Music Needs Its Elders—Why Age Diversity Keeps the Soul Alive

Featured on SumomoDojo.com

Introduction

We’re living in a music era where youth is currency. Labels and platforms often chase the energy and influence of young artists, hoping to tap into their fast-growing audiences. While there’s undeniable power in that youthful spark, we have to ask—what happens when we lose the wisdom, nuance, and emotional depth that only time can bring?

Music, at its best, is a reflection of the full human experience. And the human experience doesn’t end at 25. In fact, it’s just beginning.

The Soul of Music is Being Compromised

When the industry prioritizes trend over truth, image over impact, and virality over vulnerability, the soul of music gets diluted.

The richness of life—grief, growth, love after loss, resilience, transformation—these themes often require more than youthful perspective. They require time.

By sidelining older voices, we lose entire chapters of human insight. We cut short the story.

The Beauty of Age in Art

There is a magic that only comes with time. A voice that carries the weight of lived experience. A pen that’s been dipped in both joy and pain. Artists who’ve endured, grown, and reflected bring something to music that cannot be faked or manufactured.

• They bring legacy.

• They bring nuance.

• They bring truth.

From Marvin Gaye to Nina Simone, Leonard Cohen to Jill Scott—some of the most transformative music has come from artists in the middle or later stages of their lives.

Why We Need Age Diversity in Music

Just as nature thrives on biodiversity, music thrives on age diversity.

Imagine an industry where young artists bring fire, and older artists bring depth. Where generations don’t compete, but collaborate.

That is the formula for music that doesn’t just move bodies—but moves souls.

Music should inspire, uplift, and reflect all of us—not just a fleeting moment in youth. If we want music that heals, empowers, and elevates humanity, we need every voice in the room. Every age. Every chapter.

Closing Thoughts: The Future Is All of Us

I’m fortunate to have lived long enough to understand that music is not just a performance—it’s a responsibility. A sacred exchange between artist and listener.

If you’re an older artist, don’t hide. Speak up. Create.

If you’re a younger artist, seek out wisdom. Collaborate across generations.

And if you’re a listener—demand more than trends. Demand soul.

Let’s build an industry that honors the full arc of human experience. One song, one story, one truth at a time.

Stay present. Stay empowered. Stay inspired.

—Sumomo