By Hannah Lynn, Staff writer
While the music of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s may seem like they are not as popular as their more modern music counterpart, the impact of this generation of music can still be felt today through modern pop culture, even though their reign of popularity has ended.
The musical “Hamilton,” which had its first show in 2015, took inspiration from a world changing band from the 1960s, The Beatles.
“Hamilton” is about America’s founding father, Alexander Hamilton, and the fight for American Independence. Many of the references from The Beatles can be found when Jonathan Groff, who plays King George III, is singing “You’ll Be Back.”
According to a Vulture article, in an interview with Alex Lacamoire, who worked on the “Hamilton” staff, gave many examples of how the Beatles influenced this song.
“There’s a “Penny Lane” reference in the vibe. There’s a “Mr. Kite” reference: At “You say your love is draining and you can’t go on…… And the way [Jonathan] Groff intones, “Everybody!” at the end is a little like Lennon in “All You Need Is Love,” Lacamoire said in the article.
The Jonas Brothers, a modern band that many younger people grew up watching on television and listening too, took inspiration from the Eagles, a popular 70s band, who gave us popular songs like “Hotel California,” and “Take it Easy.”
The influence of The Eagles can be found in one of The Jonas Brothers’ newer albums, “The Album,” which was released in 2023.
According to an American Songwriter article, “I think we wanted there to be a cohesive nature to the sound of the record,” says Nick, one of the lead singers, “We were really leaning into that Laurel Canyon, Americana, Eagles-influenced sound.”
The popular Television series “Gilmore Girls” bases many of their humorous jokes from pop culture references, whether modern or older. According to an Annotated Gilmore Girls article, one of the references can be found in a joke between Lorelai and her mom about the song “Free Bird” from the 70s rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
There is no greater indicator of a person having an influence on pop culture than having a movie made about their life. Elvis Presley, who sang and wrote songs such as “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” recently had a movie based on his life titled “Elvis” released in 2022. This shows how even today, Elvis’s impact is still strong in modern pop culture.
The impact of this time can even be felt with the students on campus. Isabella Castellano, a senior political science majoring, said that this time’s music brings back memories of her childhood.
“I grew up listening to this type of music with my dad and it reminds me of all the time we had together when I was younger,” said Castellano. “I remember my dad would pick my brother and I up from my grandparent’s house and would play this type of music in the car and we would be singing the songs together.”
Even though these bands may not be as popular as they once were, their impact can be felt through modern pop culture, and the memories we make.
