Memory Lane Music

Photo: foldscheap, CC0 1.0. Some records do not need an introduction. Put the needle down, or press play, and the room changes within a few seconds: a riff, a voice, a rhythm that feels as if it has always been there. That instant recognition is the reward for years of work that listeners never see … Read more

Photo: Laura Wielo, CC0 1.0. Every era has its anthems, but only a few songs become shorthand for a whole way of feeling. They turn up at weddings and funerals, in films and in kitchens, quoted by people who may not know the album they came from or even the year they were released. Such … Read more

Photo: Ray Marsh, CC0 1.0. Every era has its anthems, but only a few songs become shorthand for a whole way of feeling. They turn up at weddings and funerals, in films and in kitchens, quoted by people who may not know the album they came from or even the year they were released. Such … Read more

Photo: Tim Napier, CC0 1.0. Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. This album’s mix of hard rock, funk, and balladry made it Aerosmith’s breakthrough statement. Heard on its … Read more

Photo: Matheus Ferrero, CC0 1.0. Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” by Aerosmith is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its riff and its playful chorus marked the band’s successful return after a difficult period. Heard … Read more

Photo: foldscheap, CC0 1.0. Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its Diane Warren ballad became the band’s first and only American number-one single. Heard on … Read more

Photo: Jaclyn Clark, CC0 1.0. Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “Crazy” by Aerosmith is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its ballad melody and its famous video brought Aerosmith to a new, younger audience. Heard on its own, away from … Read more

Photo: Tim Napier. CC0 1.0 Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its title song and its choreographed dance sequence became defining images of early rock cinema. Heard on its … Read more

Photo: Matheus Ferrero. CC0 1.0 Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its driving rhythm and its famous television performances made it a symbol of a new youth culture. Heard … Read more

Photo: foldscheap. CC0 1.0 Some records arrive quietly and then refuse to leave. “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley is one of those records, and it rewards a slower, closer listen than a greatest-hits skim usually allows. Its echoing guitar, its lonely lyric, and its chart success announced rock and roll to a national audience. Heard … Read more