With over 5,000 new songs added to our Vintage Collection, it can be hard to know where to start looking. As fellow music lovers, we get it, and we’ve attempted to make the browsing process a little easier on you. To accomplish this, we had our esteemed A+R Team curate a playlist for each decade — starting with the 1920s and moving all the way through to the ‘80s — that most accurately represents the sound, artists and genres we have available for each given time period. It’s like a time machine, but for your ears. Enjoy.

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The Roaring ‘20s and Flirty ‘30s

Ever wonder what your great-great-grandparents swing danced to back in the day? Well, It probably sounded a lot like this sample of orchestral, vaudevillian songs from the vaults of Fervor Records. From classic waltzes like “My Pretty Pauline” by the Western Rangers, to the uppity, accordion-filled Polka number “New Varmlands” by The Norselanders, this classic collection channels the Prohibition-era of silent films and grand ballroom affairs, offering us a timeless glimpse into the past.  

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The 1940s: Baby Boomers and Depression-era Crooners

The 1940s brought us iconic songsters like Frank Sinatra, Fats Waller and Billie Holiday, who revolutionized the world of jazz, blues and R&B. This romantic, glamorous sound seeped into the musical fabric of the 1940s, leading to smooth, jazz-infused songs like “My Love Lingers On” by the Peter Sivo Band and passionate orchestral arrangements like “When I Dance With The One I Love” by The Morrison Recording Orchestra. 

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The 1950s Welcome Rock ‘n’ Roll

Thanks to pioneers like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley, the 1950s was high time for the coevolution of rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. Out with the doo-wop ballads of the 1940s and in with the hip-shaking, high tempo fixtures of every parent’s nightmares. This rock ‘n’ roll revolution bred more provocative, blues-infused songs like “Tell Me You Love Me” by Roy “Boogie Boy” Perkins, while the more wholesome crowd clung to feel good classics like “Start at the Bottom” by Wayne Newton, aka “Mr. Entertainment.”

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Sultry ‘60s Blues

With most of the world embracing rock ‘n’ roll in the 1960s, this decade welcomed a breadth of bluesy new talent, including legendary rockabilly outlaws like Al Casey and Waylon Jennings. Known for his exceptional guitar playing, Casey was a part of the famous session group, The Wrecking Crew, who recorded with artists like the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, all while carving out a worthy career of his own with classics like the swinging, saxophone-heavy song, “Cookin’.” Similarly, Jennings dominated the outlaw circuit, touring with legends like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Casey’s “Cookin’” and Jennings’ country crooner “My World” are a few of the many rare gems we’ve acquired from Fervor Records.

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Psychedelic Sounds from the ‘70s

If you were alive in the ‘70s then you know that things got, well, weird. If you weren’t, then you missed out on disco, glam metal and some serious funk. Featuring “Good Days” by The Gringos and “Izya Funkin Tonight” by Bright Moments, this sampling of the ‘70s is a sampler of songs from the psychedelic era.

 

 

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The ‘80s: Heavy Hair, Heavier Synths

Whether it be in experimental rock ‘n’ roll or the introduction of hip-hop, the 1980s were a time when new wavers reigned supreme. Among these new wavers were influential artists like The Jetzons — cited for inspiring fellow Arizona-natives, Gin Blossoms — and hip-hop’s cult classic pioneers, Poor Boy Rappers. “Hard Times” by The Jetzons is the quintessential ‘80s rock anthem, while “DJ Rap” by Poor Boy Rappers showcases hip-hop in its earliest form, rapped over a live funk band. Check out both of these iconic songs — along with a handful of rare ‘80s finds — on our ‘80s playlist, via Fervor Records.