What is your favorite year of music?

[Danny Boy]

Another vote for 1987, for all the reasons NSW listed.

 

[gvox]

1987, absolutely agree.

 

[gvox]

For me it's 1987. And, that's not based on looking at album releases from that year - I am going off of my memories and just knowing I was on cloud 9 all year musically.

Besides the Joshua Tree and Appetite for Destruction, there were new albums from REM, The Cure, The Smiths, Prince, Replacements, Depeche Mode, INXS, Echo and the Bunnymen and more.....just a great year in my life and a lot of this music served as a memorable backdrop.

What this guy said.

 

[mikal]

I'd say 1987, but I was 6 years old. The best songs at the time for me were themes to He-Man and Thundercats. Oh, and Hulk Hogan's theme song.

 

[MrPryck2U]

I'd say 1987, but I was 6 years old. The best songs at the time for me were themes to He-Man and Thundercats. Oh, and Hulk Hogan's theme song.

"When it's comes crashing down and it hurts inside!"

-Coincidentally, the WWF released their first ever music album, Piledriver, that year too.


I was 14/15 years old and started to get into music way more. MTV and radio were playing the shit out of With or Without You, so I couldn't help but get into U2 more. Plus, Sgt. Pepper was celebrating its 20th anniversary, so I was really getting into The Beatles a lot more too.

 

[gvox]

I was graduating high school. And trust me, if grade 12 isn't (one of) your best years for just about everything, you've clearly done it wrong lol

 

[IWasBored]

1997 also produced my favorite guilty pleasure album, Third Eye Blind's debut album. Yes, they suck, and I was 16, but golly.

I hate to admit it, but I'm with you on this one. Out of pure nostalgia, I've still got a soft spot for shitty late 90s radio. I was 14, I didn't really know any better at the time. And I'd throw everclear's so much for the afterglow in that same category as well.

In 1987 I was still listening to Raffi, Peter Paul & Mary and Tom Paxton kids albums

 

[MrPryck2U]

I was graduating high school. And trust me, if grade 12 isn't (one of) your best years for just about everything, you've clearly done it wrong lol

Exactly, that's why I chose 1991 as my favorite year. 87 kicked off HS and 91 ended it. Plus, Fall of 1991 was my first semester of college and that was an awesome time for a number of my favorite bands. (RHCP, GNR, VH, Nirvana, Ozzy and U2 to name a bunch.)

 

[Padj]

I've been doing a thing where I listen to 40-50 albums from a certain year, using a mix of RYM ratings and other sites to choose the albums, then I make a top ten. So far 1987 and 1974 were my favorites. 1987 sure was a great year!
My favorites, in no particular order:

Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs and Stories
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Prince - Sign "☮" the Times
Marc Almond - Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Carlos Paredes - Espelho de Sons
Sonic Youth - Sister
Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me
Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Darklands
R.E.M. - Document
The Connells - Boylan Heights
Death in June - Brown Book
Radio Futura - La canción de Juan Perro
Sumo - After chabón
Swans - Children of God
Thin White Rope - Moonhead
The Housemartins - The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come
INXS - Kick
Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love
Madredeus - Os Dias da MadreDeus

And for 1974:
Neil Young - On the Beach
John Cale - Fear
Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
Rino Gaetano - Ingresso libero
Jorge Ben - A tábua de esmeralda
Sparks - Propaganda
Sparks - Kimono My House
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Roxy Music - Country Life
Zappa / Mothers - Roxy & Elsewhere
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Lucio Battisti - Anima latina
Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night
King Crimson - Red
Big Star - Radio City
Camel - Mirage
Van Morrison - Veedon Fleece
Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic
Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (')
Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties
Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Santana - Lotus

Currently doing 1971. Another great year

 

[gvox]

Substance came out in 87, also. (altho admittedly a compilation of earlier stuff, still..one of my favorite albums ever)

Also:
Music For The Masses
Paid In Full
Yo! Bum Rush The Show
Bad (MJ)
Bad (LL)

 

[lemonfly]

1993/94. U2 - Zooropa, Oasis - Definitely Maybe, Nirvana - In Utero, Prodigy - Music for a Jilted Generation, Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion, Blur - Modern Life is Rubbish/Parklife. Really good shit for entering your early teens.

