Favourite Decade for Music?

[BigRedX]

For me it's impossible to find a 10 year period when there was lots of great music released every year. Almost every decade (or any continuous 10 year period) has a couple of years when the majority of new releases were decidedly dull - in the 70s from the end of glam rock until punk properly took off; the 80s between the end of synth pop and start of acid house. And then from the mid 90s onwards when house/EDM got mainstream and boring, and while there was some decent music being released I really couldn't get behind bands that had all the personality and looks of a bunch of quantity surveyors on casual Friday.

 

I'd have to say for me the best 10 year slot is 10 years counting back from today, simply because now genre, "the charts" and mainstream media options no longer matter, and while as always there's a ton of stuff being released that I find vapid and dull, or worse "worthy"; there's also plenty of great music being released by people who simply don't care about what is supposed to be fashionable".

Edited June 2, 2023 by BigRedX

[Rich]

1979 to 1989. 

[Waddo Soqable]

8 hours ago, How1 said:

I love a lot of 90s stuff. I honestly don’t know what mathcore is though 🤓

I never had a clue what mathcore /math metal was either, I assumed it had lots of mad time signatures and over complex shlt going on ?? 

[Happy Jack]

Torn between the 1720s (Bach) and the 1780s (Mozart).

 

I'll get back to you.

 

[Waddo Soqable]

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

Torn between the 1720s (Bach) and the 1780s (Mozart).

 

I'll get back to you.

 

I'd favour one where they at least still have the Basso Continuo going.. 

 

 

 

 

 

[fretmeister]

I don't think I've got one.

 

I suppose my realy musical awakenings was about 1986-1996 (I changed schools in 1986) and I have a soft spot for the stuff I discovered in that time - AC/DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden etc etc but there's just too much good music in other time periods too. I mean, who wouldn't swap "Load" for just about anything done by Chic?!

 

But that time period was a big part of my youth and while I don't often listen to it now I'd be upset if I couldn't.

[snorkie635]

22 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Torn between the 1720s (Bach) and the 1780s (Mozart).

 

I'll get back to you.

 

Or, get Bach to you? 😌

[snorkie635]

17 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I'd favour one where they at least still have the Basso Continuo going.. 

 

 

 

 

 

Basso Continuing then? 😉

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

13 hours ago, How1 said:

If you had to pick one, what would it be? Not necessarily 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s specifically - just a 10 year period that you’d pick for really good music. 

 

I’d say mine was 75 to 85. You’ve got punk/post, the birth of rap, new wave, some really good 70s rock, stuff like The Blockheads, electro, roots reggae…the list goes on. Pretty interesting times.

I’ve had the same conversation with Mrs.H recently and ’’75 to ‘85 was almost exactly what I chose (although you’ve nabbed an extra year there rather than a decade 😎). I went ‘75 to ‘84 and it captures some great artists for me, from the end of Gabriel’s tenure with Genesis to Frankie’s ‘Welcome to The Pleasuredome’. Then there’s punk, a good chunk of disco, the birth of electronica and some absolute classic rock. Also covers my first ever gigs, the classic Motorhead line-up (although I also love Phil & Mikkey), the heyday of Rush, Zappa in his prime….I could go on.

[Franticsmurf]

I could pick ten individual years quite easily. But a continuous decade is harder - as has been said above there are good years and bad years in any 10 year period. But thinking about what I'm listening to (and have been for the last few years) my favourite decade for music is '66 to '75.  (and I could easily have gone a year either side of that). And that excludes my favourite Yes studio album - Going for the One, from 1977. And it doesn't allow me to include any of Peter Gabriel's solo stuff (also starting in '77).

Edited June 2, 2023 by Franticsmurf

[Waddo Soqable]

5 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

Basso Continuing then? 😉

Until the bitter end.. 😁

[snorkie635]

2 minutes ago, Franticsmurf said:

I could pick ten individual years quite easily. But a continuous decade is harder - as has been said above there are good years and bad years in any 10 year period. But thinking about what I'm listening to (and have been for the last few years) my favourite decade for music is '66 to '75.  (and I could easily have gone a year either side of that).

