Songs that sound ahead of their time?

"What I Am" Edie Brickell (1989) - sounds like mid 90s Alanis, Lilith Fair type feminist pop rock.

"Jack & Diane" John Mellencamp (1982) - could pass for a more stripped down 90s rock song.

"Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Bye Bye Love" by The Cars (1978-79) - not only could pass for early-mid 80s new wave, but even for early-mid 90s alternative rock, like something Weezer might do.

"Disco Inferno" The Tramps (1976) - despite being a big disco era song, the more fun, synthy dance beat could make it pass for early 80s synthpop.

"Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac (1977) - sounds mid 80s, with the slick production and ending guitar solo. Even the intro notes sound like Pat Benatar's "We Belong".

"Under The Bridge" RHCP (1991) - could've passed for a current song as late as 2005 maybe! Although it has a certain classic sound too.

several Beatles songs (Lucy In The Sky, Across The Universe, Obladi Oblada, Birthday, Penny Lane, Here Comes The Sun) sound like primitive, more classic rockish synthpop from about 1980-1983.

"Never Let You Go" Third Eye Blind (2000) - sounds like a current 2010s song influenced by the 80s!

"Lay Your Hands On Me" Thompson Twins (1985) - could pass for an indie pop 2010s song!

"Luka" Suzanne Vega (1987) - sounds early 90s, and especially with its more serious message, could even fit into the Lilith Fair LATE 90s!

"Double Vision" Foreigner (1978) - certain parts, especially the chorus with the keyboards, sound like an early to mid 80s rock song.

I a thread like this on the other forum, I'll post the same songs but add new commentary


I Feel Love by Donna Summer - with that repetitive pulsing synth it set the template for the dance of the next 15-20 years, basically '70s trance

Voodoo Ray by A Guy Named Gerald - late '80s acid house, the acid synth line was used endlessly in '90s dance songs

Most Kraftwerk from the '70s - early synthpop

Debaser - by The Pixies - Nirvana admitted to ripping them off, one of the bands that began the alternative rock explosion of the '90s

Shaft by Issac Hayes - made in '71 but nearly everything about the song says '77, basically sounds like a disco instrumental

Believe by Cher - hard to believe the autotune craze started out as an accident Cher decided to keep!

Bling Bling by Cash Money Millionaires - coined to phrase bling, released in '99, production wise it could fit in 2004

Make Em Say Uhh! by Master P - basically a preview to the Lil Jon style high energy crunk rap of the '00s

The whole Low album by David Bowie - very innovative album for it's time, synth drones and some of the first gated drum sounds that would go on to saturate most '80s pop

Satisfaction by Benny Benassi - that rubbery synth bassline could almost be said to predate electro-house and dubstep, one of the few electronic dance songs to get a lot of airplay in '02

Get Ur Freak On by Missy Elliot - nobody quite heard anything like it in hip-hop when it came out in '01, from it's weird synth noises to the Japanese string intruments, Timbaland was propelling hip-hop towards the future

Epic by Faith No More - big influence on a lot of nu metal

The whole Control album by Janet Jackson - released in 1986 but leads the way to new jack swing sound of early '90s

Let The Music Play by Shannon - one of the very first freestyle songs, sounds like it was released in 1988(released in 1983)

Single Ladies by Beyonce - sounds so futuristic and metallic, like a 2085 song released in 2008

Whine Up by Kat Deluna - a 2007 song that could be released in 2011, has the modern RedOne, Lady Gaga style synths

You Really Got Me by The Kinks - basically the DNA for all punk music

The Inspiration Information album by Shuggie Otis(maybe a tie with Sly Stone and the Family) - early drum machine, a 1974 version of Prince

Most Talking Heads from the late '70s/early '80s - most '00s disco-punk/indie bands took from them(LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand)

^ Yeah, its too bad the old threads bit the dust, but I agree with all those.

Its crazy how "Believe" is probably indirectly responsible for all the 2008-9+ autotune pop. It actually feels a bit 80s too, strangely.