Can You Date a Song Just By Listening?

If so, can you describe how you are able to do with, and if you can, what are the characteristics? Sometimes I can't describe it using the proper nomenclature, and have to resort to giving examples of a certain song, sometimes comparing a re-make.

The production alone can help me identify the decade, if not closer. Even a song with just an acoustic and vocal is pretty easy for me. Hell, just listening to a vocal helps me identify around the year it was made. The drums is usually an easy giveaway, especially once the 80s came around. I notice they keep getting louder, and the vocals seem to get more quiet on average. The snare drum definitely got louder in the 80s, adding reverb. I notice less piano, and more (usually cheesy sounding) keyboards. Lots of "jangly" strat guitar sounds. I've recorded my own music digitally, but I never want that sanitized sound. I'm guessing most of it is direct recording, instead of using microphones (close and distant). I think the styles of the instruments give it away, too, but especially the vocals.

I remember listening to a Marvin Gaye song that had 1984 as the date, but after listening to just a few seconds of it, I knew it had to be a mistake, and I found out it was a posthumous release.

Also, maybe we could have a game where someone posts a song that is trying to sound timeless, and having others guess?

Sorta. I can usually roughly tell when a song was recorded by the drum sound.

In some cases yes. Certain sounds such as a boomy electronic drum sound or an orchestral stab sample date a song immediately.

You can date a woman just by listening (to her)) 🤣

Edited by Tom Ozric - July 06 2020 at 07:32

Tom Ozric wrote: You can date a woman just by listening (to her)) 🤣

This was also the first thought that came to my mind.  

Tom Ozric wrote: It’s usually the production values and instrumentation, though in many cases, it can be tricky. Lyrical content can also pin music down to an era.