Snap (almost -see above) 😃

[Reggaebass]

From 77 to around 84 was a big time for the reggae and dub scene , not just for me but the whole genre , I was still at school in 77 , so many great tunes were recorded then and are still being mixed and covered today, good times ☝️

[Franticsmurf]

6 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

Snap (almost -see above) 😃

Yes, I saw you had great musical taste. 😀

[gjones]

I like the 70s styles of music but some of my favorite bands, that play that type of music, were formed in the last 10 to 15 years.

 

Bands like Mamas Gun (soul), Young Gun Silver Fox (Yacht Rock), The Teskey Brothers (Motown), Israel Nash (Southern Rock).

[How1]

59 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I never had a clue what mathcore /math metal was either, I assumed it had lots of mad time signatures and over complex shlt going on ?? 

That or some metal scene comprising of maths teachers in tweed sports jackets 🤷‍♂️

[cetera]

72 - 82 for the amazing music... and 82 - 92 for the amazing gigs and fun rock music gigs I attended in my teens (before shoegazing and grunge ruined it all)

[Linus27]

1978 to 1989

 

Start with The Police releasing Outlandos d'Amour in 1978 and then moving through into the 80's with early U2, Simple Minds, Madonna, Tears For Fears, New Order, Duran Duran, Talk Talk and finishing with New Order Technique.

 

Highlights being,

1978 - The Police Outlandos d'Amour

1979 - The Police Reggatta de Blanc, Supertramp Breakfast in America, The Clash London Calling, Joy Division Unknown Pleasures

1980 - U2 Boy, The Police Zenyatta Mondatta, 

1981 - Duran Duran Duran Duran, The Police Ghost In The Machine, U2 October, OMD Architecture & Morality

1982 - Simple Minds New Gold Dream, Duran Duran Rio, Michael Jackson Thriller, Prince 1999 and

1983 - Madonna Madonna, Tears For Fears The Hurting, The Police Synchronicity, U2 War, Heaven 17 The Luxury Gap

1984 - Simple Minds Sparkle in the Rain, Sade Diamond Life, U2 Unforgettable Fire, Madonna Like a Virgin, Thompson Twins Into the Gap, Howard Jones Human's Lib, INXS The Swing, Bryan Adams Reckless, Talking Heads Stop Making Sense, Prince Purple Rain, Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome To The Pleasure Dome.

1985 - Inxs Listen Like Thieves, Simple Minds Once Upon A Time, Talking Heads Little Creatures, Sade Promise, Sting Dream of the Blue Turtles, Aha Hunting High and Low, Tears For Fears Songs From The Big Chair, Dire Straits Brothers in Arms

1986 - Talk Talk The Colour of Spring, Peter Gabriel So, Queen Its a Kind Of Magic, Janet Jackson Control, Paul Simon Graceland, New Order Brotherhood, Pet Shop Boys Please, Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet, The The Infected

1987 - U2 Joshua Tree, GmR Appetite For Destruction, Pet Shop Boys Actually, John Mellencamp The Lonesome Jubilee, The Smiths Strangeways Here We Come, The Cult Electric, Inxs Kick, Marillion Clutching At Straws

1988 - The Sugarcubes Life's Too Good, U2 Rattle and Hum, Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman, Talk Talk Spirit of Eden

1989 - New Order Technique, 

[Greg Edwards69]

I can narrow it down to just one year. 1987.

 

GnR - Appetite for Destructions, Def Lep - Hysteria, George Michael - Faith, MJ - Bad, U2 - The Joshua Tree, Prince - Sign "☮︎" the Times, Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation, Faith No More - Introduce Yourself, Kiss- Crazy Nights, Whitesnake - 1987, Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls, Joe Satrinai - Surfing with the AlienREM - Document... and many more.

 

Seminal albums in a seminal year.

 

Not to mention a ton of single "bangers" released that year (other than from the above albums), such as Livin on a Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, Nothings Gonna Stop us Now,  I wanna dance with somebody, It's a sin, Barcelona, Fairytale of New York, (I Just) Died in Your Arms

Edited June 2, 2023 by Greg Edwards69

[BassTractor]

6 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I'd favour one where they at least still have the Basso Continuo going.. 

Still had it going in the '80s myself, and lurved it: a lot easier than playing blues, and with more chords to boost.
Win win.

