If you find yourself humming along to Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” Fall Out Boy’s “Dance, Dance,” or Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” chances are we share a similar upbringing. Listening to these tracks today floods me with nostalgia, evoking memories of first crushes, the trials of high school, and the rollercoaster of living with my parents. While I’ve come to appreciate newer artists like Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and Sabrina Carpenter, the music of the 2000s holds a special place in my heart.

Recently, a younger colleague remarked that “the music from 2008 through 2016 was top tier.” She fondly recalled Meghan Trainor, One Direction, and Kesha as the soundtrack to her formative years. This made me ponder: why do different generations insist that the music of their youth was superior? Can we all be right—or perhaps we are?

To explore this phenomenon, I consulted experts on the impact of music on our brains. “It’s not that music was better when we were younger; it’s that music elicits very strong emotions,” explained Dr. Rita Aiello, a music psychologist at New York University. She reminisced about the emotional resonance of songs like The Beatles’ “Yesterday” and Barbra Streisand’s “People.” “Music serves as a powerful cue for recalling past experiences,” she noted.

But what gives music such profound power? “Music is episodic,” said Dr. Robert Cutietta, a professor of music at the University of Southern California. Unlike visual art, which can be observed and then forgotten, music unfolds over time, engaging our episodic memory. This connection is significant: research indicates that a person’s preference for popular music typically peaks around age 23, with some studies suggesting it can peak as early as 17.

“It’s part of your identity,” Cutietta emphasized. “During those years, we develop a sense of self, and we form attachments to the music that accompanies us.” He shared that the work of The Beatles and conductor Leonard Bernstein profoundly influenced his musical tastes as a teenager. This attachment may explain why older individuals often feel less connected to contemporary music; the emotions tied to music during formative years create lasting bonds.

The interplay of happy and sad emotions in music can deepen this connection. “If we were sad listening to a song 20 years ago, we might feel that same sadness today, but with a sense of distance,” Aiello explained. “Sadness can open the door to joy.” This could also account for the cathartic experience of revisiting songs from challenging times in our lives.

For those who view the 1970s and 1980s as the pinnacle of “real music,” it’s essential to recognize that every decade has its share of both memorable and forgettable songs. “Certain songs become meaningful due to the circumstances surrounding them, and those memories resurface when we listen,” Aiello said. The songs that resonate most powerfully often overshadow the less impactful ones.

“Every era has its share of terrible songs that became hits,” Cutietta added. “While those songs linger in our memory, we tend to focus on the ones we love.”

I’m sure today’s youth will one day look back on the early 2020s as a golden age of music, convinced that future artists can’t compare to those they adored. Yet, they will likely remember how those artists shaped their identities while overlooking the songs that didn’t leave a mark