'Turn on the oldies station': 23 Old Music Memes

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Oct 17, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

Making an oldies playlist.

If you are like me, you love the so-called 'old music'. With this, I'm not referring to the songs that came out in the 1800s or even before that. I'm talking about those bands that we all love from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Those artist that would make music relying solely on their talent and real instruments instead of using other devices to enhance their voices or electronic beats to simulate the instruments. No hate towards current artists; some of them still do these things, and the ones that don't aren't inherently bad. It's just a change that has happened in the last few decades. Music has become a whole different thing, but the good thing is we can still go back to the 'oldies'. We can listen to those songs instead of new ones if we prefer. But your favorite artist from each decade may be different from mine according to your personality. 

When I think about the 1960s, the first band that comes to mind is The Beatles, known by some as the greatest band on Earth, and to others as an overrated band with songs that all sound the same. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it definitely is the favorite band of a lot of people. Years may go by, but their fans keep listening to them, and new fans are created every day. It's definitely not a band that stayed in the past, as it's still relevant to this day, even though half of the members have passed away. Their music will probably continue to live for more decades to come. 

In the 1970s, we had so many amazing bands that it's hard to choose which is the best one. My personal favorite will always be Pink Floyd with their amazing lyrics and incredible guitar solos. But I can't deny that AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac, The Clash, and The Ramones are pretty good as well. Even though it was a decade of rock, we still had so many pop bands, and, of course, the rise of punk. The 70s definitely provided us with music that is still relevant, and that set the basis for what came next. 

In the 80s, we had the most important singer of all time, Michael Jackson. He definitely set a precedent that could never be erased, no matter how many years go by. Pop was big; we had Maddona, Prince, and Whitney Houston. But we also had rock bands such as R.E.M. and The police. It was also a decade of change in the way music was made. Electronic music songs like the ones from Depeche Mode brought the synthesizer, which started a trend that continues to this day. 

We could mention millions of bands and artists from the past who are not only still relevant and incredible, but also important to the way music is made today. From the 70s to the 2000s, we had some amazing songs that built our music taste and also the music taste of the artists we hear today. It's nice to sometimes go back to those songs and see where it all came from. After all, they are our favorite artists' favorite artists. 

Advertisement

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

Songs Music Memes memory lane 1970s 1980s
Scroll Down For The Next Article