Welcome to Past Tunes — a non-profit archive of the songs that defined America in the 1970s and 1980s. Here you will find the stories behind the songs, the artists who sang them, and the albums that shaped a generation. If you are new here, this page is the best place to begin.
What you will find here
- Behind the Songs — The stories behind the songs you know by heart — how they were written, what they really mean, and the moments that made them famous.
- Artists & Legends — The singers and bands who defined the sound of America in the 1970s and 1980s — their rise, their turning points, and their lasting legacy.
- Classic Albums — The records that shaped a decade — album by album, from the first track to the last, and why they still sound fresh today.
- One-Hit Wonders — One song, one moment, forever remembered. The artists who lit up the charts once — and why that one song never left us.
- Duets & Groups — When voices joined together: duets, groups, and harmonies that made the 70s and 80s sing louder.
- On This Day — What happened on this day in music history — anniversaries, debuts, and moments worth remembering.
Read these first
- Hotel California: The Song Everyone Misunderstands
- Billie Jean: The Night the Moonwalk Stopped America
- Seven in a Row: Whitney Houston’s Impossible Run
- Like a Virgin at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards
- Purple Rain — The Album and the Film That Owned 1984
- Superstition
Use the menu above to browse by category, or start with the stories above. New stories are added regularly.