By Christopher Brocker
Music Journalist

When creating a throwback or old school playlist I asked myself, “why limit myself to one decade?” Having a multifaceted palate of music taste, I decided to create a playlist of some of my favorites from three impactful decades of music. The playlist runs in chronological order highlighting five of my favorite moments from each decade.

“After the Love Has Gone” by Earth, Wind & Fire 

This ballad comes from one of my favorite music groups of all time. I grew familiar with Earth, Wind & Fire in my childhood as they were household favorites. After revisiting their discography as an adult, I realized how much I appreciated their music. “After the Love Has Gone” is a powerful song about heartbreak with the combination of elaborate instrumentation and beautiful vocals.

“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five 

This is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and important hip hop songs of all time. Many hip hop heads credit this song as the beginning of “conscious” hip hop. It also is one of the most sampled songs in hip hop. 

“All Eyez On Me” by 2Pac

This is one of the most notable songs in Tupac Shakur’s discography off his ambitious double disc album. Choosing a favorite from this album is impossible so picking the title track was the safest option. 2Pac being one of my favorite rappers was an essential addition to the 90’s segment of this playlist.

Featured image via Christopher Brocker.