# Songs that sound like a decade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719 "2015-09-19T00:36:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/21 "2015-09-22T03:27:44Z")
90s—For some reason, I always immediately think of the song [“Move Over (Generation Next),”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOYQxRroztw) circa 1997. The (apparently) studio musician version, not the Spice Girls version, mind. Yep, a 30-second Pepsi commercial. 'Dunno if that’s something deeply telling as a cutting indictment of modern society, or just a sign that some nameless marketing flack was _really_ good at writing a jingle one time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/22 "2015-09-22T03:39:53Z")
For me, the 60s can be summed up by 15 seconds of music: Signe Anderson’s verse (starting at 0:55 secs) of [Let’s Get Together.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIluFDkw0g) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/23 "2015-09-22T04:42:54Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The decade from 1991 to 1997: “Misery” - Soul Asylum. I suspect you are trying to make some kind of comment with that comment, but to me, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ and _Grave Dancers Union_ simply do not belong in that, or really any, decade. That material seems more like the musical equivalent of comfort food, and its age cannot easily be pinned down. To someone from the '70s, Soul Asylum would sound right at home. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/24 "2015-09-22T05:49:17Z")
Peaceful Easy Feeling Eagles 1970’s Lyin Eyes Eagles 1970’s She Loves You Beatles 1960’s Don’t Stop Believing Journey 1980’s Livin on a Prayer Bon Jovi these pretty much represent the sound that I associate with those decades. For me the Eagles were the 70’s. The sixties had a lot of sounds but that early rock N roll sound of She Loves You is the one I treasure the most. 80’s was Journey and Bon Jovi big ass hair bands ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/25 "2015-09-22T17:53:55Z")
“[Over There](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_There)” --19-teens. “[Daisy Bel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_Bell)l” (AKA “Bicycle Built For Two”) – the Gay Nineties. “[Camptown Races](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camptown_Races)” – 1850s. “[Der Erlkönig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Erlk%C3%B6nig#The_Franz_Schubert_composition)” – 1820s? You guys took all the easy decades, I’m trying to fill in the gaps. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/26 "2015-09-22T18:07:53Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I suspect you are trying to make some kind of comment with that comment, but to me, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ and _Grave Dancers Union_ simply do not belong in that, or really any, decade. That material seems more like the musical equivalent of comfort food, and its age cannot easily be pinned down. To someone from the '70s, Soul Asylum would sound right at home. “Runaway Train” takes me right back to '93, which is the Soul Asylum song I would pick to represent the decade. Sure, the song itself could have easily been written in the 70s, but the style sounds all 90s, to me. The singer’s kinda-whiny-kinda-edgy voice, the grungy-but-not-too-in-your-face guitars, the social activism/concern. Maybe it’s because I watched a lot of MTV around then, but just listening to that song I can _see_ the singer’s ripped jeans, flannel and long hair, like a tall, blond, black-and-white Pauly Shore. Candlebox had a very 90s sound, too. Collective Soul, Sponge, “Starseed” by Our Lady Peace, maybe “Cut Your Hair” by Pavement, all contenders. There was much better music then, but the reason it’s better is because it’s more timeless. Say what you will about Nirvana, their stuff still sounds fresh to me. Bush? Soul Asylum? Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/27 "2015-09-22T18:49:34Z")
1970’s - “Boogie Woogie Dancing Shoes” - (I don’t know who does it, I just remember hearing it in my babysitter’s car when I was like 4.) Or anything by Queen. 1980’s - “Forever Young” by Alphaville Or anything by New Order or Duran Duran. 1990’s - “Animal” by Nine Inch Nails (I think that’s what it was called, the main lyric was “I want to f… you like an animal”) 2000’s - “3 AM” by Matchbox 20. I listened to a lot of Matchbox 20 in college. 2010’s (so far) - “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/28 "2015-09-22T21:30:20Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > 1970’s - “Boogie Woogie Dancing Shoes” - (I don’t know who does it, I just remember hearing it in my babysitter’s car when I was like 4.) > > Or anything by Queen. > > 1980’s - “Forever Young” by Alphaville > > Or anything by New Order or Duran Duran. > > 1990’s - “Animal” by Nine Inch Nails (I think that’s what it was called, the main lyric was “I want to f… you like an animal”) > > 2000’s - “3 AM” by Matchbox 20. I listened to a lot of Matchbox 20 in college. > > 2010’s (so far) - “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities. The Nine Inch Nails song you refer to is called “Closer”. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/29 "2015-09-22T21:39:23Z")
Other than the obvious “grunge” answer… Marcy Playground’s [“Sex and Candy”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KT-r2vHeMM) sounds very, very 90s to me. When I hear it my memory goes back to the apartment I rented back with a roomie. I can picture the suits I had to wear to work, then going home and changing into a slip dress and choker necklace to go out. [“Semi-Charmed Life”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyjTrwOMSO4) by Third Eye Blind has the same 90s vibe for me. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/30 "2015-09-22T21:44:19Z")
I heard Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” on the radio on the way to work this morning and said to myself, “Now THAT is the '60s.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/31 "2015-09-22T22:58:17Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > “[Over There](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_There)” --19-teens. > “[Daisy Bel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_Bell)l” (AKA “Bicycle Built For Two”) – the Gay Nineties. > “[Camptown Races](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camptown_Races)” – 1850s. > “[Der Erlkönig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Erlk%C3%B6nig#The_Franz_Schubert_composition)” – 1820s? > > You guys took all the easy decades, I’m trying to fill in the gaps. 1920s - _Rhapsody in Blue_ ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719/32 "2015-09-23T13:30:34Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > The Nine Inch Nails song you refer to is called “Closer”. Yeah I knew I wasn’t right. Thank you! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-a-decade/731719.md?page=1)