Best Decades For Music In Order And Why

[Ace High]

Okay, here is my list in order from best to worst.

90s, 70s, 60s, 80s.

Now in terms of most influential in history, the 60s would be first. But the 90s I think was the best because it produced some of the greatest people ever. I mean come on, Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, Rage Against The Machine, and one of my favorites, Against Me (which none of you have heard of lol).

Oh and for you rap and pop fans out there, can we just admit that the 90s was the best time for rap and the second best for pop? (the 80s was the height of pop) I mean you had Tupac, Biggie, Eminem, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Outkast. Then you had the Backstreet Boys, Avril Levigne, basically a lot better than today's stuff in my humble opinion.

But tell me your thoughts and your best decade for music!

[Per Levy]

thats a very subjective topic and really depends on what kind of music you like. but for me its the 90s, its when i "grew up" musically. several of my favourite bands really were in their prime in that time. like mayhem, darkthrone(even though they still kick ass today), skunk anansie and so many more.

just as an example:

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for whatever reason it doestn want to displayskunk anasie songs, but just look up weak, everyday hurts, brazen or hedonism for some of the best rock ever.

[Nevsky]

90s

Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Ulver, Mütiilation, Vlad Tepes, Marduk, Dissection, Dark Funeral, Death, Sadistik Exekution...

[Djoko]

90's

[Ace High]

90s

Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Ulver, Mütiilation, Vlad Tepes, Marduk, Dissection, Dark Funeral, Death, Sadistik Exekution...

Ahh I dig it, I used to be a big metal fan years ago. Immortal, Emperor, and Death had homes on my ipod.

[savage anomaly]

Every decade is a golden age of a different type of music - I think its really impossible to have an effective ranking of what's best. Why bother comparing the decade of the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix with that of 2Pac and Biggie? Everyone was at the top of their own game in their own time.

[Yuppie Grinder]

the future>right now>the past

[Ace High]

Every decade is a golden age of a different type of music - I think its really impossible to have an effective ranking of what's best. Why bother comparing the decade of the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix with that of 2Pac and Biggie? Everyone was at the top of their own game in their own time.

Because it's fun....? And this is a forum dedicated to musical discussions and opinions?

[Ceallach_the_Witch]

There's good stuff from every decade for everyones tastes - it's just a matter of how hard you're prepared to look.

I'm something of a music obsessive - i've got a physical collection that spans most of the 20th century (anything earlier than the mid-seventies is a reissue, most of what i have is on cd) and a digital collection that spans from about a week ago back to (depending on how you determine the age of music) either the 1900's or the 16th century. And that's not counting the playlists I have on spotify for ancient and medieval music. I went through a real kick for organum about six months ago, for example.

[Questionable]

This is a bit of an odd question to me seeing as each decade had a multitude of musical genres with very different styles and influences. I find alternative rock in the 80s like The Smiths and Joy Division to be incredible, but New Wave and 'hair metal' music in that same decade disgusts me. Likewise I consider The Beatles to be one of my all-time favorite bands, yet other prominent 60s bands such as The Rolling Stones bore me to tears.

Wouldn't it make more sense to arrange this by genre somehow? I don't know.

[d3crypt]

This is hard.. 80=60s>70s=90s=2000s

[Fawkes]

The 2010s. Or maybe the 2020s.


also, not to be a dick, but a lot of people know about against me

[Ace High]

The 2010s. Or maybe the 2020s.


also, not to be a dick, but a lot of people know about against me

Lol, I sincerely didn't know that. Now people are going to think I was trying to be some kind of pretentious hipster by saying "you probably havent heard of them" xD

[Ace High]

This is a bit of an odd question to me seeing as each decade had a multitude of musical genres with very different styles and influences. I find alternative rock in the 80s like The Smiths and Joy Division to be incredible, but New Wave and 'hair metal' music in that same decade disgusts me. Likewise I consider The Beatles to be one of my all-time favorite bands, yet other prominent 60s bands such as The Rolling Stones bore me to tears.