[LeftyP]

I was born in 1950(!) and was brought up on the Ann Shelton/Vera Lynn/Jimmy Young style of popular music played on the BBC Light Programme.  In the early 60s we found Radio Luxemburg at night with sponsored shows by Helen Shapiro and Co and then the pirate radio stations dropped anchor and everything changed.  The records being played on Radio Caroline (North) were amazing to a 13 year old lad and some of my favourite artists and songs still come from that decade.  The Beatles (of course), The Hollies, The Searchers, Cliff and the Shadows plus female singers like Dusty, Cilla and Sandi were my top home grown picks.  From the USA we had The Association, The Rascals, The Lovin' Spoonful, Beach Boys, Mamas & Papas, Tamla Motown and soul singers like Aretha and Wilson Pickett and a host of one hit wonders.  Carnaby Street fashions hit the headlines with mini-skirts to the fore and there were many Pop Music magazines to scour through.  It was the perfect storm for teenagers and I don't think a revolution like that will happen again.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

3 hours ago, Linus27 said:

1978 to 1989

 

Start with The Police releasing Outlandos d'Amour in 1978 and then moving through into the 80's with early U2, Simple Minds, Madonna, Tears For Fears, New Order, Duran Duran, Talk Talk and finishing with New Order Technique.

 

Highlights being,

1978 - The Police Outlandos d'Amour

1979 - The Police Reggatta de Blanc, Supertramp Breakfast in America, The Clash London Calling, Joy Division Unknown Pleasures

1980 - U2 Boy, The Police Zenyatta Mondatta, 

1981 - Duran Duran Duran Duran, The Police Ghost In The Machine, U2 October, OMD Architecture & Morality

1982 - Simple Minds New Gold Dream, Duran Duran Rio, Michael Jackson Thriller, Prince 1999 and

1983 - Madonna Madonna, Tears For Fears The Hurting, The Police Synchronicity, U2 War, Heaven 17 The Luxury Gap

1984 - Simple Minds Sparkle in the Rain, Sade Diamond Life, U2 Unforgettable Fire, Madonna Like a Virgin, Thompson Twins Into the Gap, Howard Jones Human's Lib, INXS The Swing, Bryan Adams Reckless, Talking Heads Stop Making Sense, Prince Purple Rain, Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome To The Pleasure Dome.

1985 - Inxs Listen Like Thieves, Simple Minds Once Upon A Time, Talking Heads Little Creatures, Sade Promise, Sting Dream of the Blue Turtles, Aha Hunting High and Low, Tears For Fears Songs From The Big Chair, Dire Straits Brothers in Arms

1986 - Talk Talk The Colour of Spring, Peter Gabriel So, Queen Its a Kind Of Magic, Janet Jackson Control, Paul Simon Graceland, New Order Brotherhood, Pet Shop Boys Please, Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet, The The Infected

1987 - U2 Joshua Tree, GmR Appetite For Destruction, Pet Shop Boys Actually, John Mellencamp The Lonesome Jubilee, The Smiths Strangeways Here We Come, The Cult Electric, Inxs Kick, Marillion Clutching At Straws

1988 - The Sugarcubes Life's Too Good, U2 Rattle and Hum, Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman, Talk Talk Spirit of Eden

1989 - New Order Technique, 

Erm. That’s 12 full years of music.

[lidl e]

Probably 84 to 94. Covers the thrash and hair metal i was into, all the best hip hop, dipping into the grunge stuff and ending before nu metal.

 

Gives me metallica, pixies, one of VH best albums (1984), some excellent metal, all the great old school rap. Got vulgar display of power in there as well as most of the best FNM/Mr. Bungle stuff. The RHCP were still good. Esrly soundgarden. Nirvana. 

 

To me, thats the best 10 years.

 

[lozkerr]

Tricky one, this. I'd probably go for 1977 - 1986, but I really liked the Britpop years as well.

[BigRedX]

I had another look to see if I really could find a 10 continuous span when there was plenty of music I liked, and have come up with 1977 to 1986 and it ends up being these years rather than 1976 to 1985 simply because one of my all-time favourite albums (The Wrong People by Furniture) was released in 1986 which gives it the edge over 1976...