Hello everybody, and welcome back to another week of Listen Up! This week, the article will be slightly different, as I am shifting my focus from my personal favorite tracks to songs that have paved the way for music as we know it. In other words, which songs (in my opinion) have had the greatest impact on music. Check out this week’s list, which spans from the ‘50s to the ‘90s. In the next edition, I will discuss the music of the 2000s, and how it has contributed to creating the music culture we know today.

Monday- “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley (1957) 

Okay, I (sort of) take back what I mentioned earlier, about picking out my favorite tunes this week. While “Jailhouse Rock” is definitely one of my favorite Presley tunes, hits such as “Love Me Tender” and “Hound Dog” have sold more copies on paper. However, the impact of virtually any Elvis song on the music world is unparalleled, as “The King” paved the way for rock n’ roll in the late ‘50s with his blues, swing, and country-inspired songs. Presley’s worldwide fame came before the pioneers of 60’s rock n’ roll, such as The Beatles, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and countless other artists that were influenced by his groundbreaking music. 

Tuesday- “Respect” by Aretha Franklin (1967)  

Fast forward one decade from the release of “Jailhouse Rock,” and you find yourself in the ‘60s, perhaps the most important decade in music history. At the time, you have guitar gods such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton emerging, an enormous protest to the Vietnam War in the forms of tracks such as “Fortunate Son” and “For What It’s Worth,” and trailblazing black artists such as Aretha Franklin gaining wide recognition for their talents. From a musical standpoint, Franklin shows off her incredible vocal range in “Respect,” but from a historical lens, empowered the women’s rights movement of the ‘60s with these vocals. Nearly sixty years later, the influence that “Respect” has had on music has remained the same. In 2021, the film Respect was released, where Jennifer Hudson plays Franklin and tells the story of her incredible life. Watch the trailer here. 

Wednesday- “Let It Be” by The Beatles (1970)

The ‘70s marked perhaps the broadest time of music popularity. “Pop” music was starting to emerge in the forms of disco, classic rock, and even early metal. With that being said, in a discussion about musical history, The Beatles have to make the list. There is, admittedly, a bit of personal bias with “Let It Be,” as it is my favorite Beatles song. However, I feel that “Let It Be” is the purest representation of The Beatles and everything they stood for. While there is much controversy over their beliefs and political views, the popularity of the music they produced cannot go unnoticed. Before the tragic death of John Lennon exactly one decade and seven months after this song’s release date, “Let It Be” was a final showing of the Beatles’ greatness. 

Thursday- “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson (1982)

Ah, the ‘80s. A time when the popularity of music soared; more copies of albums were being produced than ever before. At the top of these ’80s record selling charts stands “The King of Pop,” Michael Jackson. While songs such as “Billie Jean” do not have as much historical significance as tracks such as “Respect” and “Let It Be,” the sheer numbers of Jackson tracks sold are absurd. “Billie Jean” stands alone as Jackson’s most listened-to hit, as just the song alone has sold more than 10 million copies. Jackson’s popularity during the ‘80s pop era stands right at the top amongst the likes of artists like The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Madonna, and many more. 

Friday- “Smells Like Teen Spirit”  by Nirvana (1991)

It’s 1991. The once huge hair metal scene is rapidly dying, and kids are spending hours waiting for their favorite songs to play on MTV. Then, the scratchy, sloppy power chords of a Fender Mustang come from the TV. In the video is this new, “grungy” band called Nirvana, performing their new hit single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Motley Crue and Def Leppard posters are being stripped from the walls and are replaced with a shakily-drawn yellow smiley face. “Teen Spirit,” which was released in 1991, completely changed the face of music by introducing the style of “grunge” to MTV. Removing the hair-spray, makeup, and shred solos from traditional “rock” introduced a new wave of music and artists, including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, and countless others. In such a short time, Nirvana completely changed the face of music, and their impact was not forgotten, but rather honored, after Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994.