Definitive Gen X song?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not Counting Crows!

There are many, many options here. I feel like Prince's 1999 is a top contender, both for popularity that crosses many demographic groups plus older/younger Gen X, plus the lyrics/theming of song.

Other options:
Smells Like Teen Spirit (not sure why you DQed Nirvana)
Blister in the Sun
Billie Jean
Don't You Forget About Me (Breakfast Club!)
Just Like Heaven
Safety Dance
Vogue or maybe Material Girl
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I wouldn't pick End of the World as We Know It, but I recognize that as a very valid viewpoint.

This is the correct answer.

Yep. Was coming here to say that.
NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m Black and don’t even know the songs OP listed as “definitive” so please do not try to speak for a generation

Never fails. If you want to suggest a song, go ahead. The rest of us will continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know these songs you all are listing.


Michael Jackson – “Rock With You” or "Billie Jean"

Prince – “Purple Rain”

Anita Baker – “Sweet Love”

Luther Vandross – “Never Too Much”

Sade – “Smooth Operator”

Cameo – “Candy”

New Edition – “If It Isn't Love”

Mary J. Blige – “My Life” / “Real Love”

Boyz II Men – “End of the Road”

Jodeci – “Come and Talk to Me”

TLC – “No Scrubs”

Maxwell – “Sumthin’ Sumthin’”

Ginuwine – “Pony”

D’Angelo – “Lady”

SWV – “Weak”

EU's "Da butt because School Daze was an accurate description of what it was like to go to an HBCU in the '80s and '90s.

Good point — the black community will likely have a different answer rooted more in R&B.

One other thing is GenX is also kind of defined by New Wave or “alternative,” which opens the door to another canon — Kate Bush’s Running Up that Hill, Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Lips Like Sugar” or “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” etc.

But for mass culture, the soundtrack is dominated by rock and roll, not R&B or New Wave or even grunge or metal. So that brings us back to Teen Spirit, Don’t You Forget About Me. The Take on Me by Aha nomination is also valid.

Aw, you missed The Cure "Just Like Heaven"

+100
These were the songs that defined my college years (86-90). Also:
So Central Rain - R.E.M.
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns n Roses
Silent All These Years - Tori Amos
Holiday - Madonna
Save it for Later - English Beat
and so many more...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know these songs you all are listing.


Michael Jackson – “Rock With You” or "Billie Jean"

Prince – “Purple Rain”

Anita Baker – “Sweet Love”

Luther Vandross – “Never Too Much”

Sade – “Smooth Operator”

Cameo – “Candy”

New Edition – “If It Isn't Love”

Mary J. Blige – “My Life” / “Real Love”

Boyz II Men – “End of the Road”

Jodeci – “Come and Talk to Me”

TLC – “No Scrubs”

Maxwell – “Sumthin’ Sumthin’”

Ginuwine – “Pony”

D’Angelo – “Lady”

SWV – “Weak”

EU's "Da butt because School Daze was an accurate description of what it was like to go to an HBCU in the '80s and '90s.

But at least two of us did list Billie Jean, and at least one person suggested a different Prince song. I do think of Luterh Vandross as being more Boomer-y, along with Smooth Operator. My guess is that you're on the older side of Gen-X -- born in the 60s?

Nope, 1970s gen x-er. I do not know most of these listed songs or groups and the few I do know are not what I think of when I think about that time period. They weren’t played at our parties and on the radio stations me and my peers at the time listened to. I will concede that Luther was real grown folks stuff at the time. My mom (def a boomer) loved him so I probably got more of him than most lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know these songs you all are listing.


Michael Jackson – “Rock With You” or "Billie Jean"

Prince – “Purple Rain”

Anita Baker – “Sweet Love”

Luther Vandross – “Never Too Much”

Sade – “Smooth Operator”

Cameo – “Candy”

New Edition – “If It Isn't Love”

Mary J. Blige – “My Life” / “Real Love”

Boyz II Men – “End of the Road”

Jodeci – “Come and Talk to Me”

TLC – “No Scrubs”

Maxwell – “Sumthin’ Sumthin’”

Ginuwine – “Pony”

D’Angelo – “Lady”

SWV – “Weak”

EU's "Da butt because School Daze was an accurate description of what it was like to go to an HBCU in the '80s and '90s.

Good point — the black community will likely have a different answer rooted more in R&B.

One other thing is GenX is also kind of defined by New Wave or “alternative,” which opens the door to another canon — Kate Bush’s Running Up that Hill, Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Lips Like Sugar” or “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” etc.

But for mass culture, the soundtrack is dominated by rock and roll, not R&B or New Wave or even grunge or metal. So that brings us back to Teen Spirit, Don’t You Forget About Me. The Take on Me by Aha nomination is also valid.

