Rock stars keep going into their 80s – so why not Joe Biden?

As the debate over Joe Biden’s age and fitness for another term becomes increasingly heated, it is strange that the US president has not employed one particularly strong argument in defence of octogenarians – rock stars of a similar vintage or older are still going strong, and showing more energy, determination, charisma and – in some cases – athleticism than people half their age.

The youth culture of the 1960s has, incredibly, turned into an old-age culture of the present day, with many of the same performers simply refusing to give up.

This week, Bob Dylan – 83, and two years older than Biden – announced a UK tour that will culminate in five nights at the Royal Albert Hall. The week before, Paul McCartney, 82, fresh from a tour of the US, announced that he will be playing London’s O2 Arena at Christmas. Last weekend, Stevie Nicks, 76, of Fleetwood Mac, sang to mass crowds in Hyde Park.

The Rolling Stones are in the middle of an American tour, and the videos on social media are jaw-dropping. Mick Jagger, 80, is, quite astonishingly, doing some of the identical dance moves and giving the same high-energy performance that he did in cinema gigs up and down the country in 1964. He’s not just good for his age, he’s good for any age.

One could go on, and on, and on. The Who seem to be perpetually touring. Van Morrison, 78, has confirmed new dates. Pink Floyd’s former lead men David Gilmour, 78, and Roger Waters, 80, no longer talk to each other, but they both continue to tour separately. Rod Stewart, 79, also has a punishing schedule of gigs for the rest of the year.

For both the stars and the long-term fans, this is a situation that never seemed remotely possible when we saw our guitar heroes as the personification of