Fall might seem like the perfect season for nostalgia, but when it comes to musical backward glances, it's all about summer.

Over the next four months, more than 50 acts that had their first hits in the 1980s or earlier will play in the Atlanta area. Heck, even '90s nostalgia is already taking root — grunge-lite Seattle band Candlebox is back together and hitting the road.

File (ENLARGE)

Deborah Harry was joined by Chris Stein (clockwise from left), Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison, Jimmy Destri and Clem Burke during the band's heyday.

E. J. Camp (ENLARGE)

Only Elliot Easton (left) and Greg Hawkes (far right) remain from the original Cars. Benjamin Orr (second from left) died in 2000, and Ric Ocasek (center) and David Robinson no longer perform.

This musical nostalgia stuff is big business. According to concert industry trade publication Pollstar's year-end stats for 2005, more than 30 of the top 100 moneymaking tours of the year were artists whose careers began more than 20 years ago, including the entire top 5.

Some of the bands have never stopped, but others have reformed, often without some of the key members that made those hits you remember.

So who are these people calling themselves Foreigner or the New Cars? Let's take a look.

BLONDIE

The hits: "Call Me," "The Tide Is High," "Rapture," "Heart of Glass" and four more Top 40 hits from 1979 to 1982.

Percentage of original members remaining: 80%

Who they were: The band that made the first two Blondie albums included bassist Gary Valentine, who wrote the gorgeous "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear." He was replaced by two new members, Frank Infante and Nigel Harrison, before the release of the band's breakthrough "Parallel Lines." There's no mention of those three in the biography on the official Blondie Web site and, judging by Deborah Harry's unwelcoming reaction to Harrison and Infante's appearance at her band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they are persona non grata. Not surprising, since those two filed a lawsuit attempting to rejoin the reformed Blondie.

Who they are: Harry, Chris Stein, Jimmy Destri and, crucially, drummer extraordinaire Clem Burke, all present on the band's 1976 debut album, are still around. Add three folks no one has heard of, and you have Blondie 2006.

When and where: With the New Cars. 7 p.m. Saturday. $38-$60. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400, www.livenation.com

THE NEW CARS

The hits: "Shake It Up" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Just What I Needed," "Drive" and nine more Top 40 entries between 1978 and 1987.

Percentage of original members remaining: 40%

Who they were: Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr were the guys out front, along with guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboard man Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson. That lineup remained constant from the 1977 debut album through the band's demise in 1988. Orr, who was living in Atlanta at the time, died in 2000 of pancreatic cancer.

Who they are: Todd Rundgren, whose recording career began more than a decade before the Cars' debut, takes over frontman duties. Former Tubes (and, briefly, Journey) drummer Prairie Prince takes over for Robinson, and longtime Rundgren sideman Kasim Sulton pitches in on bass. Only Easton and Hawkes remain from the original band.

When and where: With Blondie. 7 p.m. Saturday. $38-$60. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400, www.livenation.com

FOREIGNER

The hits: More than 10 Top 40 entries, including "Feels Like the First Time," "Double Vision," "Urgent," "I Want to Know What Love Is." Five of the band's albums have moved more than 5 million copies in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

Percentage of original members remaining: 17%

Who they were: The half-British, half-American band that made the self-titled 1977 debut album was fronted by Lou Gramm and guitarist Mick Jones, along with former King Crimson member Ian McDonald and relative unknowns Dennis Elliott, Ed Gagliardi and Alan Greenwood. By the time the band released the hit album "4" (which included "Urgent," "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero"), only Gramm, Jones and Elliott remained, along with former Peter Frampton sideman Rick Wills on bass.

Who they are: Jones is the only original member still on board. Last fall's version of the band included drummer Jason Bonham (son of Led Zeppelin's mighty, much-lamented John), though it's not clear whether he's part of this year's tour.

When and where: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $32-$59. Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, 201 McIntosh Trail, Peachtree City. 770-631-0630, www.amphitheater.org.

And with Styx. 7 p.m. Sept. 22. $45.50-$55.50. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400. www.livenation.com

ABC

The hits: "The Look of Love," "Poison Arrow," "Be Near Me," "(How to Be a) Millionaire," "When Smokey Sings"

Percentage of original members remaining: 50%

Who they were: Vocalist Martin Fry was always the face of the band and only the most die-hard fans could name another member. Mark White left the music business, and Stephen Singleton is still active and has his own MySpace page.

Who they are: Fry has been the sole keeper of the flame for a long time, but original drummer David Palmer, who was the first to leave the band, is back.

