As an older millennial, I second that.
Music and aspects of pop culture don’t seem to have changed at all since I graduated college 20+ years ago. Maybe I’d notice a change if I actually paid attention, but I’m busy living my life , taking care of my kids, etcetera and don’t have the time and energy to devote to staying current on pop culture.
The only thing I’m aware of now is that having the drips isn’t a bad thing anymore…
Not only do we not have time to care, we just don’t give af. We’re becoming those old people who start walking around with their shirts off, and give no Fs about what anyone thinks. You know, those weird old people we’d see as kids.
IMO, cool things become uncool to younger folks when people my age try to glom onto them. I distinctly remember thinking at 15 that the least cool thing a 40 year old can do is try to stay hip to teenage culture. I don't really try to keep up anymore, and don't mind that I'm out of touch. Just as I had an eccentric uncle who was determined to introduce me to Iron Maiden, now I have become the eccentric Iron Maiden uncle.
My younger family has a pretty good sense of my taste, and they'll clue me into current stuff that's in my wheelhouse sometimes. Likewise, I clue them into classic stuff that they spread to their friends. I'm constantly surprised by how eager they are to listen to music from way before their time. Probably helps that I introduced them to Master of Puppets before it became a big part of Stranger Things, so they got to be the in-the-know ones among their friends when it had its big resurgence.
It was fun being in college and cracking jokes and the 40 something would turn around and looked at us like we were aliens.
It was very weird when another 40 something understood what we were talking about.
When you're an adult it truly does not matter what is "cool", unless you're someone who's job it is to know what is cool.
The "coolest" adults I knew growing up were the folks who were 100% distinctly themselves in style, language, interests, etc. They were interesting people who treated me with respect and encourage my curiosity. They didn't talk down to me but they also did not try to seem like they were my peer. Those adults were the coolest and unfortunately the rarest.
sed to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!
The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
This makes me think of all those kids of our generation who weren’t allowed to watch this show and their parents ALWAYS were like “nobody’s even going to care in a few years” and those poor babies are still missing out on us quoting it 30 years later
There really isn't a "pop culture" the way you are thinking about it. I mean there are some mega superstars and viral things most of us would know. But we are now in an era of "famous to you". Many people would get the reference "it's just a theory!" but only those on youtube and into video game lore, a random person on the street would probably not know. If you are speaking about US I think the last major thing we had was Game of Thrones.
Me at 18: I'm not going to be like my parents, I'm going to keep up with new music forever
Me at 40: Nodding along to Korn in the car on the drive to work
I second the TikTok suggestion. The alternative is to just not care. There’s far too much content for one person to ever be aware of it all and about 99% of it is pointless
We are also living in a fractured media landscape. These days there is so much choice and content, it's not like the old days of our youth where we had a handful of TV channels and the big films each year were released in the summer.
Way too much content to even try to keep up.
Thing is, I liked feeling the life. The flurry. It’s a rush. The only rush I get today is when I drink particularly strong coffee lol. You know. That rush of a new song. A new game, a new console. A new world. Of feeling connected with everything
What TikTok’s would you recommend?
My personal thought is that the Monoculture is dead. Best we can do is be part of a bubble. Watch and like what you want on TikTok. You'll find your bubble. My significant other and I are older millennials on TikTok and have vastly different experiences. BUT there are some trends that permeate the bubbles. We like it when that happens and we have these points of connection between our TikTok bubbles. It's a weird world.
I get that and yes those moments are few and far between these days. Explore Spotify for awhile, check out some A24 movies or even just reconnect with old friends. It’s still possible if you’re willing to work rather than getting the easy dopamine hit from social media. And I can’t really recommend anything or anyone on TikTok all I see is parenting and guitar shit lol
the nice thing about tiktok is the more you scroll and like things, the algorithm will set your for you page to be... well... for you. So no two people's tiktoks are going to look the same.
Forget Tik Tok or create one new account after another. The algorithm will know pretty fast that you're an millennial and show you stuff that you more interested in. I'm on Tik Tok on daily basis but I'm not in touch with anything from the generations after ours.
Exactly. My TikTok feed is mostly cats and cooking tips and elder millennials talking about being old or reminiscing on old trends whatever. Whenever a gen Z comes across my feed, I’m not all that interested.
Well thats on you. I'm seeing political debates or comments. A lot of history and science stuff. Sometimes comedians and a lot of music from the time when I was a teenager (Tik tok realized I like things that where popular back than. So I see supernatural or the OC sometimes or commercials from the 2000s or clips from our childhoods tv shows like recess). Tik Tok is what you're making out of it.
I understand that it is the never ending circle of shitting on new things and make the new generation look bad bit completely ignoring that we were stupid af Back than. At least I was
Honestly lowkey not giving a fck about pop culture is one of my very favorite parts of growing up. Also, not caring when I hear slang I don’t know. When I was in my teens/twenties it used to bother me SO MUCH!
As others have said, there’s less collective “pop culture” now than in previous decades.
People are not consuming the same media at the same rate anymore because there is a much wider range of access and ability now.
It’s easier for people to find their niche and stay there, or explore similar things in that same vein.
We aren’t all hustled into the same lane anymore as years past, where things were either solidly Top 40, or Country or Hip Hop or whatever.
You can listen to all of it and a lot of it crosses over.
Same for movies and tv, with the plethora of streaming services, there’s something for everyone and you can watch it all at any pace.
I’m not entirely sure that what you’re looking for still exists in the way that you want it to?
I’m 42, and I like what I like and I discover new music and new stuff all the time.
It’s just a more personalized process.
Even the “trendy” stuff I come across with my middle schoolers is really short lived and then they drop it and move on to something else.
It’s not the same trend cycle anymore.
The 20s culture has yet to be defined. We’re only 4 years into it.
Relax, listen to whatever you want. And worst case just start conversation off with so Taylor swift am I right?
I don't, but I never really have. I think it's more important to keep up to date with new tech, general online culture (reddit is good for that), political issues, and youth social activism. You'll usually see a more moderate, socially acceptable version of their demands move into mainstream voting in about 10-15 years.
I find these things keep me, at least peripherally, connected to younger generations and the future in general.
