Did the 60s produce the best band in terms of showmanship, creativity, and longevity? I'm mainly thinking of The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones. All those folks were innovative for their time and attracted numerous fans. Which decade do you believe produced the best band?
Mulcahy Messages: 38 Registered: May 2021 Location: Queens, NY
Baron
I nominate the 60s. Love The Beatles' song variety. The Kinks and early Stones are great. But compared to 60s music I've heard, 70s songs sound more interesting to me.
Rusty Messages: 1153 Registered: May 2018 Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
Different genres of music have "golden era's" for me. For Jazz, the late 40's through the 60's I prefer. It's just maintaining now it seems, nothing very innovative. Rock I've liked from the beginning to around the 90's, when grunge became popular. Downer rock I've characterized it. Nothing real compelling since. Reggae really hit it's stride in the 70's I think and started to devolve in the 80's on with dancehall and the influx of hip-hop. Country, the 40's till the 60's get my attention. What passes today I can't hack. Whiny schlock. Blues is timeless but goes through era's of resurgence and decline. There was a nice resurgence in the late 70's that's mostly turned into blues rock now. I call it too much cream in the coffee.
Rap and hip-hop, I don't even want to go there. I will say that early rap sounds almost quaint to the ugly, mean spirited stuff the hip-hop sound seems.
Strum Drum Messages: 229 Registered: November 2017
Master
If you're counting showmanship, then no era can beat the 80s. Have you guys forgotten about glam metal? Those bands weren't comprised of musical geniuses, but they sure put on a wild show. I know that KISS had a career that spanned decades, but I thought their 80s era was the best.
Mulcahy Messages: 38 Registered: May 2021 Location: Queens, NY
Baron
To add to the 80s, it was a solid decade for college and indie radio. Besides metal bands, the stations played alternative (don't like that term) bands who were middle or early career and are mostly considered mainstream now. I'm thinking of REM, the Replacements, the Smiths, other pre-grunge musicians.
I'll have to go with the 60's in terms of talent, longevity and influence. Every major band that started in that era that heavily influenced the coming generations, are still around in one form or another.