Best decade for music -- the 1960s, the 1970s or the 1980s?

[True Dough]

Would you vote for the Top 20 songs of the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s?

1960s

1. "The Twist" - Chubby Checker
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: September 24, 1960

2. "Hey Jude" - The Beatles
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: September 28, 1968

3."The Theme From 'A Summer Place'" - Percy Faith And His Orchestra
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: February 27, 1960

4."Tossin' And Turnin'" - Bobby Lewis
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: July 15, 1961

5."I Want To Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: February 1, 1964

6."I'm A Believer" - The Monkees
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: December 31, 1966

7."Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" - The 5th Dimension
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: April 12, 1969

8."Sugar, Sugar" - The Archies
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: September 20, 1969

9."I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: December 14, 1968

10."Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: December 3, 1960

11."It's Now Or Never" - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: August 20, 1960

12."I Can't Stop Loving You" - Ray Charles
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: June 02, 1962

13."I'm Sorry" - Brenda Lee
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: July 23, 1960

14."Love Is Blue (L'amour Est Bleu)" - Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: February 10, 1968

15."Hello, Dolly!" - Louis Armstrong And The All Stars
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: May 9, 1964

16."Big Girls Don't Cry" - The Four Seasons
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: November 17, 1962

17."Sugar Shack" - Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: October 12, 1963

18."Honky Tonk Women" - The Rolling Stones
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: August 23, 1969

19." (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" - Otis Redding
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: March 16, 1968

20."Big Bad John" - Jimmy Dean
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1
Peak Date: November 11, 1961


1970s

1. "You Light Up My Life" - Debby Boone
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: October 15, 1977

2. "Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)" - Rod Stewart
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 13, 1976

3. "Le Freak" - Chic
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 9, 1978

4. "How Deep Is Your Love" - Bee Gees
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 24, 1977

5. "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" - Andy Gibb
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: July 30, 1977

6. "Silly Love Songs" - Wings
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: May 22, 1976

7. "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 8, 1973

8. "Night Fever" - Bee Gees
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: March 18, 1978

9. "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree" - Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 21, 1973

10. "Shadow Dancing" - Andy Gibb
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: June 17, 1978

11. "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: February 4, 1978

12. "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: June 2, 1979

13. "You're So Vain" - Carly Simon
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: January 6, 1973

14. "Play That Funky Music" - Wild Cherry
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 18, 1976

15."My Sharona" - The Knack
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: August 25, 1979

16."Killing Me Softly With His Song" - Roberta Flack
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: February 24, 1973

17. "Best Of My Love" - The Emotions
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: August 20, 1977

18. "The Way We Were" - Barbra Streisand
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: February 2, 1974

19. "A Fifth Of Beethoven" - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: October 9, 1976

20. "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: March 10, 1979


1980s

1. "Physical" - Olivia Newton-John
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 21, 1981

2. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: May 16, 1981

3. "Endless Love" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: August 15, 1981

4. "Eye Of The Tiger" - Survivor
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: July 24, 1982

5. "Every Breath You Take" - The Police
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: July 9, 1983

6. "Flashdance...What A Feeling" - Irene Cara
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: May 28, 1983

7. "Another One Bites The Dust" - Queen
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: October 4, 1980

8. "Say Say Say" - Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 10, 1983

9. "Call Me" - Blondie
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 19, 1980

10. "Lady" - Kenny Rogers
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 15, 1980

11. "Centerfold" - The J. Geils Band
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: February 6, 1982

12. " (Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 27, 1980

13. "I Love Rock 'N Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: March 20, 1982

14. "Ebony And Ivory" - Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: May 15, 1982

15. "That's What Friends Are For" - Dionne & Friends
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: January 18, 1986

16. "Upside Down" - Diana Ross
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 6, 1980

17. "Abracadabra" - The Steve Miller Band
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 4, 1982

18. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: March 5, 1983

19. "Say You, Say Me" - Lionel Richie
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 21, 1985

20. "All Night Long (All Night)" - Lionel Richie
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 12, 1983

[LakeArenal]

1. All great. Because I grew up in 60s-70s i know most songs by heart.

We’ve been playing 80’s for years.

The second British Invasion.

We live next door to a man that co-wrote

Don’t you Forget About Me for Simple Minds.

I love a lot of the 80’s for sure.

But the 70’s is in my DNA

[captain queeg]

2. I'd go with the 70s since those were my teen years

But yeah, lots of good tunes back then. Certain ones bring back very specific memories.

[Lochloosa]

4. Skip the Disco era and they are all good. My choice 60's into early 70's.

[Sneederbunk]

3. 60s hands down.

Also jazz was epic during the 60s.

[Scottie Mom]

5. Definitely the 1960s!

Maybe even the 1950s.

