Am I somehow becoming younger or is youth oriented music just a lot better than it was ten years ago? Nelly Furtado’s Say It Right is just the latest in a surprisingly long line of fun, interesting music that features clever lyrics, inventive sounds and a sense of optimism. Comparing it to the loud, hard, dark music of the 90s is really intriguing to me. I’m curious as to why the shift has been so substantial. If nothing else, I’m happy about it!

• Music