The Reminiscence Bump: A Year in Music 2023

In November, the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in West London hosted a sold-out performance by The Wonder Years, a pop-punk band from Pennsylvania, celebrating the tenth anniversary of their album The Greatest Generation. This album, which narrates the transition from youth to adulthood, has served as a refuge for the author and their friends. Reflecting on 2023, the author acknowledges that although remarkable albums from artists like Lana Del Rey and Earl Sweatshirt stood out, few became enduring favorites. Instead, they found solace in a select few albums tied to specific emotions. The concept of 'the reminiscence bump'—the nostalgia evoked by songs from one's late teens and early twenties—is examined. The band concluded their performance with 'Came Out Swinging' from Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing (2011), an album that encapsulates adolescent angst. Hanif Abdurraqib's insights on Suburbia as a work of 'return and escape' are also referenced. The article was written by London-based writer and editor Harry Thorne.