the artist

Earlier this week week we asked you to look ahead 20 years from now, and guess what music from today you'll be the most nostalgic about. There were some great suggestions, including Wilco, Outkast and Sufjan Stevens.

We've put together some of your picks in a couple of playlists — at the bottom of this page, you can hear the songs in both Spotify and Rdio. These are collaborative playlists, which means you can also add songs to them (through Rdio or Spotify) if you think of others that should be featured.


Recently on All Songs Considered, we talked about the return of the '90s, which got the 40-somethings on staff (me, Stephen Thompson and Ann Powers) a little misty eyed over the sounds of our youth: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, My Bloody Valentine, Lauryn Hill, etc.

The reasons we become nostalgic for a certain sound or band aren't complicated. Most people love the music of their formative years, and hearing it decades later sparks a flood of memories and associations. We're also nostalgic for anything fleeting or any generational trends. Grunge came and went and was (at least for many) the defining sound of a time. Hearing it taps into a well of emotions in me like no other music can, just as bubblegum pop from the 1950s takes my mother back.

With all this in mind, take a minute to think about what you're listening to and loving most, now. Then try to look ahead 20 years and predict what you'll be nostalgic for. Will we look back fondly on synth pop? Saxophone solos? Katy Perry? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments section.

But, now that I think about it, if your formative years are behind you, can you still become nostalgic for a sound years later? Are 60-somethings nostalgic for the music they listened to when they were 40-somethings? Are 80-somethings wistful for the sounds of their 60s?

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.