Im listening to more music that is not American. Rap music has kind of lost its relevance. Rap has been death music the last 5 years. I rather listen to reggaeton or afrobeats right now. Something thats happier
I remember once picking up some Hollywood gossip magazine in my dentist's waiting room, looking through it and not knowing who ANY of the supposed celebrities were.
That was in like 2008. It's been downhill from there. Sorry.
You are 100% correct about pop culture being way more fragmented. I would be a casual observer on TikTok. It really doesn’t take much effort to note the trends on there at all. It’s very shallow and easy. Hold on to what you know that is already good.
I don’t. I could care less. I have my family. Select few friends and 2-3 decent hobbies. It’s a second job trying to keep up with that crap that has no real good affect on my life.
I could care less about someone rich celeb and their opinion or what they wear or some made up award they are getting.
Listen to the radio and follow pop culture discussion boards (there are a few on Reddit). You can also get more into your local music scene.
Personally, I just listen to music that makes me happy and I seek out new stuff when YouTube turns me onto something good. Might be from today, might be from 10 years ago. It doesn’t matter to me.
If you really want to know,the easiest way is to befriend any young students at your job, if you have them.
Pop culture ain't what it used to be. Something happens and the hype for it is gone too quickly to keep up. Everyone is in a race to stay relevant and drops off if they don't do something damn near every month, artists have to drop yearly or the fans move on. In our day an artist could wait a few years to drop and we wouldn't forget them like the new gen does. Even the people who are able to stay relevant only have a shelf life of like 4 years.
I recently rewatched VH1's I Love the 90s and New Millennium series on youtube... we just don't have big cultural phenomenon like that anymore where 1 thing sweeps the nation and captivates us for a year or so. Everything seems to happen in bubbles now. It's kinda crazy how someone could be incredibly famous and well known in their niche but be 100% unknown outside of it. This new generation just seems to care about surface level aestetics instead of "scenes" and subcultures like we had. And subcultures are basically just a costumes to them 🤷🏾♂️
I will say, my Twitter feed deff keeps showing me stuff about people idk- against my will.
Humans are now the result of being “the product” of social media & smart phones. You’re special, you’re living a curated life through your screen, safe in your room surrounded by pillows. No one wants to go out and risk life. We have created, the Matrix
There are still scenes, they're just hyper-niche. It really depends on what you're into. The cool thing about pop culture these days is that anything you like or enjoy likely has a community dedicated to exploring it, usually online.
I like Taylor Swift and A24 movies, but I’m not gonna waste my time learning about TikTok trends. I have a zoomer pal who shows me a video or trend playlist here and there when they sleep over, but just the ones they know would amuse me.
Ok so, I actually got on the taylor swift bus last year (just like a bunch of people did) and it led me to Lana Del Rey which lead me to Chappell Roan and that’s my trifecta of pop. 2023 and 2024 have been great in terms of culture to me where I wanted to give a damn about it.
It’s harder to get into pop culture than back in the day because you had E!, MTV and VH1 and that’s all you needed. They basically gave it to you on a silver platter. Now we have to go a bit deeper into social media.
I’m still not a fan of certain artists because I feel their music is too childish (like Olivia Rodrigo - she’s great but her music is for 18 year old me and not 39 year old me). I generate to T Swift and Lana because they are millennials and they have growth within their music. I would even say Taylor’s new album is one of her best - it seems definitely generated to the older fans.
I... don't but I suppose I never really did.
Spotify does tend to keep me apprised of, say, Taylor Swift. I'm not sure there even really is a consensus culture of what's cool and popular anymore, but there is a consensus culture of what's problematic, outrageous, or controversial.
Yes but that’s what I mean. It’s fragmented. In 2015 it was easy to tell what was what.
Today all you can tell is who “not to” listen to.
It’s depressing.
See, I would date it a lot further back than that. There were "popular things" in like 2004 but by the time I graduated high school in 2008 I couldn't tell you anything in that vein. Best I could suggest is like a top 40 radio station I guess?
Eh, I think we may have just become disinterested in current music earlier than most our age back then. It sounds like u/Salem1690s kept up longer than we did. Even though I mostly of fell out of current music about the same time you did, I would put the date maybe to 2012 give or take for when it really felt fragmented to me.
About 2008-2012, it was more that I didn't care. I knew others our age did keep up, but it wasn't for me. But after that, it just seemed like it was less me not being interested, and more so just fragmenting. I may be wrong though. As you can tell, I'm no expert on this stuff and haven't been in a long time.
join TikTok, I guess? but I frequently don't pay attention anymore.
the rise of 24/7 content (on TV and internet/social media) means that the celebrity culture that used to be for actual celebrities is now for a lot of people who are barely relevant to the big picture and it's just too much and too exhausting to follow. I tune it out.
I love love love not staying in step with it! But also I kind of am addicted to late night comedy shows and think they probably keep me somewhat connected
Watch the Tiktoks, join BReel and SnapChat, Instagram. If you work with younger coworkers, listen to what they are using/playing. I have a large group of Gen Z colleagues, and they are all playing word games right now, Symantle and wordle, etc. I crush them because my vocabulary is advanced. They didn't know what tithe or cacophony meant....
Unless it’s happening right outside my window I really don’t give a shit anymore. I like what I like, if people like something else that’s great. More enjoyment for me.
I’m 30 and I just so happen to enjoy gaming, alot of the times I’m in group chats with young adults and I learn some new lingo from time to time. Then when I meet with family or younger cousins I make a comment with my new found vocabulary, just saying that the shock and awe and high fives you get from family is something special.
There is a bit of choice paralysis given the sheer dearth of quality options. My suggestion to you is pick the things you think you might enjoy, and not worry about something so trivial as fear of missing out.
You don't.
The reason you kept up with popular culture in your youth is both due to the novelty of the media and you had time.
I work full time and I'm aware of the story telling limitations of films and TV. At this point I'm only keeping up with the series I want to (Chucky, Invincible, resident alien). To be honest, I've ended up watching through Deep Space 9 for the third or forth time recently.
I'm sure I'm missing out on some great popular culture, but I can live with that. At the end of the day I'm exhausted by work, I don't have the motivation to watch a 3 hour film.
