posted
I was explaining some cultural history to my wife who grew up in another part of the world, and I thought I could use a little Hatrack concensus on a matter. I'm just curious how people here perceive decades musically. In other words, if you could pick one group or musician that represents each of the last decades, which would you pick? This is not a question of who is the best group, but who best defines an era.
For example, when you think of the '60s, do you think of Peter, Paul & Mary or The Doors? '70s: Zeppelin or Bee Gees? '80s: Journey or New Order? '90s: Nirvana or Snoop Dogg? Or someone entirely different? And who do you think will come to define the '00s when we look back on them?
posted
For the 80s I think more of pop. I'd probably pick Madonna or maybe Michael Jackson. I think of Pink Floyd for the 60s, though not having been alive at the time I don't know if that's appropriate or if they should be more the 70s.
We had a similar sort of cultural conversation with my friend's wife who is from Albania. We were all going to a Weird Al concert, and it took a while to explain that whole phenomenon. Especially the 80s music. "See, this is a song that was really bad 20 years ago, but this guy's going to sing different lyrics to it, and play an accordian."
posted
Well, if I had to pick just one song to define the '80s, I'd go with Gary Numan's "Cars".
'60s: Psychedelia, head trips, popular philosophy. The Moody Blues.
'70s: Classic rock, guitar legends, creative lyrics. Dire Straits.
It's harder to decide for decades I was actually alive in. I couldn't even come up with one for the '90s. Pearl Jam, maybe. Or Nirvana. Doesn't really matter; I don't care for most '90s music anyway.
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posted
Enig: That's quite a coincidence. My wife, who was the genesis of this discussion is also from Albania. How do you know an Albanian?
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posted
I think this question is way too broad, Speedster.
I think there are different parts to a decade, too. For example, there is a HUGE difference between music in the early and late 60's and 70's.
Also, one would have to ask people from different regions of the country, ethnic/religious backgrounds, all sorts of things.
Gun to the head, though? For me personally, Bob Dylan defines the 60's.
The 70's was The Band, and I do not mean the band The Band, but the phenomenon of the band as a musical entity. Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc.
The 80's was the decade of the individual, and the emergence of music television, so visual music if you will.
Still, I am sure my grandmother would have a different set of answer, as would my parents.
A Deadhead would say The Dead for four(well, three and a half) decades, period.
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quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: I think this question is way too broad, Speedster.
I think there are different parts to a decade, too. For example, there is a HUGE difference between music in the early and late 60's and 70's.
Also, one would have to ask people from different regions of the country, ethnic/religious backgrounds, all sorts of things.
That's why I'm asking. I want to see, of all the music that existed in a decade, what plays in an individual's head when they hear the term. Sure, Philip Glass was making music far superior to Crowded House around the same time, but say the word "'80s" and Don't You Forget About Me is still many orders of magnitude more likely to pop into my head than Koyaanisqatsi. It's more a cultural experiment than an attempt at an exhaustive catalogue.
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posted
From the perspective of a slightly younger person (almost 23, for those who are counting) I would say that it's impossible to pick one song or musical group to define an entire decade. That's like asking me to sum up my childhood and adolescence in one sentence. I mean, 10 years is almost half of my life, time spent growing and changing in both musical tastes and worldviews. I agree with Elizabeth; there are huge differences between early, middle, and late 80s, 90s, and 00s. Also, being a bit of an eclectic, I've listened to/enjoyed tons of different genres of music, all which speak to me in different but equally profound ways.
[/cop out in which I don't actually answer the question]
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posted
60s beatles 70s beegees 80s Oingo Boing (Hey, it's what *I* was listening to. Isn't Michael Jackson that guy who was just on trial?) 90s NIN
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Having said that, although New Order is my favorite band and I believe they made the best music of the decade by far (PC&L, Low Life, Brotherhood, Substance and Technique--how can you top that?), I'm not sure I can say they defined the 80s. I don't think enough people really knew who they were.
posted
Decades are too long. And you have to decide what you mean by "define..."
Late 50's, early 60's: Buddy Holly: That'll be the day. Although maybe we could make a case for Chuck Berry's Roll over Beethoven, or Chubby Checker (do the twist). Anyway...dance crazes were important.
Mid to late 60's: The Beatles. No one song, though. The "dance" is dead. You don't dance to Sgt. Peppers, man!
Late 60's to early 70's: Gah! Musical explosion. Sorry...Too much to pick from, and the genre fractured too, so:
- Soul/R&B = the Motown sound -- especially the Supremes, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson...
