There are quite a several eras that made significant marks in United States history through the birthing of novel and groundbreaking musical tracks and albums. People call them “musical geniuses of the Baby Boomers”.
The entertainment industry and musical culture in America took a new shape with the birth of these musicians born between the end of the Swing Era and the start of the British Invasion. If you are wondering who these music stars of the Boomers generation are, it’s time you get introduced to them.
Some Famous Music Stars of the Baby Boomers
From rock and soul to Rock ‘n’ Roll, the music never ends. These top music stars and their songs defined the Boomers generation and even transcended generations.
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Elvis Presley
Ask a boomer about Elvis Presley’s debut album release in 1956, and watch a reminiscing smile fill his lips. Elvis Presley was popularly called “The king of Rock ‘n Roll’ ‘ because his recordings and live performances from 1954 to 1958 established the fire that ignited a ‘music-cultural revolution’ that changed the impression of every Rock act ever since. You may ask ‘What brought Elvis Presley top recognition for his music?’ Well, before the Boomers generation, there were other music artists that could naturally flow between genres of Rockabilly, R&B, Country, Gospel, and synergize them into what is now called: Rock ‘n’ Roll. Elvis Presley was iconically a genius in more than four music genres.
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The Beatles
Till today, the songs of these top music stars sound fresh as ever. If you are in doubt, ask around how late boomers feel whenever the soundtrack ‘Come Together’ or ‘Here comes the sun, is played. The Beatles were exceptionally good when it comes to writing songs that people loved. Something worth noting is how that less than three months after the death of JFK’s assassination…the impact of their arrival and music on a broken nation, gave hope with a pure blast of optimism backed up by charm and personality with a whole bunch of musical chops. Almost all of their albums were a hit and loved by boomers especially the track ‘Let it be the last even though their final work as a band was ‘Abbey road
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Bob Dylan
Known as the greatest songwriter of all time, Bob Dylan was famous for his style of music: folk, and blues. Rock, gospel, country, traditional, pop, and jazz. His music career spans more than 6o years. He was a major music star as one of his songs was “Blown in the wind” released in 1963, and the ever-green song that made him popular was the hit “Like a Rolling Stone” in 1965. The Boomer generation likes him because he sings his heart out, and his lyrics are fearless and original. If you want to see the love boomers have for his music, play “Time Out of Mind” by Bob Dylan, and see a cold environment turn into a crystalline lens on a tiring world.
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Tracy Chapman
The queen of protest pop and American folk music singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman brought unending music language and cultural exploration into the age of the boomers with her great albums such as Te telling Stories, Let it Rain, New beginning, Where You Live, and many others. With just her voice, guitar, and conscience, Tracy Chapman has helped make protest music desirable again. She is one of the many black recording artists whose music directly addresses blacks’ concerns. Boomers would always recall how beautifully her favourite song “Fast Car” reflected the cyclical nature of poverty and social issues caused by poverty.
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Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones wrote songs and recorded albums that inspired the boomer generation and a million bands after. They were legendary rockers that got boomers filling stadiums on a rainy day just to hear their rich lyrical songs, and dancing hard with no worries for the future. Their most memorable lyrics every boomer chanted almost every day was “I can’t get no satisfaction / Cause I try and I try and I try and I try…” from the album “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.
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Rickie Lee Jones
Here is a two-time Grammy Award winner of the Boomers generation. She led the Rock and R&B, and Pop, and gained fame combining folk and jazz styles with electrifying lyrics. Boomers enjoyed her songs because they were peaceful, reflective, dramatic, and soothing. A lot of boomers could not easily forget the wheel sound effect she creates with her great voice, especially if you listen to her song titled “The Last Chance Texaco”. Her songs would not just go out of style.
Final Thoughts
The Boomer Generations mostly listened to rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and folk music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Therefore, these top music stars mentioned in this article defined the Boomer Generation with their evergreen songs. They were icons and heroes of the time, even today for many late boomers.
