Donny Osmond Admits to 'Wanting to Be Elton John' in '71 but 'We Needed a Little More Wholesomeness'

It's been half a century since 1971: one of the most pivotal times in music history.

PEOPLE can exclusively announce that 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything — a docuseries that explores the music that changed culture and politics 50 years — will be premiering on Apple TV+ on May 21.

The series, which is set to air archival footage and interviews from musical icons of that era, showcases how musicians — from Aretha Frankin and Marvin Gaye to Bob Marley and John Lennon to The Rolling Stones and The Who — helped pivot culture at the time and "inspired hope, change and the culture around them."

In a PEOPLE exclusive clip, Donny Osmond talks about his own approach to artistry, especially during this time.

"It was the next big wave within pop culture. I was listening to Crosby, Stills & Nash, I was listening to Hendrix and The Doors and all that stuff," Osmond, 63, says in the video. "I wanted to be Elton John, I wanted to be Stevie Wonder but I really wanted to be Sly Stone without the drugs."

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"But that's not what people wanted me to be," he adds. "And I think as we look back at the era of '71 and the sexual tensions, the political upheavals and drug usage, maybe we needed a little more wholesomeness."

The new docuseries — set in eight parts and directed by Danielle Peck and James Rogan — will delve into how artists' music inspired hope during the time and musical icons were "influenced by the changing tides of history." It's executive produced by Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees.

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything is out May 21 on AppleTV+.