From Elvis to Tupac, from the original Bose 901 speakers to the latest Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, music has evolved and so have Bose products, bringing fans closer to cultural moments defined by great music and the sounds it evokes – like the memories of a day, a time or place. Looking back at attitudes towards music over the decades, Bose set out to understand how sound has shaped fandom and transformed over time. The sweeping study looked at 6,000 music fans across the U.S. and U.K., ages 18-64, and asked questions about iconic artists, music genres and music discovery. Here’s what we found.
Of the 6,000 people studied, 80% said their favorite decade of music is from their teens and 20s. Were you a teenager in the '70s? It’s likely that Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and Elton John still dominate your playlists. Come of age in the '90s? It might be 2Pac, Madonna, and Metallica that are on infinite repeat. Seems like the music that was was with us during our formative years might be with us forever.
Surprisingly, iconic chart toppers like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift were not among the most influential artists over the past 60 years... at least not yet.
Queen Bey is topping the charts, but it was Queen that was identified as one of the most influential artists of the past 60 years. Taylor Swift may have millions of fans ready to Shake It Off, but respondents would rather Twist and Shout with the Beatles.
While older artists may no longer be number one on the charts, they're still in listeners’ hearts as the most influential artists of the past 60 years.
Now that you’ve explored the tastes and trends of fellow music lovers, dive into the influences and obsessions that shape the work of iconic musicians. SPIN and Bose have teamed up again to bring you Decades of Sound—an epic collaboration exploring six decades of groundbreaking music, featuring trailblazers who redefined music across generations.
