Music can be a very evocative medium, and the right song at the right moment can really send you back in time. To that end, we’ve gathered 20 of the top songs for each decade from the 50s through the 90s. This should make life easier on your DJ, if he doesn’t already have his own playlists from those eras. And you might just rediscover a gem you completely forgot.

Note: These are lists we’ve compiled from other sources, and does not necessarily reflect our own personal tastes. We recommend you use it as a jumping off point for planning your musical entertainment, and may help jog your memory in finding the right fit of music for your class.

Top hits of the 1950s (Source: Rockmaven.com)
1 “Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog” Elvis Presley 1956
2 ” (We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets 1955
3 “Love Letters in the Sand” Pat Boone 1957
4 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darrin 1959
5 “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell 1956
6 “Autumn Leaves” Roger Williams 1955
7 “Love Me Tender” Elvis Presley 1956
8 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley 1956
9 “The Yellow Rose of Texas” Mitch Miller 1955
10 “Sixteen Tons” Tennessee Ernie Ford 1955
11 “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” Four Aces 1955
12 “Jailhouse Rock/Treat Me Nice” Elvis Presley 1957
13 “All Shook Up” Elvis Presley 1957
14 ” (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” Elvis Presley 1957
15 “The Battle of New Orleans” Johnny Horton 1959
16 “The Wayward Wind” Gogi Grant 1956
17 “The Green Door” Jim Lowe 1956
18 “Lisbon Antigua” Nelson Riddle 1956
19 “Memories are Made of This” Dean Martin 1956
20 “At the Hop” Danny and the Juniors 1958

Top hits of the 1960s (Source: Rockmaven.com)
1 “The Twist” Chubby Checker 1960
2 “Hey Jude” The Beatles 1968
3 “Theme from “A Summer Place” Percy Faith 1960
4 “Tossin’ and Turnin’” Bobby Lewis 1961
5 “I Want to Hold Your Hand” The Beatles 1964
6 “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In” 5th Dimension 1969
7 “I’m a Believer” The Monkees 1966
8 “Are You Lonesome Tonight” Elvis Presley 1960
9 “Sugar, Sugar” The Archies 1969
10 “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” Marvin Gaye 1968
11 “I Can’t Stop Loving You” Ray Charles 1962
12 “Love is Blue” Paul Mauriat 1968
13 “Cathy’s Clown” Everly Brothers 1960
14 “It’s Now or Never” Elvis Presley 1960
15 “Honky Tonk Women” The Rolling Stones 1969
16 “Big Bad John” Jimmy Dean 1961
17 “To Sir with Love” Lulu 1967
18 “People Got to Be Free” The Rascals 1968
19 “Everyday People” Sly & the Family Stone 1969
20 “Big Girls Don’t Cry” The Four Seasons