Is 50's music dead? What about 60's music?

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Papa Deuce

DJ Extraordinaire
Aug 8, 2006
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Valley Forge Area
Even though I do retro events, I haven't played a song from the 50's in 2 years or more, and I rarely even get a request for anything from the 60's except Motown.
 
I can only answer from what my customers tell me (they call me alot -- apparently I'm a fun guy to talk to). :sqerr:


Yes -- big, big, big!


My guess here, is that yer working the younger crowd Son...???


My Dad once told me -- never work the young crowd -- they got gusto, but no money to throw around... ;) :)
 
It will die only if you let it. If people don't hear it they won't request it. I've heard it said that Pennsylvania is one of the few places where you could do strictly 50's and be busy all the time. Hey, people love Nifty Fifties and the music is no different. Fifties music is timeless and some of the most danceable music ever recorded.
 
Papa Deuce said:
Even though I do retro events, I haven't played a song from the 50's in 2 years or more, and I rarely even get a request for anything from the 60's except Motown.
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my question to you is "why not"?

I play them all the time without being asked and they go over very well.
Remember, we are still the DJs.

Don't let the music die.
 
IMHO, 'Fifties' is not requested because most of the time it's the younger crowd that does the requesting. The older folks 'hope' you play it and then they'll dance. It you don't play it, they'll just sit there. If you play for the young ones early on, they won't dance anyhow since they haven't had a chance to get liquored up yet.

I generally try to play for the older ones earlier on but throw in a newer tune so the younger crowd knows that I have what they like as well.
 
Hank Davidson said:
my question to you is "why not"?

I play them all the time without being asked and they go over very well.
Remember, we are still the DJs.

Don't let the music die.
Click to expand...


If you want the truth, I'll tell ya... For the most part I don't miss playing it. I absolutely LOVE Motown, but for the most part I hate 60's music. As far as the 50's go, well, I used to like it a lot more than I do now. I'll certainly play it if asked, but I don't go out of my way. If it felt right to play it at a given moment, I probably would.
 
I think Big Dan hit it on the head and Papa has a great point...the people that grew up with that stuff...well, really no easy way to say it but they are dying off. Crap that's depressing...I will try and play one now and then but I get much better response - from mostly everyone - if I go the big band route or even the pseudo big band like Brian Setzer, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, etc. The swing revival a few years back helped that genre stay alive but 50's has had no such luck yet. Too bad...there were some great artists then and alot of history was made.
 
You will find that most audiences are under the age of 60. That being the case, they really do not have 50's music in mind.

I always, and I mean, ALWAYS, play at least 2 50's era doo-wop songs at just about every event I do.

The Flamingos, I Only Have Eyes For you, Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love with You, The Five Satins In The Still of The night--ALWAYS get the dance floor filled!

And these are but three of the volumes of great 50's dance music that you can expose your audience to. Remember, DJ's promote music besideplaying requests.

Wanna get a crowd shaking? Play a medley of Dion & The Belmonts.
Bill Haley & The Comets Rock Around The Clock is another that always works well.

No---50's music isn't dead---it just needs more DJ's to expose the next generations to it!


Wnna hear some well recorded doo-wop stuff to play--try Kenny Vance & The Planotones---some real good stuff!
 
Still use them and enjoy them.
 
I don't think the genre is dying. Even during the '90s when I was DJing school dances, the students actually requested '50s and Motown tunes. They'd been studying the music in school.

Clear Channel's experiment with retro format radio has been successful. These songs and arrangements are being kept alive through radio and Internet streaming.

Also, I've noticed it's streamed to convenience stores and gas stations. It's heard in grocery stores. Were the genre dying I doubt they'd be doing that. :)
 
There are still a few 50s tunes I use. Buddy Holly whenever I can and as Steve mentioned Rock around the clock. I do find I'm getting more requests for 60s stuff the last year or so again.

Motown was never really big here but again I am getting a few requests. It seems like since MJ passed pople have an interest again
 
I play it like my friend the Maestro and others and keep the format alive at most all weddings, corporate and family gatherings. I also play them at car shows two to three times per year. Many commercials still use the 50's, 60's and now more and more the classic rock of the 70's which keeps the young familiar with the genre. also the downloads of many young folks frequently include Frank Sinatra and other 50's and 60's. jive bunny still works exceptionally well for me at most any event.
 
Even College and High school kids know and dance to these songs, Some are actually wedding staples.

Some will burn the dance floor down and some work well for buckle polishing!

No 50's music is far from dead!

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard
Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis
Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
Maybellene - Chuck Berry
Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner
Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
Bye Bye Love - Everly Brothers
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard
Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
Rock And Roll Music - Chuck Berry
Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly
Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
Lucille - Little Richard
Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry
In The Still Of The Nite - Five Satins
Please, Please, Please - James Brown & the Famous Flames
Sh-Boom - Chords
The Great Pretender - Platters
Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry
Come Go With Me - Del-Vikings
Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee
Rip It Up - Little Richard
Rocking Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu - Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns
Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace (one of my personal favorites to sing)
Sixty Minute Man - Dominoes
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin
Wake Up Little Susie - Everly Brothers
La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
Shout - Isley Brothers
Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
Since I Don't Have You - Skyliners
Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes - Chuck Willis
Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
Rave On - Buddy Holly
Shake, Rattle And Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
Sincerely - Moonglows (another one I like to "try" and sing)
C.C. Rider - Chuck Willis or Elvis
Only You - Platters
All I Have To Do Is Dream - Everly Brothers
At The Hop - Danny & the Juniors
Rock-in Robin - Bobby Day
Jim Dandy - Lavern Baker
Reelin And Rocking - Chuck Berry
Oh Boy! - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
Willie And The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis Show
You're So Fine - Falcons
Breathless - Jerry Lee Lewis
Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
Tequila - Champs
Maybe Baby - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
Oh What A Nite - Dells
Brown-Eyed Handsome Man - Chuck Berry
Ready Teddy - Little Richard
Tear It Up - Johnny Burnette Trio
Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley
Unchained Melody - Al Hibbler or the Righteous Brothers
One Night - Elvis Presley
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Platters
A Teenager In Love - Dion & the Belmonts
I Wonder Why - Dion & the Belmonts
Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay - Danny & the Juniors
Back In The U.S.A. - Chuck Berry
Come Softly To Me - Fleetwoods
Come On Let's Go - Ritchie Valens
Walking After Midnight - Patsy Cline
Silhouettes - Rays
It's Late - Ricky Nelson
Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny
 
Steve, maybe I could work 2 songs from the 50's in if I wanted to... beyond that, I would be "pushing it". Unless maybe it was a wedding for an older couple.
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
Papa - who's saying that; you or the crowd?
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I'm saying that even at events with older people, I no longer get requests for 50's music at all, and pretty much the only requests for 60's music is for Motown.

Let's face it.... if you were in your late teens - early 20's in the 50's, quite likely you aren't doing a whole lot of dancing these days. Not to say some aren't or can't, but those folks are 70+ years old.
 
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