Along with "I liked their old stuff' better", and "kids these days?!", "Triple J isn't what it used to be" is one of those perennial complaints that never gets old, especially for music purists in denial that they themselves are getting older.

But the mantra could be debunked as of Thursday afternoon.

Part of the digital evolution ... Triple J will focus on musicians like Nick Cave. Credit:AFP

The national youth network will take control of the ABC's digital station Dig Music from 5pm, rebranding it as "powered by Triple J", with a playlist targeting listeners aged 30-50 who have drifted from the Triple J fold, alienated by suspicious music forms like dubsteb (aka car-alarm techno) and folk-indie (aka car-ad folk).

"We've heard that message for many years," says Triple J's station manager, Chris Scaddan. "People get to a point that they don't feel like Triple J works for them any longer and we are responding to that.