The famous jazz musician Duke Ellington once said “when it sounds good, it is good” in reference to good music. Never has this sentiment rung more true than when listening to pop classics from the 1970s to the 1990s. Stop a random passerby on the street and mention Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi or Madonna and they’ll probably agree. From packed reunion tours to viral social media moments, classic bands are stepping back into the spotlight with the same raw passion they had decades ago when they first gained popularity. Whether it’s Generation X fans reliving their youth or Generation Z discovering their parents’ favorites from their childhood, it’s clear that the bands that shaped music in the past remain as influential as ever.
For professor of psychology at LeMoyne College Krystine Batcho, it has always been comforting to find familiarity amid a chaotic period of time.
“When things start to change … it’s comforting to have a nostalgic feeling for the past that reminds us that although we don’t know what the future is going to bring, … we know who we have been and who we really are.”
This explains why music-loving fans worldwide are turning to the timeless sounds of Fleetwood Mac and Guns N’Roses or the heartwarming music of ABBA and Queen.
Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” was released in 1985 and reached #30 on the Hot 100 during its original release, according to Stacker, an online blog. However, after its inclusion in the hit TV show Stranger Things, released in 2022, the song beat its previous record, peaking at #4 on the Hot 100.
Social media platforms, especially the use of apps like TikTok, are catalysts for rediscovery. The popular Halloween song “Somebody Watching Me” by Rockwell was released in 1984 but had a resurgence in popularity after a viral TikTok trend in 2021 used the song as an audio for the videos. Paly junior Michelle Fang discovers older music through various forms of media.
“I usually listen to older music, [because of] various forms of media. … For instance, I listened to a bit of Queen because of Good Omens,” junior Michelle Fang said. “It helps that I don’t have a fixed music taste — if I like it, then it goes in my playlist regardless of the genre.”
Growing up in the 1980s, Paly parent Wendie Geller believes that there was much more musicality in the technical instruments than current-day releases.
“In the ‘80s, the lead guitar was the hero in every song,” Geller said. “In almost every type of music, like rock music and pop music, they always had a solo section.”
Similarly, influenced by his parents’ taste in music, Paly senior Sean Bui describes his love for a broad range of music from the ‘70s and ‘80s.
“My parents basically defined my music taste early on,” Bui said. “They would make me listen to oldies throughout my entire life as they played it on the radio.”
But, the experience goes both ways. Newer songs that contain elements from older bands allow parents to find links between the songs of their youth and the latest hits today. Paly English teacher Richard Rodriguez shares how he bonds with his family over music.
“I took my daughter to a Stray Kids concert in LA, and it was a great concert,” Rodriguez said. “I could hear elements of heavy older rock with the band behind the centers and hip hop.”
In addition, streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music have made exposure to older music easy and accessible with a few clicks. Curated playlists like “Throwback Hits” and “80s Rock Anthems” attract millions of listeners, offering a path back in time for people of all generations.
Senior Lily McCue shares how she explains her music taste
“The way I discover music now is through Spotify and the songs it suggests based on my music taste,” senior Lily McCue said. “I don’t really listen to a lot of old artists, but there are some I like that I discovered through my Spotify suggestions, like Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra.”
For artists from past eras, this renewed interest stemming from young generations opens the door to new opportunities. Bands are reuniting for world tours, selling out arenas and even producing new material for the first time in some cases since their era of popularity.
Paly parent Jennifer DiBrienza a manager for a popular band, Spin Doctors, in the ‘90s and discusses how use of popular music players contributed to the bands growth.
“Radio was popular in 1993 when ‘Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong’ and ‘Two Princes’ became popular, the way you knew if you had made it was if your song was played on the radio all the time,” DiBrienza said. “People did buy albums, usually CDs then, and the Spin Doctors sold around eight million of them. But, the rankings on the charts and radio play were the way you knew you had ‘made it’.”
Bands like Queen, which produced some of the classics still bouncing around radios today, began touring with stars who rose to fame only recently, such as American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert. This collaboration has brought generations of Queen fans and Lambert fans together, selling out nearly every show since they began touring together twelve years ago.
“Recently, I saw Queen with Adam Lambert and it was truly a once in a lifetime experience,” Geller said. “Growing up listening to Queen when they were at their peak and then seeing the same band perform thirty years later was surreal and a powerful reminder that music and art are timeless.”
These bands continue to influence how current generations consume, view and produce music today. Often, the styles of older bands are emulated by newer bands who are in the process of growing into their own voice.
“There’s a conversation and dialogue between bands that a lot of people don’t really know about or understand,” Rodriguez said.
‘70s bands like Led Zeppelin, who are still remembered as household names and continue to influence current band culture.
“They [Led Zeppelin] influenced almost every band that came after in some way or another; whether they were mimicking, rejecting or unconsciously borrowing,” Rodriguez said.
Music and memories go hand in hand for fans around the world. For many, this experience is something that past generations take pleasure in sharing.
“It is so much fun to hear a Spin Doctors song come on somewhere and see younger generations singing the song,” DiBrienza said. “This past weekend, the band had a record release party for a new album that came out on Friday. While many in the audience were my age, there were a lot of 20 and 30 somethings there singing and dancing along.”
Many parents also relish the opportunity to share their favorite tunes with their children.
“It is so enjoyable to experience enjoying the same music with my daughters and to watch them fall in love with the same artists that I fell in love with years ago,” Geller said. “It’s nice to hear some of the music from back in my day show up on their online playlists.”
Senior Llew Ladomirak shares how she uses music as a means to connect with her loved ones.
“Listening to the music that my parents loved when they were growing up has helped me feel more connected to them,” Ladomirak said. “It’s also given me a glimpse into their lives at my age and how [their upbringing] might have been different from how mine is now. ”
However, artists receiving the gift of a second wave of fame are not the only people who benefit from the resurgence of music.
This musical rebirth acts as a form of connection beyond generations and between cultures. Whether it is dancing in the kitchen to ABBA or letting loose with the windows down to a Bon Jovi ballad, the music of decades past continues to leave an imprint on listeners’ lives.
“I think a lot of artists have had a lasting impact, and will continue to throughout time,” Geller said. “Many bands and artists have been able to continue to reinvent themselves to be relevant through many decades.”
