1971

[MrBrau1]

Che and I were playing some nice music tonite.

When I realised something and ran with it.

1971.

The greatest year in rock music?

If it was New Years Eve, 1971, and I was playing an 8 track mix of the best tunes from the year, I'd have possibly the greatest 1 year mix tape(s) ever.

Check it out:

David Bowie: Changes
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
The Faces: Stay With Me
T.Rex: Bang A Gong
The Who: Won't Get Fooled Again
Harry Nilsson: Coconut
Badfinger: Day After Day
MC5: Baby Won't Ya
Carley Simon: Anticipation
The Rolling Stones: Brown Sugar
Led Zeppelin: Rock and Roll
John Lennon: Oh Yoko!
Badfinger: Baby Blue
Rod Stewart: Maggie May
Harry Nilsson: Without You
David Bowie: Life On Mars
MC5: Sister Anne
John Lennon: Imagine
Don McLean: American Pie
The Rolling Stones: Wild Horses
The Doors: LA Woman
Elton John: Tiny Dancer
Funkadelic:You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks
Pink Floyd: Fearless
T.Rex: Jeepster
Joni Mitchell: Carey
Led Zeppelin: Black Dog
The Who: Baba O'Riley
Elton John: Levon
Janis Joplin:Levon Me and Bobby McGee
Black Sabbath: Sweet Leaf
Marvin Gaye: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

For fucks sake. I'm probably missing a ton of shit as well. Did Dylan release in 71? I know I left off "Stairway To Heaven". That's a list of great tunes. Imagine that, hearing all those songs while they were less than a year old?

Someone name a better year.

 

[Zoots]

Someone name a better year.

1991

 

[MrBrau1]

Re: Re: 1971

1991

That was next on my mind.

Make a list.

We'll compare.

 

[mandy1973]

I was going to say 1991 too

 

[Screwtape2]

Perhaps 1968, Brau. Probably more from the events of that year than the tunes but still.

Though you can't go wrong with 1971.
The Yes Album and Meddle. Pure prog rock.

 

[MrBrau1]

Or 1987.

Sadly, there is no R&B to match Marvin Gaye.

It's an art form that's gone to complete shit.

No, Rap/Hip Hop doesn't count.

Great R&B: RIP.

 

[MrBrau1]

Perhaps 1968, Brau. Probably more from the events of that year than the tunes but still.

Though you can't go wrong with 1971.
The Yes Album and Meddle. Pure prog rock.

I missed that Yes record.

Another notch for '71

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

1978 Albums:

Darkness on the Edge of Town
The Kick Inside
Parallel Lines
Give 'Em Enough Rope
All Mod Cons
Jesus of Cool
This Years Model

Singles:
'Baker Street'
'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight'
'Ever Fallen In Love?'
'I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea'
'If The Kids Are United'
'Sultans of Swing'
'Teenage Kicks'

and of course the #1 reason why 1978 was awesome:

'White Man In Hammersmith Palais'

 

[Screwtape2]

Thinking about, Nursery Cryme by Genesis came out in 1971. King Crimson and Gentle Giant also had releases that year, I think. Damn, that year was like prog rock heaven.

1971

 

[Zoots]

Re: Re: Re: 1971

1991

U2 - Achtung Baby
Pearl Jam - Ten
Nirvana - Nevermind
Metallica - Black Album
REM - Out Of Time
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Bryan Adams - Waking Up The Neighbours
Paula Abdul - Spellbound
Guns n Roses - Use Your Illusion I & II
INXS - X
Michael Jackson - Dangerous
The KLF - White Room
Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Prince - Diamonds And Pearls
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Seal - Seal
Spin Doctors - Pocketful Of Kryptonite

Can't think of anything else right now

 

[MrBrau1]

Give me timeless songs.

What came out in 1991 that matches or beats "What's Going On" or "Imagine" or "Tiny Dancer" or "Rock N Roll."

This will be hard.

I actually don't think it can be done.

 

[Axver]

Someone name a better year.

1999.

Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Anathema - Judgement
Agalloch - Pale Folklore
Opeth - Still Life
Dream Theater - Metropolis Part II: Scenes From A Memory
Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe
Jakob - Jakob

That's what I call a spectacular year in music. The first three are in my top six albums of all time.

 

[intedomine]

1996

Spice - Spice Girls
Come On Ride The Train (Come Ride It) - Quad City DJ's
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison

 

[1stepcloser]

T.Rex: Bang A Gong

it's, T-Rex - Get It On



Bloody Americans...

 

[LMP]

1969 was great too.

But 1971 is the best for the exact same reasons Brau mentioned.

1984 was great for pop music.

1991 was amazing.

2006 was my favorite year of this decade for music, and it looks like 2007 will be even better.

 

[bayernfc]

1978 Albums:

Darkness on the Edge of Town
The Kick Inside
Parallel Lines
Give 'Em Enough Rope
All Mod Cons
Jesus of Cool
This Years Model

Singles:
'Baker Street'
'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight'
'Ever Fallen In Love?'
'I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea'
'If The Kids Are United'
'Sultans of Swing'
'Teenage Kicks'

and of course the #1 reason why 1978 was awesome:

'White Man In Hammersmith Palais'

Agreed 100%!

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Prog rock!!

Length does not automatically equal greatness.

(This is true for many things in life. )

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

Did Dylan release in 71?

He released the album New Morning in '71. Not one of his most notable albums for sure, but it features "If Not For You" and one of my favorite lesser-known Dylan tunes, "The Man In Me" (best known for its appearance in The Big Lebowski, probably, though also covered by the Clash).

