I’ve been listening to a lot of 90s pop and R&B recently. It got me thinking of all the changes my listening habits have gone through.
I grew up with limited access to music. For the most part, I grew up listening to Top 40 radio. That meant Casey Kasem on Sundays, Z100, KTU, Power 105, and Hot 97. On TV I watched TRL on MTV, 106 & Park on BET, and The Box. My mom’s music was also part of my jukebox. She had a small collection of vinyls she would plan when we had people come over to visit.
I know we have a tendency to idealize the past. When it comes to music and the past, we usually talk about the ritual behind playing a record or buying music. Although it was the way we all consumed music in the past, it is a ritual that some poeple still able to conserve. There are however other rituals that we have lost forever.
When I was a kid, I remember calling the radio station to request a song. It was really a big waiting ritual. Dialing. waiting on hold, make the request, and then wait to hear your song played. There was an element of intention and presence required.
I don’t know if I necessarily miss those times. I don’t have the patience to call and wait around for a song to be played when I can easily just open up a streaming app and play it on demand. But I do remember those days with a lot of affection because I felt like I was actively participating in the success of the artist. Today, there is no real intention I am just chosing a playlist based on my mood and walk away.
After moving to Colombia, the way I listened to music changed even further. I found it difficult to listen to my old playlists in this new place I call home. I was looking for something to match the mood. I got curious about the independent local music scene and began curating a playlist. I delved in deeper to the sounds of the streets and that resulted in a much deeper relationship with salsa.
I discuss these transformations further in this YouTube video.
Happy watching!
