On Feb. 9, 1964, The Beatles exploded into American homes with a two-and-a-half-minute performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show. That night changed the way we would listen to music forever.
The Beatles transcend time. My parents listened to them, I listen to them and I'm willing to bet my children will listen to them too.
Growing up in a generation of Beliebers and Directioners, it can be hard to imagine another band having such a profound effect on a culture. It has been 50 years since that performance, and the world hasn't seen anything like it since. This anniversary begs the question: Is music past its prime?
One look at the current Top 40 would be enough to dishearten even the most optimistic rock 'n' roll fan. Grown-up Disney stars adorn the covers of every magazine, and choruses consist of only one word, repeated endlessly.
The amount of auto-tune on the radio at any given time would be enough to make Janis Joplin roll over in her grave. On the surface, the future of popular music looks bleak.
However, perspective is key. What makes music "good" is relative. A song that impacted a teenager in the sixties could have a completely different effect on a listener today.
Times have changed, whether we like it or not. Record producers know their audience, and people just aren't buying meaningful music anymore.
However, fans of antiquated music shouldn't lose hope just yet.
In recent years, there has been a massive resurgence of classic rock that does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. It has become trendy to embrace the culture of past generations. Vinyl record sales are through the roof. Instant cameras are back. And, you would be more likely to find affluent teenagers in a thrift store than in a shopping mall. Ten years ago it would've been considered strange to wear your parent's ratty Grateful Dead t-shirt. Now, it's become a popular trend.
This vintage revival has led to a slew of new artists who are developing styles of their own while paying homage to the greats at the same time.
Bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers evoke folk artists from the 60s and 70s such as Bob Dylan or Neil Young. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine lists Grace Slick as one of her influences. And those are just the ones you hear about. Great bands like Shovels and Rope, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Neutral Milk Hotel fly under the radar all the time, just a Pandora click away.
Of course, it is doubtful any artist will change music the way The Beatles have. The impact they had on our culture is almost unthinkable, and they set an impossibly high standard for any artist that dared to come after them.
Nevertheless, music with substance is still happening. You just have to know where to look.
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