Classic Rock 70s 80s 90s 2019 Site

The production values of the 80s (gated reverb drums, layered harmonies) felt "vintage cool" to the Lo-fi generation. Bands like The Midnight (modern synthwave) credited 80s classic rock as their primary inspiration.

As 2019 drew to a close, Rolling Stone released their updated list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." The top ten was dominated by the 70s (Marvin Gaye, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac— Rumours is 1977). But nestled in the top 50 were records from 1991 (Nirvana) and 1984 (Prince). Classic Rock 70s 80s 90s 2019

Simultaneously, a wave of modern bands was openly wearing their influences on their sleeves. Groups like Greta Van Fleet were winning Grammys in 2019 with a sound that was undeniably Led Zeppelin-esque, while The Black Keys continued to channel 70s blues-rock grit. The production values of the 80s (gated reverb

Bands like Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, and Bon Jovi took the loud guitars of the 70s and added choruses designed for stadiums and lip gloss. Pyromania (1983) and Hysteria (1987) are masterclasses in production (courtesy of Mutt Lange), but they traded the blues for reverb and the angst for Aqua Net. But nestled in the top 50 were records

Why 2019? Because this was the year the corpse of Classic Rock sat up, stole a Tesla, and drove into the sunset.