[Wayner]

The 1980's produced LP's by bands like:

Thomas Dolby
Depesche Mode
Supertramp
Yes
Billy Idol
The Police
The Alan Parsons Project
Roxy Music
Duran Duran
The Fixx
The Clash
The Ramones
Tears for Fears
Chris Rea
Kansas
XTC
The Pat Matheny Group
Andreas Vollenweider
Dire Straights
Even Pink Floyd released a great album in the 80's (Momentary Lapse of Reason).

This is just a short list, folks. This was a fantastic time in rock and roll history. Recording had become a fine art, recording machines were multi-track (64) and also going into the digital domain. Bands were experimenting in great new ways. This is perhaps the most important decade in rock history.

If you want to take about a sad musical decade, go back to the 1970's and think about the Cowsills, Micheal Jackson and Disco. Don McLean wasn't kidding when he wrote the song "Bye Bye Miss American Pie". It took along time to recover from that decade of almost total trash music. There were many good albums released during that period, but IMO, not a good ratio at all.

Wayner

[JoshK]

These types of threads make me laugh.  Its only interesting to see how one thinks and rates things, but there will never be any consensus.

For me, I like the 60's, especially the late 60's (and early 70's) for what it did to influence music that I enjoy so much today (as well as enjoy the 60's music too).  Cream, Hendrix, Led Zep (of course mostly 70's), Joplin, etc. 

70's had a lot of fantastic music, but a lot of crap too (disco?).  Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd's best era IMHO, more Zep, Black Sabbath, on and on...

80's is my least favorite of the last half century, but of course there is some great music here too.  Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, basically some of the best metal was this decade.

Of course there is a special place in my heart for the 90's as this was my coming of age musically (being a teenager and really diving into music wholly).  Radiohead, Nirvanna, just to name two.

I am really enjoying this decade musically too. (alt-country, indie rock, indie pop, on and on).  Its often written off, but to me that is very naive, as this decade has been an evolutionary era in the music industry and the real music is out of the limelight.  Its not really being played on radio stations, but it isn't that hard to find if you are looking for it.

[soundbitten1]

I'd rate the 80's as pretty good to great . It was a time when the term " alternative music " really meant something . Some of the production techniques though were pretty awful and now sound dated .

[zybar]

The 1980's produced LP's by bands like:

Thomas Dolby
Depesche Mode
Supertramp
Yes
Billy Idol
The Police
The Alan Parsons Project
Roxy Music
Duran Duran
The Fixx
The Clash
The Ramones
Tears for Fears
Chris Rea
Kansas
XTC
The Pat Matheny Group
Andreas Vollenweider
Dire Straights
Even Pink Floyd released a great album in the 80's (Momentary Lapse of Reason).

This is just a short list, folks. This was a fantastic time in rock and roll history. Recording had become a fine art, recording machines were multi-track (64) and also going into the digital domain. Bands were experimenting in great new ways. This is perhaps the most important decade in rock history.

If you want to take about a sad musical decade, go back to the 1970's and think about the Cowsills, Micheal Jackson and Disco. Don McLean wasn't kidding when he wrote the song "Bye Bye Miss American Pie". It took along time to recover from that decade of almost total trash music. There were many good albums released during that period, but IMO, not a good ratio at all.

Wayner

In no way was the 70's devoid of good music or needs to be excused!   

Let's see...the 1970's gave us the following:

Rush
Led Zep
Pink Floyd's best
Yes' best
Areosmith
Boston
Fleetwood Mac
Black Sabbath
The Eagles
Deep Purple
Genesis
Bruce Springsteen
Billy Joel
Styx
Queen
David Bowie
Elton John
Kiss
AC/DC
Jethro Tull
ELP

I could go on, but I think I made my point.

George

[Wayner]

I actually lived through all of those decades. I spend many evenings listening to Beaker Street in Little Rock and of course, KQRS in the Twin Cities area. A couple of head banger bands does not define the music of the 80's.

Wayner

[BobM]

I think it's totally a matter of what decade you were in High School. The 60's are winning because there's a bunch of old phuckers on this site.

I vote the 70's (graduated HS in 1977).

Enjoy,
Bob

[Wayner]

Zybar,

I'm not trashing the 70's era of music. There is alot of it in my collection. I have all of the albums by bands you have mentioned. I'm saying the 80's had quite a few nice suprise bands that should not be dismissed so easily as trash, either.

Wayner

[JoshK]

A couple of head banger bands does not define the music of the 80's.

Agreed, but those bands you listed aren't my cupa tea mostly (except for maybe APP, PF).  To each their own.

I think it's totally a matter of what decade you were in High School. The 60's are winning because there's a bunch of old phuckers on this site.

Exactly!  Which is why the '90s are it for me ('93).

[Wayner]

Good point Bob.

