# Best year in music. Ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640 "2005-01-14T01:34:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rorty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@rorty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rorty)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/21 "2005-01-15T10:18:51Z")
> [@Othersider](#): > > _Back in Black_ didn’t come out until 1980. _Highway to Hell_, on the other hand, _did_ come out in 1979. > > Me personally, I’d have to say 2000. Consider that the following ALL came out in that year: > > Aaron Carter - _Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)_ > All Saints - _Saints and Sinners_ > Backstreet Boys - _Black and Blue_ > Britney Spears - _Oops!..I Did it Again_ > Christina Aguilera - _Mi Reflejo_ > Da Brat - _Unrestricted_ > Good Charlotte - _Good Charlotte_ > Hanson - _This Time Around_ > Insane Clown Posse - _Bizzar_ > Lil’ Jon & the East Side Boyz - _We Still Crunk_ > Lil’ Kim - _Notorious K.I.M._ > Limp Bizkit - _Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water_ > Linkin Park - _Hybrid Theory_ > Ludacris - _Incognegro_ > Mandy Moore - _I Wanna Be With You_ > Mystikal - _Let’s Get Ready_ > Nelly - _Country Grammar_ > \*NYSNC - _No Strings Attached_ > Orgy - _Vapor Transmission_ > Papa Roach - _Infest_ > Spice Girls - _Forever_ > Trick Daddy - _Book of Thugs: Chapter AK Verse 47_ > > I rest my case. 😃 Perhaps this will inspire a Worst Year In Music thread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/22 "2005-01-15T10:24:27Z")
> [@rorty](#): > > Perhaps this will inspire a Worst Year In Music thread. > 😃 I think he simultaneously inspired and killed that thread, even before it started! ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/23 "2005-01-15T10:35:41Z")
> [@Othersider](#): > > Aaron Carter - _Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)_ > > I rest my case. 😃 Tell me this is a woosh. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/24 "2005-01-15T17:32:12Z")
I can’t beleive people have headed 1968 and 1969, but not **1967** : **Albums** Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour Love - Forever Changes The Who - The Who Sell Out Cream - Disraeli Gears The Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed Plus albums from The Byrds, Rolling Stones (x3!!!), The Kinks, The Beach Boys (x2) and Bob Dylan. The Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane single was also released, which is a good contender for the best A-Side/B-Side coupling ever. **Debuts** The Doors - The Doors Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced? The Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico Procol Harum - Procol Harum Jimi Hendrix and The Doors both went on to release their second albums later in the year! Janis Joplin and the Holding Co’, David Bowie and The Beegees also made their initial releases in '67. And the worse year? Definately something from the late 80s, late 90s or the 20 hundreds. I’d say 1986, the year of my birth, is not a bad effort. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/25 "2005-01-15T20:10:10Z")
I think I might toss a vote in for 1971, the year of: **Allman Brothers** - _Live at Fillmore East_ **Black Sabbath** - _Master of Reality_ **Elton John** - _Tumbleweed Connection_ **Led Zeppelin** - _Led Zeppelin IV_ **John Lennon** - _Imagine_ **Little Feat** - _Little Feat_ **Paul McCartney** - _Ram_ **The Rolling Stones** - _Sticky Fingers_ **Cat Stevens** - _Teaser and the Firecat_ **Rod Stewart** - _Every Picture Tells a Story_ **The Who** - _Who’s Next_ **The Who** - _Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy_ **The Doors** - _L.A. Woman_ **Van Morrison** - _Tupelo Honey_ **George Harrison** - _The Concert for Bangladesh_ ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/26 "2005-01-15T20:39:26Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > I think I might toss a vote in for 1971 Hey, **Sam** , you forgot **Aqualung - Jethro Tull**. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/27 "2005-01-15T20:46:33Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > Tell me this is a woosh. It has to be. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/28 "2005-01-15T20:54:56Z")
> [@Thirty-Nine](#): > > I can’t beleive people have headed 1968 and 1969, but not **1967** : You’ll note I did say '66 or '67. You have a strong case album-wise with '67, but looking at singles I may have to lean '66, which was really a breakthrough year in substance and innovation (for example _Revolver_ has all of the _Sgt. Pepper_ tricks of the trade although the latter album is usually more critically acclaimed). You’ll never be able to come up with a 2 year span of music that saw more innovation; compare '65 hits to '68. Huge difference. Now compare, say, '80 to '83? '72 to '75? '00 to '03? etc. … ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/29 "2005-01-16T09:37:07Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think he simultaneously inspired and killed that thread, even before it started! Not if someone can come up with a worse year. I hereby issue said challenge. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/30 "2005-01-16T10:20:44Z")
I only read the first few posts-- but I have a question. I am of a certain age where it is only natural that songs from around '73 to '78 stick out in my mind as special. Yet they seemed so damn good… Is it just the feeling I experienced growing up? Or is that period a bonanza of songs for everyone: even those older (50 or 60) and also those that are younger (up to 30 or so). Was it really that good? Or am I a sentimental sucker? Damn… the stuff sure seems good… ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/31 "2005-01-16T10:55:01Z")
