Way Back 2026

March 13, 2026 - Award Movie Melodies, Rockers and Boss Ballads Abound from Decades Past

Awards season feature films have snuck in more than a few oldies but goodies. Let's start with the Oscars: Weapons (with Supporting Actress Amy Madigan casting severe spells as the dreaded "Aunt Gladys") sends a gentle warning to "Beware of Darkness" (from George Harrison's double-length masterpiece All Things Must Pass), along with an out-of-left-field choice in Percy Sledge's 1967 cover of "Dark End of the Street" (introduced by James Carr) from the album The Percy Sledge Way. Marty Supreme director Josh Safdie and star Timothée Chalamet's ping-pong claim to immortality bounces back to 1952 for Johnny Ace's first hit, "My Song." Freaky alien-supremacy flick Bugonia, with Oscar nominee Emma Stone, includes the great Marlene Dietrich's interpretation of famous folk song "Where Have All the Flowers Gone"...and Sentimental Value, Norway's multiple-Academy-nominated drama, offers a chance at some reckless dancing to Johnny Thunder's wildly funky '69 single "I'm Alive."

And there's more: Animated Feature nominee Arco contains a "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" moment from Lesley Gore, Die My Love (Jen Lawrence's latest) pats and slaps with "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis then goes softer with "Love Me Tender" by Elvis, while Jurassic World Rebirth finds room for Ben E. King's smash "Stand By Me" amongst the Titanosauruses, Aquilops and the occasional Distortus Rex. Golden Globe nominee Nouvelle Vague, Richard Linklater's mostly-French-language behind-the-scenes reveal, makes a pretty big deal out of the very American '60s dance hit "(Baby) Hully Gully" by The Olympics...and South Korean action-comedy No Other Choice relies on Sam and Dave to send out the always-welcome message: "Hold On! I'm a Comin'." Finally, fans of Best Picture Oscar nom F1 have been rocking (since last summer!) to its 200MPH opening race, featuring a well-timed, exciting sync with Led Zeppelin's monster '69 hit "Whole Lotta Love." See the movies...dig the tunes!


February 25, 2026 - Elvis Performs on IMAX Screens While '60s Songs Invade TV and Movies

Baz Luhrmann, who's done more than just about anyone to keep the King of Rock and Roll's profile soaring this decade, has released EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, a documentary-style sequel to his 2022 biopic Elvis. More than two dozen seldom-seen Presley performances from the '70s, with restored footage and remastered sound, are currently on IMAX screens and in cineplexes. Several of the King's early hits are featured including career-starter "That's All Right," "Hound Dog," "A Big Hunk O' Love," "Are You Lonesome To-night?," "Suspicious Minds," a medley of "Little Sister" with Beatles favorite "Get Back" and Elvis's billion-plus streaming smash "Can't Help Falling in Love."

Recent TV commercials have featured "Miserlou" by Dick Dale and his Del-Tones (for Xfinity) and "With a Girl Like You" by The Troggs (for the Farmer's Dog). More vintage tracks taken out of context can be found in current films: "Among My Souvenirs" by Connie Francis and The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" each has an unsettling moment in horror flick The Strangers: Chapter 3, while "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones pops up for the second time in the last few months in the all-star heist caper Crime 101.


February 4, 2026 - And Now for a Commercial Break featuring Top Stars the Isley Brothers, Rolling Stones and Beatles

Three merchants, at least, have called on classic groups (that don't need the money at this point) to further their business offerings. 'You know you make me wanna...' "Shout" (and dance in front of my TV) whenever The Isley Brothers liven things up, even if the reason is to increase sales for Shopify's five-million-or-more online stores. Starbucks' latest imagery taps The Beatles to show off an "All Together Now" gathering place for drinkers of coffee and other beverages. One of Xfinity's efforts to rope in customers for five years with an Olympics tie-in uses the actual music track from The Rolling Stones' 1967 hit "She's a Rainbow" with a female lead vocal (and if she turns out to be AI-generated, I'll delete this line).


January 10, 2026 - Ed Gein Presents: Normal Music in an Abnormal Setting

Actor Charlie Hunnam is nominated for a Golden Globe for playing one of history's (and cinema's) notorious murderers/cross-dressers/all-around psychotic weirdos in the Netflix miniseries Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The series features songs spanning the 1940s through 1960s as the grisly (and largely true) episodes unfold: '50s divas Patti Page ("The Tennessee Waltz"), Very Lynn ("I'll Be Seeing You"), Dinah Washington ("What a Difference a Day Makes") and Pat Suzuki ("I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Flower Drum Song) are on hand while Dean Martin's invitation to "Cuddle Up a Little Closer, Baby Mine" (with Frank Sinatra conducting the orchestra) and two hits by Pat Boone ("Don't Forbid Me" and "A Wonderful Time Up There") offset the uneasiness. Rock and roll is represented as well: 'I stole my baby from an...' "Endless Sleep," the 1958 hit by Jody Reynolds, takes on a grave-robbing context while The Rolling Stones' '60s-ender "Gimme Shelter" helps wrap things up. Watch and listen to it all at risk to your sanity.



My Song Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows Endless Sleep With a Girl Like You She's a Rainbow The Tennessee Waltz Don't Forbid Me Endless Sleep

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