Despite so many seemingly iconic songs from the last 30-35 years, it is truly the oldies ('60s) and classics ('70s) that most cover bands get gigs with. Sure there are some newer songs that can be squeezed in, but a lot of old favorites like Hollywood Jim listed are popular not just with the folks who listened to those songs growing up, but with the younger 'kids' who are also familiar with the music. If a song was good then, it's good now. And a lot of today's alt and rock bands aren't doing anything much different than 40-50 years ago, the biggest difference is in the production (and usually less innocent lyrics.)
One of my bands is strictly top-40 covers, with an emphasis on oldies & classics. Anything newer just happens to fit, but we don't do new stuff just to do new stuff... the songs have to blend, and be enjoyable/danceable. The current setlist is:
And She Was
Hurts So Good
Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Jumpin Jack Flash
Second Hand News
Take Me To The River
Higher Ground
Down On The Corner
I Saw Her Standing There
All Day & All Of The Night
Go Your Own Way
American Idiot
Gloria (Them)
Dirty Water
The Middle
Fat Bottomed Girls
ROCK in The USA
Lonely Boy
All Summer Long / Sweet Home Alabama
Brown Eyed Girl
Play That Funky Music
Rebel Rebel
Long Cool Woman
Wooly Bully
Old Time Rock & Roll
Mony Mony
Gimme Some Lovin
I’m A Believer
One Way Or Another
I Love Rock & Roll
Blister In Sun
Mustang Sally
Sedated
What I Like About You
Runnin Down A Dream
Honky Tonk Woman
I Want You To Want Me
Keep Your Hands To Yourself
Rock & Roll All Night
Highway To Hell
Joy To The World
So yeah, we creep into the '80s a bit, and only a few songs are from within the last 10 years or so.
Other tried & true songs that 'everybody' knows are Midnight Hour, Brown Sugar, Beach Boys & Beatles hits, Chuck Berry hits, Who, Dave Clark 5, Animals, and you can do heavier stuff like Zeppelin, Cream, Hendrix, etc, but only the better known stuff, no "deep cuts" as the radio programmers used to say.
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