Here’s a thought experiment for would-be musical time travelers
Remember this scene from Back to the Future where a disguised Marty visits his father and torments him with some shredding? It’s uncredited, but that’s actually Edde Van Halen.
I’ve always been fascinated by this scene because it illustrates how our musical tastes have evolved over the decades. Back in 1955, that shredding and distortion was horrible noise. Thirty years later, in Marty’s time, that same sort of noise was considered beautify and cool.
Here’s the thought experiment. You’re a free-and-easy time traveler. You and your smartphone full of songs go back to 1922 to play future music for the young people of that era. What five rock songs would you play for them to show what music will become?
Leave your lists in the comments.
How Soon Is Now? Smiths
Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana
More Than A Feeling Boston
Nautical Disaster Hip
A Day in the Life Beatles
Metallica – Enter Sandman
Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
Adele – Hello
Smells like teen spirit-Nirvana
Kickstart my heart-Motley Crüe
Supersonic-Oasis
While my guitar gently weeps-The Beatles
Stairway to Heaven-Led Zeppelin
Maybe I read wrong, but I would do a slow evolution of artists:
Hendrix: Anything
Beatles: Anything
Metallica: Battery
Michael Jackson: Billy Jean
NWA: **** the Police
Charlie Parker Anthropology
Elvis Jail House Rock
Beatles Strawberry Fields
Devo Whip It
Beatles: In My Life
Led Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven
Van Halen: Runnin’ with the Devil
Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal
Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit