Rank the Decades

[RPS]

Thought it would be interesting to see how everyone ranks each decade of music. Given we have a widespread of people on this board from different areas of the world, I am certain everyone will have much different views of what decades were the best for music. As a bonus, list your favorite album and song from each decade. 

 

[METALMAN]

Oh wow. This is an interesting idea. I'll need to have a think about how I'm going to do this. For simplicity's sake, I'll start this in the 20s because I don't know that much about non-classical music in the preceding decades. For before the 20s I'll just say Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin.

1970s Wow what a great and diverse decade. Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan and David Bowie pulled off the best runs of consecutive albums I might well ever have seen (Bowie's is Young Americans to Heroes because Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory are a bit shit).Then there's great reggae, funk, disco and pretty much everything was great in this decade really. Even the prog and the punk and new wave that apparently replaced it. Best album: Sweet Baby James by James Taylor/London Calling by the Clash/Young Americans by David Bowie. Best song: Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan/Lost In Music by Sister Sledge/Birdland by Weather Report/What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers/Upside Down by Diana Ross/Walla Mokoko by Mpharanyana

2000s Almost on top! How did that happen? I'll tell you how. Lots of really good music in practically every style you can imagine. Also I was born in 1990 and grew up with this music, so that helps. Best album:  Kala by MIA (the best one)/Back to Black by Amy Winehouse/Down In Albion by Babyshambles/Let's Get Out of this Country by Camera Obscura/October Road by James Taylor/Illinois by Sufjan Stevens. Best song: He Can Only Hold Her by Amy Winehouse/Neighbourhood 2 by Arcade Fire/Let's Get Out of this Country by Camera Obscura (yes song and album)/A Favor House Atlantic by Coheed & Cambria/Paper Planes by MIA/Cath by Death Cab for Cutie/Glamorous by Fergie/Summerboy by Lady Gaga/Obsessed by Marina Carey/Death on the Stairs by the Libertines/Space and the Woods by Marina and the Diamonds/Young Love by Mystery Jets/Say It Right by Nelly Furtado/Dejalo by Rilo Kiley/Eple by Royksopp/You Only Live Once by the Strokes

1980s I guess this will be a divisive one. So much shit but so much good stuff too. Talking Heads were also conducting one of the best runs of albums ever but they are split between the 70s and 80s so both get points. So much good pop music: Prince, Hall & Oates and Madonna are the ones that jump out at me but there was plenty of good stuff in practically every genre. This just squeezes past the 60s for me by the narrowest of margins. More a decade of great songs than great albums though. Best album: The Nightfly by Donald Fagen/Purple Rain by Prince. Best song: Close to Me by the Cure/Method of Modern Love by Daryl Hall and John Oates/Town Called Malice by the Jam/Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions/Into the Groove by Madonna/Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by the Police/Duel by Propaganda/Un autre monde by Téléphone

1960s Okay, and with all due respect to the previous decades, the 60s is when things get really tough. Beach Boys, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks etc... Bobby Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and loads of good motown things. Best album: Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan/Rubber Soul by the Beatles. Best song: All Along the Watchtower and Like A Rolling Stone covers by Jimi Hendrix/The Kids Are Alright by the Who/Autumn Almanac by the Kinks/You Can't Hurry Love by the Supremes

2010s It's a great decade but not as much has stuck with me compared to the three above it. Early days yet though! It was a good decade for slightly weird pop music so that's what I took away from it. But there were so many albums I thought were great at the time that I haven't bothered going back to listen to since. Shout out to Janelle Monae and Christine and the Queens: they were my favourites of the decade by some margin; they'll be pleased to know that. Best album: Both Christine and the Queens ones/Art Angels by Grimes/all the Janelle Monae ones/El Tourista by Josh Rouse/Born to Die by Lana Del Rey/Matangi by MIA/Psychedelic Pill by Neil Young/Aquarius by Tinashe/Bloom by Beach House. Best song: Playa Boi by Cher Lloyd/Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart by Alicia Keys/EVP by Blood Orange/La Marcheuse by Christine and the Queens/Glitters Like Gold by the Cribs/No1 Sweeper by Especia/The Loving Kind by Girls Aloud/Screwed and Tightrope by Janelle Monae/Follow My Voice by Julie Byrne/Trigger Bang by Lily Allen/I'm A Ruin by Marina and the Diamonds/Change of Coast by Neon Indian/Move Her Mind by Phony Ppl/Queenie Eye by Paul McCartney (little known up-and-comer, check him out)/Work by Rihanna/One by Yeasayer

1990s I mean it was a great decade but just not as good. Like the 80s but worse. Belle & Sebastian had one of the other great album runs, but it was a bit more inconsistent than those highlighted in previous decades. I do not care so much about about grunge or Britpop - two things that are very closely identified with this decade, but there was a whole lot of great indie rock and RnB. Best album:  Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five (shame everything else he/they did was dreadful)/Tigermilk by Belle & Sebastian. Best song: Turn It Up by Blur/Fifty-Fifty Clown by the Cocteau Twins/Doo Wop (That Thing) by Lauryn Hill/Procura by Chichi Peralta/1979 by the Smashing Pumpkins/Waterfalls by TLC/Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie by Belle & Sebastian/Papua New Guinea by the Future Sound of London

1950s A decade of excellent jazz music which I love. Also a blooming of blues, RnB, country and rock n roll. All of which I like, but in that decade, for me, the jazz towers above everything else. And French music is good for basically the last time in 60 years. Best album: Time Out by Dave Brubeck/Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Best song: April in Paris by Count Basie/Don't Be Cruel by Elvis Presley/Le poinçonneur des Lilas - Serge Gainsbourg

1940s - More miserable French music. Don't like the jazz so much in this decade because it tends to be a bit manic, but Hank Williams makes this a good decade. Best album: there isn't one. Best song: Que reste-t-il de nos amours by Charles Trenet/Move It On Over by Hank Williams/Autumn in New York by Billie Holiday

1930s - I basically only like jazz miserable French music from this decade. Best album: there isn't one. Best song: Cette chanson est pour vous by Jean Sablon

1920s - Musicals and jazz I guess? Creepy German cabaret music. Best album: there isn't one. Best song: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo by Duke Ellington.

2020s what a shit decade I don't like a single song from this one

 

 

[Colly]

On 14/01/2020 at 17:59, metalman said:

Space and the Woods by Marina and the Diamonds

 

Hang on, what?

[METALMAN]

I dunno I just really liked that cover 😕

[Colly]

I've never heard it, is it available anywhere? I love both those things...

[METALMAN]

It was a b-side for something (I can't remember what). remember when you used to get b-sides? It was a different world back then.

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by metalman

[Colly]

Still prefer the original. I keep hearing whispers of a Late of the Pier reunion that never come to fruition.

[Rich]

The 90's is the best.

Close thread.

[VerbalPuke]

80s, 70s, 90s, 60s, 00s, 10s, 50s, 40s...I mean I don't know enough after the 50s to really be a good judge. I had a lot typed out a few days ago thinking the board would save it, but it apparently didn't. Basically...

All decades are good first and foremost. I feel like I'm ranking based on influence on me and just amount of stuff I like from that decade. Realistically, the 70s and 80s could probably be interchangeable for me. Slight nod to the 80s probably just for a current bias more than anything. 

I mean I'll elaborate more on stuff if you want, but that's a lot to talk about. Favorite bands? Albums? Songs? For the decades? We could be here a long time talking that up.