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Which era was best for music?
With this decade winding down, The Advocate staff takes a look back at the last four decades of music to decide which one really is the best
1970s
Above all other eras, the ’70s stand out as the single most important time period thus far in the history of music. True, other eras may have seen the rise of new, generation defining trends or even the birth of a fantastic new point of view but those types of achievements, while still considerable, are simply dwarfed in comparison to the importance of the music legends born of the 1970s.
The artists who emerged in the ’70s were not simply post-hippie disco freaks and early punk rockers. The musicians whose tunes played on the record players and car stereos of the time became the inspirations of every great act that followed. Not a single genre can claim that it is free of the influence of the sounds that emerged from the ’70s.
Rock was forever changed by bands such as Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, and Deep Purple who would later lead to the inception of Heavy Metal. The in-your-face Punk Rock scene began during the ’70’s as bands like The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and The Clash became popular. Groups like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Queen who were brought together during the ’60s began to mature and evolve, developing groundbreaking and unique sounds that would forever set them apart from all others as the musical juggernauts we know them as today. The list of ’70s era talent goes on: David Bowie, Styx, Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynard, Eric Clapton and many, many others.
After the philosophies of the 1960s failed them but before the self-indulgent yuppie lifestyle of the 1980s consumed them, musicians the world over found themselves through their music. It was a time when caution was thrown to the wind and albums were released that re-defined the art or artist. Musicians dared to try that which had never been. It was a time of growth and prosperity for music, a time of legends and inspiration. It was the golden age of music as an art. It was the 1970s, and whether you are aware of this or not, it has changed your life.
1980s
While the ’80s may not have been the most consistent era for putting out great music, it was certainly diverse. Megadeth and Tears For Fears? Skid Row and Human League? Guns N’ Roses and Depeche Mode? Van Halen and, well, Van Hagar? Okay, maybe the last one was a stretch, but the ’80s saw the demise of most traditional “classic” rock and the rise of heavy metal, as well as disco morph into ’80s pop. More and more distortion was used for guitars, as well as keyboards for basically all types of music. The main reasons the ’80s were the most prolific and overall best years for music lies in the transformations being made within the creative realm of artists, much of which can still be seen today.
Bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest used their starts in the late ’70s as a stepping-stone to their dominance in the ’80s where they perfected their sound and became staples of the music industry. Even progressive classic rock bands like Yes evolved and became more successful than they had been (no need to make a “40 Year Old Virgin” reference when talking about Asia). Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath and went on to have a stellar solo career, while Sabbath picked up singer Ronnie James Dio and maintained their presence as one of the greatest metal bands of all time.
Sure, the ’80s had their corny moments, but what decade hasn’t? The ’60s had The Beatles (very corny early stuff), the ’70s had the Alan Parsons Project (most famous for creating the Michael Jordan entrance theme), the ’90s had the late-decade movement of obnoxious pop like the Spice Girls, and this decade so far has been less than par in almost every sense of word. The grunge era also has the ’80s to thank, as bands like Nirvana (even if they suck), Soundgarden and Alice In Chains got their start in the mid-’80s.
Influences of ’80s pop are rampant in today’s music, not to mention heavy metal bands that are clearly attempting to emanate the crunch, grit and speed of groups like Metallica and Testament. Some of these groups are still together or creating new projects that flat-out school the new guys. Regardless, these bands are still watching their work influence music today in ways they may have never thought possible.
1990s
When it comes to the ’90s, it’s easy to get swamped in the blur of angst, flannel and mom jeans. However, it is this same blur that shows the best feature of the ’90s: its sheer versatility.
Home to movements such as lo-fi and grunge, the ’90s helped establish some of the best acts in music and many of them are still relevant today.
When the grunge scene burst from Seattle, it knocked ’80s hair metal right off its Aqua Net-pedestal at the top of the charts. Nirvana screamed out the angst of a generation, backed by the looks of the still phenomenal Pearl Jam. Flannel became a staple in the wardrobes of teens everywhere who felt the world just didn’t understand.
On the underside of this movement, we have lo-fi. A collection of misfits without the ways and means to pay for synthesizers and pyrotechnics, these bands focused on their lyrics. Bands like Pavement, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Beck, Guided by Voices, and Belle and Sebastian wrote poignant and witty songs that showed the world that lyrics didn’t always have to take themselves so serious or even make sense; they could just be what they were. Out of this movement, some of the best, creative bands emerged.
Ruling the mainstream pop were the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. With infectious choruses and canned dance moves, the pop of the ’90s wasn’t exactly anything to write odes about. However, it paved the way for acts such as Rihanna and Miley Cyrus. And without the Spice Girls, we might not have their trashier offshoot, the Pussycat Dolls.
Sarcasm found its place in the ’90s with Weezer, who gave a voice to geeks everywhere, partnered with R.E.M. Each found a way to make the angst of the misunderstood listenable and never before did sheer awkwardness feel so good.
And, of course, we have the notorious “gangsta rap” coming from both the West Coast and the East Coast, as artists such as the Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and Dr. Dre showed us life in the hood and the cruelty of the streets.
In retrospect, the ’90s were great because they had so much to offer us. For every taste there was a voice, for everyone a style there was a sound. The ’90s had something for everyone and there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t willing to take a listen.
2000s
In this era of the 2000s, music has gone under the radar and is looked at as a bad omen and something people want to soon forget, but can’t, because we’re living in the present era.
Yeah, people can argue every era over the other and probably have good reason in doing so. But to be quite frank — get over it. We are no longer living in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Last time I checked, it was 2009.
With bands like Kings of Leon, which I have a clear bias toward supporting since they happen to be my favorite band and have been around for years and are now just getting the props and praise they deserve (yes, I fully understand props and praise have the same meaning). Trust me, it was a long time coming that this group of youngsters got their fame. They might be, and probably are, the one and only show I would pay money to see at the Rose Garden.
You can’t mention music without bringing up the brilliant songwriting of Chris Martin from Coldplay. Yes, folks, I have seen the movie “40 Year Old Virgin” and it hasn’t changed a thing in the way I think about Coldplay as a band.
And what about The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Shins, Cold War Kids, Death Cab for Cutie, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Ben Folds, Muse, Interpol, Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, Catpower and so many more that got their fame from the 2000s.
Music comes down to taste and opinion, something all music lovers should take pride in. So to all of those haters that want to argue that the 2000s don’t stand a fighting chance in music that will be remembered for the ages, you are wrong.