Best Known Song of Your Generation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reject the notion that Don't Stop Believin' is a boomer song. It came out in 1981. That makes it squarely Gen X. I will not entertain debate on this point.

But they claimed it w/ the Clinton ads. Gen X would probably be Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The Clinton song was Don’t Stop by Fleetwood Mac, not Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

Thank you, fellow GenXer/Boomer!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm GenX and I think most of us would probably know the top songs from the 90s. I could sing (or dance in some cases) along to any of these:

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
I'll Make Love to You - Boys II Men
I Swear - All-4-One
Jump - Kriss Kross
The Sign - Ace of Base
Macarena - Los Del Rio
Waterfalls - TLC
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
MmmBop - Hanson

I don't know if these are necessarily "representative" though.

You've got to be an Xennial, right? This list would resonate **way** more with me (born 1979) than my solidly GenX spouse (born 1971), who would roll his eyes at most of these songs while I sang along.

Born 1969. Macarena'd at my wedding. Whitney and Sir Mixalot graced my college years. Ace of Base came home from DH's study abroad.

Lol...who is this Hanson of which you speak...is he one of the Jonas Brothers?

I taught my son the words to TLC's "No Scrubs" on the way home from school. I was familiar with it from when it was released. We listened to classic rap every day on the way home. Much better song than Waterfalls.

All the songs I remember from childhood were boomer AOR faves or disco. First album I bought was Kool & the Gang's "Ladies Night".

To hit my middle school days, you need Foreigner, Styx, and REO Speedwagon tunes. And..."Celebrate" by Kool & the Gang.

"YMCA" should be outlawed and "Call Me Maybe" played as its replacement.

[Anonymous]

I think I heard "Celebration Time" for the first time at my cousin's wedding around 1982. I can remember thinking "this #*%$ song will be played at every wedding I ever go to." Just call me Cassandra.

I sent the NYT article to my Boomer and GenX sibs, and our Millennial and GenZ kids. Some findings from our family group text (and, yes, we do have a hokey name for it, which I will not reveal here):

The GenZers report that Mr. Brightside remains a staple at college parties and games (and not just at Michigan, BTW).

The most universally loved songs across the generations:
I Want to Dance with Somebody
Call Me Maybe
Hey Ya (this was the consensus choice as the song that most people actually know the lyrics well enough to sing along to).

Also, Always Be My Baby is now the go-to mom-son dance at weddings (ick)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reject the notion that Don't Stop Believin' is a boomer song. It came out in 1981. That makes it squarely Gen X. I will not entertain debate on this point.

But they claimed it w/ the Clinton ads. Gen X would probably be Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The Clinton song was Don’t Stop by Fleetwood Mac, not Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

You're right! My mistake.

[Anonymous]

I always thought mine was Cmon Eileen

[Anonymous]

Boomer here. Hey Jude.

[Anonymous]

If the criteria is a song from your generation that gets everybody at the bar shout-singing along, I'm going to add:

Song 2
Pour Some Sugar on Me

Sweet Child O' Mine and Living on a Prayer, already mentioned, are excellent Gen X submissions.

- Class of 1997

[Anonymous]

Another Xennial here. “Smells like teen spirit” is the song of the generation, but it isn’t a sing along song.

There is only one 90s song that truly counts.

Baby Got Back

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X53ZSxkQ3Ho

[Anonymous]

Early Gen X. I am going to say:

a Prince song like 1999 or Purple Rain
Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean or Thriller
Journey, for better or worse.

Go Gos: We Got the Beat
Eurhythmics: Sweet Dreams
U2: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sinead: Nothing Compares 2 U (which does double duty as a Prince song)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I reject the notion that Don't Stop Believin' is a boomer song. It came out in 1981. That makes it squarely Gen X. I will not entertain debate on this point.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another Xennial here. “Smells like teen spirit” is the song of the generation, but it isn’t a sing along song.

There is only one 90s song that truly counts.

Baby Got Back

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X53ZSxkQ3Ho

YASSSS

And Scrubs

No, I don't want no scrub...a scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boomer here. Hey Jude.

Good one!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the criteria is a song from your generation that gets everybody at the bar shout-singing along, I'm going to add:

Song 2
Pour Some Sugar on Me

Sweet Child O' Mine and Living on a Prayer, already mentioned, are excellent Gen X submissions.

- Class of 1997

Fellow member of the class of 1997,

I must regretfully add Chumbawumba, “I get knocked down,” to the list. I know we both turned the volume up and rolled the windows down and would probably do the same today.

In solidarity and regret,

Your classmate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought mine was Cmon Eileen

Yes! Class of '94 and the biggest songs that got everyone on the dance floor in high school were--

-C'mon Eileen
-Paradise by the Dashboard Light
-Personal Jesus
-Jump Kris Kross
-Pump up the Jam

...And Sweet Caroline

And I guess Smells Like Teen Spirit, too

[Anonymous]

Gen X- Everybody Wants To Rule The World