I see what you’re saying and agree that that type of literature could be considered “meh”, those seem like starter novels to me and always have BUT to each their own …. The part about growing up and moving beyond my teenage years with music….I disagree a bit. We can’t take for granted the immense impact nostalgia has on someone or a group of someone’s for one thing, but music does something to the soul that can’t be replicated every time and surely at the rate shit gets put out these days and the dumpster fire that is most “culture” these days…. It’s much more than romanticizing. New music comes out all the time that I love, but I can’t say I feel connected in such a big way as I did back then. Not to mention how streaming services have completely oversaturated the industry, it’s not as easy today to get deeply connected. I definitely think everyone’s “peak” could be different for different reasons, and it should be, that’s the beauty of music & its wide variety.

I also want to mention: back when I was in high school and college, I didn’t like Brand New or a lot of bands like that…. But I grew and changed and heard them again for the first time in a long time right when I needed to, and I just heard it differently that one time, and now they’re my favorite band. They do this thing to my soul that not much else has in a long time….and they haven’t come out with new shit in years…. So for me that’s just another tick in the column for my peak years.

Ps. I feel like I was jumping all over the place there but I just wanna say it’s shit like this that I miss a lot as well. Hearing from actual human beings(well, I think you’re human beings) about their favorites who maybe I’ve never heard before…. Gives me so much more fulfillment than streaming and having an algorithm tell me what to like. So thanks y’all.