When Sanderson opened in 1968, Motown, Rock ‘N Roll, and British songs were topping the charts. The most popular artists were in bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones had a huge impact on the future of music and their style is still echoed in songs today.

There was more variety in music than ever before in the 1970s.  With dozens of different genres for listeners to choose from. Some of the best rock and roll songs ever were recorded in the 70s—from David Bowie to Led Zeppelin to Pink Floyd.  Songs like “Dancing Queen” were popular at the time and are still popular today.

The 1980s saw a rise of hip-hop, pop, and country music. Michael Jackson was just growing in popularity, but his journey to fame didn’t stop there. Songs like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” topped the charts in the U.S. On the country side, female singers like Dolly Parton were emerging. Her songs like “9 to 5” and “Jolene” were popular among mainstream listeners as well as country fans.

In the 1990s, music embraced grunge. With that came rap artists like Snoop Dogg, Vanilla Ice, and Ice Cube. “Macarena,” one of the most popular party songs of all time, sparked the dance that spread across the nation. The song has been played at nearly every Sanderson dance since it first gained popularity. Even today, the beat still brings people to their feet.

R&B and hip-hop accounted for almost every song on the Billboard Top 20, in the 2000s. Many songs from the 2000s like “Low” by FloRida and “Yea” by Usher are still enjoyed by students at Sanderson dances. More rappers began to appear on the charts like Kanye West, Nelly, and OutKast.

The most popular music today is usually from rap and pop genres. Songs usually only stay popular for a few days before they are forgotten and a new song is in its place at the top of the charts.

Sanderson teacher, Kimberly Williams shared, “My favorite era of music is definitely the 90s and early 2000s. It was great hip hop and I loved the R&B.” She later stated “My favorite artists were Jay-Z and Lauryn Hill.”

Everyone has their own specific music preferences. Today, there are so many different genres of music that it can be hard to call just one the best. As long as people keep listening to music, it will continue evolving and changing without end.