Which music do you consider everyone should recognise?

[DeceitfulMummy]

Apparently my music knowledge is lacking. I did not recognise a very famous song/artist at a wedding recently. I am very bad with music but usually I recognise a song even if I can't figure out who is singing or what it's called. DH reckons "everyone" knows it, it was always on when we were young. He's a bit older than me and grew up in a different country so I think we listened to different things. (Plus I wasn't allowed to listen to music in my parents house.)

So, in an effort to be more cultured I'm asking which pieces of music or artists you consider "everyone" should recognise and I'll make myself an educational playlist!

Argh you could be describing me! I used to get hung up on it but now I think, sod it, I’m going to listen to the music I enjoy and not worry about looking cultured.

If you’re determined though… YouTube just find the playlists, millions of them eg “classic tunes of the 90s” or R&B top hits” or whatever. You can’t go far wrong

I know how you feel though in my case, being older, it's more recent music I am less likely to know - usually recognise it but don't know the title, artist or lyrics. Up to a certain point in my life I followed music avidly but lost interest at a certain age, then got 'educated' again when my kids were teens.

Try Spotify. You can look up anything, download playlists etc.

But you know, it doesnt really matter. I only do it to make playlists for when I'm exercising. And sometimes for nostalgic reasons.

Just because most people would recognise a particular piece of music, it doesn't follow that everyone should recognise a particular piece of music.

This is madness, you can't swot up on music in this way. Some would argue there is a canon (a la the book '1001 albums to hear behore you die') - but when boiled down they're just some white western middle aged man's idea of good taste. Fuck that!

What countries did you both grow up in? And how big is the gap? DH and I grew up in the same town albeit 7 years apart, lots of music one of us likes the other doesn't know. Perfectly normal.

But to answer your question
Angels to Robbie Williams
Spiegel im Spiegel, Arvo Pärt

Was it classical? (eg Hall of the Mountain King?)
or Pop (eg High Ho Silver Lining)?

Honestly that's nonsense on his part, OP. Anytime someone uses 'everyone should...' I know that what follows is just a sweeping statement.

I wouldn’t because I’m not an arse (not in this particular way anyhow). People are different, have different taste, culture, upbringing, mental capacity..

It was a Michael Jackson one. I grew up in the UK, he in France. @Onelifeonly I never followed any music avidly, just when with friends and later at uni listened to whatever my housemates had on.
@SleepingStandingUp 6 years difference.

There many genres of music, especially if you consider all the different types from around the world. It would be a challenge to list a top 100 that all 7 billion of us could be expected to know.

I don’t think there is any song that someone should recognise. I’d be surprised if someone didn’t know the national anthem of the place where they grew up and after a couple of years the place they live. (They may not know/be able to sing it if not in their first language.)

Before I might have expected incredibly annoying Christmas songs played in loop in the shops running up to Christmas but people shop online now. (Expected not that they should know).

Michael Jackson was the first thing that came into my head, not that everyone should know it for any important reason just that anyone over probably 20 is likely to have heard most of his music as it was so popular.

I don't think there is anything you should know, I am mid 40s and am always surprised when people don't know most Queen or Beatles songs as I always assume people will have heard them but DH (late 50s) and I saw a Beatles tribute and I knew all bar 2 and DH only knew a handful. Just what you're brought up with I guess.