 

[cobl04]

I think 1991 could give it a run for its money with the likes of:

U2 - Achtung Baby
Nirvana- Nevermind
Pearl Jam - Ten
Soungarden- Badmotorfinger
Guns n Roses - Use Your Illusion I
Guns n Roses - Use Your Illusion II
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
Metallica - Metallica (The Black Album)
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
RHCP - Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik
REM - Out of Time
Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
Tom Petty - Into the Great Wide Open
Stevie Ray Vaughn - The Sky is Crying
Prince & The NPG - Diamonds and Pearls
Pixies - Trompe le Monde
Live - Mental Jewelry
Plus your personal favorite:

Spoiler

Michael jackson - Dangerous

to name a few.

First thought for an answer to the question would be 1991 or 1987, based on years I experienced the music, kind of hard to mention a year in the 60's or early 70's before I was born or was far too young to be entrenched in the music of the time during its time, so I would exclude those personally.

Where is Bryan Adams' Waking Up The Neighbours?

 

[MrPryck2U]

Where is Bryan Adams' Waking Up The Neighbours?

Also forgot the chestnuts by Rod Stewart (Vagabond Heart) and of course Michael Bolton (Time, Love and Tenderness).


If you get stoned enough, Rod's The Motown Song will blow your fuckin' mind.

 

[iron yuppie]

Interestingly enough i'm torn between 2 years a decade apart - 97 for all the reasons Laz posted and 2007 for:

The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Spoon - GaGaGaGaGa
OR - The Stage Names
The National - Boxer
MGMT - oralkdjaf splakdsjflak
LCD Soundsystem - The Sound of Silver
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Kanye - Graduation
Interpol - Our Love to Admire
Iron & Wine
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

I loved a lot of those albums.

A lot of great ones in there. 2007 also had an excellent Bruce album in Magic and one of my favorites of the decade: Raising Sand from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

 

[deep]

1969 and 1971

I'd get carpal tunnel trying to post all the good albums from these two years.

I've been doing a thing where I listen to 40-50 albums from a certain year, using a mix of RYM ratings and other sites to choose the albums, then I make a top ten. So far 1987 and 1974 were my favorites. 1987 sure was a great year!
My favorites, in no particular order:

Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs and Stories
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Prince - Sign "☮" the Times
Marc Almond - Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Carlos Paredes - Espelho de Sons
Sonic Youth - Sister
Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me
Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Darklands
R.E.M. - Document
The Connells - Boylan Heights
Death in June - Brown Book
Radio Futura - La canción de Juan Perro
Sumo - After chabón
Swans - Children of God
Thin White Rope - Moonhead
The Housemartins - The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come
INXS - Kick
Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love
Madredeus - Os Dias da MadreDeus

And for 1974:
Neil Young - On the Beach
John Cale - Fear
Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
Rino Gaetano - Ingresso libero
Jorge Ben - A tábua de esmeralda
Sparks - Propaganda
Sparks - Kimono My House
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Roxy Music - Country Life
Zappa / Mothers - Roxy & Elsewhere
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Lucio Battisti - Anima latina
Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night
King Crimson - Red
Big Star - Radio City
Camel - Mirage
Van Morrison - Veedon Fleece
Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic
Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (')
Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties
Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Santana - Lotus

Currently doing 1971. Another great year

1971 was a very strong year

Marvin Gaye
What's Going On

Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV

The Who
Who's Next

The Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers

Joni Mitchell
Blue

Sly and the Family Stone
There's a Riot Goin' On

David Bowie
Hunky Dory

Carole King
Tapestry

John Lennon
Imagine

The Allman Brothers Band
At Fillmore East

Rod Stewart
Every Picture Tells a Story

T. Rex
Electric Warrior

Janis Joplin
Pearl

The Doors
L.A. Woman

Serge Gainsbourg
Histoire de Melody Nelson

Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate

Funkadelic
Maggot Brain

Jethro Tull
Aqualung

The Beach Boys
Surf's Up

Yes
Fragile

Bob Marley and The Wailers
Soul Revolution/African Herbsman

Alice Cooper
Killer

Black Sabbath
Master of Reality

Isaac Hayes
Shaft

Nilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson

Yes
The Yes Album

Faces
A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...to a Blind Horse

Miles Davis
A Tribute to Jack Johnson

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4 Way Street

Paul and Linda McCartney
Ram

Van der Graaf Generator
Pawn Hearts

Pink Floyd
Meddle

Alice Cooper
Love It to Death

Van Morrison
Tupelo Honey

Miles Davis
Live Evil

The Kinks
Muswell Hillbillies

Gil Scott-Heron
Pieces of a Man

Various Artists
The Concert for Bangladesh

Cat Stevens
Teaser and the Firecat

B.B. King
Live in Cook County Jail

Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Pictures at an Exhibition

Al Green
Al Green Gets Next to You

Traffic
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Santana
Santana III

Don McLean
American Pie

 

[LemonMelon]

I think 1971 is my single favorite year of music, but 1969 tho....

