The 1960’s was a golden age for popular music. It was a time where diverse musical influences bubbled out of the larger culture and melted together, especially black and white music. I don’t think you can say the same about any time since then. Today, due to cultural fragmentation music exists in isolated ghettos. With the exception of one-off experiments by the likes of Jay Z and Linkin Park or anomalies like Eminem, it’s all segregated. Sure, white kids listen to rap and hip hop, but no one is really listening to and grooving on the same stuff… cross-pollinating. I was reading Wikipedia about one of my favorite singers Lou Christie (born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco) whose biggest hit is “Lightnin’ Strikes”. It went on to describe a rumored interracial relationship between him and Diana Ross while they were on tour with Dick Clark. That would never happen these days. Everyone is too busy reinforcing cultural walls and stereotypes.
Don’t ever talk about music.