what was the last good year of mainstream music? (singers, country, Beatles)

[woxyroxme]

I would agree with 1977, disco sucked.

Most of what I like is not mainstream, Arcade Fire, Washed Out, New Pornographers, Real Estate, Beach House, Temples, M83, Air, Doves, Grizzly Bear, Gardens & Villa, Clientele, Film School, Spoon, Elbow, Blonde Redhead, Future Islands, Deerhunter, Yeasayer, Fleet Foxes, Tame Impala, Neon Indian, Besnard Lakes, Helio Sequence, Animal Collective, Pinback, The National, Local Natives, Death From Above 1979, TV On The Radio, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Girls, Wild Nothing, Dismemberment Plan, Hooray For Earth, Interpol, etc.

[Dude111]

I would say 1986 or so........

[CoolZombie]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

And exactly how did you came to this conclusion?

Accidentally wandered over to the Politics and Other Controversies sections (shudders)

[ambient]

Trick question... there has never been a good year of "mainstream music."

[sskink]

Originally Posted by mikebnllnb

I would say good mainstream music met its end in 1980. People's taste started to go south around 1977, but it took 4 years for the crap to totally infiltrate the mainstream.

This link really helps to see the drastic drop in quality music from 80' to 81'
Top 100 Songs Listed by Year

While on the surface your selection appears to be totally random, however, after looking at 1980/81, while 1980 was nothing to be proud of, 1981 does have that "holy crap, this is the end of civilization as we know it," thing going on.

I had no idea a top mainstream songs list from the 80s could be that bad. But I was listening to WLIR back then.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by Super_Rhymes

What would you consider to be the last good year of mainstream music? ....

In the U.S.A., the early 90's.

In other parts of the world popular music continues to be fresh and innovative, and still able to find inspiration and resources from its own culture, as well as outside influences. In the U.S. the music industry has been suckin' up mud from a dead well for almost two decades.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by ambient

Trick question... there has never been a good year of "mainstream music."

Best response yet!

[wawa1992]

I would say about 2006 or so. There's still SOME new good stuff, but it's the exception.

[kat949]

1995.

[spicymeatball]

I was born in 1990 and I would say probably about 2001 or 2002. After then it became too dominated with rap and then the emo and hipster stuff.

I disagree about late 90s music being bad, I actually think it was one of the most fun eras for pop music. I like it better than early 90s music which to me sounds either way too cheesy or kind of tuneless. I think the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Smash Mouth are better than Paula Abdul, Michael Bolton and Winger.