Echoes through time: The lasting legacy of 1960s and 1970s musicians

How has older music stayed relevant throughout the years? The careers of 1960s and 1970s musicians evolved significantly as they adapted to changes in the music industry, cultural shifts, and personal growth. Their careers transitioned into later decades and they found more ways to leave a lasting legacy on contemporary music. There was much room for musical evolution and experimentation.

Many artists from the '60s and '70s continued to innovate and experiment with new sounds, in some cases elevating themselves above and beyond mere "singer-songwriters." For example, David Bowie constantly reinvented his style, influencing genres like glam rock, electronic, and new wave ("Space Oddity" itself infused a little bit more oddness into popular music). Bands like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin expanded their musical repertoires, incorporating elements from blues, reggae, and even disco to stay relevant (and not all of it's even bad!).

Then, of course, you had emerging solo careers and collaborations. Members of iconic bands often pursued successful solo careers, in some cases outshining the original partnerships. For example, Paul Simon enjoyed great success after Simon & Garfunkel (Garfunkel said they broke up because "he was getting on my nerves" and the "jokes had run dry."

Paul McCartney, after The Beatles, had a prolific solo career and formed Wings, and those efforts didn't subtract from his current billionaire status. Collaborations across genres and with younger artists helped maintain their relevance. For instance, Eric Clapton collaborated with artists from different genres and generations (to be fair, Clapton was always a bit of a hired gun, as "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room" were actually for the supergroup Cream, which wasn't quite the same as a garage band that happened to make it big).

Live performances, tours, media innovations

Many '60s-'7os musicians continued to tour extensively, capitalizing on the nostalgia of their music while also introducing new (albeit often commercially "safe") material. Acts like The Who and Fleetwood Mac found success with reunion tours (more recently, Mick Fleetwood said "I would love to see a healing between - and that doesn’t have to take the shape of a tour, necessarily").

They also had to adapt to new media, if they wanted to stay as relevant as possible. As technology and media landscapes change, musicians need to find new ways to reach audiences. These older musicians (and successful "content creators" generally) embraced new media and technologies.

MTV, which launched in the early 80s, became a platform for artists like Queen to reach new audiences. Though "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles was technically the first music video, Queen were among the first bands to capitalize on it, and it paid off — despite MTV actually banning 2 of their music videos. Prior to MTV's launch, Queen is often with creating the first promotional music video for "Bohemian Rhapsody."

The rise of digital music and streaming services provided a new avenue for distributing their music to both old fans and new listeners, albeit with even greater emphasis on producing singles than full albums. Meanwhile, this music comtinually finds renewed life in TV and film, with masters like Martin Scorsese continually using old rock and blues hits from the '60s-'80s to liven up scenes, making them uniquely impactful to viewers, and forever augmenting how we hear these classic hits.

Cultural and social impact

Many continued to influence cultural and social movements. Artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez remained active in political and social causes, using their platforms to address contemporary issues (though, of course, Baez was a Bob Dylan critic).

The foundational sounds of rock, folk, and soul from the '60s and '70s heavily influenced contemporary music genres. Modern rock, indie, hip-hop, and electronic music often sample or draw inspiration from these eras. Bands like Radiohead and artists like Kendrick Lamar cite '60s and '70s musicians as significant influences on their work. Without some of the extremely creative, emotionally influential artists of these eras, modern music simply would not be the same.

Then you have the countercultural movements of the 60s and 70s, driven by musicians of that era, continue to resonate today. In fact, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s "Fortunate Son" and Edwin Starr’s "War" sound just as relevant today. Themes of peace, love, and rebellion are evident in contemporary music and youth culture.

And yes, the fashion and aesthetic styles of the 60s and 70s often see revivals in modern music scenes and festivals.

Technology and production techniques

Recording and production techniques pioneered in the 60s and 70s laid the groundwork for modern music production. Innovations in studio recording, multitracking, groundbreaking studio effects, and electronic instruments are standard practices today. Legendary producers like Phil Spector and George Martin influenced countless modern producers in their approaches to recording and sound engineering.

Live performances and festivals

Releeased in 1959, The Newport Folk Festival-based documentary film Jazz on a Summer's Day is largely about that particular musical form, but it does feature rock pioneer Chuck Berry, so it shouldn't be ignored as an early example of a pretty big music festival. However, the model for modern music festivals owes much to the '60s and '70s, with events like Woodstock setting a precedent for large-scale, multi-genre festivals. Coachella, Glastonbury, and others draw directly from this legacy.

Also, regarding performances, the tradition of grandiose, theatrical live performances established by artists like Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper continues to shape how contemporary acts design their shows.

Lasting popularity due to quality

Music from the 60s and 70s also simply remains popular across generations for a simpler reason: A lot of it was good. After all, who outright hates "What’s Going On?" by Marvin Gaye? It seems like one couldn't hate it for any particularly good reasons, right? Then you have somewhat unsung musical heroes like bassist Bob Moore, who shaped popular music in ways many don't even realize.

Thankfully, classic rock radio, vinyl records, and streaming playlists keep this music alive and accessible. Iconic songs and albums from this period are frequently covered by modern artists, demonstrating their timeless appeal and relevance (though, of course, plenty also relate to post-1970s pop punk songs about "leaving this sh**ty town").

The enduring influence of 1960s and 1970s musicians is evident in their continued presence in popular culture, their impact on music production and performance, and the ways in which contemporary artists draw inspiration from their pioneering work.