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Musical tastes tend to freeze. When we're teenagers and 20-somethings, we listen to the newest and hottest stuff. And then, as the realities of work and family set in, we realize that we're listening to the same artists in our 40s that we liked in our 20s.

We cling to the vintage tunes not because they're the best ever made, but because we just get too busy, too distracted or — let's admit it — too tired to seek out current music that might thrill us like the old days.

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But it doesn't have to be that way. Just because we're grown-ups — with all those grown-up, time-burgling responsibilities — doesn't mean we have to leave musical discovery behind.

That's where this little primer comes in. We've compiled some suggestions, our own and those of a few experts, to help grown folks keep up with contemporary music.

We firmly believe that anyone with open ears, an Internet connection and a reasonable music budget can remain a lifelong musical hipster. It's not as hard as it sounds, and the rewards are endless.

To get you started, these 10 albums will bring you back up to speed.

The Arcade Fire, "Funeral": This clamorous record, an instant indie rock classic, throbs with equal parts joy and fear.

The Avalanches, "Since I Left You": Dance to it, clean your house to it, whatever. Just don't stop the beat.

Franz Ferdinand, "Franz Ferdinand": Which somehow distills every major rock trend of the past six years into a single album.

Jay-Z, "The Blueprint": Not as verbally inventive as Eminem's records, but more representative of the big, boastful hip-hop sound that has come to dominate popular music.

The Libertines, "Up the Bracket": Slashing rock 'n' roll, played with massively catchy melodies and a crooked British sneer.

Youssou N'Dour, "Egypt": A lush album from this Senegalese vocalist, perhaps Africa's greatest musician.

Radiohead, "Kid A": A head-spinning dispatch from the outer limits of the mainstream rock universe.

Sufjan Stevens, "Illinois": A sleek concept album made by a singer-songwriter with a soft voice and an expansive sound.

Kanye West, "Late Registration": If you think you don't like hip-hop, you might tiptoe into the genre with this smart and soulful album, which samples Otis Redding and includes the infectious hit "Gold Digger."

Lee Ann Womack, "There's More Where That Came From": The best country album of the decade thus far, period.

Looking for more?

If you've got all of the above, or you're looking to dig a bit deeper in your quest to get up to speed, here are 10 more we love.

Belle & Sebastian, "The Life Pursuit": The gentle acoustic sound of this Scottish band's early years gives way to bold, hook-laden pop.

Johnny Cash, "American IV: The Man Comes Around": A legend proves he was still vital until the end.

Drive-By Truckers, "Decoration Day": Southern rock is dragged — kicking, screaming and, occasionally, weeping — into the 21st century.

Common, "Be": Rap records are rarely this balanced, this musically rich or this conscious of life and how to live it.

Bebel Gilberto, "Tanto Tempo": A tropical beauty with Brazilian flair.

Shelby Lynne, "I Am Shelby Lynne": This slow-burning album is country music for people who hate country music — but there's no reason die-hard country fans can't soak it up, too.

OutKast, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below": A huge amount of music to digest, but also a hugely rewarding experience, this double-album takes hip-hop to previously unimaginable places.

The White Stripes, "Elephant": A stripped-down punk-blues album, anchored by the majestic "Ball and Biscuit," and crackling with Detroit energy.

Wilco, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot": This fuzzy album has moments of profundity and moments of inscrutability. Other times, it just rocks.

Cassandra Wilson, "Belly of the Sun": Blues, Brazil, the Band and Bob Dylan are bathed in a voice as warming and lush as a sultry summer day.