Music Through The Ages

Music….. what can I say, it just makes my heart happy. My Saturday mornings are filled with the radio blasting while doing laundry and cleaning the house and even be-bopping right along while singing to the songs! Oh, and I know all of the words! Music……It just makes me feel good. I’m a lover of all genre’s of music, however, the ’70s and Country music steal the show! So come along……together…let’s take a walk down my musical memory walk of fame through the decades.

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Musical Memory Lane

The 60’s

The ’60s are considered the best decade for music in America. There was Pop, Folk, Jazz, the Blues and Hard Rock. The ’60s was the decade of The Foundations…The Hollies…Patsy Cline…Archie Bell and the Drells and the British Invasion…. just to name a few. The ’60s marked a time when pop music became more than a teenage fad, turning more into an art form in its own right as it sound-tracked the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Hippie Heyday.

Most pop music in the ’60s had a sugarcoated melody and lyrics that were so infectious that you ended up singing right along. From Paul Anka to Bobby Darin. But let’s start with the year of my birth 1961 and the Ricky Nelson Classic……Travelin’ Man

The music was endless. One of my favorite songs from the ’60s was from Jay and The American’s…This Magic Moment was released in 1969.

Then there was The Foundations. A British soul band that was active from 1967 to 1970. Their career may have run short, but this song is timeless.

By 1962, the British had begun with beat groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. These groups eventually infused their original rock compositions with increasingly complex musical ideas and their distinctive sound. In mid-1962 the Rolling Stones was one of just many groups that were showing a blues influence. Others include the Animals and the Yardbirds. Then in 1963, the Beatles and other beat groups such as the Hollies achieved great popularity and commercial success in Britain itself.

The 70’s

Aahhhh……the 70’s…..be still my heart. I can’t really explain why I’m such a fan, but I am. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me wanting to revert back to the 70’s way of life, way of living. But I’m leaning more towards the lyrics and the sounds itself. Not to mention you could understand the words better than current-day music. Bubblegum music of the late ’60s began to diminish and enter the early 70’s an array of rock music. Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Nazareth were at the height of their international fame, especially in the United States. But by the second half of the decade, multiple other acts had also achieved stardom such as Aerosmith, Kiss, Blue Oyster Cult and Alice Cooper. Arena rock music grew in popularity with such groups as Kansas, Boston, and Styx.

Country Rock and Southern Rock gained it’s the greatest success by the mid- 1970’s The Eagles, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris just to name a few.

Soft Rock and Pop Rock, had some more notable groups like The Doobie Brothers, The Jackson 5, The Carpenters, Seals & Crofts and Tony Orlando and Dawn. Soloist includes Elton John, Paul McCartney, Marvin Gaye, Cat Stevens, Roberta Flack, and Helen Reddy. Keep in mind that the list goes on and on and on.

Some of the most successful singers and songwriters include Jim Croce, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Harry Chapin, Don McLean, Donna Summer, and Kris Kristofferson. Some had been primarily songwriters but began releasing albums and songs of their own.

The early 1970s marked the departure of Diana Ross from The Supremes. The break-up of Simon & Garfunkel and sadly, The Beatles. All of which continued successful recording careers throughout the decade

Disco and Funk was one of the most popular genres of music in the mid to late 1970s

The 80s

“Like, everything was totally gnarly in the ’80s!” The ’80s saw the slow demise on “The Disco Craze”, and along came dance music and new wave. Rock music continued on a high trend, while smooth Jazz began to gain popularity. The ’80s saw Madonna, Whitney Houston, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, George Michael, and Michael Jackson. With group acts such as The Bangles, New Kids on the Block, Expose’ and New Edition.

Several British artists made the successful transition over to pop in the 1980s and their popularity grew. The list includes David Bowie, John Lennon, Sheena Easton, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, and Billy Ocean. Besides the British solo acts. Many British pop bands also dominated the American charts in the early ’80s. These groups include Culture Club, Duran Duran, Wham and The Human League.

Popular acts of the 1980s included Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Queen, and Poison. Then there were heavy metal bands like Judas Priest, Dio, and Iron Maden.

The 90’s

Bring in the ’90s. Gone are the sweet and sugary, bubblegum tunes. Just like the ’80s, rock music was also very popular in the 1990s. However, grunge, industrial rock, and alternative rock music emerged and took over as some of the most popular music of the decade. Let’s not forget punk rock and rap. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains were very popular.

The 2000’s

In the early 2000’s rap music was more dominate with Eminem, who is best known for being one of the few successful white rappers in the music industry. According to Billboard, two of his albums are among the top five highest-selling albums of the 2000s.

In the early 2000s, the power-pop and rock trends had begun to spread to the females. Michelle Branch, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, and Alanis Morissette were all power stars. Artists such as Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez along with Norah Jones, Daughtry, Alicia Keys and so many more. Rounded out the 2000’s.

Country music at it’s finest, with crossover artists like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. With county groups such as Rascal Flats, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum. Not to mention Blake Shelton, Garth Brooks, and Chris Stapleton.

Music…It Feeds Your Soul.

So there you have it. My walk with you down my musical memory lane through the decades. Music……. it’s a comfort….. it can make you happy and sometimes sad. It brings people together and it will spark a memory or two. But above all, it feeds your soul. So, turn up the tunes.