When and where: 9 p.m. June 23. $25; $24 advance. Center Stage Atlanta (formerly EarthLink Live), 1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-885-1365, 404-885-1163, www.earthlinklive.com

DEF LEPPARD

The hits: "Photograph," "Hysteria," "Pour Some Sugar on Me." The albums "Hysteria" and "Pyromania" are among the 100 best-selling albums of all time in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

Percentage of original members remaining: 60%

Who they were: Vocalist Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen were all on board for the 1980 debut album "On Through the Night." Pete Willis and Steve Clark were the band's guitarists at the time. Willis left between 1981's "High 'n Dry" and 1982's "Pyromania," and Clark died from a lethal mix of painkillers and alcohol in 1991.

Who they are: Elliott, Savage and Allen are still in the picture along with Phil Collen (who replaced Willis in 1982) and Vivian Campbell (who replaced Clark in 1992).

When and where: With Journey. 7 p.m. July 13. Sold out ($38-$79). Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400. www.livenation.com

JOURNEY

The hits: "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Open Arms" — the list goes on and on. Most of you who were around in the early '80s can probably remember the words to one of them, whether you like it or not.

Percentage of original members remaining: 40%

Who they were: On the band's first album, it was former Santana members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon along with bassist Ross Valory, journeyman drummer Aynsley Dunbar and guitarist George Tickner. The band that most folks remember, though, came several albums later when vocalist Steve Perry was recruited between third album "Next" and the follow-up "Infinity." After that, the hits poured forth.

Who they are: Schon and Valory remain from the first lineup. Jonathan Cain, the former Babys keyboardist who joined in 1981, is still around. Perry has been replaced by vocal doppelgänger Steve Augeri, who signed on in 1998 along with drummer Deen Castronovo.

When and where: With Def Leppard. 7 p.m. July 13. Sold out ($38-$79). Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400. www.livenation.com

CHICAGO

The hits: More than 25 of them, including "Saturday in the Park," "Hard Habit to Break," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and the No. 1s "If You Leave Me Now" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry."

Percentage of original members remaining: 57%

Who they were: On the 1969 debut, "Chicago Transit Authority," the septet was composed of Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walter Parazaider and Daniel Seraphine. Kath died in 1978 from an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot. Cetera's successful solo career began in the '80s.

Who they are: On the band's 30th album, released earlier this year, the lineup still includes Lamm, Loughnane, Pankow and Parazaider. Jason Scheff replaced Cetera in the mid-'80s, and current guitarist Keith Howland joined in 1995. Seraphine stuck around until 1990 and was replaced by current drummer Tris Imboden.

When and where: With Huey Lewis and the News. 7:30 p.m. July 18. $39-$59. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-249-6400, www.livenation.com

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT

The hits: Only "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" and "Burnin' for You" made the Top 40, but the band's early albums are packed with some of the best hard rock of the '70s.

Percentage of original members remaining: 60%

Who they were: Brothers Albert (drums) and Joe Bouchard (bass), Allen Lanier (keyboards), Eric Bloom (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (guitarist) were BOC on the self-titled 1972 debut album.

Who they are: The Bouchards are doing their own things, but both are still making music. Bassist Richie Castellano and drummer Jules Radino are the latest in a string of BOC rhythm sections, but the rest remain the same.

When and where: At Drive Invasion 2006 with Southern Culture On The Skids, Supersuckers and others. Two-day event begins at 1 p.m. Sept. 2-3. Weekend pass $40; $50 after July 1; $30 per day at the gate. Starlight Six Drive In, 2000 Moreland Ave, Atlanta. 1-877-725-8849, www.ticketalternative.com, www.okproductions.net

REO SPEEDWAGON

The hits: A workman-like Midwestern rock band of the '70s became the kings of the '80s power ballad with songs such as "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Keep on Loving You."

Percentage of original members remaining: 20%

Who they were: Vocalist Terry Luttrell, guitarist Gary Richrath, keyboardist Neal Doughty, bassist Gregg Philbin and drummer Alan Gratzer were the first edition of REO. Luttrell left before the second album. He was replaced by Kevin Cronin, who took the lead on 1972's "R.E.O./T.W.O." and then left (or was fired, depending on your source). After a few more albums with vocalist Mike Murphy and little progress toward superstardom, Cronin returned and led the band to the top of the charts with 1980's "Keep On Loving You." Though die-hard fans still hope for a reunion of Richrath (who left in 1989) and Cronin, don't count on it. Check Richrath's Web site, www.garyrichrath.com, for the ongoing mudslinging.

Who they are: Doughty is the only founding member left, but Cronin is still the voice of the band. Current bassist Bruce Hall joined in 1978, guitarist Dave Amato in 1989 and drummer Bryan Hitt in 1990.

When and where: 8 p.m. Sept. 22-23. $32-$59. Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, 201 McIntosh Trail, Peachtree City. 770-631-0630, www.amphitheater.org