I had no idea that '71 was that good of a year. I can't think of a better year off the top of my head, though if I did, I'd guess it certainly wouldn't be too recent. 1987 featured the release of two of my favorite albums, The Joshua Tree and the Pixies' Come On Pilgrim, but I'd have to do more research on that before I could give a better answer.

Edit: '87 was a very good year for music, but still doesn't compare to '71

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_in_music

 

[jimmmm]

1977

Albums;

Low, Heroes - the one & only DAVID BOWIE
The Idiot, Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
In Your Mind - Bryan Ferry
The Stranglers 4 Rattus Norvegicus - The Stranglers
The Clash - The Clash
Never Mind The Bollocks... - The Pistols
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Peter Gabriel - The first Peter Gabriel


Singles

Heroes, Sound & Vision - BOWIE
Pretty Vacant - The Pistols
White Riot, Complete Control, - The Clash
Something Better Change - The Stranglers
I Feel Love, Down Deep Inside - Donna Summer
This Is Tomorrow, Tokyo Joe - Bryan Ferry
Oxygene pt4 - Jean Michel Jarre
Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon(Definetly the best Bond theme ever)

 

[GibsonGirl]

Prog rock!!

Length does not automatically equal greatness.

(This is true for many things in life. )

Oh look, someone who doesn't understand what progressive rock is about. Moving on. 1971 was a great year. 1979 wasn't too bad either. Albums released in '79:

Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Clash - London Calling
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Supertramp - Breakfast In America
The Police - Reggatta De Blanc
Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door
The Who - The Kids Are Alright

Some good singles released that year as well in a variety of genres. Disco, on the whole, sucked a lot, but who can forget I Will Survive (technically '78 but it was released late in the year), Tragedy or Voulez-Vous?



1977 is another favourite year. Great albums released in '77.

Pink Floyd - Animals
Television - Marquee Moon
Queen - News Of The World
David Bowie - Low
Supertramp - Even In The Quietest Moments
The Clash - The Clash
Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
The Alan Parsons Project - I Robot

Etc. The 70s were just fantastic in general.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Punk was invented to kill off prog rock. That's all I need to know

 

[GibsonGirl]

Punk was invented to kill off prog rock. That's all I need to know

That's a rather silly reason to dismiss an entire genre of music.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I have two words:

Rick. Wakeman.



'nuff said.

 

[LMP]

Punk was invented to kill off prog rock. That's all I need to know

I thought it was anti-everything.

Apples and oranges I say.

 

[1stepcloser]

Punk was invented to kill off prog rock. That's all I need to know

I like the fact that when Malcolm McLaren first spotted Johnny Rotten when the sex pistols were being formed, Rotten was wearing an 'I hate pink floyd' t-shirt. I find that mildly amusing.

However, that kind of t-shirt won't go down particularly well on this message board

 

[GibsonGirl]

Do you know what I find mildly amusing? The Sex Pistols only wrote one album and it isn't even any good. The Clash were about a million times better than the Sex Pistols. And so were Pink Floyd. Believe it or not, it is possible to enjoy punk and progressive rock at the same time!!!!111!

blueeyedgirl, not all progressive rock sounds like Yes. In fact, most prog rock bands are drastically (and I mean DRASTICALLY) different from one another. If you are basing your disdain for the genre on one keyboard player, then I really don't know what to say.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

One keyboard player? Hey I can dismiss entire genres of music for less!!!!

 

[1stepcloser]

I've been enjoying quite a bit of Pink Floyd of late actually, it's a lot better than most of the 3 chord punk bands that came out in the late 70's. However, there are times when the progressiveness of it just annoys me. I.e. Time by Pink Floyd, fantastic song, but does it really need those first 2 and half minutes?

Anyway, this has kinda meandered off topic...

 

[GibsonGirl]

Anyway, this has kinda meandered off topic...

Yeah, I know, sorry about that. That initial (completely off topic) post about prog rock just peeved me off because progressive rock is NOT about song length. It's also not about being arrogant or showing off. But anyway, if you're enjoying the Floyd but are turned off by the 'progressive' sound effects, you should check out 1972's Obscured By Clouds. Fantastic album with beautiful melodies. Probably their most un-prog album. "Wot's...Uh The Deal", "Childhood's End" and "Free Four" are brilliant.



Back on topic. 1967 was great. Some albums:

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
The Doors - The Doors
The Doors - Strange Days
Cream - Disraeli Gears

Lots of fantastic singles from that year as well. Here's just a few.

The Doors - Light My Fire
The Beatles - Baby You're A Rich Man
Pink Floyd - Arnold Layne
Pink Floyd - See Emily Play
Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair
The Who - I Can See For Miles
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (I'm personally not a fan of this song or this genre, but I recognise its importance to music in general)
Aretha Franklin - Respect (see above)

 

[Bono's shades]

1967 was an amazing year, and not just because a baby who would someday be known as Bono's shades entered the world!

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield
The Doors - The Doors
Up, Up and Away - The Fifth Dimension
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
The Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead
The Velvet Underground and Nico - The Velvet Underground
Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Absolutely Free - The Mothers of Invention
The Sound of Wilson Pickett - Wilson Pickett
Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
Buffalo Springfield Again - Buffalo Springfield
It Must Be Him - Vikki Carr
Disraeli Gears - Cream
Strange Days - The Doors
United - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Alice's Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie
Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight and the Pips
Forever Changes - Love
Blowin' Your Mind! - Van Morrison
Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Procol Harum - Procol Harum
Their Satanic Majesties Request - Rolling Stones
The Who Sell Out - The Who