- Hard Rock -- Tommy, the Who
- Glam Rock -- Ziggy Stardust, Bowie
- Psychodelic -- Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
Some of this music became popular, we should realize, because at least SOME people really wanted to dance. Not everyone, of course, but you can't just throw records on and have people stare at the floor...
Or can you?
Mid to late 70's:
Punk and disco. It all was one or the other, really.
Nope, you can't -- we must dance! In polyester!
late 70's early 80's: MJ, Madonna, Prince -- pop reigns supreme
Punk matures, starts to die.
And if you can't dance, you can always "pogo" and crowd surf.
mid-80's: 2nd wave of British Invasion. Iconic would have to be "The Police"
late 80's early 90's: Rap starts really catching audiences.
The Alternative rock movement revitalizes a dying rock&roll market. A nod to REM, I would think is in order.
early 90's to now: Rap and variations on it are pretty much the only genre that is really "definitive."
Music for mass markets is dead.
Now, it's all niches. Things have splintered so much that the only thing that really counts as mass market anymore is rap. And even that is splintering into various sub-genre.
Soon, we'll have people able to buy custom-built sounds that are idiosyncratically theirs. Musicians will be digital wave generators, and people actually knowing how to play an instrument will sit around grumbling about how we need a return to fundamentals.
I think that's what the whole "unplugged" movement was all about.
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quote:The Alternative rock movement revitalizes a dying rock&roll market. A nod to REM, I would think is in order.
A matter of perspective. In my opinion, the so-called "alternative" movement is what finally killed rock and roll, already the sick man of music.
Sure, there have always been bad singers in the business, but before Michael Stipe, it had never actually been fashionable. . . .
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posted
40's In the Mood, Glenn Miller Orchestra 50's, Johhny B Goode, Chuck Berry 60's All Along the Watchtower, Dylan and Hendrix 70s Stairway to Heaven, Led Zepplin 80's Money for Nothing, Dire Straits 90's Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana 00's so far Right Now, SR-71 or How You Remind Me, Nickelback
Not necessarily the best songs of each decade, but the one that belongs the most to that time period, for me.
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posted
I can't really speak for decades like the 60s, 70s, or even most of the 80s because I was too young. Though of course I'd love to say The Beatles and Pink Floyd defined those decades, because they've defined my life.
But as for what I can speak for, I'd say the late 80s were hair bands, the early 90s were defined by the rap/hip hop revolution. Dre and Snoop ruled the scene.
The late 90s into the 00s were dominated by pop, all show and no meat, Britney, Christina, boy bands.
I'd say recently there's been a sort of punk/new wave retro come back. The Strokes, Jet, The Killers.
In a broad sense when I think of some earlier decades, I think 60s - classic rock, 70s - disco, 80s - new wave, hair bands, 90s-rap, 00s - pop, though of course i know this isn't completely acurate at all, but i feel those are the stigmas.
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posted
It's cool. I was around for grunge, but honestly, rap and hip hop had a bigger effect on me at that age than Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soul Asylum, etc...
But I do agree. Grunge was a big factor in the 90s.
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The last comment on your reply about Digital generators taking over musicians...
Musicians will not be sitting around grumbling and complaining...they will continue to write music and entertain those who still enjoy real instruments, and there are plenty of people out there who will listen.
Look at Green Day, and U2 who have been providing us with music for years and dont seem to be giving up anytime soon.
There are even the newcomers like Jason Mraz, John Mayer, and Gavin Degraw who mostly sing and strum their guitars (or in Gavins case play the piano) with no digitaly generated music.
even people like Harry Connic Jr. and Michael buble who are keeping the old standards, originally sung by Frank Sinatra and crooners like himself, alive. YES, the voice is an instrument!
There are so many other musicians out there, and people who are still willing to listen to them play. There is absolutely, no way that we will let the technology of today destroy the MUSIC!!!
As a real musician with music running through the blood of my family for generations ...we will not waste our talent by sitting around grumbling and complaining that we need to return to the fundamentals...we will continue to play and pass it on to our following generations!!!
Real music (and instruments) are not dying!!!
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posted
Real quick before I get some angry posts about "real music"
I am not saying that any of that digital stuff is not music...it is all music. I am just defending those who play instruments!
People express themselves in different ways then others might. Just loud noise to one person could be music to another. There is no clear definition of what music it or what it should be...it is just an artistic expression of feelings and emotions.
Besides all of the new technology is just this generations additions to instruments!
(oh and sorry about the subjects change...I could no just ignore the comment about instruments being taken over by technology)
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posted
I'm actually looking forward to the return to fundamentals. Elizabeth keeps sending me grassroots music stuff that is astounding. She's introduced me to more new bands in the past couple of years than I've encountered in over a decade before that.
All of them share the attribute of knowing how to play an actual instrument.
