The two aren't mutually exclusive, though. This merely explains why you remember certain individual songs and think they are better than you might think if they

The two aren't mutually exclusive, though. This merely explains why you remember certain individual songs and think they are better than you might think if they didn't have any special meaning to you. The fact that those that you remember are likely the better ones (rather than an unbiased sampling) is what makes you think all music was better (or that there was more better music, at least).