Forty Years Of Music's Timeless Influence: Which Decade Stands Out?

(Title image by DALL-E 3)

Hi WA Friends!

Music has always taken inspiration from the past, with each decade leaving its own special mark on the songs we hear today. Some decades have had a bigger impact on modern music than others.

Let's take a look at forty particular years of music to see which decade's beats are still rocking today's hits.

The 60s: The Start of Rock and Roll

The 60s was a huge decade for music, bringing the world rock and roll - a movement that changed music forever. This was the time when bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix made their mark on history. The influence of the 60s is still easy to hear today. Modern rock bands carry the same raw energy and rebellious spirit that started back then. The 60s laid the foundation for rock music, and that influence is still going strong.

The 60s were probably my most favorite musical decade. I was in high school, and the electric guitar was playing a bigger and bigger part of what was happening! Music was more experimental and exciting, even without the recreational drug use. Lol

The clothes were radical-looking, and I got my first Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. A Marshall guitar amplifier was almost impossible to find in the area of the USA where I lived, so I had to settle for a Fender Twin Reverb, which was still a great amp but not what Hendrix was using!

The 70s: Funk, Disco, and Classic Rock

The 70s took what the 60s started and made it groovier. Funk and disco got everyone up and dancing, while classic rock legends like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd expanded what music could be. Today, you can hear hints of 70s funk and disco in modern pop and dance music. That groove and soulful vibe from the 70s is something that artists still turn to when they want to get people moving.

I remember this as the decade when everything got bigger in live rock concerts; PA systems guitar amps, and light shows.

Unfortunately, disco was putting a lot of the small local bands out of business and they were replaced by the first wave of club DJs. Luckily, playing the guitar was just a hobby, so it really didn't affect the trajectory of my life choices.

The 80s: New Wave and Electronic Sounds

The 80s brought in lots of synthesizers, new wave beats, and unforgettable pop songs. With drum machines and catchy synth hooks, the 80s helped shape today's electronic music. Artists like Depeche Mode, Madonna, and Prince pushed the limits of what pop could sound like, and you can still hear their influence in today’s electronic and pop hits.

What I really liked about the 80s were the "big hair and spandex" metal bands; not the way they looked, but the way they played the guitar!

Marshall came out with their JCM 800 guitar amp, which had an extra gain stage in the pre-amp section and a master volume knob that took the sound of electric guitars into the stratosphere with natural tube distortion and sustain! Companies like Floyd Rose and Kahler redefined what a double-locking whammy bar on a guitar could do, and bands like Van Halen, Ratt, and Warrant took radical guitar sounds to a whole new level.

The movie "This Is Spinal Tap" had the lead guitarist, Nigel Tufnel, proudly showing off his Marshall amp with the volume knob that went to "11," and Marshall obliged this craziness with their JCM 900 amp that actually went to eleven! Lol 😂

The 90s: Grunge, Hip-Hop, and Alternative

The 90s were all about raw emotion and breaking away from the past. Grunge bands like Nirvana brought a gritty, honest sound that spoke to a new generation. Back then, I thought that the grunge guitar players sounded more like me when I was first learning to play the guitar and using way too much distortion to make my sound bigger and more impressive, lol. Some of the best tunes came out of the grunge era by bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots!

At the same time, hip-hop really took off, with artists like Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. changing music forever!

Alternative rock also grew in popularity, adding fresh and different sounds to mainstream music. Bands like Radiohead and musicians such as Beck (not to be confused with the incredible Jeff Beck) were some of the standout alternative rock artists who helped shape the sound of the 90s.

Today, hip-hop and alternative rock are still some of the most popular styles of music - the influence of the 90s is very much alive!

Tell Me What You Think

So, what's your take on all this? There's no right or wrong answer!

Although each of these four decades brought something special, if you had to pick only one, which decade of music do you think influences today's hits the most?

• 60s
• 70s
• 80s
• 90s
• Other

Let me know in the comments, AND...

Keep On Rockin' It! 🤘

(Pin by DALL-E 3)

Frank 🎸

~80% Human written content.