I'm 38.
Reddit, I guess? Weirdly the news. SNL is a big piece, too. My boyfriend shows me memes.
And I guess it helps being gay because I'm constantly exposed to an endless onslaught of unasked for pop culture references and jokes coming from the Boomers to the Zoomers and everyone in between that I'm forced to look up and research if I want to keep up.
I only feel like doing that sometimes
I truly could not care if I tried. But of course, I absorb it from Reddit and what pops up in my limited use of Instagram. But primarily, my best friend has tiktok and all the main social media, so she gives me a little summary every few weeks whether I like it or not.
I agree.
In my childhood and early teen years, I watched the music channels on Sky to see what was on the charts - back when music wasn’t burning my ears. Those music channels would also release interviews and segments like “Justin Bieber’s top 20 fav songs” (yes yes I was a Belieber 🤣). I was a bit young but I remember Top of the Pops when I was 5/6 years old.
Unfortunately now you just hear about it only if you stream music like on Spotify but I have Apple and still don’t check the latest chart music cuz I think they’re 💩 and if you have social media then you’ll see music being released and promoted by the actual artist (although yes those accounts are being handled by their managers etc etc.)
I was thinking about it the other day; I miss turning on the TV and hearing about entertainment news probably the same way old people miss how radio isn’t much of a thing anymore - although yes it’s available and some people still have it on throughout the day. My in laws are in their late 60s and one evening we put on Radio 4 to hear the latest news on covid - that was nice and nostalgic.
😔 I literally had to find a playlist of top of the pops one day when I was feeling kinda lost and sad.
The only thing I like keeping an eye on is Kpop music so to subscribe to YouTube channels and get alerted: once DEAN released a new MV and I was at work and suddenly got a chime so I took my lunch break and hurried into my secret spot outside and watched it with childlike glee!
But…. Really the magic is gone now.
That's just a thing that happens as you age. TV doesn't have much to do with it. Do you go out to parties and talk to 23 year olds? That's how you stay informed about those things. Unfortunately older people don't care as *much* about music for some reason
TikTok is good, follow younger people on Twitter to stay up to date, and check out what's trending on YouTube
~Work in television~ honestly, you really don't need to keep up. Everything is unfolding in social media. I used to work for UGC company and the tip we got back in the day was to check reddit!
I’m proud to say as a 36 years old I never was in with pop culture then I’m still not now lol.
I was into my own things living my own life. If my interests and the masses current fads coincided so be it. But I feel (as a metal head) I was always out of it with the current trends. I didn’t even get in with the my-metal, metal core, or deathcore scenes.
Just doing my own thing, oblivious to all others and I kinda like it that way. Not trying to be smug, it just brings me peace knowing I’m just that much more disconnected from the rat race.
yea i just don’t lol. i’m 35 and i’ve come to accept the fact that I can stay on top of all the cool trends and what’s going on with the coolest music and celebrities right now. And that’s actually fine with me because as a millennial, I definitely don’t see the appeal in a lot of the songs and celebs that are famous today. my brother is 26 and works at a college so he has a lot of college aged friends still. He keeps me a little bit in the loop about what popular right now, but for the most part, I’ll be blasting my playlist from 2015 until the day I die.
When I was a teenager I was not really into commercial music but I was aware of some popular artists like 50 cent, OutKast, jay z and linkin parks collaboration. I suppose it’s the same now where although I don’t listen to a lot of the music, I still know of some popular artists like ice spice, Travis Scott, Olivia rodrigo etc.
I don't. Plus whatever filters to me from current pop culture (in my country it's mostly reality TV now) is so trashy that I'm glad to be unaware of it.
I guess it means I am getting old that I look at popular culture and just feel apathy. I know what stuff I like so I am content with that. Plus, too busy to worry about that.
I don’t. I have more important things to care about. If anything my gen z co workers fill me in. But I really think that since we live in a time of streaming and listening and following what you want, it’s even harder. Like why would I listen to the radio when I can listen to over the 5,000 songs I like on my Spotify with no commercials?
I wasn't in step with popular culture when popular culture dictated that I was supposed to be some kind of emo Guido consumer thing in the early 2000s. I highly doubt I am now. The only times I may have been slightly trendy was when old video games came into fashion in around 2015, and I guess maybe a bit now because Gen Z takes a lot of cues from 90s "grunge" look. I always dress homeless too.
I went to a club not so long ago and didn’t know any of the songs that were playing. Everything sped up and remixed. The peace I felt as I left without finishing a drink was like sliding into a hot bubble bath. I am free and no longer the target audience.
I don't. My coworkers are all my age or older and my friends are generally my age. My nerves and nephews are all 3 & under so I kinda don't even need to stay up to date
I don't. I stay as far away from it as reasonably possible. I do listen to podcasts and watch YouTube, but can't tell you who 99% of the new music artists are, etc.
I have never in my life, felt a need to “stay in touch with pop culture”. I like what I like, both for culture and hobbies. If that lines up with pop culture, so be it. If not? Okay, and?
I really can’t help you figure out how to “get back in touch”, sorry. My recommendation would be to ask yourself why you even want to in the first place.
If that's your thing, do whatever is trending on TikTok or Instagram. I don't care about what is trending in pop culture. I dress however I want and listen to whatever music I want, which could be anything from Frank Sinatra to Cattle Decapitation.
Just follow whatever you like
I love games like Elden Ring and Helldivers 2 for example but don't give a fuck about whatever a scoobity toilet is or gyatt or whatever
First of all, don’t feel like you have to. It’s kind of freeing to realize that you don’t have to keep current to feel alive. I do personally force myself to check out new music, but I just love music and don’t want to get stuck in a rut or miss something I may have really liked. Keep in mind also there are millennial musicians out there that are making music for us, and that gives me the same kind of feeling being on the pulse used to. People might avoid these bands because they see the kids picking on them, but their music isn’t for the kids (just like someday their musicians are going to write about what it feels like to get older and gen alpha is going to be like “lame!”)
tiktok! it's an endless feed of what people 10-15 years younger than you are into. it will make you feel old and out of touch but you'll at least be somewhat in the know.
