If you grew up during the 1960s, I probably don’t need to tell you just how amazing the music was from that period. “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, “Hey Jude” by The Beatles, “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys, “My Girl” by the Temptations… the list of seminal hits goes on and on, and it will take years for me to name them all (I might miss a handful if I ever tried to get through all the hits from the 60s). And when you hear any of these songs, be prepared for some serious nostalgia. I know for me, I can’t help but shake a leg to my favorite song, regardless of how old it is. I take a trip down memory lane each time these tunes come on.

As you’ve probably already experienced, music has a way of opening the floodgates to some very fond memories and triggering some very strong emotions. Some tunes can make you laugh at the thought of something old, and then there are others that may be associated with heartbreak and sad times (yes, there’s such thing). Indeed, when we recall songs in our head, we end up recalling events in our lives. That’s why music can sometimes help “awaken” patients of Alzheimer’s. It’s that powerful.