It's not dead, you'll just have to look for it, and probably buy the stuff online instead of in a mall.
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posted
I would pay more money to listen to Mark Knopfler just goofing around on an acoustic guitar, not even playing any entire songs, than I would ever spent on anything produced by "digital wave generators". Artificial music may become a fad, but it will never replace authentic music. As long as there are humans, there will be people who love to play instruments, and people who love to listen to them playing instruments.
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Ha. I hope my point came through, which was NOT to imply that only black people listen to rap, but that there might be another reason why someons might not think of the 90s as the grunge era. I thought about rewording it, but I figured it wouldn't come out the right way whatever I said.
I would love for this question to be put to a random sampling of people from different parts of the country, different ages, ethnic backgrounds, etc. I think it would be fascinating.
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posted
"Elizabeth keeps sending me grassroots music stuff that is astounding. She's introduced me to more new bands in the past couple of years than I've encountered in over a decade before that.
All of them share the attribute of knowing how to play an actual instrument."
There certainly is a world of music out there under the mainstream radar. Sadly, many of these musicians would love to be mainstream, or at least make mainstream money.
Still, I think there are people who create music wiothout necessarily being that great on instruments. Crow Greenspun(obscure example, but I know him) is one. He hates playing guitar, and thinks he stinks. However, he composes some of the most beautiful music I have heard for all kinds of music.
So, I guess I think of digital music like that: a composition.
Oh, and thanks, Bob. It is a thrill to introduce you to the music. I should really inrtoduce you to etrre, and live music downloads, but I am thinking dkw might come and hunt me down for it. I am married to a download addict myself.
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quote:Originally posted by Verily the Younger: Sure, there have always been bad singers in the business, but before Michael Stipe, it had never actually been fashionable. . . .
I was born like this, I had no choice I was born with the gift of a golden voice
Seriously, even if Leonard Cohen doesn't strike you as popular (and he isn't so in the US, granted), remember Bob Dylan. He spawned a mess o' wannabes in the 60s, although the pendulum swung again afterward, as always.
Bob: I've gotten Elizabethean Care Packages, too! Isn't she fantabulous?
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I also wonder what the answers would be for, say, a hardcore bluegrass fan, or country music fan.
Because I actually need to change my 60's choice to Johnnie Cash, since Da was either playing him or Bob Dylan through my early childhood.
Speed, you a cruel, cruel man to have set us this task. No Tinariwen for you! (at least not until next week...)
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posted
I couldn't define a decade of music without naming at least 3 bands from each decade without making myself feel cheated in my answer. Not only that, but there could be the argument that each decade divided in musical tastes by the end of the decade i.e. progressive rock/motown, grunge/rap, 80s one-hit-wonders/glam metal etc...
This is too hard for me to answer!
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posted
This reminds me of a test where all the answers to a multiple choice question sound wrong, even the "right" one...
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Nice. I remember being in Brazil and hearing Regret playing in the street and thinking, "That sure sounds a lot like . . . Oh, wow, it is New Order!" This was in 1994, after they had pretty much called it quits three years before.
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posted
Speed: Sorry I didn't notice your question amoungst the other replies earlier. We first met Rozanna when she was studying abroad at Iowa State University, at a party thrown by my friend Jeff (who had the best parties on campus). I introduced her to my friend Troll (story in and of itself) and then they kept in touch while she went back to Albania, moved to Philadelphia to stay with her sister for a while, and then eventually to Iowa to move in with (and later marry) Troll.
Back to music: I think if you're going to pick Metallica for a decade, it really shouldn't be the 90s. That was really more of a decline for them in the eyes of a lot of people.
For sub-decades: There was a chunk of the late 90s that Marilyn Manson was pretty much everywhere. Love him or hate him, people were talking about him. I think it fit in with the pre-millenial "hey is the world going to end?" attitudes a lot of people had. I even knew people who generally only listened to rap who knew MM and would discuss him, if not buy the albums.
posted
I would agree with many of the choices you've already covered.
I don't think I saw: Elvis for the 50's
That being said, it is about impossible to pick "Decade Defining Tunes" Some songs become anthems, but the music I remember about the 70's, 80's & 90's is going to be a lot different than someone who listened to country, rap, R&B or Dance. You would really have to pick a song or artist for each genre.
It's the same thing with generation defining books or films. "On the road" was suppose to define a generation and later along the same lines "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was suppose to do the same. But I would be willing to bet there were a vast majority of young people in those generations who weren't beat nicks or coke heads.
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posted
For very many people, including my husband and me, the death of Jerry Garcia defined the '90's. So I guess that would be a decade-defining lack of tunes.
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