This is saying a lot considering I spent the entire 12th and 13th years of my life listening to 104.1 The Hawk: Stockton-Modesto's Classic Rock! I went through a phase where the 70s didn't make any sense at all- not in a critical or enjoyable manner. The 70s have become a close second this summer. Following the modern music scene has been apart of this love for 70s music.
You see, I hate the majority of bands making 80s-throwback music right now. The 80s were OK. The 60s were Prolific. The 70s have been looked at as a crappy decade. What does 70s music have that couldn't be done in the 60s yet paved the way for the 80s? Who do we look at? Led Zeppelin? Pink Floyd? David Bowie? Which albums were the best? Now: I HAVE ANSWERS.
If you don't feel like reading this entire post, here's a simple formula to sum things up:
Steely Dan x Fleetwood Mac = The 70s
I think these 2 bands are truly The Most 70s Bands of the 70s. Not necessarily the best, nor the most popular. But their work within the decade summarizes what could have only be done in the 70s. Pop songs with actual jazz chords, folky electric guitar leads, unique vocal melodies, shiny keyboard solos and a whole lot of cocaine!
Lots of amazing artists won't be mentioned in this post. To clarify some future arguments, there is a LONG list of 70s artists I have nothing against. I started making one, but it went too long. Seriously, ask me about most any 70s artist not mentioned here and I'll have an answer. Everyone from Elton John to Herbie Hancock. Everything from P-Funk to Can. I have developed strong opinions.
Fact is, it's easier for artists to make more cohesive albums as time goes on. It was a true challenge to make a thoughtfully structured, pieced-together "album" back then. (By the way, you should google a Brian Wilson interview where he claims The Beatles' Rubber Soul was the first "album" ever made). A couple months ago, my favorite music critic Anthony Fantano challenged his fans to "try listening to a rap album from before 2010." This is hilarious, because it's true. Most people I talk rap music with doesn't know much about what happened before Kanye West-- nor the many artists he samples. Anyways, it's been a fun summer for me to re-explore the past; not as the classic rock radio lover I used to be, but with an understanding of musical production progress in the 70s.
Instead of my original plan to write 3000 words worth of unreadale stuff, I made a 16-seed bracket of what were probably the best albums of the 70s. If you don't know the artists from any of the albums listed below, I recommend google-ing them.
Here's a list of 70s albums that almost made my extremely nerdy 70s albums bracket tourney:
Super Close to Making the Tourney
The Wall, Who's Next, Low, Unknown Pleasures, Another Green WorldFact is, it's easier for artists to make more cohesive albums as time goes on. It was a true challenge to make a thoughtfully structured, pieced-together "album" back then. (By the way, you should google a Brian Wilson interview where he claims The Beatles' Rubber Soul was the first "album" ever made). A couple months ago, my favorite music critic Anthony Fantano challenged his fans to "try listening to a rap album from before 2010." This is hilarious, because it's true. Most people I talk rap music with doesn't know much about what happened before Kanye West-- nor the many artists he samples. Anyways, it's been a fun summer for me to re-explore the past; not as the classic rock radio lover I used to be, but with an understanding of musical production progress in the 70s.
Instead of my original plan to write 3000 words worth of unreadale stuff, I made a 16-seed bracket of what were probably the best albums of the 70s. If you don't know the artists from any of the albums listed below, I recommend google-ing them.
Here's a list of 70s albums that almost made my extremely nerdy 70s albums bracket tourney:
Super Close to Making the Tourney
Personal Faves
Fear of Music, Tapestry, After the Gold Rush, Aja, My Aim Is True, Loaded
Mandatory Honorable Mention
Marquee Moon, Pink Flag, Singles Going Steady, Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, Tago Mago, Plastic Ono Band, Neu!
And here's my extremely nerdy 70s albums bracket tourney... brought to you by challonge.com, a website made for stuff like this!
The Bracket
I could listen to Rumours, Hell Freezes Over (I know but the songs were released in the 70s), and the Guess Who greatest hits CD every day of my life and never get tired of it. I strongly disagree with your chart, but I imagine that won't bother you much.
ReplyDeleteLove you!