which time era of rock?

Question

What would you base off of to determine what decade a band is from(60s, 70s, 80s, etc.)?

Do you determine it with...
A. The decade they started performing
B. The decade they wrote most of their good songs
C. The decade they became famous
D. The decade they sound most like

I say A but my friend disagrees.

We argued about AC/DC:
I said they are a 70s band because they originated in the 70s but he says they are an 80s band because they sound 80s and made their best song in the 80s(Back in Black).

My questions are:
How do you determine the time period a rock band is from?
What time period do you think AC/DC is from based on my friend's and my argument?

Answer 1

Record sales. So popularity and the era that dominates their sound.

The same question can be presented about Aerosmith who are a 70's band but most of their popularity came from imo their best music which was done in the late 80's and 90's.

Here is a better idea.

Classifiy the band by the sound they presented that influenced future music the most.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, your choice "A" would be the correct one. However, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to rock music, and many individuals and bands transcend the decade in which they started. Chuck Berry was a major player in three decades, the 50's, 60's, and 70's (his last -- and biggest hit -- was in 1972: My Ding-a-ling!) Bob Dylan is usually considered a 60's icon, and for good reason. He had no less than 5 classic albums by decade's end. But he scored big in the mid-70's with "Blood on the Tracks", and continued to release albums in the 80's, 90's, and the new millennium. But ask anyone what time period he's from, and the answer will be "the 60's" every single time. I'm afraid there's no winning this argument dude. Just enjoy the music and don't worry about where it came from!

Answer 3

I would have to say that A,B, and C are possible the answer. They may have formed as a band in the 70's and played locally but made it to the national stage with a hit single in the 80's which lead to a string of hits in the 80's but then they went into the 90's with a different sound but still great music. I would have to say that they are a 70's band that has longevity but are most known for their best work and height of fame during a time period. It is what happens to bands now a days take the Rolling Stones a 60's band that also has sounds from the 90's.

Answer 4

Well, this is my opinion: Example: Lynyrd Skynyrd started singing in the mid 1970's and thats when their music really took off BUT you never heard of them in the "bubble gum era" of the 1980's. However, they have/had made a major comeback with Southern Rock fans in the 1990's and into the 2000's. So, I would say that they are a 1970's and comeback 1990's-2000's band.

Answer 5

No such thing. You can't categorise a band in ten year leaps. If they've been around for more than that then that's the way it is. I mean, look at the Rolling Stones. They've been performing regularly since the 60's, so have Status Quo.

Answer 6

I think genre determines to a greater degree. Progressive Rock bands like Budgie, Nektar, Camel, are still some of my favorites. Many bands changes with the times, and still make great music, but they stay in their genre.

Answer 7

50s-present
best in teh 50s the 70s and the 90s

Answer 8

I'd say they're an 80's band. But you have to be careful. When you say 80's band a lot of people think Whitesnake and Bon Jovi.

I'd just say they're a rock band

Answer 9

I say c because there are so many bands that don't become famous right off the bat and have to change their style of music accordingly

Answer 10

The decade they wrote most of their good songs