All I know for certain is nobody could possibly claim any year post-1990 was anything worth remembering in terms of music. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/32 "2005-01-16T11:17:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Yet they seemed so damn good… Is it just the feeling I experienced growing up? Or is that period a bonanza of songs for everyone: even those older (50 or 60) and also those that are younger (up to 30 or so). Was it really that good? I wasn’t alive in the 70s, but it is my favorite decade of music. So it isn’t just those who grew up then who like it. For particular years, though, I think the top nine would be: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1977, 1988, 1991, 1997, 1998 Having thought about it some more, I’m leaning towards 1991 as the best. Spiderland, Loveless, Laughing Stock, Yerself is Steam, Goat, Screamadelica, Trompe Le Monde, Nevermind, The Real Ramona, Bandwagonesque, Green Mind, Blue Lines… So 67-69 is the best 3 year span (by far), the 70s the best decade, and 91 the best single year. ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/33 "2005-01-16T11:40:48Z")
> [@Nightime](#): > > Having thought about it some more, I’m leaning towards 1991 as the best. Spiderland, Loveless, Laughing Stock, Yerself is Steam, Goat, Screamadelica, Trompe Le Monde, Nevermind, The Real Ramona, Bandwagonesque, Green Mind, Blue Lines… Don’t forget Metallica, Ten, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Achtung Baby, Badmotorfinger, Use Your Illusion, and Out of Time, and all the great songs on them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/34 "2005-01-16T12:03:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t forget Metallica, Ten, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Achtung Baby, Badmotorfinger, Use Your Illusion, and Out of Time, and all the great songs on them. What? You don’t like “Shiny Happy People”? By the way, I seem to remember hearing about something called “The Osmonds” that was apparently big in the 70s… ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/35 "2005-01-16T12:47:18Z")
> [@Nightime](#): > > What? You don’t like “Shiny Happy People”? > By the way, I seem to remember hearing about something called “The Osmonds” that was apparently big in the 70s… Yet another reason for a Barfy Smiley :🤮: ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/36 "2005-01-16T13:49:46Z")
> [@Nightime](#): > > What? You don’t like “Shiny Happy People”? > By the way, I seem to remember hearing about something called “The Osmonds” that was apparently big in the 70s… The point is a good one - I wouldn’t include anything past 1974 in my “best years” list. The 70’s brought us “Kung Fu Fighting”, “Seasons in the Sun”, etc. so I can’t nominate _the decade_ for anything. If a decade can be defined as **any ten-year span** , I’d nominate 1965-1974. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/37 "2005-01-16T18:19:07Z")
Even though I am a kid raised by the '90s, I would definitely have to say my favorite years in music were the late '60s. Those, too, were my favorite years in modern American politics, history, and culture. The summer of love seals the deal for me. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/38 "2005-01-16T18:46:51Z")
> [@](#): > > The point is a good one - I wouldn’t include anything past 1974 in my “best years” list. The 70’s brought us “Kung Fu Fighting”, “Seasons in the Sun”, etc. so I can’t nominate the decade for anything. If a decade can be defined as any ten-year span, I’d nominate 1965-1974. It’s silly to judge the music of a time period by listening to the bad music. All I care about is the good music - I don’t have to listen to the bad. Also, bad music is more easily forgotten, which means that if you judge based on bad music you are more likely to favor older times, of which you have forgotten most of the bad music. Based solely on the good music, I’d say the top four years are: 1991, 1967, 1988, 1973. I do agree with your optimum 10 year span pretty much though; I would just shift it to 1966-1975. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/39 "2005-01-17T00:06:45Z")
The thing about more recent releases is that post, say, 1991, popular music has become so splintered that it is hard to get any kind of consensus as to what is “great”. 2000, for example, had a bunch of really good releases, but my guess is that a list of them would be received by a collective “huh?” from most people. Or maybe not… here’s 10 arguements for 2000 _not_ being the worst year of music ever… **Sleater-Kinney** - All Hands On The Bad One **The White Stripes** - De Stijl **Yo La Tengo** - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out **Radiohead** - Kid A **Godspeed You Black Emperor!** - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven **Fu Manchu** - King Of The Road **Giant Sand** - Chore Of Enchantment **Johnny Cash** - American III: Solitary Man **Neko Case & Her Boyfriends** - Furnace Room Lullaby **Jurassic 5** - Quality Control That said, I don’t think 2000 was the best year in music either… my vote(s) would go to 1979, 1967 and/or 1984 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640/40 "2005-01-17T00:38:33Z")
> [@tpayne](#): > > The point is a good one - I wouldn’t include anything past 1974 in my “best years” list. The 70’s brought us “Kung Fu Fighting”, “Seasons in the Sun”, etc. so I can’t nominate _the decade_ for anything. If a decade can be defined as **any ten-year span** , I’d nominate 1965-1974. Both of the songs you mention are **from** 1974. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-year-in-music-ever/284640.md?page=3)