Hi Claire. 'Classic' does not necessarily have a very good definition anymore, within or without the type world. At its core, classic denotes timelessness, or being of a quality by which all subsequent works are measured. If something were produced today that fit those standards, it may then be considered a 'modern classic,' but this term itself is as you point out kind of silly because of its paradoxical nature and general overuse (and misuse).
To further complicate the issue, pair that with typographic classification systems that use the same or similar words—classical describing the renaissance & post-renaissance Roman types, modern describing romantic faces such as Bodoni's and Didot's, modern describing a high-contrast Scotch Roman as seen in faces such as De Vinne, modern describing futurist types such as Futura, modern describing any types that coincided with the artistic movement called 'modernism,' and modern describing anything done recently.

Also be aware that Modern does not equal Contemporary any more: we are living in the Postmodern Age.

in that case what comes after postmodern age?

in that case what comes after postmodern age?

Evidently, nothing, if one is to believe those anticipating The Rapture on 21 May, or the Mayan calendar...

What would you like it to be called?

post postmodern lol, i don't know it's confusing. hahahaha good one old nick.

Classic? Oh, that's the pop stuff that's good enough to survive for long enough. That's where real classical music comes from. The garaldes and bodonis, too. ABBA, The Beatles and LedZep are there already, as is Univers.

There is a distinction between classic as noun and adjective.
A new typeface can be classic, in the sense that it adopts a venerable style, but it can never be a classic until a suitable period of time has elapsed.

With music, classics are works that have been interpreted many times, over time. Perhaps the same meaning can be applied to typefaces.

To be a bit less confusing: when we talk about a Modern serif it is usually a didone like Bodoni or Didot. They have a vertical axis and a dramatic contrast between thicks and thins, hence many Scotch Romans, if classified superficially, would also be a Modern.

Bonham and Lennon are rolling in their graves at that comparison with ABBA...

They have a vertical axis and a dramatic contrast between thicks and thins, hence many Scotch Romans, if classified superficially, would also be a Modern.

That is why I made the distinction in naming Scotch Modern, to distinguish the genre from the Scotch Romans, which have long long been understood to be transitionals.

Forgive me, Nick. I had your Scotch Modern in mind, but Scotch Romans like Georgia or Miller are definitely transitionals.

@Mugford - Never thought of them as musical bigots.

@Nick - Only the passage of time can truly determine what's classic. Or a classic, for that matter.

Hmm... I'll likely want to put Iron Maiden and the Ozzman on the musical classics list; same with Cheltenham and Helvetica on the typog. classics list.

Iron Maiden? Akk, verdens undergang er nær.

Jeg kunne have sagt Artch.

@Té: Only the passage of time can truly determine what's classic.

Couldn't Orpheus Pro (Canada Type) be considered classic but not a classic?
It's a revival of 1928 typeface in a classical style (i.e. strongly informed by Roman inscriptions from classical antiquity), but that typeface disappeared from use within 20 years, fallen from fashion and not transitioned into technologies subsequent to letterpress, until this year, therefore by no means classic.

I dunno. Orpheus Pro looks an odd'yin to me. Arty. Nice for a book of paintings. A possible niche classic.

Maybe I'm wrong, but "classic" is a value, an attribute. The community, the history, the social habit makes something to be perceived like a classic.
Modern, as intended for Bodoni et Co. was a suffix given "as it is". I think that style was considered "modern" by the designers ante litteram themselves.
Something like the Futurists in fine arts in the 20s.

My standards may be (and likely will be) different from y'alls' in that I consider a classic (n.) to be something man-made that can and/or has survived virtually unchanged for a period of time while affecting things around them. Okay, that's a right broad stroke, but that's the essence of it. The Speccy, the Commie, the Beeb; I see them as classics among home computers. Others would no doubt want to add Vicky and the Apple 2 to their list. /* Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Acorn's BBC Computer. Commodore VIC 20. */

Found something nice via google on Postmodernism, the modern age, a good overview over the concepts:

http://www.uni-muenster.de/Politikwissenschaft/Doppeldiplom/docs/Postmod...

After Postmodernism? Post-Postmodernism.
Postmodernism is in many ways an expression of the capitalistic consumer society and its culture. Therefore it will be with us for some time to come.

after postmodernism? recession and reactionary regression :p
after that who knows

I just came across the term ‘Stuckism’ (when I read about post-postmodernism) and I honestly can relate to that feeling. At least where I reside right now. Seems like a place without real social/cultural/political progress.