Many would say that music isn't what it was "back in the day." And to that I say-- hold up, man. You've got it all wrong. While the music our parents and grandparents listened to is something to still rock out to, there is a reason why #1 hits are #1 hits. There is a reason why this little thing called "evolution" exists.
What fun would have it been if in 1976 when Aerosmith came out with "Dream On", everyone said "Okay, music is going to sound like this forever. Let us never experiment with new sounds and technology to create music you could never imagine"? For one, the disco era would have never happened (and let me tell you-- that would have sucked). The other thing is that it would no longer be evolutionary. It would be a stagnant mess prohibiting worldwide creativity and kickass-ness.
All of this hoopla can be examined through these eight of the Billboard's #1 Top Hits every ten years starting from 1946. What you'll find is not similarity in composure, but resemblance in theme and the universality in every hit's feel-good nature.
1. "Prisoner of Love" by Perry Como (1946)
"Upon my knees to her I'm creeping / My very life is in her keeping / I'm just a prisoner of love"-- Damn, Perry.
2. "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley (1956)
"Well, since my baby left me / I found a new place to dwell / It's down at the end of lonely street at Heartbreak Hotel". Is it just me or am I noticing a slightly cynical pattern here?
3. "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys (1966)
"Close my eyes, she's somehow closer now / Softly smile, I know she must be kind When I look in her eyes / She goes with me to a blossom world" Alright, here we go. America gravitated toward a more uplifting tune (even if Brian Wilson may or may not have contributed the songs lyrics to a really good acid trip).
4. "Silly Love Songs" by Paul McCartney and Wings (1976)
"Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs / And what's wrong with that
I'd like to know" Me too, Paul!
5. "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne and Friends (1986)
"For good times and bad times / I'll be on your side forever more / That's what friends are for" I wish my friends consisted of Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight (mind you-- all these legends on this track are alive still, so let's give thanks).
6. "Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix) by Los Del Rio (1996)
Okay, people. This one doesn't need a lyric annotation. It speaks for itself.
7. "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter (2006)
"Cause you had a bad day / You're taking one down / You sing a sad song just to turn it around"-- I think I can speak on behalf of taxpaying citizens of 2006 that the whole year was one giant bad day.
8. "Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake (2016)
"Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket / Got that good soul in my feet / I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, ooh" I have searched far and wide and in every crevice of every place on Earth and have yet to find one person who doesn't groove to Justin Timberlake. While 2016 isn't over, I can't imagine another tune topping this.
It is evident that there is a correlation in the most popular music and the political and social status of the United States. As America found it's way out of tragedies such as the Great Depression and the Vietnam War, music was influenced by the newfound love and appreciation for others now that nationwide turmoil was settling.
The masses gravitate towards what life is all about, which is love in its highs and lows. While it's jumped from doo-wop to R&B, it is a sound that America grooved to and that's all that matters.
