I’ve had a contrarian streak that dates back to when I was much younger, though it seems to be waning in recent years. Perhaps that’s a normal cycle of development…? Anyway, one negative consequence of being a contrarian is that you miss out on some really good things for the simple reason that too many other people like them. This means that now, in my mid-thirties, I’m appreciating authors/artists/etc that I could’ve been enjoying for decades. A few examples:

• C. S. Lewis: Lewis's ubiquity in Christian circles certainly made him suspect in my eyes, but there was also the alleged theological squishiness. As a new Christian who quickly gravitated to the austerity of the reformed tradition, I viewed his "flowery language" as evasive. I'm now doing penance by working my way through all his books, which I expect to do, Lord willing, several more times over the course of my life.
• The Beatles: There's really no excuse here. My mom had every Beatles album on vinyl. I was just convinced that the whole world was wrong; there was no use arguing with me about it. I now understand, only recently, what others have known since the '60s: that the Beatles are the best band of all time.
• Tim Keller: I've always had a general respect—a vague appreciation—for Keller. But I still didn't get why there were so many fanboys. As my ministry journey has shifted toward planting a church in a fairly large and culturally vibrant city (Austin), I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out: Keller was absolutely the real deal. Center Church was a revelation for me. His preaching is so helpful and easy to follow, yet completely impossible to emulate. His ability to synthesize large swaths of intellectual history into coherent and practical (!) resources is perhaps his most under-appreciated skill. I'll be learning from him for decades.

I’m sure there are more, but these come to mind at the moment.