The Beatles - Abbey Road
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I/Led Zeppelin II
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
Johnny Cash - At San Quentin
The Kinks - Arthur
Pharoah Sanders - Karma
The Band - The Band
Sly & The Family Stone - Stand!
The Stooges - The Stooges
Townes Van Zandt - Our Mother the Mountain/Townes Van Zandt
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
Tim Buckley - Happy Sad/Blue Afternoon
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief/Unhalfbricking
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica
The Flying Burrito Bros - The Gilded Palace of Sin
Jethro Tull - Stand Up
Mickey Newbury - Looks Like Rain
Scott Walker - Scott 3/Scott 4
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
Leonard Cohen - Songs From a Room
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bayou Country/Willie and the Poor Boys/Green River
Gal Costa - Gal Costa/Gal
Can - Monster Movie
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air
The Pentangle - Basket of Light
The Soft Machine - Volume Two
Os Mutantes - Mutantes
MC5 - Kick Out the Jams
Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy
Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry
Moody Blues - To Our Children's Children's Children/On the Threshold of a Dream

Creedence was on fucking fire that year, damn.

 

[Hewson]

Where is Bryan Adams Waking Up The Neighbours?

I think he is waking up his neighbors somewhere in Canada (by singing bad movie ballads in the shower.)

 

[Hewson]

I think 1971 is my single favorite year of music, but 1969 tho....

The Beatles - Abbey Road
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I/Led Zeppelin II
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
Johnny Cash - At San Quentin
The Kinks - Arthur
Pharoah Sanders - Karma
The Band - The Band
Sly & The Family Stone - Stand!
The Stooges - The Stooges
Townes Van Zandt - Our Mother the Mountain/Townes Van Zandt
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
Tim Buckley - Happy Sad/Blue Afternoon
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief/Unhalfbricking
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica
The Flying Burrito Bros - The Gilded Palace of Sin
Jethro Tull - Stand Up
Mickey Newbury - Looks Like Rain
Scott Walker - Scott 3/Scott 4
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
Leonard Cohen - Songs From a Room
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bayou Country/Willie and the Poor Boys/Green River
Gal Costa - Gal Costa/Gal
Can - Monster Movie
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air
The Pentangle - Basket of Light
The Soft Machine - Volume Two
Os Mutantes - Mutantes
MC5 - Kick Out the Jams
Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy
Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry
Moody Blues - To Our Children's Children's Children/On the Threshold of a Dream

Creedence was on fucking fire that year, damn.

You seriously just posted a list from 1969 that extensive and didn't mention Tommy?

 

[gvox]

Not to presume to (re)interpret that what the OP asked was "what year of music that you were alive for is your favorite"...but even in re-reading it, he certainly seemed to imply that he was wondering about what year a person was actually around for

What artists/albums/songs/experiences made it great for you?

The use of the "experiences" made it feel like he was looking for more personal of an input than just what year historically had the most quality releases... I mean, I was even alive in 1971 but I was an infant, so I can't really tell you shit about that year. Sure, I'm aware that probably a great many amazing albums were released in that year, but apart from hearing my parents play them they mean very little to me personally, it had nothing to do with my life per se..this is why I said 87, because that is indeed the year of climax of my steadily growing full blown obsession with music of all, and even new, kinds.

Imo it'd be more meaningful to hear what year of music really resonated with each of us personally..(and not meaning to pick on anyone in particular here who may have opted for a more historical approach)

 

[Danny Boy]

I was alive and well in 1987. Better still, I was alive and had a driver's license.

Actually, just wanted to drop in and add The Cult's Electric to albums that made 1987 a great year for me musically.

Agree with NSW that life stage has a lot to do with it, though.

 

[gvox]

That's kinda what I meant, in not so many words.

And I agree on Electric. Oh man that was one of the better albums to blast in the car on the way to school