Genitive or Attributive with Decades

TRICK: Those decades preceded by "the" and an "adjective" are most likely interpreted as possessive, so use the apostrophe after the decade.

• The 1970s' greatest director was Martin Scorsese. The 1980s' hottestmodel was Christine Brinkley. It was the 1990s' hottest movie!

• The term "Big Apple" was popularized by a 1970s tourism promotion campaign.

(No apostrophe after 1970s because "a" is used.)

• The term "Big Apple" was popularized by the 1970s' biggest tourism promotion campaign. (Apostrophe after 1970s because "the" with an adjective is used after the decade.)

However, those preceded by "the" might be interpreted as possessives, in which case the writer may include the apostrophe. Again, my recommendation would be: If in doubt, assume it's attributive.

Do these look correct, then?

1. The term "Big Apple" was popularized by a 1970s tourism promotion campaign.
2. The term "Big Apple" was popularized by a seventies tourism promotion campaign.
3. The 1980s' band Huey Lewis and The News recorded a string of hits.
4. The eighties' band Huey Lewis and The News recorded a string of hits.
5. The 1970s' sitcom "Sanford and Son" had controversial racial content.
6. The seventies' sitcom "Sanford and Son" had controversial racial content.
7. The '90s' band Depeche Mode appealed to the urban community.
8. The nineties' band Depeche Mode appealed to the urban community.
9. A seventies fad was to wear wristbands.