From timeless classics to songs trapped in their era, we're exploring which artists' music stands strong today and which ones feel like relics of the past. We'll examine how production choices, lyrics, and artistic evolution influenced their lasting appeal or dated sound.
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00:00Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for pop artists
00:10whose work stands the test of time, and the ones whose catalogues are hopelessly lost in the past.
00:225. Dated, The Lumineers
00:30There was a genre of music that did gangbusters in the later 2000s and early 2010s, when barn weddings were all the rage.
00:38Termed stomp-clap-hay music by its fans and detractors, The Lumineers were one of the most popular bands of this ilk.
00:456. Dated, The Lumineers
00:47Regardless of the genuine musicianship, after a while, all the songs began to blend together.
00:57Although it's termed indie folk, the pop elements of the production are ultimately what make it so beholden to the period it was recorded and released.
01:05The reverb on the vocals, the clapping and stomping, and the already dated hipster aesthetics aged like guacamole.
01:12We sing the same old, same sex song
01:19Number 5. Aged well, Joni Mitchell
01:22Don't it always seem to go? You don't know what you've got till it's gone
01:28Her miraculous recovery from an aneurysm has led to a resurgence over the past few years, and it's amazing to see Joni Mitchell still going strong into her 80s.
01:37But like her contemporaries, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, her music keeps coming back in new forms.
01:43I can't believe you still listen to Joni Mitchell
01:45I love her, and true love lasts a lifetime.
01:49Whether it's through her own performances, remakes of her own work, or through the countless covers of songs like Big Yellow Taxi and Both Sides Now.
01:58Her music still packs a punch. If anything, some of the covers of her songs sound more dated than the original tracks.
02:04There's a simplicity, craft, and depth of feeling to her work, that's truly timeless.
02:10But something's gained
02:12Tell him, Joni
02:14In living every day
02:17Number 4. Dated Moby
02:19Tell the truth you never wanted me
02:2590s and early 2000s nostalgia, and the fact that his music was a lot of mainstream culture's first exposure to rave, electronica,
02:33and the electronic sub-genre of down-tempo, keep his name familiar to many.
02:37This distinctive ambient sound, full of downbeats and vocalising, resembled a slower, more atmospheric sister genre to the house music of the 90s.
02:46But it became so overexposed by the use of media, it seems to have become a double-edged sword.
02:51Why does my heart
02:58His songs appeared on the soundtracks of Scream,
03:00The Bourne series, and the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies.
03:04By defining mainstream culture of the millennium, his sound also became hopelessly locked in that time.
03:16Number 4. Aged Well, Prince
03:18Given how many of his hits are so clearly 80s classics, the fact that Prince's talents and technical skills has survived is a testament of how great he was.
03:33What sets him apart is his eccentricity, his towering virtuosity, and his daring lyrics.
03:40He was upfront about sex in a way that had people up in arms from the start.
03:44This kind of boundary pushing can read as cringe-worthy once time has passed and social mores change.
03:59But that's not the case with Prince. He was so clever, charismatic and cheeky that his stuff feels shocking even today.
04:05And even if it doesn't shock you, it's impossible not to groove to.
04:09Tonight, I'm gonna party like it's 1999.
04:14Number 3. Dated Katy Perry
04:16That's right. It's a woman's world.
04:20Her 2024 single, Woman's World, flopped big time. Partially because the single and the album it was meant to introduce just isn't good.
04:28Furthermore, Katy Perry's collaboration with the notorious Dr. Luke just highlighted even more how out of touch she seemed.
04:35I understand that it started a lot of conversations and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with, but the reality is it comes from me.
04:45Katy Perry's music is largely seen as unevolved, having changed minimally since her early 2010s heyday.
04:52What sounded edgy, bubbly, and upbeat a decade ago doesn't ring true in a post-2020 pop landscape.
04:58These recent releases only make her first few albums seem less impressive and culturally long-lasting as a result.
05:04We could be fine, don't even try.
05:09Number 3. Aged Well, Bob Dylan
05:11There are some artists whose work feels like it could be written today.
05:20Bob Dylan's straightforward, raw vocals are an acquired taste, but his songs have been covered so many times that you might not even know that you're listening to one of his compositions.
05:30No dad in my mind where you belong
05:36From Adele to Miley Cyrus to Kesha, modern artists are still covering his songs like they were written yesterday.
05:42His work runs the gamut from protest songs to love songs to moody folk songs about feeling lost and confused at the state of the world.
05:51But themes of war, hunger, poverty, and peace have yet to go out of style, and a great love song can never get old when it gets at something true.
05:59No matter what you think about it, you just won't be able to do without you.
06:05Number 2. Dated
06:06DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince
06:09Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down
06:15Before Will Smith's acting career took off, The Fresh Prince and frequent collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff made rap albums pitched to a teen audience.
06:24Their five albums together are distinctly upbeat and positive, begging to be played at parties.
06:29One of their most successful hits, Parents Just Don't Understand, is indicative of their whole style.
06:34I'll just cruise it around the neighbourhood, well, maybe I should, yeah, of course I should.
06:40There's an after-school special feel to it that's charming, but because of the references, production, and the goofy dances, it's peak early 90s.
06:48But this is one of those cases where being dated doesn't necessarily mean bad.
06:52It's retro, and the vibes are incredible.
06:55Unfortunately, Will Smith's return to music in 2025 wasn't as well received, but it's clear that he hasn't lost his sense of humour.
07:03You remember the last flick he did?
07:05You don't remember Latin? What about Men in Black?
07:07I know your bad-ass squawk bad boys, I know you remember that.
07:10Number 2. Aged Well, Dolly Parton
07:13Here you come again And nothing better than a body has the right to
07:21Considering how long the country giant has been in the game, the fact that some of the most famous pop icons of today still want to collaborate with her says a lot.
07:29Dolly Parton's music was ahead of its time from the jump. She took the image of the dumb blonde – her words, not ours – and turned it on its head.
07:44Working in a classic country sound, but with forward-thinking themes and ideas,
07:48Parton's brand of strong femininity and warmth made her an icon.
07:53It doesn't hurt that she's written and recorded some of the most unforgettable songs of all time.
08:04Number 1. Dated The Chainsmokers
08:14There's no artist whose work represents the mid-2010s quite like this indie electro-pop act.
08:20Their sound has been described as inauthentic by EDM fans, their lyrics have been taken to
08:25task for epitomising a tech-bro persona, and their work is polarising despite success on the charts.
08:38There's no denying the Chainsmokers captured a moment in the culture, but in the past several years,
08:43their attempts to return to the fore have been smacked down by critics and listeners alike.
08:47The duo seem to fully embrace their polarising presence. They even announced their 2022 return
08:53album with an apology.
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09:18Number 1. Aged Well, Whitney Houston
09:23It doesn't matter if it's her bubbly pop era, her gospel-infused R&B era, or her dance pop era.
09:34Whitney Houston dominated the charts, the industry, and the art form.
09:38The thing about having what may be the best voice of all time is that no matter what's going on around
09:43it, no one can deny that talent. Fortunately, Whitney Houston's discography fires on all cylinders.
09:57The production, writing, and performance are always on point. You could pluck out any of
10:02her singles and find a classic. There's a song for every mood, every tempo, and every event.
10:08I've been such a thought. Something like this, I'm saying, oh.
10:15Did you agree with our picks? Tell us why in the comments.
10:21Well, I'm gone
10:22And I know
10:23Ain't nothing wrong with your head