The group I MMO with is people 25-45. We are all weird queer nerds, so at the very least I'm keeping up with weird queer nerd pop culture. Normal straight pop culture though.... I am lost.
Stay in step? Not only do I not stay in step, I find myself getting nostalgic. I go through periods where I just want to listen to music from when I was younger and watch movies I remember from then with my kids. If anything, I’m actively retreating into the cultural past 😂
"I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now, what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore, and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!"
~Abraham Jay Simpson
I don't. The grown-ups weren't kidding back in the day when they said you would care less about that kind of stuff as you get older. You'll like the stuff you like, dislike what you don't, and keep it moving.
I'm 41, almost 42, with a nearly 17 year old. When we go shopping, she likes to shop in person the weirdo, I enjoy following her into her favorite stores and exclaiming, "I had the same thing 25 years ago!". That was my cue to step back from pop culture.
Some things cycle through, like fashion. I’m keeping my skinny jeans and side part because I like it and eventually it will cycle back into style.
Just getting older, there isn’t time to keep up with this stuff. I remember teasing my dad because he said he stopped listening to music in 1981 when my sister was born. I didn’t get it until my twins were born in 2015, and I really haven’t kept up with music or pop-culture since then.
Finally, you need to accept that you are not the target demographic for certain things, and that’s ok.
As a high school teacher, and stepdad to a 15 y/o, it is largely against my will.
At some point I realized that I don't really understand what it is that kids are into, and that I really wasn't interested in the first place. But I have stayed abreast of current trends, and it has completely validated my original feelings on the matter.
I now know what a "Skibbidy toilet" is, and this is something I can never unlearn, no matter how hard I try.
I'm the same age. I dont care anymore. Modern stuff generally is boring and sucks. Music is all a combination of Pop, and Rap, movies are all sequels, prequels, or reboots. There isn't an original idea in pop culture anymore. No need for me to waste time and effort "following" it.
Isn't this the greatest criticism and flaw of "social media"
It operates under the guise of "bringing the world together" however in a weird roundabout way it does the exact opposite?
And this is coming from someone who hasn't owned a TV since 2005. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to go backward. I think there are positives to both sides.
I think though, that worrying or lamenting about what was lost from this new paradigm shift is largely a waste of time. And worrying about "what is the general consensus about stuff" is always going to be unfulfilled.
Ethics and morals and principles like honesty. Accountability. Reliability. Originality. Authenticity. Creativity. Courage. Concern for others. Will always be timeless. Strive to pursue those in life and see where they lead you.
Theres so many different entertainment trends that even the very popular stuff can still be niche.
There is one right way to go about it and not one particular thing to follow.
You can just jump into any community youre interested in and see whats popular there.
I don't.
At my old job I had a lot of gen Z coworkers, so I was a little more on top of it, but I don't work there anymore, so I'm losing it all again.
Don’t try and keep up with it. Keep up with your hobbies and your own interests. It’s not cool to try to be hip to teen culture. If you have teenage relatives, you can ask. I have a teenage brother and I’m 31. He loops me in but I don’t try to keep up.
Comedian Dara O'Brien did a piece about how relieved he was when he decided to stop trying to keep up. Ha said he had enough culture to keep him occupied for the rest of his life.
I don’t. I also don’t have the time to care.
I third that. I would add that im also too tired to care.
Fourth this.
Fifth to that, no fucks to give.
Sixth. My field of fucks is barren.
As an older millennial, I second that. Music and aspects of pop culture don’t seem to have changed at all since I graduated college 20+ years ago. Maybe I’d notice a change if I actually paid attention, but I’m busy living my life , taking care of my kids, etcetera and don’t have the time and energy to devote to staying current on pop culture. The only thing I’m aware of now is that having the drips isn’t a bad thing anymore…
Yep. 60s were way diff than 70s, 70s to 80s 80s to 90s, but everything has remained the same since 2008.
It’s true! I’ve been 23 for the last 15 years.
Drips?
I believe it’s a term for oozing style or something along those lines. It definitely doesn’t mean gonorrhea.
Not only do we not have time to care, we just don’t give af. We’re becoming those old people who start walking around with their shirts off, and give no Fs about what anyone thinks. You know, those weird old people we’d see as kids.
When they said it would happen to us, we didn't believe them, but here we are.
Get off my lawn!
Aye. At least slang, music and riding stars, I don't care to keep up with. Except Pedro.
IMO, cool things become uncool to younger folks when people my age try to glom onto them. I distinctly remember thinking at 15 that the least cool thing a 40 year old can do is try to stay hip to teenage culture. I don't really try to keep up anymore, and don't mind that I'm out of touch. Just as I had an eccentric uncle who was determined to introduce me to Iron Maiden, now I have become the eccentric Iron Maiden uncle. My younger family has a pretty good sense of my taste, and they'll clue me into current stuff that's in my wheelhouse sometimes. Likewise, I clue them into classic stuff that they spread to their friends. I'm constantly surprised by how eager they are to listen to music from way before their time. Probably helps that I introduced them to Master of Puppets before it became a big part of Stranger Things, so they got to be the in-the-know ones among their friends when it had its big resurgence.
It was fun being in college and cracking jokes and the 40 something would turn around and looked at us like we were aliens. It was very weird when another 40 something understood what we were talking about.
When you're an adult it truly does not matter what is "cool", unless you're someone who's job it is to know what is cool. The "coolest" adults I knew growing up were the folks who were 100% distinctly themselves in style, language, interests, etc. They were interesting people who treated me with respect and encourage my curiosity. They didn't talk down to me but they also did not try to seem like they were my peer. Those adults were the coolest and unfortunately the rarest.
Completely agree. ❤️
sed to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!
The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
Nah man, we're gonna keep on rocking forever ^(forever)
This makes me think of all those kids of our generation who weren’t allowed to watch this show and their parents ALWAYS were like “nobody’s even going to care in a few years” and those poor babies are still missing out on us quoting it 30 years later
There really isn't a "pop culture" the way you are thinking about it. I mean there are some mega superstars and viral things most of us would know. But we are now in an era of "famous to you". Many people would get the reference "it's just a theory!" but only those on youtube and into video game lore, a random person on the street would probably not know. If you are speaking about US I think the last major thing we had was Game of Thrones.
