The eighties, the best pop music decade?

[Sloop_Jon_Bee]

Just watched a programme claiming this to be case - i would have said no chance until I started to question my very unflattering opinion of the decade quite recently. I’m still far from convinced it’s the best decade ever, but whenever I listen to my favourite playlist, I’m struck by how many of my favourite songs come from those ten years.

Nowhere near the talent around that was around in 60s and early 70s. And thisis from someone who was 16 in 1980. The new romantic scene was pretty shit, preferred the punk and ska era (i accept the ska era did creep into early 80s) of late 70s to the so called new stuff of the 80s. Still some older bands around in the 80, such as dire straits, moody blues, pink floyd etc. But overall the 80s was not that good at all, and certainly not the best decade.
Spedger

[binman]

Definitely music of today

Nikki Minaj, Lil Naz X, Doja Cat, Arianna Grande, The genius of Ed Sheeran and the 40 other blokes like Lewis Capaldi with guitars telling me how sorry they are and how much they love their partner.

Not forgetting the plethora of drill artists who have a lot of money, weapons and ladies they talk about very quickly in an accent I can't quite make out bless them but I'm sure it's very tough and interesting

Drake makes fantastic nursery rhymes for the mentally under 10s

Plus the the amazing BTS. Such talent - my favourite is the one with blue hair.

What a time to be alive

[Feedback]

The 80s was a great decade for music, especially when you compare to the rubbish that’s been around this century.

behave, there is some real quality around at the moment, never mind this century.

Document
Royal Blood
WH Lung
Working Men's Club
Fontaines DC
The Murder Capital
The OCs
Billy no mates
Black Honey
Porridge Radio
Odd Morris

there's loads, I could be here all day

[Feedback]

Definitely music of today

Nikki Minaj, Lil Naz X, Doja Cat, Arianna Grande, The genius of Ed Sheeran and the 40 other blokes like Lewis Capaldi with guitars telling me how sorry they are and how much they love their partner.

Not forgetting the plethora of drill artists who have a lot of money, weapons and ladies they talk about very quickly in an accent I can't quite make out bless them but I'm sure it's very tough and interesting

Drake makes fantastic nursery rhymes for the mentally under 10s

Plus the the amazing BTS. Such talent - my favourite is the one with blue hair.

What a time to be alive

as above, music has never been so accessible and yet here you are in the wilderness.

[City123]

behave, there is some real quality around at the moment, never mind this century.

Document
Royal Blood
WH Lung
Working Men's Club
Fontaines DC
The Murder Capital
The OCs
Billy no mates
Black Honey
Porridge Radio
Odd Morris

there's loads, I could be here all day

Some top bands there, off to see Porridge Radio at Clwb in the new year

I'd add Cardiff's own Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard to that list, a few of my mates went to Greenman and they blew them away.

[ToTaL ITK]

worst when i comes to the progression of metal and certain areas of production. At the end of the eighties sampling become relatively
cheaper and the 90's saw a boom in independent club and warehouse music.

[adz-a32]

It's to do with youth for a lot of people. I think that it also depends on what was going on at the time both politically and socially.

Yep. Like I view the late 2010s as the best as it was the era of my late teens and some of my early 20s. But I find that I am listening to less new music since the pandemic, whereas just before the pandemic, I was widening my tastes.

So my case seems to match your hypothesis.

[life on mars]

The 80's had so many more independent bands and sounds appear, quite a decade.

[ToTaL ITK]

behave, there is some real quality around at the moment, never mind this century.

Document
Royal Blood
WH Lung
Working Men's Club
Fontaines DC
The Murder Capital
The OCs
Billy no mates
Black Honey
Porridge Radio
Odd Morris

there's loads, I could be here all day

please go on there are some interesting sounds going on there even if some of them are a homage to bands of the past . Joy fall cure etc

[ToTaL ITK]

The 80's had so many more independent bands and sounds appear, quite a decade.

with all respect i was 20 something up in London trying to become a rock star...there was a very small independent scene that i can remember. albeit early 80's

[Optimistic Nick]

It's to do with youth for a lot of people. I think that it also depends on what was going on at the time both politically and socially.

Exactly. It's whatever era we were in when you were a teenager, basically. It's why mid-90s had the best music and my favourite time to be a city fan was 1992-1999. Nothing to do with the actual quality of the music (and certainly not the football) but all to do with how much I enjoyed it anyway

[Whisperer]

I saw Yes at the Capitol on the day West Ham beat Fulham in 1975 Cup Final - got Us and Them and Twenty First Century Schizoid Man on that playlist I mentioned. I went through a mercifully short Mike Sammes Singers and Max Jaffa phase as well and, sadly, my old man, who did get me into Johnny Cash to be fair, was a huge fan of Roger Whittaker and his bloody whistling through much of my teens as well.

My friend Ben has a photo when he was about 5 of him holding up the FA cup….his uncle brought it home straight after the 1975 final and they played for it in the back garden.

[splott parker]

Nothing wrong with calling a wireless a wireless. A television is still a television, a record player is still a record player. It’s the cat’s whiskers

[splott parker]

Oh please, no more

I’d have loved her singing ‘Ave yer gorra loight boy’ & The Singing Postman having a go at Dominica

[the other bob wilson]

My friend Ben has a photo when he was about 5 of him holding up the FA cup….his uncle brought it home straight after the 1975 final and they played for it in the back garden.

That’s great, did he win it?

[Heathblue]

I would always say 70's because of my age, but i do find myself when listening to radio at the moment have the 80's era on most of the time.

[Whisperer]

That’s great, did he win it?

From the way he was smiling I think he probably did Bob.

[Feedback]

Some top bands there, off to see Porridge Radio at Clwb in the new year

I'd add Cardiff's own Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard to that list, a few of my mates went to Greenman and they blew them away.

I've had a listen. good shout

[Feedback]

please go on there are some interesting sounds going on there even if some of them are a homage to bands of the past . Joy fall cure etc

well yes of course, almost all music is influenced by those that went before. Brighton has something going on with Dry Cleaning and Squid adding to those mentioned above. Other bands worth listening to at She Drew the Gun and The Liines. There is loads of quality out there if you look

[CF23 Bluebird]

Just watched a programme claiming this to be case - i would have said no chance until I started to question my very unflattering opinion of the decade quite recently. I’m still far from convinced it’s the best decade ever, but whenever I listen to my favourite playlist, I’m struck by how many of my favourite songs come from those ten years.

The 60s and 70s for me. So many variations, from The Beatles, Motown, Glam Rock and Punk

[ToTaL ITK]

well yes of course, almost all music is influenced by those that went before. Brighton has something going on with Dry Cleaning and Squid adding to those mentioned above. Other bands worth listening to at She Drew the Gun and The Liines. There is loads of quality out there if you look

cheers bud