Wouldn't it make more sense to arrange this by genre somehow? I don't know.

Yeah you're right, but alot of people have a favorite decade for music if you ask them, so I felt I would get peoples' opinions.

[Ele'ill]

80's into 90's

The Sugarcubes (birthday, 1987, first in icelandic, second in english (I like the english version better but both are great)

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Bjork (big time sensuality, 1993)

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Kate Bush (Experiment IV, 1986)


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Also Tori Amos- one of the best live performers ever. Bias because I love piano. Also one of the best artists able to cover songs, some really haunting and seamless stuff.

1992
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[Il Medico]

...and the second best for pop?
I sincerely hope you're joking. Pop was a boy band filled cesspool in the 90's.

[The Feral Underclass]

I feel like the 19th century needs representing in this thread, so basically everything from 1815-1910.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

The 90's for basically same reasons OP stated. When it came to rap and all these different bands the 90's were the shit. Nas, Eminem, 2Pac, RATM, Alice in Chains, Radiohead, Dr. Dre(the shit he came out with in the 90's), Snoop Dogg, etc, etc, just awesome times for music.

[Decolonize The Left]

Thus far this thread is immensely disappointing. The late 70s are when music really began to suck. The 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, were vastly superior the 80s/90s. The best jazz was 40s-60s, the best rock was 60s-70s, the best country was in the 50s. The best bluegrass was in the 40s and 50s.

This isn't even to touch on classical music - 80s/90s aint got shit on early 1700s, let alone early 1800s.

The only thing which the 90s brought was hip hop and props where props is due, early 90s hip hop is the shit.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Really don't see what the big deal is about Against Me!

Probably the 50s for me - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens et al. epitomise all that was great about that decade, in addition to elements of soul, and of course Motown came into being in the late 50s. 60s were still pretty great.

I generally think 50s, 60s, 70s contain a rich, rich catalogue of terrific and varied music - even the 80s and 90s have a lot to say for them. Really, the 00s and 10s have been a bit disappointing, though of course that's not to say that a lot of good music doesn't exist today, it just flies under the radar. It's crazy to think that whereas one day people were swooning over Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Bruce Springstee et al., they now today swoon over whoever has just won the x-factor or whatever.

[Sam_b]

You can't categorise music that way, it isn't how it works.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

1730 - 1820

http://i.imgflip.com/3auf.jpg

'Nuff said.

[Invader Zim]

80s. There is a light that never goes out.

End of thread.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

The 1970s brought us P-Funk.

Your arguments are invalid.

[VDS]

Beatles, Dylan, Stones, The Who...60's for me. 70's also, early Bruce Springsteen, birth of Punk, Led Zep. Then I sort of hold the 80's and 90's in the same level. A lot of great music, and a lot of music that makes me want to drown myself.

Also, to OP, not to be a douche lol, but not only have I heard of Against Me! but they're my favorite band and I've seen them in concert a few times lol.

Edit: I almost forgot, Pet Sounds! Love or hate the beach boys, Pet Sounds is a classic.

[VDS]

Really don't see what the big deal is about Against Me!

Early Against Me! at least to me, is just fantastically written. it's at once intelligent, raw, emotional and it has some wit to it while still being relatively straight forward, and I don't know, to me, it just sounds honest.

I'll grant you, I can understand people not caring for the AM! of the past few years, but songs like Pints of Guinness Make you Stronger, The Politics of Starving, Baby I'm An Anarchist, and Rice and Bread, well, I'm getting a chubby just thinking of them :laugh:

[Jimmie Higgins]

I don't know if I could really rank decades for popular music. I guess I'd say I'm partial to the 90s just because late 80s and early 90s music when I first got into music "on my own" (i.e. not Michael Jackson because everyone listened to that or the Beatles). Again, I'm biased, but I think it was an exciting time culturally because both punk (broadly, so basically the bands that followed 80s punk and branched out into lo-fi and grunge riotgrrrl and so on) and hip-hop sort of broike through in the US and both genres had a brief period of expansion and expiramentation which was promptly narrowed into marketable pieces.

