So something that's always fascinated me about music is how often specific years were saturated with the best of the best; the best artists always happened to have the same "on" and "off" years for albums, etc.
So it got me thinking; what are the best years for music, and further, what is THE best year for music ever?
Well, I managed to narrow it down to ten years. The criteria for these years to constitute the short list include impact, influence, quality of the albums released, number of albums with exceptional acclaim, etc. The ten years are, in chronological order: 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2007, and 2011.
For sake of reference to them, fifteen additional years that constitute the rest of the top twenty-five for me are 1957, 1959, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2002, and 2013.
For me, in the end - and I expected this to be the end result from the beginning, though did actually take the time to weigh my top ten against eachother to confirm it - my choice for the best year for music ever is...
1994
Here are twenty albums from 1994 that I feel justify my choice (I also would like it to be noted that the top 20 section for 1994 on this site is the most perfectly arranged chart on all of BEA):
Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
Blur - Parklife
The Cranberries - No Need to Argue
Green Day - Dookie
Hootie & the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
Nas - Illmatic
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York
The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Oasis - Definitely Maybe
The Offspring - Smash
Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Portishead - Dummy
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Stone Temple Pilots Purple
Weezer - Weezer (The Blue Album)
2Pac - Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
Now, obviously (as with most threads I've made on BEA) I want there to be tremendous discussion about this. "Best year" is possibly the most openly debatable topic possible, as I can state objectively that it is IMPOSSIBLE to empirically determine what individual year is better than all the rest. However, I don't mean for this to be a tournament like BEMV, etc; rather simply a discussion, and if we want, for fun we can tally the votes and try to see what the consensus on the boards is. I expect a lot of disagreement and agreement alike, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Side note: I would've included a poll, but I only get X number of poll options, meaning I either have to A: group years together in sevens or eights, or B: exclude years/groups of years entirely. B is a terrible option and A relies on every single voter then commenting with which specific year they voted for.
Forever Changes by Love _________________ "And can’t you see you’re in on it?
You were born though you need not
And is that not some cause
For worship, being born among these trees?"
^ and Leonard Cohen's debut, as well as the Doors' second album. That year was absurdly good, really.
Very surprised it's not in your top ten when 66 is, and also how 2011 could reach it when 2010 isn't even in your top 25.
It was very hard to pick years. '67 has drifted in and out a lot, I think between 66, 67, 69 and 73 those four are probably spots 8 - 11 on my list and they all flip around eachother. All phenomenal years IMO.
2010 is probably in the next five somewhere. It's a very hard thing for me to decide on. I have a LOT of years for music that I love. 2011 is actually my second favourite year, as it happens. I think that's a lot to do with the fact that it's the year when I really, truly became an album listener.
EDIT: That bit about the four years flipping around eachother can't be true, I probably have 66 as 3rd or 4th. You know what, I'll take the day to rethink that - I did, in all honesty, rush that post a bit - and figure out how I'd actually rank the 25. Now that I look at it, 1973 looks out of place in my top ten.
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
1977 and 2000 and 1994 are my personal picks for best years. I don't wish to elaborate at this time cuz I just am not in the mood, but '77 in terms of debut albums alone is insane (Costello, Television, Clash, Pistols, Damned, Cheap Trick, The Voidoids, etc...). _________________ -Ryan
Man, 1967 was great. I'd also add Easter Everywhere, The Parable Of Arable Land and The Index's debut to that list too.
Edit: ohh and Disraeli Gears too. _________________ "Drink beer, smoke pot, and create something that will storm heaven. That's all I ever really cared about." - Ron House
Blur - 13
Sigur Ros - Ágætis Byrjun
Built to Spill - Keep It Liek A Secret
Wilco - Summerteeth
Ol Dirty Bastard - Nigga Please
Flaming Lips - Soft Bulletin
East River Pipe - Gasoline Age
Mr Bungle - California
Tom Waits - Mule Variations
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Song
The Roots - Things Fall Apart
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Skinny
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