With the seasons of change came the evolution of music. As humanity grows and evolves, so do the songs of the world. In no other terms, there is nothing that parallels the love I have for music. From a young age, it quickly became the love of my life: the thing I hold most dear to my being. It breathes life into my soul, sets fire to my bones. It lulls me to sleep, caressing me in her comforting touch. From the ‘60s to the 2020s, music has evolved, as have I with it.
“I’m pickin’ up good vibrations / She’s givin’ me the excitations”
The ‘60s brought on the counterculture movement in America, a movement insistent on the notion of spreading peace and love. To me, the Beach Boys’ feel-good music perfectly encapsulates the heart and soul of the ‘60s. This song embraces the cosmic energy of the universe, engulfing your senses; it’s a must-have on every summer playlist of mine.
“One thing I can tell you is you got to be free / Come together, right now / Over me”
Thanks to the influence of my parents – namely my father – my childhood was heavily influenced by the musical genius of McCartney, Lennon, Starr, and Harrison. But this track was the one that ceaselessly saturated the interior of my father’s car when he dropped me off at school. Turned up to the highest volume, the bluesy rock ensnared my total attention every morning, adding a groove in my step on the way to class (that’s right, I was a super cool elementary schooler).
“In the desert you can’t remember your name / ‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain”
I feel like if you grew up anywhere in the midwest, this song somehow found its way into your repertoire. America, a ‘70s folk artist, has a captivating country-rock, folk-like twang that impeccably represents the heart of the drylands. Whenever I listen to this song, I feel such an intense connection with my home and my childhood. This song reminds me of family road trips and our jam sessions around campfires on warm summer nights.
“How I wish you were here / We’re just two lost souls / Swimming’ in a fish bowl / Year after year”
If I ever needed to name the song that has impacted me most in this life, Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” would be it. When I was growing up, my family – again, namely my father – successfully instilled a deep love for music in me. One of my first love affairs had been with Pink Floyd, and it continues on to this day. The wistful crooning of Gilmour, along with Waters’ unparalleled guitar work on this track (in symbolic honor of Barrett) never fails to imbue my soul with intense emotion. This was the first track that I ever learned all of the lyrics to, and its album was the first record that I ever bought on vinyl. To me, this song will always specifically signify my relationship with my father. Ever since I was a little girl, music has always been our way of bonding. To this day, whenever I hear this song, I am prompted to call up the man who gave me the first and foremost love of my life: music.
“You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah / Now you just say, ‘Oh, Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him’”
While my father is the one to hold responsible for the majority of my obsession with music, this song can only be credited to my mother’s influence. When I was growing up, the first written words my mother ever read to me were the plays written by Shakespeare. Hamlet, Macbeth, a Midsummer Night’s Dream: I grew up enraptured by the bard’s prose. That being said, the one play neither of us could stand was Romeo and Juliet. I thought the entire notion of such an overwhelming love that led to both children taking their lives was ridiculous: not tragic, just overwhelmingly moronic. The first time I heard this track, I became enamored with the irony that Knopfler imbued into the lyrics. Even though the song lulls you into a false sense of security by sounding like a typical love song – I mean, the title itself references one of the most famous love stories of all time – Knopfler spends six minutes crooning about how he has lost his Juliet because she was ultimately just using him. Tragic in its own way, this recording has always appealed to the cynic in me. What can I say? I am my mother’s daughter after all.
“I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord / And I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord”
This track is another essential classic from my childhood. It reminds me of going on drives with my father, where the only thing we would listen to for hours on end was the reverberation of Collins’ instruments paired with his simple (yet practically spiritual) lyrics. We probably drove my mother straight up the wall with how much we wore out that replay button in the car (sorry mom). But nothing could stop us from unrelentingly hunting after the addictive build-up of the instruments, which ultimately led to the euphoric congregation of drums near the end of the track. In no other simple terms, this recording is second to none. They simply don’t compose build-ups like this anymore.
- The ‘90s
“So will the real men get up / I know you’re fed up ladies, but keep your head up”
If it hasn’t been made clear so far, I absolutely adore my classic rock influences. That being said, the other significant genre of music to me has always been rap/hip-hop. The ‘90s have to represent the beginning of my infatuation with rap music, thanks to the influence of my millennial older brother. So of course, Tupac had to find his way somewhere on my list. This track is the epitome of the ‘90s, in my humble opinion. The smooth, comforting flow that Tupac has blankets his listeners/fans with an aura of warmth and love. This song just proves that he was a lyrical genius, through and through.
“I wanna say a little something that’s long overdue / The disrespect to women has got to be through”
Like I said, the music of the ‘90s is behind most of my rap/hip-hop infatuation. But rather than crediting my Beastie Boys obsession to my brother, this song right here has to to be credited to my childhood best friend up in Pennsylvania. He was the one who introduced me to the groovy, feel-good musical stylings of Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA. The Beastie Boys offer up a unique, funky beat that can almost be described as a jazzy type of hip-hop. Whenever I hear this track, I’m reminded of going on summer drives with my brother from another mother. Ultimately, all this is to say that my chosen ‘90s songs are tributes to my brothers, both my biological one and my chosen one.