Aw, you missed The Cure "Just Like Heaven"

Only because it was mentioned earlier. I love that Olivia Rodrigo thrust that in Gen Z’s face last month by appearing on stage with Robert Smith!

[youtube] https://youtu.be/MDTlUtrzeFI?si=N8rNU1p4p4J8CGd2[/youtube]

Such a beautiful song!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In Your Eyes

YES!

[Anonymous]

OMD-if you leave. That was our Prom Song
Lisa loeb-Stay
REM-Don’t go back to Rockville
Anything by Violent femmes

[Anonymous]

How has no one said Push It by Salt n Pepa??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know these songs you all are listing.


Michael Jackson – “Rock With You” or "Billie Jean"

Prince – “Purple Rain”

Anita Baker – “Sweet Love”

Luther Vandross – “Never Too Much”

Sade – “Smooth Operator”

Cameo – “Candy”

New Edition – “If It Isn't Love”

Mary J. Blige – “My Life” / “Real Love”

Boyz II Men – “End of the Road”

Jodeci – “Come and Talk to Me”

TLC – “No Scrubs”

Maxwell – “Sumthin’ Sumthin’”

Ginuwine – “Pony”

D’Angelo – “Lady”

SWV – “Weak”

EU's "Da butt because School Daze was an accurate description of what it was like to go to an HBCU in the '80s and '90s.

You think that “Candy” by Cameo is in the running to be the definitive song of a generation?

Yes, I do

I love “Candy” but I would argue “Before I Let Go” has had more longevity and impact in the Black community. It is still a party staple 40+ years later and was even remade by Beyoncé a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phOW-CZJWT0&list=RDphOW-CZJWT0&start_radio=1

Rob Base - It Takes 2. YESS!

Frat party basement dances...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going the Distance, Cake. Because it's about the emptiness of success - so GenX. And it uses the term "monster truck force."

Looooove this song

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Closing Time by Semisonic

"Closing time, time for you to go out
To the places you will be from"

This is definitely at the top of the list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know these songs you all are listing.


Michael Jackson – “Rock With You” or "Billie Jean"

Prince – “Purple Rain”

Anita Baker – “Sweet Love”

Luther Vandross – “Never Too Much”

Sade – “Smooth Operator”

Cameo – “Candy”

New Edition – “If It Isn't Love”

Mary J. Blige – “My Life” / “Real Love”

Boyz II Men – “End of the Road”

Jodeci – “Come and Talk to Me”

TLC – “No Scrubs”

Maxwell – “Sumthin’ Sumthin’”

Ginuwine – “Pony”

D’Angelo – “Lady”

SWV – “Weak”

EU's "Da butt because School Daze was an accurate description of what it was like to go to an HBCU in the '80s and '90s.

Good point — the black community will likely have a different answer rooted more in R&B.

One other thing is GenX is also kind of defined by New Wave or “alternative,” which opens the door to another canon — Kate Bush’s Running Up that Hill, Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Lips Like Sugar” or “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” etc.

But for mass culture, the soundtrack is dominated by rock and roll, not R&B or New Wave or even grunge or metal. So that brings us back to Teen Spirit, Don’t You Forget About Me. The Take on Me by Aha nomination is also valid.

The dumbest thing I’ve ever read. There’s no black / white/ blue/ green community in Gen x.

Then you don't know what you are talking.

We moved from a predominantly African American area to an entirely white area for my parent's work in 1985. PP's listing of "If it isn't love" by New Edition brought back so many memories of my preteen friends swooning over them.

In out new area, beside the big names like Michael Jackson, no one knew these groups. Pre internet, it was tough to listen to whatever you wanted. The local radio station had so much control of content.

Not a good example. All the white people I know loved that song back in the day!

Where you here in the DMV?

Where we were, no one knew. It just wasn't played over the airwaves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not Counting Crows!

There are many, many options here. I feel like Prince's 1999 is a top contender, both for popularity that crosses many demographic groups plus older/younger Gen X, plus the lyrics/theming of song.

Other options:
Smells Like Teen Spirit (not sure why you DQed Nirvana)
Blister in the Sun
Billie Jean
Don't You Forget About Me (Breakfast Club!)
Just Like Heaven
Safety Dance
Vogue or maybe Material Girl
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I wouldn't pick End of the World as We Know It, but I recognize that as a very valid viewpoint.

This is the correct answer.

Yep. Was coming here to say that.
NP

this.

[Anonymous]

It was absolutely I want your sex by George Michael. Spurred so much discussion about what was appropriate on the radio and spurred discussions on safe sex - definitive issue for Gen X.