Digital technology has opened up past decades of recorded music to an amazing extent (compared to when I was in high school). So things that would have been the precious babies of music snobs in the 80s and 90s are now widely available (as well as more popular and known stuff from the past). So because of this I was also able to be exposed to obscure 60s garage rock and forgotten soul bands and so on. So I guess I'd put the 60s as my second "most listened to" decade for music and maybe it's a similar thing as with 90s music where rock and r&b sort of became dominent and you get a synthesis of broadly popular music which is a little more diverse and exciting and - at that point - a little dangerous.

The 50s should also get a shout-out. For the same reasons I like 60s garage, early rock and sort of urban blues that developed in that time are pretty raw and amazing. Bo Diddly played basically the same 3 songs for decades, but I really like many of the variations of those songs... and Little Richard is fantastic.

The 80s had some fantastic bands, but I tend to downplay that decade because the music I like from that time wasn't popular and isn't what people would consider "80s music". I can really do with never hearing a Cure song for the rest of my life. But underground music from that time is great and laid the basis for the popularization of some of these styles towards the end of the decade and the early 90s.

While I can't rank favorites, I have to say that I think the 00s were probably the worst period of pop music this side of WWII. This period is actually probably more like 1996/97 to 2007... just like what people think of as "the 60s" in music is probably more like 66-73. There were some OK things... some neo-soul, a few bands for this or that genre that shined, some underground rock that was good but never made much of an impact.

The period of 2007 to the present is also pretty good - uneven, but it restored my interest/faith in rock music. Some of the local rock scenes are as good as the early 90s if not better now IMO. The lack of a contemporary "Nirvana" type phenomenon has maybe kept this streak going longer than I expected - or maybe changes to the music industry has just allowed the space for a more sustained network of rock bands.

[Hit The North]

Now is the best decade for music so far. As Jimmie points out, the digital p2p revolution means that we can sample the best of all former decades (and centuries) of music. The depth and variety of music libraries that are freely open to people now is extraordinary.

The imminent breakdown of the music biz's business model also means that we can expect a more intimate relationship to emerge between artists and their fans, meaning that there will be less pressure on artists to compromise their work for a mass commercial market and, instead, they will be able to tend to their sustainable global micro-audience.

[VDS]

Now is the best decade for music so far. As Jimmie points out, the digital p2p revolution means that we can sample the best of all former decades (and centuries) of music. The depth and variety of music libraries that are freely open to people now is extraordinary.

The imminent breakdown of the music biz's business model also means that we can expect a more intimate relationship to emerge between artists and their fans, meaning that there will be less pressure on artists to compromise their work for a mass commercial market and, instead, they will be able to tend to their sustainable global micro-audience.

I don't know, I think the first half of your comment is sort of a cop out (no offense lol). I think the question is about WHO came out and was prominent during those times.

I mean sure, we have access to all the best music now, but that music was made during it's own time.

[Hit The North]

I don't know, I think the first half of your comment is sort of a cop out (no offense lol). I think the question is about WHO came out and was prominent during those times.

I mean sure, we have access to all the best music now, but that music was made during it's own time.

Sure, but there is absolutely no objective way of determining which decade was better than any other as ultimately it comes down to taste. How can Elvis be compared to the Clash or The Temptations compared to Dr Dre?

[Ace High]

Thank you for your posts! A lot of people don't understand why I am trying to rank music by decade as, rightfully pointed out, it is not a practical way to categorize music at all.

That's why I'm not categorizing it, I'm asking for your opinions on what decade your favorite music happened to be made in. Simple as that ^_^

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Early Against Me! at least to me, is just fantastically written. it's at once intelligent, raw, emotional and it has some wit to it while still being relatively straight forward, and I don't know, to me, it just sounds honest.

I'll grant you, I can understand people not caring for the AM! of the past few years, but songs like Pints of Guinness Make you Stronger, The Politics of Starving, Baby I'm An Anarchist, and Rice and Bread, well, I'm getting a chubby just thinking of them :laugh:

I'll take your word for it. I saw them open for every leftist's favourite Frank Turner a year or so ago and they were just....boring. Really bland.