I graduated in '72 and grew up on all of that music. I just don't really want to listen to them much anymore. Too much Led Zepplin.

Wayner

[PeteG]

I agree with George. Most people would be surprised at all the good albums that came out at the very end of the 70’s. Here’s an idea, for those who have a squeezebox go to the “year” and see what you have from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.   

BTW, which one is the worst year, I know we have a few years to go for the 2000’s but to me it has really sucked for music.

[Mag]

In no way was the 70's devoid of good music or needs to be excused!   

Let's see...the 1970's gave us the following:

Rush
Led Zep
Pink Floyd's best
Yes' best
Areosmith
Boston
Fleetwood Mac
Black Sabbath
The Eagles
Deep Purple
Genesis
Bruce Springsteen
Billy Joel
Styx
Queen
David Bowie
Elton John
Kiss
AC/DC
Jethro Tull
ELP

I could go on, but I think I made my point.

George
[/quote]

Some additional bands:

Judas Priest
Kraftwerk
Tangerine Dream
Vangelis
Gary Numan
Rainbow
Grand Funk


New Age/Electronic music was defined in the '70s. Today's stuff (hip hop/techno) for the most part hasn't surpassed the creativity of the 70's early 80's. The '80's improved on electronic music due to advancements in synth. technology.

Hard Rock/Heavy Metal is losing the great guitar soloists of the '70's to power chords. Some of the Greats are still around but they're getting old, with very few upstarts filling their shoes.

[jimdgoulding]

60'S FOR ROCK, JAZZ, FOLK.  50'S FOR R&B.

[JLM]

Wayner,

Your 80's list confirms my lack of interest in that decade.  Most of them I could easy live without, the others (that I own) established their sound in the 70s and added little original material afterwards.  BTW I graduated two years after you and although I voted for the 50s, the huge volume of good/groundbreaking jazz, pop, and rock extended into the 60s.

The whole question of "best" can be answered in a number of different ways.

[ecramer]

The 1980's produced LP's by bands like:

Thomas Dolby
Depesche Mode
Supertramp
Yes
Billy Idol
The Police
The Alan Parsons Project
Roxy Music
Duran Duran
The Fixx
The Clash
The Ramones
Tears for Fears
Chris Rea
Kansas
XTC
The Pat Matheny Group
Andreas Vollenweider
Dire Straights
Even Pink Floyd released a great album in the 80's (Momentary Lapse of Reason).

This is just a short list, folks. This was a fantastic time in rock and roll history. Recording had become a fine art, recording machines were multi-track (64) and also going into the digital domain. Bands were experimenting in great new ways. This is perhaps the most important decade in rock history.

If you want to take about a sad musical decade, go back to the 1970's and think about the Cowsills, Micheal Jackson and Disco. Don McLean wasn't kidding when he wrote the song "Bye Bye Miss American Pie". It took along time to recover from that decade of almost total trash music. There were many good albums released during that period, but IMO, not a good ratio at all.

Wayner

In no way was the 70's devoid of good music or needs to be excused!   

Let's see...the 1970's gave us the following:

Rush
Led Zep
Pink Floyd's best
Yes' best
Areosmith
Boston
Fleetwood Mac
Black Sabbath
The Eagles
Deep Purple
Genesis
Bruce Springsteen
Billy Joel
Styx
Queen
David Bowie
Elton John
Kiss
AC/DC
Jethro Tull
ELP

I could go on, but I think I made my point.

George

I think i have 2 of those bands in my collection the rest are the reason i stopped my musical journey for quite a while. It was not to the late 90 that that i stared to hear stuff i liked mostly on college radio I will take the White stripes or Sleater-kinney anyday

ed

[mcullinan]

Besides the Grateful Dead.. The 70s had:
Sex Pistols
Clash
AC/DC
Talking Heads
Elvis Costello (when he was good)
Not the best era.. not the worst either

[mjosef]

Weather Report
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Return to forever
Headhunters
Fela
Parliament/Funkadelic/Bootsy Rubber Band
Isaac Haynes
Sly & the Family Stone
Al Green
Stevie WOnder
...and all the other funk/fusion bands of that era.
The 70's was a thrilling time for 'modern' music...I wuz there...

[mvwhiting_83]

70's Zeppelin, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Whitesnake
80's Whitesnake, Van Halen, Depeche Mode

It's very difficult to choose bewtween the two.

[S Clark]

1830's
Most of Chopin's major work, Berlioz, Shumann, Mendelssohn, and the emergence of Lizst.  I suspect that few of the artist of the last 50 years will have much of a following 180 years from now.

[richidoo]

1900-1910 because most of the romantic/20th century transition composers were at their peak, and jazz was getting started.

1820s gave us Beethoven and Shubert.

1950's American music really blossomed. Jazz peaked, classical still strong, Rock born.

[nathanm]

Whatever decade the music you like was recorded in is the best.