Why do we give up on new music as we age? (It's not what you think.)

Many of us fall in love with music around puberty and it plays an important part in our lives as we transition into adulthood, get through school and break out on our own. Music helps us shape our identity and bonds us with our friends. It's there when we're lonely or feeling isolated. It's there when we experience infatuations and find love. It consoles us when we lose love or suffer other kinds of heartbreak. The artists we most admire feel like an unofficial part of our families. But somewhere along the way - maybe in our late 20s or early 30s - many of us lose interest in new music and simply replay the music of our youth. We tell ourselves new music isn't as good as the music we grew up with, but we're only fooling ourselves. We tell ourselves new music doesn't relate to us anymore, but many of those artists who made music when we were young are still making music, often more mature music, and we aren't listening to their new material. Could it be we're too busy with life to keep up with music? We aren't interested anymore because our friends aren't interested anymore? Maybe and maybe. It could also be that your brain simply finds it harder to process new music and you're just physically more comfortable with the rewards of the nostalgic power of familiar music than you are with the challenge of getting to know something new. This week on "How We Heard It," your hosts explore the myths and realities of the changing role music has in our lives and practical ways you can continue to experience the joy of new music, which is good for your mental and physical health. You could even fall in love with music all over again.