- The 2000s
“It’s like I’m paranoid lookin’ over my back / It’s like a whirlwind inside of my head”
Along with the 2000s has come an ode to the band Linkin Park. When I was little, thanks to the influence of my first gymnastics coach and my older brother, I got heavily into the musical stylings of this alt-rock band. Of course, I majorly got into their earlier music, which can be classified as somewhat metal. (Yeah, that’s right. I had an emo phase, and what about it?) For some reason, this specific track always spoke to me as a kid. Maybe it was because it appealed to the anxiety that has always been in me, or because it was simply that catchy, but who’s to say? Nevertheless, this song signifies my introduction into the genre of alt-rock music (an essential genre to get into, from my standpoint).
“He was a skater boy / She said, ‘See you later, boy’ / He wasn’t good enough for her / Now he’s a superstar / Slammin’ on his guitar / Does your pretty face see what he’s worth?”
Like I said, the 2000s brought on that crucial alternative era. Therefore, it would be absolute blasphemy to not include the pop-punk queen herself on this list, Ms. Avril Lavigne. When I was younger, I craved to hold that same aura of coolness whenever I saw her perform. Perhaps that was partially due to idolizing her (as most kids do with stars they see on TV), and also partially due to idolizing my older brother when I was younger. When I was little, my brother seemed like the most incredible person out there. He was that punk, skater kid who always seemed to live life so nonchalantly; I aspired to have that same level of casualness when I was young, especially being the anxiety-ridden kid that I was. All this is to say that Avril’s pop-punk rock stylings – especially this “national anthem for all skaters” – was essential to my comeuppance into the woman that I am now.
“You know my motivation, given my reputation / Please, excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude”
The 2010s were one of the most crucial decades in my development as an individual. Instead of being influenced by those who had already lived their own lives– namely, my brother and parents – my frontal lobe was gradually developing, and I was slowly morphing into my own person. The era of adolescence had finally snuck up on me. When reflecting back on this decade, I realized that this song had been way more influential to me than I had thought at the time. In the 2010s, I was heavy into my club gymnastics phase. I practiced sixteen hours a week; any time I was not occupied with school or studying, I was putting hours in at the gym. I practically grew up in a gymnasium, saturated with chalk-filled air and coaches bellowing out different commands. At the gym that I grew up in, the radio was always on in the background. For some reason, this song always found its way onto those speakers. I guess radio stations really liked playing this song at the time. Whenever I hear this song, I am reminded of simpler times in which my only worry was if I could perfect my newest skill. I get reminded of the sisters that I grew up with, of my home away from home. Of course, the irony is not lost on me that this was probably one of the most explicit songs of the time, but it was instrumental to my adolescence. What can I say … the 2010s were wild.
“Day by day by day / Our love grows / She’s a lantern in the night / She’s outta sight”
The 2010s also brought along one of my favorite bands of all time: Greta Van Fleet. Their folksy, bluesy style of rock is reminiscent of the musical stylings of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Whenever I hear their music, I am brought back to the nostalgia of my childhood. I’m reminded of the music that formed my initial thoughts and outlook on life. In my opinion, their From the Fires debut album is incomparable. That album is probably one of my most streamed albums of all time. But for some reason, this specific song has always stood out to me. It feels so elemental in love, so connected to the soul of the Earth. This track is probably one of my favorite love songs, as it constantly reminds me of the love of nature that humanity should hold so dear to its heart.
“I bring back that sound / The kind that makes you go ‘wow’”
Going into the 2020s, I am finally becoming an adult: my own full-fledged person. I don’t know what the future years in this decade will hold, but so far, one of the top songs of the 2020s has to be credited to the musical stylings of Joey Valence and Brae. I discovered them a couple years back, and they have probably become one of my most streamed artists as of late. To me, they’re reminiscent of the old-school stylings of the Beastie Boys, with their funky tunes and hypnotic beats. This song in particular reminds me of simpler times, when I didn’t have to worry about the demands of adulthood. It’s reminiscent of my adolescence, grooving to different songs at the park, seeing how high each of us kids in the neighborhood could get on the swings, and watching the skaters try and fail at new tricks down the cobbled streets. JVB is a resurgence back to the nostalgia of juvenility, where emotions ran high. Their energy is explosive but thrilling, that’s for sure.
“When I die, baby, lay me in the sun”
Last, but certainly not least, the final essential song of the 2020s has to be credited to Dominic Fike. Fike’s music is a blend of multiple genres, which puts him on the map. He supplies his work with an indie type of vibe, along with adding some pop-rock/rap flavoring. By combining multiple genres into a unique blend of sound, his music proves to be unforgettable. It’s that type of catchy tune that just won’t get out of your head. His newest album’s title track song is the ultimate example. Fike’s hypnotic crooning about the notion of overcoming personal struggles is captivating in its own right. He is a must-add on any playlist, truth be told.
I have always found music evolution to be fascinating. As humans evolve, so does the sound of the world. The ultimate mother, music has guided my path since I was a mere child. I hope she continues to do so as the decades go on.