[Ace High]

I'll take your word for it. I saw them open for every leftist's favourite Frank Turner a year or so ago and they were just....boring. Really bland.

Well, that would basically be like a wet dream for me, seeing Against Me open for Frank Turner. You lucky mofo, lol. But hey to each their own.

[VDS]

I'll take your word for it. I saw them open for every leftist's favourite Frank Turner a year or so ago and they were just....boring. Really bland.

I haven't seen them lately, I missed them last time out saving up money to see Bruce Springsteen, then I was forced to miss that -_-

But yeah, I expect their shows to be more like their new music, which is basically what you described, a lot more bland, rock n roll-ish, wall of sound kind of music.

[Sam_b]

I saw them open for every leftist's favourite Frank Turner a year or so ago and they were just....boring. Really bland.

Aye, he's fucking awful.

Don't even get me started on Million Dead either

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Aye, he's fucking awful.

Don't even get me started on Million Dead either

He's not awful, though. I know some people are still hung up on the 'OMG HE DOESN'T PAY LIP SERVICE TO LEFT-LIBERALISM' or whatever, but they need to get over that.

Million Dead had some decent songs but they were too wordy for me, a bit pretentious at times.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I haven't seen them lately, I missed them last time out saving up money to see Bruce Springsteen, then I was forced to miss that -_-

But yeah, I expect their shows to be more like their new music, which is basically what you described, a lot more bland, rock n roll-ish, wall of sound kind of music.

Ha, I skipped Frank this year to see The Boss, burned a massive hole in my wallet. Where were you gonna see him?

[Comrade Jacob]

I my opinion from first to last it goes: 60s, 90s, 80s, 70s, 50s

That was very though

[Zukunftsmusik]

79 to 89 was a good decade. Started with the year of London Calling, Entertainment! and Unknown Pleasures, ended with Bleach and Doolittle. In between we have Closer, Bauhuas, Kjøtt and TAV!, Surfer Rosa and Come on Pilgrim, Black Flag plus a range of other punk and hardcore bands. Just to mention what I can remember from the top of my head.

Present is also very good, though.

[VDS]

Ha, I skipped Frank this year to see The Boss, burned a massive hole in my wallet. Where were you gonna see him?

Sorry for the ultra late reply, hadn't seen this. I was going to see him in Florida. I was so stoked to go, then life got in the way. That day was probably the most depressing I've had in my life. Just knowing I should have been there lol.

[VDS]

Sure, but there is absolutely no objective way of determining which decade was better than any other as ultimately it comes down to taste. How can Elvis be compared to the Clash or The Temptations compared to Dr Dre?

I think there's a difference between what someone likes and what's good. That's just me. I hate some music that is good, and I love some music that I can say is downright horrible.

[drunken-radicalism]

Personally I find it difficult to say that one decade was the best, for me it just depends on what kind of genre you're listening too.

• I feel that the later 70's and 80's are the best years for rock, and punk music.
• 60's into the early 70's for soul, funk, R&d, reggae, and reggae dub. (reggae dub's my favorite)
ªAnd for hip hop I reckon the later 80's through the mid 90's are the best hands down.
• If you like the blues, or folk, the older the better. I'm talking 1920's-1930's. I'm talking about that stuff that's so old you can get it for free in the library of congress because they say it's part of historic record.

[Zukunftsmusik]

I hate some music that is good, and I love some music that I can say is downright horrible.

Why would you hate something you think is good?

[VDS]

Why would you hate something you think is good?

Might not be my cup of tea. There's bands that when I hear them I can clearly hear the talent, I just don't like the style maybe. Then there's music that I know is downright horrible. I know it's bad, artless, talentless...but sometimes it sounds real nice in my car and hell, why not.

[Comrade Chernov]

The 1970s and 1980s are ranked equally for their Heavy Metal and Hard Rock albums, in my opinion. The 2000s have some great European Metal bands, too.