[Siwsan]

6. I still love Mersey Beat music and musicians so I have to vote for the 60's

Not just the Beatles, but The Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Peter and Gordon, Chad and Jeremy, Lulu, The Byrds. Gerry and the Pacemakers. I could listen to Mersey Beat and pretty much any 60's music, all day long.

[a kennedy]

7. Yup, late 60's and dang near all of the 70's....

[Baked Potato]

8. 1960s to pre Disco. But, love many BeeGees songs. Nt

[underpants]

9. Definitely NOT the 80's. Pure synth pop drivel and aging dinosaur acts

Thank god for REM and actual alternative music.

I think the 90’s is the best.

[ProfessorGAC]

19. Ummm...

...70% of The Police catalog was 80s.
75% of Talking Heads material? 80s.
50% of The Cars material? 80s
The restructured King Crimson, the peak of Genesis, The Fixx, INXS, Guns & Roses, Metallica, Whitesnake.....
Then lesser known great, but popular bands & solo artist like Oingo Boingo, XTC, Squeeze
It was not all synth pop or dino rock.. Not even close. And, notice my examples are all over the musical map, not just one genre.
I don't think you thought your comment through.

[underpants]

23. I'll give you the Police and Talking Heads

G&R and Nirvana and Pearl Jam were technicality 80’s but it’s considered 90’s.

Metallica - sorry never got it.

The Cars???? “Well you know the Cars first album...” gets an eye roll from me.

I really hate playing this card but Greg Allman singing “Come and let me show you my tattoo” was a sad mark in music history. Still a joke amongst friends. Gregg Allman!?!!?


Billy Ocean, Pat Benatar, and hairbands. Gah!!!

[nitpicker]

10. Actually, I followed other bands in those days

But I kept hearing most of these on the radios, so I can follow along.

[Jeebo]

11. If those are the only choices, I choose the 1960s.

Although I would not agree with the specific songs you listed. Most of the songs on your list would not be on my best-of-60s list and you left out a lot of GREAT 60s songs. But the main reason I vote for the 60s is the Beatles, who are in my humble opinion the greatest band of all time, nobody else is even close.

But if I had the option of choosing other decades besides the ones you listed, I might be as likely to choose the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s. Or the 1760s, 1770s and 1780s. Or the 1800s, 1810s and 1820s, because those decades include Ludwig van Beethoven, who was in my humble opinion the greatest musical genius ever.

What I'm saying is that the options you present are much too limited.

-- Ron

[House of Roberts]

12. All three lists are bereft of songs by Linda Ronstadt, Chicago, and Steely Dan.

So, by my standards they all fail.

[Glorfindel]

13. The 1960's for sure

n/t

[Inkey]

14. I have listened to a century of recorded music ...

We have experinced an on going transfer of
Musical heritage from the past that will endure
into the future of humanity.
Remember that every song, lilt, and melody was
Loved by its creator and its fans. This is a gift of
Humanity.

[subterranean]

15. Based strictly on these lists, the 1960s wins, hands down.

There is nothing in the 1970s and 1980s lists that compares to "Hey Jude," "Grapevine," "Honky Tonk Women," "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," or several other songs on the 1960s list.

That said, there was a lot of great music in the 1970s and 1980s, but it wasn't necessarily the most popular music.

[happybird]

16. Late 60's and early 70's

I have a soft spot for the early 90’s, too.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. I Think The Answer Is "Yes"

The total number of great bands, albums & songs seem comparable in all three decades.
The standards, of course, change.
Wild Thing by the Troggs is a great rock tune, but it wouldn't have been released like that in the 80s. Same thing with All Day All Night by The Kinks. Still may have been released as a single but would have sounded differently.
I can't really put any of those decades above the other 2, despite The Beatles being 100% 60s. (And, I'm a Beatles freak.)

[True Dough]

21. "Yes"?

Sounds like a very "Roundabout" response, Professor.

[ProfessorGAC]

27. Well, You Did Pick One Of My Favorite Bands

So, there's that.
Here's the version I flipped out over. It's from the live album "Yessongs"
The guitar rocks harder & the organ sounds pop more than the original.

[doc03]

18. The 60s just because I am of that generation. nt

[IcyPeas]

20. 1960s, 1980s, 1970s - in that order

[Tikki]

24. Early 70's and then again in the later 70's..

Tikki

[Sgent]

25. I'm not sure I like those lists

Replace the 60's Elvis songs (he peaked in the 50's) with Dylan, which isn't listed at all. Queen only gets one 80's song and no 70's? NWA, Beastie Boys, Whitney, Madonna nor Lauper isn't listed in the 80's? No Croce or McLean?

[True Dough]

26. Those lists were compiled by Billboard

They're not random selections.