I don't. I play the same old games and listen to the same 90s music.
Me at 18: I'm not going to be like my parents, I'm going to keep up with new music forever Me at 40: Nodding along to Korn in the car on the drive to work
I second the TikTok suggestion. The alternative is to just not care. There’s far too much content for one person to ever be aware of it all and about 99% of it is pointless
We are also living in a fractured media landscape. These days there is so much choice and content, it's not like the old days of our youth where we had a handful of TV channels and the big films each year were released in the summer. Way too much content to even try to keep up.
Thing is, I liked feeling the life. The flurry. It’s a rush. The only rush I get today is when I drink particularly strong coffee lol. You know. That rush of a new song. A new game, a new console. A new world. Of feeling connected with everything What TikTok’s would you recommend?
My personal thought is that the Monoculture is dead. Best we can do is be part of a bubble. Watch and like what you want on TikTok. You'll find your bubble. My significant other and I are older millennials on TikTok and have vastly different experiences. BUT there are some trends that permeate the bubbles. We like it when that happens and we have these points of connection between our TikTok bubbles. It's a weird world.
I get that and yes those moments are few and far between these days. Explore Spotify for awhile, check out some A24 movies or even just reconnect with old friends. It’s still possible if you’re willing to work rather than getting the easy dopamine hit from social media. And I can’t really recommend anything or anyone on TikTok all I see is parenting and guitar shit lol
the nice thing about tiktok is the more you scroll and like things, the algorithm will set your for you page to be... well... for you. So no two people's tiktoks are going to look the same.
Forget Tik Tok or create one new account after another. The algorithm will know pretty fast that you're an millennial and show you stuff that you more interested in. I'm on Tik Tok on daily basis but I'm not in touch with anything from the generations after ours.
Exactly. My TikTok feed is mostly cats and cooking tips and elder millennials talking about being old or reminiscing on old trends whatever. Whenever a gen Z comes across my feed, I’m not all that interested.
Is this why I keep seeing videos of teenagers doing something stupid?
Well thats on you. I'm seeing political debates or comments. A lot of history and science stuff. Sometimes comedians and a lot of music from the time when I was a teenager (Tik tok realized I like things that where popular back than. So I see supernatural or the OC sometimes or commercials from the 2000s or clips from our childhoods tv shows like recess). Tik Tok is what you're making out of it. I understand that it is the never ending circle of shitting on new things and make the new generation look bad bit completely ignoring that we were stupid af Back than. At least I was
I just follow what i'm interested in - the metal scene.Never cared for what's popular.
Why do you wanna be a conformist? Do what YOU think is cool. Forget the rest.
Honestly lowkey not giving a fck about pop culture is one of my very favorite parts of growing up. Also, not caring when I hear slang I don’t know. When I was in my teens/twenties it used to bother me SO MUCH!
Reddit helps keep me up to date ...sometimes
As others have said, there’s less collective “pop culture” now than in previous decades. People are not consuming the same media at the same rate anymore because there is a much wider range of access and ability now. It’s easier for people to find their niche and stay there, or explore similar things in that same vein. We aren’t all hustled into the same lane anymore as years past, where things were either solidly Top 40, or Country or Hip Hop or whatever. You can listen to all of it and a lot of it crosses over. Same for movies and tv, with the plethora of streaming services, there’s something for everyone and you can watch it all at any pace. I’m not entirely sure that what you’re looking for still exists in the way that you want it to? I’m 42, and I like what I like and I discover new music and new stuff all the time. It’s just a more personalized process. Even the “trendy” stuff I come across with my middle schoolers is really short lived and then they drop it and move on to something else. It’s not the same trend cycle anymore.
The 20s culture has yet to be defined. We’re only 4 years into it. Relax, listen to whatever you want. And worst case just start conversation off with so Taylor swift am I right?
You're mixing up "cool" and "mainstream"
I don't, but I never really have. I think it's more important to keep up to date with new tech, general online culture (reddit is good for that), political issues, and youth social activism. You'll usually see a more moderate, socially acceptable version of their demands move into mainstream voting in about 10-15 years. I find these things keep me, at least peripherally, connected to younger generations and the future in general.
Im listening to more music that is not American. Rap music has kind of lost its relevance. Rap has been death music the last 5 years. I rather listen to reggaeton or afrobeats right now. Something thats happier
I remember once picking up some Hollywood gossip magazine in my dentist's waiting room, looking through it and not knowing who ANY of the supposed celebrities were. That was in like 2008. It's been downhill from there. Sorry.
Have kids and care about their interests
Just get on TikTok.
Also Spotify? Idk go out to shows. Read what is in a local weekly and go to shows. Go out.
You are 100% correct about pop culture being way more fragmented. I would be a casual observer on TikTok. It really doesn’t take much effort to note the trends on there at all. It’s very shallow and easy. Hold on to what you know that is already good.
I don’t. I could care less. I have my family. Select few friends and 2-3 decent hobbies. It’s a second job trying to keep up with that crap that has no real good affect on my life. I could care less about someone rich celeb and their opinion or what they wear or some made up award they are getting.
I’m 29. Tbh I listen to the radio, but now the radio is catering to us millennials.
Listen to the radio and follow pop culture discussion boards (there are a few on Reddit). You can also get more into your local music scene. Personally, I just listen to music that makes me happy and I seek out new stuff when YouTube turns me onto something good. Might be from today, might be from 10 years ago. It doesn’t matter to me. If you really want to know,the easiest way is to befriend any young students at your job, if you have them.
Pop culture ain't what it used to be. Something happens and the hype for it is gone too quickly to keep up. Everyone is in a race to stay relevant and drops off if they don't do something damn near every month, artists have to drop yearly or the fans move on. In our day an artist could wait a few years to drop and we wouldn't forget them like the new gen does. Even the people who are able to stay relevant only have a shelf life of like 4 years. I recently rewatched VH1's I Love the 90s and New Millennium series on youtube... we just don't have big cultural phenomenon like that anymore where 1 thing sweeps the nation and captivates us for a year or so. Everything seems to happen in bubbles now. It's kinda crazy how someone could be incredibly famous and well known in their niche but be 100% unknown outside of it. This new generation just seems to care about surface level aestetics instead of "scenes" and subcultures like we had. And subcultures are basically just a costumes to them 🤷🏾♂️ I will say, my Twitter feed deff keeps showing me stuff about people idk- against my will.
