You’re selected to inhabit the capsule - er - PILOT the SPACECRAFT to Mars. NASA’s eggheads place the following bizarre restrictions on the music you’re allowed to take with you:
You only get to choose one album per decade (using the date the album was originally released) beginning in the 1950s. So, one from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s.
None of the albums can be compilations - like the Now That’s What I Call _____ CDs. Soundtracks to major motion pictures are allowed, however.
Double albums are allowed and only count as one.
So, what do you take? Remember, this is your only source of music for a five year trip (one way) - so naturally playability and thoroughly solid albums are best. NASA promises that your choices won’t be released to the public, so you’re free to choose what you’d actually enjoy listening to, without having to weigh trends, indie-cred, or maintain your carefully-crafted image, etc. In other words, you can take your eminently listenable guilty pleasures sans guilt.
50s: Shake, Rattle, and Roll - beats the hell out of me, but it’s rock and roll
60s: White Album - Beatles
70s: Sunflower - Beach Boys
80s: The Game - Queen
90s: Bad Hair Day - Weird Al
00s: American Idiot - Green Day
50s: can’t think of anything
60s: “Between The Buttons” Rolling Stones
70s: “Sticky Fingers” Rolling Stones
80s: “The Unforgettable Fire” U2
90s: “Achtung Baby” U2
00s: “In Rainbows” Radiohead
50s: “Blue Train,” John Coltrane
60s: “Beggar’s Banquet,” Rolling Stones
70s: “Blood on the Tracks,” Bob Dylan
80s: “Rain Dogs,” Tom Waits
90s: “Paul Simon’s Concert in the Park, August 15, 1991”
00s: “Live As I’ll Ever Be,” Chris Smither
If I did this again tomorrow, five of the six would probably be different.
50s: Nina Simone at Town Hall, Nina Simone
60s: The Doors, The Doors
70s: Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
80s: Paul’s Boutique, Beastie Boys
90s: Nervmind, Nirvana
00s: Greatest Hits, Mariah Carey (shaddup haters, I love her)
50s: With His Hot and Blue Guitar – Johnny Cash
60s: Beggars Banquet – Rolling Stones
70s: Billion Dollar Babies – Alice Cooper
80s: Trash – Alice Cooper
90s: Hey Stoopid – Alice Cooper
00s: Missundaztood – Pink
It was almost impossible only picking one favorite AC album from the seventies. I struggled mightly between BDB and Muscle of Love. Damn decisions!
50’s: nothing
60’s: In The Court Of The Crimson King, King Crimson
70’s: Yessongs, Yes
80’s: Clutching At Straws, Marillion
90’s: Metropolis Part II: Scenes From A Memory, Dream Theater
00’s: Bridge Across Forever, Transatlantic
Too hard. Here is the last thing from each decade that has been in my CD stacker.
50s: The Sun Sessions: Elvis Presley
60s: Aftermath: Rolling Stones
70s: London Calling: The Clash
80s: Rain Dogs: Tom Waits but Paul Simon’s Graceland is a close second because it’s in there too
90s: Grace: Jeff Buckley
00s: Chutes Too Narrow: **The Shins **
50s Jerry Lee Lewis something
60s Are You Experienced
70s Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell
80s Springsteen The River
90s Handel’s Messiah A Soulful Celebration
00s Emmylou Harris Red Dirt Girl
I don’t think that’s really the point. :dubious: The OP just started with now and decided to go back through x number of decades. I’m sure that no matter how far back he had gone, someone wouldv’e said, “And of course there was no music prior to (wherever the OP ended.)” Start another thread then.
