I like to think, and talk, about nostalgia.  Whether it’s sports, music, video games, or even societal morality (stay with me!), I feel that there is a compulsion to remember the past in a more flattering light than it might deserve.  When was the “Golden Age” of basketball?  Was it with Wilt Chamberlain?, Magic?, Jordan?, Kobe?, LeBron?  When was the best time period to live?  During the enlightenment in Paris?, during the “Leave it to Beaver” era of America?… during Reagan’s America?  I have heard interesting and compelling arguments for all these and more.

However, when it comes to music, I definitely find myself more invested in the discussion.  When was the “Golden Age” for music?  If we set aside classical music and focus on modern music, I’d anticipate different ideas like Elvis and The Beatles, or the 60’s and Classic Rock, or the 80’s and the emergence of Hip-Hop.  I’d however argue that the “Golden Age” of music is now… it always has been, and hopefully always will be.  If creativity is cumulative, and musicians continue to be able to stand on the shoulders of the giants that have come before them, then the best time for music has to be now.  Today. And tomorrow will be better than today, and so on.  As a fan of music, I definitely have a list of my favorites, my “classics” that I grew up on and love.  But if I believe in progression, and innovation, and if I’m honest with myself, I have to then believe that there has never been a potential better time for music, than right now.  Maybe the same idea applies to any nostalgia across all topics.

With all that said, I would like to contradict myself, and say there was definitely a “Golden Age” of video games, and it was the Nintendo NES.  Mario Bros., Zelda,  RBI Baseball, Tecmo Bowl… perfection.  I’m happy to say that on 11/11, I will be ecstatic to hand over my $59.99.