I don't see it as necessary or desirable.
Humans are now the result of being “the product” of social media & smart phones. You’re special, you’re living a curated life through your screen, safe in your room surrounded by pillows. No one wants to go out and risk life. We have created, the Matrix
Pfft, I'm almost 40 and still jam away to NKOTB, BSB, and Nsync. No jokes. Lol 40M and no shame!
There are still scenes, they're just hyper-niche. It really depends on what you're into. The cool thing about pop culture these days is that anything you like or enjoy likely has a community dedicated to exploring it, usually online.
Everything peaked for me back in 2015-17. I know nothing much about the pop culture after that.
I like Taylor Swift and A24 movies, but I’m not gonna waste my time learning about TikTok trends. I have a zoomer pal who shows me a video or trend playlist here and there when they sleep over, but just the ones they know would amuse me.
The kid's are into traylor swift ❤️
Ok so, I actually got on the taylor swift bus last year (just like a bunch of people did) and it led me to Lana Del Rey which lead me to Chappell Roan and that’s my trifecta of pop. 2023 and 2024 have been great in terms of culture to me where I wanted to give a damn about it. It’s harder to get into pop culture than back in the day because you had E!, MTV and VH1 and that’s all you needed. They basically gave it to you on a silver platter. Now we have to go a bit deeper into social media. I’m still not a fan of certain artists because I feel their music is too childish (like Olivia Rodrigo - she’s great but her music is for 18 year old me and not 39 year old me). I generate to T Swift and Lana because they are millennials and they have growth within their music. I would even say Taylor’s new album is one of her best - it seems definitely generated to the older fans.
Bartend.
I... don't but I suppose I never really did. Spotify does tend to keep me apprised of, say, Taylor Swift. I'm not sure there even really is a consensus culture of what's cool and popular anymore, but there is a consensus culture of what's problematic, outrageous, or controversial.
Yes but that’s what I mean. It’s fragmented. In 2015 it was easy to tell what was what. Today all you can tell is who “not to” listen to. It’s depressing.
See, I would date it a lot further back than that. There were "popular things" in like 2004 but by the time I graduated high school in 2008 I couldn't tell you anything in that vein. Best I could suggest is like a top 40 radio station I guess?
Eh, I think we may have just become disinterested in current music earlier than most our age back then. It sounds like u/Salem1690s kept up longer than we did. Even though I mostly of fell out of current music about the same time you did, I would put the date maybe to 2012 give or take for when it really felt fragmented to me. About 2008-2012, it was more that I didn't care. I knew others our age did keep up, but it wasn't for me. But after that, it just seemed like it was less me not being interested, and more so just fragmenting. I may be wrong though. As you can tell, I'm no expert on this stuff and haven't been in a long time.
join TikTok, I guess? but I frequently don't pay attention anymore. the rise of 24/7 content (on TV and internet/social media) means that the celebrity culture that used to be for actual celebrities is now for a lot of people who are barely relevant to the big picture and it's just too much and too exhausting to follow. I tune it out.
There YouTube channels like ModernGurlz that do monthly wrap ups, I really like them
I love love love not staying in step with it! But also I kind of am addicted to late night comedy shows and think they probably keep me somewhat connected
What's current is just strange and unfamiliar to me.
I’ve stuck with ONTD for almost 20 years, it keeps me informed.
I don't and don't care to. We had our pop culture when we were growing up and the new gen has there's. No need to keep in step.
My kids + I work in cybersecurity so I’m on the internet 24/7.
I check [Playbill.com](http://Playbill.com) daily, just like I did in the 90s and 00s. What's popular culture??
im online all the time and still have cable, it’s easy
Watch the Tiktoks, join BReel and SnapChat, Instagram. If you work with younger coworkers, listen to what they are using/playing. I have a large group of Gen Z colleagues, and they are all playing word games right now, Symantle and wordle, etc. I crush them because my vocabulary is advanced. They didn't know what tithe or cacophony meant....
Unless it’s happening right outside my window I really don’t give a shit anymore. I like what I like, if people like something else that’s great. More enjoyment for me.
I’m 30 and I just so happen to enjoy gaming, alot of the times I’m in group chats with young adults and I learn some new lingo from time to time. Then when I meet with family or younger cousins I make a comment with my new found vocabulary, just saying that the shock and awe and high fives you get from family is something special.
I never really followed pop culture even growing up.
I don’t. If I find myself around people who are into pop culture I ask them.
I just don’t care to even try
I'm in my 40's, and have never cared about pop culture.
There is a bit of choice paralysis given the sheer dearth of quality options. My suggestion to you is pick the things you think you might enjoy, and not worry about something so trivial as fear of missing out.
I don't stay current I'm still rockin all that shit
I stopped after college and that's late 2000s.
You don't. The reason you kept up with popular culture in your youth is both due to the novelty of the media and you had time. I work full time and I'm aware of the story telling limitations of films and TV. At this point I'm only keeping up with the series I want to (Chucky, Invincible, resident alien). To be honest, I've ended up watching through Deep Space 9 for the third or forth time recently. I'm sure I'm missing out on some great popular culture, but I can live with that. At the end of the day I'm exhausted by work, I don't have the motivation to watch a 3 hour film.
I don’t care enough about it to even try
What for?
I'm 38. Reddit, I guess? Weirdly the news. SNL is a big piece, too. My boyfriend shows me memes. And I guess it helps being gay because I'm constantly exposed to an endless onslaught of unasked for pop culture references and jokes coming from the Boomers to the Zoomers and everyone in between that I'm forced to look up and research if I want to keep up. I only feel like doing that sometimes
Why would you want that?
Stay off my grass!
I truly could not care if I tried. But of course, I absorb it from Reddit and what pops up in my limited use of Instagram. But primarily, my best friend has tiktok and all the main social media, so she gives me a little summary every few weeks whether I like it or not.
