Why do most songwriters peak prior to 30

[chogdog]

So I've been wondering why do most rock and roll songwriters peak at an early age. I know people will bring up some rare examples (Bob Pollard for one) but it seems most rock and roll songwriters are nearly washed up by the age of thirty and most certainly by 35. Yeah some of them will put out a sporadic great album or have a handfull of good songs after those ages but it seems like for the most part the quantity and quality really drops down at that point.

I'm just wondering because (in my opinion) my songwriting seemed to have improved in my late 20 continuing through my mid 30's. Maybe if you have overall less musical talent, you tend to peak later. So not saying I'm a great songwritier or on the level of most other professional songwriters just noticed that songwriting 30+ was better than 20-30.

[El Santo]

I've wondered the sme thing for a long time as well.
I started to get really anxious a year ago to get started on a new project.
I was turning 23 and really didn't have any music that I could be proud of up to that point. I felt like time would fly by really quickly and I might have missed the point in my life where I could be most productive.
Ryan Adams was around 20 when Faithless Street came out....and I felt like I needed to have something I was proud of like that. Even if no one else really liked it.

I guess with certain people or songwriters its all a matter of taste.

How old is Richard Buckner?? Isn't he around the 40 year old mark?? I personally think that he's stayed on a level plane throughout his career? Isn't Jay Farrar about the same age as well?

[Beldo]

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with success. A lot of people are afraid they're either going to repeat themselves or not be able to duplicate whatever the last successful thing the did was.
Also, I'll use Rivers Cuomo from Weezer as an example; his second album Pinkerton, didn't meet expectations critically or financially until much later and that had a profound effect on him for years to come. He was traumatized by it because of how many personal details he gave out and was convinced it failed because it sort of creeped people out. He did everything he could to never write songs like that again basically and unfortunately for us, he hasn't. The pressure to be successful can just screw with people's minds.

[kaseya]

townes van zandt
steve earle
john prine
rodney crowell
bob dylan
bruce springsteen
paul westerberg
guy clark
joe henry
neil young

there's a short list of writers whose post-thirty catalogue rivals or surpasses any of the work they did prior to thirty. dylan and springsteen (and maybe young, too) will all probably be debated, but i'm of the opinion that albums like "the ghost of tom joad" and "time out of mind" are easily as consistent as "nebraska" and "bringing it all back home".

[TANEYTOWN]

My top two Paul Westerberg & Brent BEst haven't or didn't.......

[Tim73]

I think artists are better when they are hungry. If you have the record deal & the lifestyle it's harder to write in a way that connects (not for all but for most). If you look at how ageist the industry is, there's your answer.

There are always exceptions though.

[PosterBoy]

depending on the genre

but maybe a lack of angst and too much contentment.

[spanishjohnny]

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with success. A lot of people are afraid they're either going to repeat themselves or not be able to duplicate whatever the last successful thing the did was.
Also, I'll use Rivers Cuomo from Weezer as an example; his second album Pinkerton, didn't meet expectations critically or financially until much later and that had a profound effect on him for years to come. He was traumatized by it because of how many personal details he gave out and was convinced it failed because it sort of creeped people out. He did everything he could to never write songs like that again basically and unfortunately for us, he hasn't. The pressure to be successful can just screw with people's minds.

Good call. Being young and wide eyed infuses creative endeavours with a certain amount of fearlessness and that often translates into good music. Even if people aren't completely overwhelmed by success, the change in lifestyle can still blunt their creative output. But I think it depends on the indvidual artist and i dont think its a syndrome beyond remedy. Kasey's list provides a pretty decent counter argument though i would debate Dylan and Springsteen. The latter has been battling a case of writers block since "Tunnel of love".

[Blaze]

Tom Waits would be another. Jeff Tweedy too. Will Johnson has to be over 30.

[Wellstone]

I think when you're younger you're left alone to space out and let the songs come to you. After success more people want a piece of you and your under pressures of record co.'s and others and maybe even a wife and kids.

[KnobTwister]

Nice topic Chogs, and may I say that your songwriting is indeed inspiration at your young 30'sish age.

Although - I agree for the most part. Of the list that kasey put up, I'd say that of all the music I know of these artists, on the whole, I prefer their earlier work.

John Hiatt is one, for me personally that has gotten better with age. But for the most part, that hunger and talent does seem to be more evident in younger songwriters. It seems like they are just writing because it feels right and they like the sound they are producing. Older writers seem like they are trying to accomplish something like a concept album or engender a new sound or something - over-thinking it, in general.

It brings Alanis Morrisette to mind. Not because she's all that, or anything. But when Jagged Little Pill came out, it was given praise because she was so freaking angry. She was pissed off about something, and the results were pretty entertaining. Since the success of that album, she's been putting out feel good shit that would make most flower-donning hippies think it was fluff. It's pretty clear she was just glad to pay her rent and get laid.

[THE_DEAN_001]

I think their just comes a time when a songwriter kind of runs out of new things to say. Also, the twenties is a time when people tend to see life through new eyes. Being fourty and having your twentieth girlfriend walk out on you doesn't usually bring as much inspiration or insight as being twenty three and watching your first, second, and third one walk out.

[Rowsdower]

I hear the women ones peak after 30.

[Beldo]

Nice topic Chogs, and may I say that your songwriting is indeed inspiration at your young 30'sish age.

Although - I agree for the most part. Of the list that kasey put up, I'd say that of all the music I know of these artists, on the whole, I prefer their earlier work.

John Hiatt is one, for me personally that has gotten better with age. But for the most part, that hunger and talent does seem to be more evident in younger songwriters. It seems like they are just writing because it feels right and they like the sound they are producing. Older writers seem like they are trying to accomplish something like a concept album or engender a new sound or something - over-thinking it, in general.

John Hiatt is similar to Paul Westerberg in that they both have written great songs for a long time, but I see a connection in that they both also seem to have had a lot of problems in their lives, things that have plagued them for decades. You look at Hiatt you see all of his drinking problems, you look at Westy you see marriage problems and all the Mats problems. These guys were never really melodramatic like maybe someone like Rivers Cuomo is/was. They had real problems and they still have real problems that plague them.
People like Waits and Springsteen I think are a different story. He and Waits are both storytellers more than personal songwriters...they would probably be writing books or making movies and plays if they weren't musicians. They may have fallen off somewhat, but so do a lot of writers. Waits not as much as Springsteen, but then again, a lot of Springsteen's charm early on was writing about the types of people from the wrong side of the tracks, especially young people, and now that Springsteen isn't really in that place any more it's probably harder for him to always create fresh new songs.

[Colorado Sun]

You are all correct....

If you have talent you can use your twenties to inspire great songwriting. There is just so much material there...

But in your 30's things do not effect you as viscerally and you find comfort in wisdom or success......This is where craft has to take over. The list of post thirty great songwriters all have talent and added craft and this is why they can still bring it.

To add to the list - Greg Brown, Alejandro Escovedo and Steve Forbert

-Sun