Dig if you will, a picture.  You’re a songwriter who records her own music (or his own music, whichever.). You’re over 50.  You love a wide variety of genres, and you can enjoy writing for any of them.  Which ones might be receptive to listening to local radio, local venues?  Let’s assume it’s a year from now and all the venues are open again.  Assume it’s 2022.

Modern Pop – Forget it, grandma.  The teens and 20-somethings aockjren’t willing to give you the time of day.

Modern Rock – Maybe.  Rock is now “old people” music, but you can also find it on alternative radio stations.  You might get airplay on a local indie station if they have a rock show.  In terms of venues to play, well, new original rock music from someone over 50?  Good luck.  It’s possible in theory.

Blues – Well, yeah.  Blues doesn’t care how old or young you are, and there are clubs that still support the blues.  This is a good one.

Country – Modern Country has become pop, so you’re not going to compete in that area.  If you’re doing some more traditional country, alone with your guitar, you can take the Singer/Songwriter route and there are some places to play in that genre.

Jazz – No one cares how old you are in Jazz.  It’s more about being able to play.  Radio opportunities might exist if you have an alt station that has a Jazz night.  Maybe.  Finding clubs that feature original Jazz is a tough ask.  But they are out there.  Not in every city, though.

Hard Rock – See Modern Rock.

Metal – I think the Metal audience is OK will older people, as long as you can really play or sing and you don’t try to pull off a wardrobe that makes you look out of touch.  But there aren’t too many venues who’d want an elderly new metal band on their stage.  Not unless you’re amazing.

Prog Rock – Yes.  They’ll take you, as long as you can play (similar to Metal.). But finding a place to play will be a challenge.  Will the local indie radio station play you?  If you give them something that rocks and is under 5 minutes and is great, then yes, they might.

Singer/Songwriter – Well, grandma, this is where the public thinks you belong.  Singing on the stage alone, with your acoustic guitar.  The local indie station might consider you and there are plenty of Open Mic Nights to play at.  If your music is amazing, there may or may not be a local audience for you.

This is really simple – look at what is already working, locally, for older people.  Do that.

Or you can totally ignore the local market and all the rules, make whatever you want, put it on the Internet, and people will listen to it or they won’t.  That’s what I do.  A small number of people all over the world listen to my music on Spotify and Apple Music.  But I’m writing for an audience of one – me.  If I like it, if I want to listen to it, I record and release it.  If I think it sucks, it never leaves my house.  I’ve had some songs licensed on YouTube and by Walgreens and Kroger.  It doesn’t matter – I’d make music even if no one listened to it.  As long as I like it, I’m happy.

When I decided to do local gigs, though, I wrote a Singer/Songwriter album specifically so I could have places to play.  It worked.  I got on local TV and radio in my city (Tampa).  It was fun.

Do what makes you happy.  But be realistic about what you can do, especially at an older age.  Ageism is a massive, massive thing in the music business, just like in Hollywood.