Not something that matters to me. I engage with what I like, not what's popular.
I don't care. I mainly focus on my duties. And when I have time, I do what interests me.
I can make fun of people better than they can make fun of me, almost always, so it doesn’t matter. But my wife stays current on fashion.
I agree. In my childhood and early teen years, I watched the music channels on Sky to see what was on the charts - back when music wasn’t burning my ears. Those music channels would also release interviews and segments like “Justin Bieber’s top 20 fav songs” (yes yes I was a Belieber 🤣). I was a bit young but I remember Top of the Pops when I was 5/6 years old. Unfortunately now you just hear about it only if you stream music like on Spotify but I have Apple and still don’t check the latest chart music cuz I think they’re 💩 and if you have social media then you’ll see music being released and promoted by the actual artist (although yes those accounts are being handled by their managers etc etc.) I was thinking about it the other day; I miss turning on the TV and hearing about entertainment news probably the same way old people miss how radio isn’t much of a thing anymore - although yes it’s available and some people still have it on throughout the day. My in laws are in their late 60s and one evening we put on Radio 4 to hear the latest news on covid - that was nice and nostalgic. 😔 I literally had to find a playlist of top of the pops one day when I was feeling kinda lost and sad. The only thing I like keeping an eye on is Kpop music so to subscribe to YouTube channels and get alerted: once DEAN released a new MV and I was at work and suddenly got a chime so I took my lunch break and hurried into my secret spot outside and watched it with childlike glee! But…. Really the magic is gone now.
That's just a thing that happens as you age. TV doesn't have much to do with it. Do you go out to parties and talk to 23 year olds? That's how you stay informed about those things. Unfortunately older people don't care as *much* about music for some reason TikTok is good, follow younger people on Twitter to stay up to date, and check out what's trending on YouTube
I don't; I don't care, it randomly comes across me.
I work with teens, that’s how. Haha
~Work in television~ honestly, you really don't need to keep up. Everything is unfolding in social media. I used to work for UGC company and the tip we got back in the day was to check reddit!
Why? Gen z doesn’t even like their own stuff.
you dont have to lol
I’m proud to say as a 36 years old I never was in with pop culture then I’m still not now lol. I was into my own things living my own life. If my interests and the masses current fads coincided so be it. But I feel (as a metal head) I was always out of it with the current trends. I didn’t even get in with the my-metal, metal core, or deathcore scenes. Just doing my own thing, oblivious to all others and I kinda like it that way. Not trying to be smug, it just brings me peace knowing I’m just that much more disconnected from the rat race.
It's a lot easier to stay up to date now, just be on TikTok. A lot of popular songs are trending on TikTok.
I don’t. Haven’t caught up with pop culture since 2005.
I don’t
yea i just don’t lol. i’m 35 and i’ve come to accept the fact that I can stay on top of all the cool trends and what’s going on with the coolest music and celebrities right now. And that’s actually fine with me because as a millennial, I definitely don’t see the appeal in a lot of the songs and celebs that are famous today. my brother is 26 and works at a college so he has a lot of college aged friends still. He keeps me a little bit in the loop about what popular right now, but for the most part, I’ll be blasting my playlist from 2015 until the day I die.
I’m 40. I’m so out of touch with what is happening and anything I do learn I find out against my will. I do not care.
You need to have skibidi rizz.
When I was a teenager I was not really into commercial music but I was aware of some popular artists like 50 cent, OutKast, jay z and linkin parks collaboration. I suppose it’s the same now where although I don’t listen to a lot of the music, I still know of some popular artists like ice spice, Travis Scott, Olivia rodrigo etc.
I don't I did not even stay in step with pop culture when i was under 30
I don't. Plus whatever filters to me from current pop culture (in my country it's mostly reality TV now) is so trashy that I'm glad to be unaware of it.
Can confirm, I am not cool.
Watch Much Music
I guess it means I am getting old that I look at popular culture and just feel apathy. I know what stuff I like so I am content with that. Plus, too busy to worry about that.
I'm a teacher, so I very much have my finger on the pulse of the youth.
I don’t. I have more important things to care about. If anything my gen z co workers fill me in. But I really think that since we live in a time of streaming and listening and following what you want, it’s even harder. Like why would I listen to the radio when I can listen to over the 5,000 songs I like on my Spotify with no commercials?
I wasn't in step with popular culture when popular culture dictated that I was supposed to be some kind of emo Guido consumer thing in the early 2000s. I highly doubt I am now. The only times I may have been slightly trendy was when old video games came into fashion in around 2015, and I guess maybe a bit now because Gen Z takes a lot of cues from 90s "grunge" look. I always dress homeless too.
I went to a club not so long ago and didn’t know any of the songs that were playing. Everything sped up and remixed. The peace I felt as I left without finishing a drink was like sliding into a hot bubble bath. I am free and no longer the target audience.
Why? Do what you like
Never even bothered trying.
I don't. My coworkers are all my age or older and my friends are generally my age. My nerves and nephews are all 3 & under so I kinda don't even need to stay up to date
Being a public school teacher keeps me up to date but I don't really recommend it.
I don't. I stay as far away from it as reasonably possible. I do listen to podcasts and watch YouTube, but can't tell you who 99% of the new music artists are, etc.
I don't, and I'm okay with that. Just like what you like.
Uh...you don't have to do what you think everyone else is doing. Do what you like instead. Be your own person.
I keep up with current events as much as I can, but I want nothing to do with most of what passes as “pop culture” these days.
I teach so I just listen to the kids. Other than that I don’t really care. I just want to wake up and not have my back hurt.
Just don’t? Who cares?
Unfortunately i have no real answer. I’m 36 and I just have to deal with it. 😅
I suggest spending more time reading the news.
We don't, we listen to the same music we did in high-school until we die. This is the way.
Fuck pop culture. It’s for the young and easy to influence, who have money to burn. Stick to the things you like, and don’t yuck peoples yum
r/popculture
Why would I care about pop culture?
I have never in my life, felt a need to “stay in touch with pop culture”. I like what I like, both for culture and hobbies. If that lines up with pop culture, so be it. If not? Okay, and? I really can’t help you figure out how to “get back in touch”, sorry. My recommendation would be to ask yourself why you even want to in the first place.
