60s music trivia: guess the year of sixties songs
The sixties changed popular music from one decade to the next. Hear a recording, then work out whether it comes from the early years of the decade or the end of it.
Free to try. Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, no password. Players who join a party room need no account and no app.
At the start of the decade pop was still built around short singles, and by the end albums, studio experiments and long songs were common. That shift is what makes a sixties game fun: two songs a few years apart can sound like different worlds.
The game plays a 30 second preview and hides the year. You place it on your timeline, or you lock in a guess in a party room.
What helps you date a sixties song
A few clues are worth listening for.
Early vs late
Simple arrangements, tight harmonies and short running times lean towards the early years. Layered studio sounds and longer songs lean later.
Stereo and effects
Strange panning, echo and new instruments point to the second half of the decade.
Genres in the mix
Soul, beat music, folk, surf and psychedelic rock all had their moment, so the genre narrows the years.
Sample question styles
These are the kinds of decisions a round asks of you. No song is named here, it only shows the kind of questions.
Before or after
The row holds a song from 1964 and one from 1969. Does the new fragment fit before, between or after?
First half or second half
Is this recording from the early sixties or the late sixties? In Year Rush, a guess within 5 years still scores 300.
Name the year
In a party room, lock in one exact year. Exact scores 1000 and 3 years off scores 500.
The timeline in one look
A timeline is a row of songs in release order. You hear a new song, never its year, and decide where it fits between the songs already on the row. Get it right and the row grows.
Tips for a better game
Listen for the studio
The more layered and experimental, the later in the decade it probably is.
Use a mixed row
Start from a 1960s deck and add songs from the seventies for contrast.
Play with family
Sixties songs are often known by several generations, which makes good conversation.
Why it works at a party
No cards needed
Everything happens on screen, so there is nothing to print, shuffle or lose under the sofa.
Works in the browser
No app to install, not even for a party room. Open the page and play.
Three ways to play
One phone for a small group, or a party room with a big screen for a bigger crowd.
Prefer real cards?
Make your own card game: paste a playlist, print the PDF at home or order the printed cards.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a 60s deck?
Public decks change over time. Check the deck list on the play page, or turn your own sixties playlist into a deck.
Which way of playing suits it?
Pass the phone suits a family table. In a party room, Timeline is a relaxed choice and Year Rush is fast.
Are the songs complete?
No. They play as 30 second previews.
What does it cost to play?
Popular public decks are free to play. If you turn your own playlist into a deck, the first 100 cards of that deck are free.
Do players need an account or an app?
No app is needed. Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, no password. Players who join a party room scan a QR code or type the 4 letter room code, then pick a name.
Ready for the first song?
Pick a deck, choose how you want to play and have the first round running within a minute.
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