Top 3 songs from 1959, 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009

It occurred to me to look back at the top selling singles from the past 60 years in increments of 10 years. I’ll bring this to my class and use these songs for analysis and discussion. Questions: why do you think this song was so popular? What is unique about this song? What is the song structure? Is there anything harmonically or melodically unusual or eccentric in this song? Can you dance to it? Could it be Muzak? How are these three songs different than the songs from 10 years ago? [rankings from Billboard and other sources]

Top Songs of 1959

Johnny Horton – “The Battle Of New Orleans”
Bobby Darin – “Mack The Knife”
Dave Brubeck Quartet – “Take Five”

Top Songs of 1969

The Archies – “Sugar, Sugar”
The Fifth Dimension – “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In”
The Beatles – “Something”

Top Songs of 1979

The Knack – “My Sharona”
Gloria Gaynor – “I Will Survive”
The Clash – “London Calling”

Top Songs of 1989

Madonna – “Like A Prayer”
The Cure – “Love Song”
The B-52’s – “Love Shack”

Top Songs of 1999

Cher – “Believe”
Backstreet Boys – “I Want It That Way”
Eminem – “My Name Is”

Top Songs of 2009

Kelly Clarkson “My Life would Suck without You”
Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow”
The All American Rejects “Gives You Hell”