I feel bad for GenX'ers that missed out on the 60s and 70s.

If you were born in 55’, as I was, it was a truly special time. Color TV and home computers had yet to be invented. Who remembers watching Gunsmoke on Sunday nights on a BW television. Much of the music created in my generation was dictated by the times. Frank Sinatra still crooned throughout the 60’s. If you were into Motown, and Jazz, as I was, you developed a special appreciation for the musicians of this period. Miles didn’t peak until BB in 1969. Coltrane was at his height in the early 60’s. There were so many musicians from RNR to Motown! Motown was created by a man who had the foresight to explore the best jazz artist’s performing in his communities nightlife and employ them to create an in house band like no other. Without them, there would not have been the success of Motown. And I enjoyed the musical ride from 1960, just before the Beatles arrived on the scene, through the wave upon wave of musicians with names like The Beach Boys, Lovin Spoonful, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, on and on, and on. The music scene for a 17 year period was special and endless! It’s the finest musical period in history defined by one thing. Musical hits. We had hits. Besides the gifted Whitney Houston in the nineties there’s been no true hits. Music today has no such movement. And it’s not defined by the times in which we lived. Tower of Power, War, Santana. I could go on but what’s the point, you know who they were. We lived with a simple AM radio and listened to these hits, one after another. Carol King, Carly Simon, Aretha! It seems there were thousands of artists who created genuine hits. Today’s music, not so much.

@bdp24, no disrespect but there will never be the number of hit records there were between 62’ and ‘75. Observe the number of Motown’s hits. Black music today no longer contributes to pop hits, when in the 60’s it did. If you have to search for a hit, it’s not a hit. End of story. But I can’t understand anyone comparing the music of the 60’s to today’s music. If you were born in the 50’s you were exposed to the real deal. If you weren’t you simply have no idea how big the music scene was. 

@michaelsherry59, I feel it’s laughable to suggest one can simply listen to the music and identify with the times. That’s like how many steps removed from the actual experience? No. If you wanted to experience the music you had to experience the scene first hand. And if you didn’t, as you said, you missed out. 

@ms59, yes, even a group called the Mamas and the Papas had mega hits. Where’s the next California Dreamin?

@zerofox, your comments are spot on!!! You’d think with global warming there’d be such a movement of songwriters. Mums the word. 

Remember in 1971 Marvin Gaye sang about Ecology? Well, that’s now come to pass, and still not a word. What the heck does this generation stand for?