If you stick with it, I think this song performed by Iggy Pop ends up creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Maybe if I could understand the French lyrics I wouldn’t think so, but it doesn’t matter.
They don’t have to be in any particular style, but can you think of other songs that sound “nostalgic”?
Biff Rose - Molly
Maybe I’m confusing rural small-town with nostalgic, but there are a lot of songs in the Americana roots genre that evoke a feeling of nostalgia for a bygone era. Here are a couple of original modern songs of that ilk:
Iris DeMent - Our TownMary Chapin Carpenter - I am a Town.
And some Delta Blues take us back to a different time. Here is a cover of a song written by Hattie Hart in 1934:
Chris Isaaks’ Wicked Game always struck me as sounding “out of time” for some reason.
Of course, there are Dave Edmund’s and The Stray Cats’ homages to Rockabilly.
I’ve always enjoyed things like The Kinks Village Green Preservation Society, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Peter and Gordon (‘Lady Godiva’ and ‘Knight In Rusty Armour’). Not only do they personally take me right back to my salad days, but they conjure up British music hall songs performed decades ago. Like British vaudeville/folk music. “I’m Henry the 8th, I Am”, “It’s a Long Way To Tipperary”, “Pack Up Your Troubles”. Telling a funny story, and often with instruments that conjure up a long ago feeling.
Billy Joel - Root Beer Rag
I’m not sure if this fits the OP theme, but I remember hearing “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse for the first time. It was playing on a jukebox in a bar, and I was playing Name That Tune. I couldn’t place it, but guessed it was a Phil Spector-girl group thing from the 60s.
Then I noticed that the recording sounded quite clear and voluminous, and then that the singer was singing about not wanting to go to rehab! I had heard of the song “Rehab”, but had not yet heard it, but I put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Mary Hopkin – “Those Were the Days.”
New Vaudeville Band – “Winchester Cathedral”
Randy Newman, Dayton, Ohio, 1903. Would you like to come over for tea? On a lazy Sunday afternoon in 1903.
I can’t resist a hijacking anecdote about this song…
I was sent a pre-pressing of Joel’s Streetlight Serenade album prior to release when I worked in Hollywood, and the publisher needed a lead sheet for that song right away.
A typical country song took me about an hour to finish a inked lead sheet, and I wasn’t familiar with Billy Joel, so I told the publisher to allow about an hour and a half, and I’d get right on it.
Then I played it for the first time, and, while none of the notes were in doubt, there were so fucking many of them that I wasn’t going to treat this as a “typical country song.” I called the pub back and said, “Uh, this is going to take me just a little longer.”
They waited, and I had fun. Didn’t get paid much ($18, I recall), but I had fun doing it.
Queen
Both from “A Night at the Opera” the first LP I ever bought.
Squirrel Nut Zippers - any of their songs, but I’ll pick this one:
One more - I had always loved “We’re All Alone” sung by Rita Coolidge, but then I found out it was written by Boz Scaggs. I think his version has a much more wistful, nostalgic tone:
It does fit, and it’s called Neo-soul. The term gets thrown around loosely, but in my subjective opinion the best Neo-soul is exceedingly nostalgic. Rolling in the Deep and Rumor Has It by Adele are great examples.
This is a less well-known example:
Why this guy is not as big as Amy or Adele I do not know.
Not sure if I’m interpreting the OP right. But taking it as “recent songs that reflect an earlier era”, my fave is JEFF the Brotherhood’s Sixpack.
Some 80s-90s touches but the core feeling reminds me of hard rock from ~1971.
Your Woman by White Town
Mercy by Duffy
Pokey LaFarge’s whole schtick is nostalgia, including dressing the part:
Great talented band!
Magic Piper of Love by Edwyn Collins
He is an amazing man - much respect for him.
Yeah - Duffy is right in there with Amy and Adele. It’s a Brit thing (OK, she’s Welsh, but to Americans, London and Wales are within walking distance).
White Town is also British, but Taco is Dutch: