Oldies; what are they?

[CityOfAngels]

I remember being a little kid in the late 80's, listening to K-Earth 101 "Oldies Radio" whenever I got in the car with my grandma. The songs played were generally from the 50's; some from the 60's if they played a Beatles song.

But what are oldies today? There's only a 30-year difference between the 50's and the 80's. So, given that we're in the 2000's, does that mean 70's music are now Oldies? I thought that was "Classic Rock." What about next decade? Will 80's music be called "oldies," or will it simply be 80's music?

Will the word, "Oldies" die-off? Or will it only classify music from the 50's and early 60's? When will the music we listen to now be considered oldies?

[TheFu]

I've heard A Flock of Seagulls on oldies stations so I figured that as I get old, what I listened to when I was younger got merged into the oldies. I guess it all depends on the station manager though. I still hear the same oldies that I heard as a kid on the oldies station so I don't think those ever go away.

[Grancey]

I think it depends on your generation. The songs that were "oldies" to you when you were a kid will probably still be "oldies" to you when you are older. That's how it is for me now. I don't consider any music that was current to me when I was growing up as "oldies" now.

[SinisterMotives]

Yeah, it all depends on your point of reference. I grew up on 70s and 80s music. I consider 50s and 60s music "oldies," but I can't think of 70s and 80s music in those terms because that would mean that I'm... well, you know... old.

[Bobaphat]

I have always heard the "oldies" were defined by music from the late 50's up until 1974.

[TheFu]

I like Boba's definition. Doesn't make me feel as old.