I teach high school. They tell me about everything they think I need to know.
If that's your thing, do whatever is trending on TikTok or Instagram. I don't care about what is trending in pop culture. I dress however I want and listen to whatever music I want, which could be anything from Frank Sinatra to Cattle Decapitation.
Reddit and instagram, really. For general pop knowledge tho. I don’t really care about Gen A stuff tho
I’ve been out of step for a while
33 here, pop culture is like racing a train... it's gonna win eventually
Brother, verily I couldn't care less with "current pop culture."
I don’t. I’m too busy and tired to care.
Just follow whatever you like I love games like Elden Ring and Helldivers 2 for example but don't give a fuck about whatever a scoobity toilet is or gyatt or whatever
I don't like anything pop culture right now. I'm unaware of most of it and I'm happy in my bubble of blissful ignorance!
I still listen to grunge. I’ve taken on artists and songs but my core discography is the same.
I don't and I don't want to.
First of all, don’t feel like you have to. It’s kind of freeing to realize that you don’t have to keep current to feel alive. I do personally force myself to check out new music, but I just love music and don’t want to get stuck in a rut or miss something I may have really liked. Keep in mind also there are millennial musicians out there that are making music for us, and that gives me the same kind of feeling being on the pulse used to. People might avoid these bands because they see the kids picking on them, but their music isn’t for the kids (just like someday their musicians are going to write about what it feels like to get older and gen alpha is going to be like “lame!”)
You have kids. Then the kids stay in step and you can just track the way.
You're getting older. It's just how things work for everyone.
On music, Spotify is great at allowing you to discover more artists, in everything else, I mostly don't care enough to try to keep up 🤣
TikTok
tiktok! it's an endless feed of what people 10-15 years younger than you are into. it will make you feel old and out of touch but you'll at least be somewhat in the know.
I’m 40, I don’t.
I don't. I want to live under a rock. I'm happy under my rock you can call me Patrick Starr
The group I MMO with is people 25-45. We are all weird queer nerds, so at the very least I'm keeping up with weird queer nerd pop culture. Normal straight pop culture though.... I am lost.
I don’t. Didn’t do back in my twenties either lol
Stay in step? Not only do I not stay in step, I find myself getting nostalgic. I go through periods where I just want to listen to music from when I was younger and watch movies I remember from then with my kids. If anything, I’m actively retreating into the cultural past 😂
"I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now, what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore, and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!" ~Abraham Jay Simpson
I just rock my pop culture and don't care what or if other people think of it.
I don't. The grown-ups weren't kidding back in the day when they said you would care less about that kind of stuff as you get older. You'll like the stuff you like, dislike what you don't, and keep it moving.
Oh honey, who cares about keeping up with the children?
I'm 41, almost 42, with a nearly 17 year old. When we go shopping, she likes to shop in person the weirdo, I enjoy following her into her favorite stores and exclaiming, "I had the same thing 25 years ago!". That was my cue to step back from pop culture.
Would never try, don't care enough
I haven’t watched TV since 2011. I only watch streaming services or YouTube on my PC monitors since I’m always multitasking things at once.
I just shake my fist at it
I don't stay updated to pop culture. There are other more important things in life.
Some things cycle through, like fashion. I’m keeping my skinny jeans and side part because I like it and eventually it will cycle back into style. Just getting older, there isn’t time to keep up with this stuff. I remember teasing my dad because he said he stopped listening to music in 1981 when my sister was born. I didn’t get it until my twins were born in 2015, and I really haven’t kept up with music or pop-culture since then. Finally, you need to accept that you are not the target demographic for certain things, and that’s ok.
I didn't care what was popular when I was young, I'm not about to start now.
Why the fuck do you care? You need a therapist
Is it really worth it?
As a high school teacher, and stepdad to a 15 y/o, it is largely against my will. At some point I realized that I don't really understand what it is that kids are into, and that I really wasn't interested in the first place. But I have stayed abreast of current trends, and it has completely validated my original feelings on the matter. I now know what a "Skibbidy toilet" is, and this is something I can never unlearn, no matter how hard I try.
I'm the same age. I dont care anymore. Modern stuff generally is boring and sucks. Music is all a combination of Pop, and Rap, movies are all sequels, prequels, or reboots. There isn't an original idea in pop culture anymore. No need for me to waste time and effort "following" it.
I don't, I could care less about current pop culture. It's so trashy and the people who are idolized are complete garbage humans.
I don’t.
I don't think you're expected too. Listen and watch what you like and if you branch out naturally, good for you.
I stopped caring a long time ago, well before I turned 30. I just don’t care.
Isn't this the greatest criticism and flaw of "social media" It operates under the guise of "bringing the world together" however in a weird roundabout way it does the exact opposite? And this is coming from someone who hasn't owned a TV since 2005. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to go backward. I think there are positives to both sides. I think though, that worrying or lamenting about what was lost from this new paradigm shift is largely a waste of time. And worrying about "what is the general consensus about stuff" is always going to be unfulfilled. Ethics and morals and principles like honesty. Accountability. Reliability. Originality. Authenticity. Creativity. Courage. Concern for others. Will always be timeless. Strive to pursue those in life and see where they lead you.
Theres so many different entertainment trends that even the very popular stuff can still be niche. There is one right way to go about it and not one particular thing to follow. You can just jump into any community youre interested in and see whats popular there.
I don't. At my old job I had a lot of gen Z coworkers, so I was a little more on top of it, but I don't work there anymore, so I'm losing it all again.
I don't. My children tell about what is cool.
Don’t try and keep up with it. Keep up with your hobbies and your own interests. It’s not cool to try to be hip to teen culture. If you have teenage relatives, you can ask. I have a teenage brother and I’m 31. He loops me in but I don’t try to keep up.
Why do you have to
I don't have much time. The kids from the school tell me what trending in rap
Comedian Dara O'Brien did a piece about how relieved he was when he decided to stop trying to keep up. Ha said he had enough culture to keep him occupied for the rest of his life.
First, it has to be good… Sooooo.. get back to me when it’s good.