As I’m writing this, I am sitting in a place near my house where they are playing music. And not just any music; they are listening to pop music. I can hear the heavily produced and overly smooth voice of the various artists singing about being famous and saying no and lamenting over how their boyfriend or girlfriend won’t appreciate them. Pop music is everywhere these days, from TV advertisements to movie trailers to being in the background at almost every coffee shop one could think of. And it’s easy to think why pop music seems to have an omnipresent presence: it’s catchy, it’s enjoyed everywhere, and it’s relatively easy to listen to. With its basic tune and repetitive nature, it’s not that hard to memorize the lyrics of the many pop artists that have made a name for themselves.

But I just cannot get into it.

I can’t lie; there was a point in my life where I listened to pop music. In fact, my first download on iTunes was a song by Shakira, a pop artist from Colombia. At that point in my life, I wasn’t entirely sure what music I enjoyed, and I went with what everyone else listened to. Then, I went through a country phase, which I quickly got out of, and then I went through a long period of listening to alternative and, I’ll be honest, “emo” music. Through these periods, I mainly did it in order to follow trends of what my friends enjoyed and what was popular at the time. And I each time, I figured out that I didn’t truly like those genres, I only liked them because of what my friends thought and I wanted to fit in.

And so, finally, I have come to a stage in my life where I have realized what music I love and what I can’t get enough of, and that is classic rock.

Many people have been surprised by my choice of music. Some people even think that I’m lying when I proclaim my love of classic rock. (For instance, one day, I was wearing a band shirt and a person came up to me and asked if I even knew what the band was. And I said I did because the band was, in fact, Led Zeppelin, which just so happens to be my favorite band of all time. Let’s just say I surprised the person I was talking to.) I can understand how some might be surprised: a teenager is wearing a classic rock T-shirt, and since that’s old music, he or she merely bought the shirt since it looks “cool” and “vintage.”

But that’s simply not the case for me.

I listen to classic rock for the emotion. For the raw passion, that’s put into every song. For the casual and effortless presence that each song brings. For the rough and damaged voices that still somehow create the beautifully orchestrated songs. For the calloused fingers that pluck the strings of the guitars as if they were an extension of their arms. There is so much to love for in classic rock music. Each song has its own unique story, whether the songwriter wrote it from the heart or about their aching past or simply because they wanted people to know that not every song has to have a meaningful history behind it. There is so much heart and soul that is put into each song, and each song becomes a piece of the artist, allowing listeners to be able to see a little bit of the songwriter’s mind.

My friends think that it’s strange that I can like the classic rock genre. They say that it’s too loud or too rough or simply too old. But those rough and scratchy voices and the loud guitar riffs become my favorite parts of the classic rock genre. With each piece of classic rock that I listen to, I somehow become attached to each piece, as it connects to my life in ways that no other genre can. Even if I’ve never been in a situation like a songwriter was in, I still feel a sense of familiarity and empathy for the artist, feeling like I’ve gone through the same troubles as they have.

Music is a form of expression, and, to me, classic rock is the epitome of expression. It talks about social issues and personal obstacles, and people who listen can feel that pain and tragedy through the speakers. I’m not saying that pop artists like Adele or Ed Sheeran and rap artists like Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar have never created songs that are wrapped in meaning. I’m saying that, to me, classic rock has affected me emotionally, to the point that it’s not simply music anymore; it’s a part of my life. A part of my life that hasn’t left me, and a part of my life that I’m not expecting to go away anytime soon. When I feel upset or angry, I turn it on to feel better. When I need a break from the world, classic rock can save me.

Classic rock should not just be swept under the rug because pop music and rap music have taken over the radio. People shouldn’t ignore the amount of impact classic rock has made on our culture and what we know today. People should embrace it and acknowledge that because of classic rock, our world has been changed, and I would argue, for the better. It brings people together. It connects us with others that have gone through the same trials. It helps inspire others in their own work or in their own lives. Classic rock has made its mark in history, and we should never let the generations after us forget it.