LittleAmy said:

Funny that you should mention that, because as I was watching American Idol last night, they were already having theme nights, and the theme last night (and I presume tonight as well) was songs of the 1960's. Simon was complaining about how some of the singers sounded old-fashioned, and Ryan Seacrest made a point that because they were singing songs from the 1960's, it may be a little difficult to make an old song sound more contemporary. Now it could be done by changing some of the arrangements, but how many of these wannabe singers are savvy enough to even know how to sing these songs in a contemporary mode, let alone rearrange these songs?

I turned 18 years old in 1986. If American Idol had been around back then and they had a songs of the 1940's theme night, how many people would know enough Glenn Miller, Louis Prima, or Lennon Sisters songs to even sing them? Back then, rockabilly was considered very old, and a bunch of young kids who grew up on punk, new wave, metal and disco singing 40's pop tunes would look seriously out of place.

728huey said:

You got that right. I mean, really. To 80's children, 60's music was "classic," 50's songs were "oldies", 40's music was "antique" and 30's music was "ancient."

To children of the Zip's, Al Green, the Bee Gees, Steely Dan, Donna Summer, Fleetwood Mac, whomever . . . their songs are "oldies." And to the children of the 10's, the music of Madonna, Prince, REM, U2 and Run-DMC will be "oldies."

and those days are NOT that far off.

thekidsgirl said:

Thank you for making me feel old at only age 33.

Moonbeam said:

don't you think it's cyclical based on generations and radio listener demographics?

i mean, tommy dorsey and nat king cole are "oldies", but we never heard them on oldies stations because they were targeting people who came up in the late '50s through the early 70s - the boomers. now i think what baby boomers call "classic rock" is being slowly pushed back to make room for what gen x'ers would consider "classic rock". i'm not sure if this is actually what's happening, or if it's a change that's being made noticeably or aggressively, but it's an idea that makes sense.

AlexdeParis said:

I'd be making plans for your arrival!

Anxiety said:

I guess it depends on how you define "oldies". To me, oldies are safe-as-safe-can-be artifacts stuck in their time. Therefore, stuff like "Space Oddity" or The Velvet Underground or even some Stones songs wouldn't fall under the "oldies" canopy to me. I suppose a few songs from the 80s can fit the oldies mold, like "Walking on Sunshine" or "Lady in Red", but there was too much of an edge to most big 80s hits for me to classify them as "oldies".

Moonbeam said:

are you talking subjectively or objectively? because my OPINION might be closer to what you're saying, but what i think is ACTUALLY GOING ON is a different story altogether.

I went to see my sister in DC and my parents and I listened to different stations...and I was depressed to find an oldies station playing an eigties Hall and Oates song (I think "Private Eyes"). I told my friends who are about my age and they were shocked and depressed. I mean, I was born in 1980, but still can't think of those songs as oldies.

Listening to decades channels on Sirius does not make me feel like such an old fart...their only "oldies" station is called "Sirius Gold" or something and they play fifites and early sixties! The rest are by decade. And I love the Big 80s!

Anxiety said:

I guess subjectively. I remember having a jukebox in our dorm in 1999, and seeing Prince's "1999/Little Red Corvette" listed as an oldie, and I froze. I couldn't believe my eyes! I would have never thought that songs with lyrics about the looming apocalypse and condoms would sit in well with the Mom 'n Pop crowd. But then again, it amazes me that "Rebel, Rebel" and "Y.M.C.A." are somehow big favorite arena anthems with crowds filled with jock meatheads.

oh def they are...i already call the 90s my old school lol

What a fucking tragedy. I'm over here making 80's mixes like it was yesterday. I played a song from 1998 for my nephew and he said "Who is this?" I said "You liked this when you were 2" he said "Oh, so this is old."

I was born in 1983 but remember music from an early age and foudn nothing weird or cheesy about the 80's, even when I was watching those videos and listening to those songs during the late 80's and even in the 90's cause i grew up on them. Some of them have aged, but I hardly think of them as oldies, I think of them as music of my time, and find it so weird if people my age or a few years older than me aren't into that stuff, I mean hello! They were around when awesome music was being released, how could they not appreciate it for old times sake?