My Musical Timeline

This post is a work-in-progress, and is probably interesting only to myself. I have an incredibly poor long-term memory, which makes me very sad. But, I've always had a great memory when it comes to music, and I associate different music with different periods of my life, as I assume many/most people do. I've never put it in writing before, but following is a list of when I recall first "getting into" or being exposed to various artists that have then stuck in my musical consciousness. The order within each "era" is rather arbitrary.

Childhood (1978-1990)
Thanks Mom & Dad:
The Big Chill soundtrack
Footloose soundtrack
Buddy Holly
Beetlejuice soundtrack
The Muppet Movie soundtrack
Paul Simon (Graceland)
Hooked on Classics
Elvis Presley
Lionel Richie

Thanks Mom:
Michael Jackson (Thriller)
Huey Lewis & the News (Sports)
The Chipmunks Christmas Album
Dire Straits (Brothers in Arms)
Godspell soundtrack
Neil Diamond
Flashdance soundtrack

Thanks Dad:
Peter, Paul, and Mary
The Mamas & the Papas (20 Golden Hits)
The Weavers
Roy Orbison

Junior High (1990-1992)
Simon & Garfunkel
Beatles (Magical Mystery Tour, Abbey Road)
They Might Be Giants (Flood)
Weird Al Yankovic (Even Worse)
Milli Vanilli (Girl, You Know It's True)
Cat Stevens (Teaser and the Firecat)
Dr. Demento
Hoagy Carmichael
Queen (A Night at the Opera)
Elton John
Donovan (Greatest Hits)
The Mills Brothers

High School (1992-1996)
REM (Automatic for the People)
Harry Connick Jr.
Billy Joel
Musicals (The Pirates of Penzance, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Joseph)
The Blues Brothers soundtrack
Joe Cocker (Mad Dogs & Englishmen)
Woodstock soundtrack
Manhattan Transfer
Beastie Boys (Ill Communication)
John Lennon (Shaved Fish)
Eric Clapton (Unplugged)
Traffic (Traffic)
Madrigal & Choral music
Enya (Watermark)
Janis Joplin (Greatest Hits)
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Aerosmith

College (1996-2001)
Cake (Fashion Nugget)
Alanis Morissette (Jagged Little Pill)
Beck (Odelay)
Frank Sinatra (Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First)
Bjork (Homogenic)
The Bobs
Phish (A Picture of Nectar)
Good Will Hunting soundtrack
Perry Como
Fiona Apple (Tidal)
The Bloodhound Gang (One Fierce Beer Coaster)
ABBA
Willie Nelson
Musical soundtracks (Chicago; Pippin; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; etc.)
Stevie Wonder
Betty Buckley
Destiny's Child
Amazin' Blue (AllNighter)
Tom Petty (Wildflowers)
k.d. lang (Drag)
Oh Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack
and, yes, even Britney and *Nsync

Post-College (2001-2005)
George Harrison (All Things Must Pass)
Umphrey's McGee (Anchor Drops)
Dixie Chicks (Home)
Prince
Shirley Bassey
Moulin Rouge soundtrack
Coldplay (A Rush of Blood to the Head)
Toots & the Maytals
Musical soundtracks (Hedwig & the Angry Inch)

Now (post-summer of 2005 to present)
Sufjan Stevens (Illinois)
Andrew Bird (The Mysterious Production of Eggs)
Regina Spektor
The Ditty Bops (The Ditty Bops)
Johnny Cash
Tally Hall (Tally Hall)
Tom Brosseau
Eisley (Room Noises)
Ray Charles
Nelly McKay (Get Away From Me)
Joanna Newsom (The Milk-Eyed Mender)
Brian Wilson (Smile)
Cat Power (The Greatest)
Scissor Sisters (Scissor Sisters)
Musical soundtracks (Avenue Q, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Wicked, Rent)
Dan Beahm & the Invisible Three (Amplifier)