Hi readers!
I’m celebrating my 50th birthday this week, and I’m taking a break from writing about teenagers.
Instead, I’m thinking about music.
I don’t write about it a lot here, but music is a crucial part of my life.
In high school, I reviewed albums and interviewed bands for the ‘zines I made with friends, Fatality and Convergence. My college years were anchored around KCOU, the University of Missouri’s radio station, where I was a DJ, hosted shows, and made life-long friends. Later, I wrote about music for magazines, newspapers, and websites.
Now I sing in a men’s choir called the Conspiracy of Beards (we exclusively sing the songs of Leonard Cohen) and go out to shows as often as I can.
I LOVE sharing music with my sons and think music can be a wonderful way to build bridges across generations.
ABOUT THIS PLAYLIST
Over the last couple months, I’ve been adding songs to a chronological playlist, starting with the year I was born (1974) and adding beloved songs for each year afterwards, all the way through to 2024. I tried to stick to one song per year, but I let a few extra slip in when it got too hard to trim. I did limit it to one song per artist, even though I love many tracks from the artists featured here.
Below are the results, which you can also listen to in Apple Music or Spotify. I hope you discover (or rediscover) something you love on the list.
If you listen to this and start thinking, “Wait, why did he add that song?,” please ask. I’d be happy to tell you more about my relationship with these particular tunes.
I would also LOVE to hear about the music you are enjoying right now. Jump into the comments with some recommendations!
Big love,
Christopher
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
Brian Eno - St. Elmo’s Fire
Flamin’ Groovies - Shake Some Action
The Clash - Career Opportunities
Television - Marquee Moon
Patti Smith - Because the Night
Gang Of Four - Damaged Goods
The Clean - Anything Could Happen
Prince - Controversy
New Order - Age Of Consent
Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Violent Femmes - Blister In The Sun
The Replacements - Bastards Of Young
Jesus and Mary Chain - The Hardest Walk
Husker Du - Celebrated Summer
R.E.M. - Fall On Me
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Beat Happening - Indian Summer
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
Public Enemy - Rebel Without A Pause
Pixies - Gigantic
Fugazi - Suggestion
Chris Knox - Not Given Lightly
Magnetic Fields - 100,000 Fireflies
Liz Phair - F**k and Run
PJ Harvey - Man-Size
Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl
Stereolab - French Disko
Pavement - Gold Soundz
Yo La Tengo - Tom Courtenay
Elliott Smith - Rose Parade
The Mountain Goats - Weekend In Western Illinois
Sleater Kinney - Turn It On
Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Radiohead - Idioteque
The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Gillian Welch - Look At Miss Ohio
Lucinda Williams - Fruits Of My Labor
Sufjan Stevens - Chicago
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
TV On The Radio - Lover’s Day
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
Robyn - Dancing On My Own
Janelle Monae - Tightrope
Joanna Newsom - Good Intentions Paving Company
Tune-Yards - Bizness
Frank Ocean - Lost
Beyonce - All Night
Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
Phoebe Bridgers - Motion Sickness
Kendrick Lamar - DNA
Idles - Samaritans
Big Thief - Not
Lucy Dacus - Night Shift
Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten - Like I Used To
boygenius - True Blue
Chappell Roan - Casual
Waxahatchee - Right Back To It
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Happy, happy 50th Christopher! I love that you made and shared this playlist. I can’t wait to listen my way through it. Wishing you all the best!