Your favorite year for music

[MyLastView]

What was your favorite year in music?

Mine was 2004. To me, everything was so fresh. It's the year I bought my first album (Liz Phair's self-titled). Plus, I bought Ashlee Simpson and JoJo's debut albums. It was a fun year for music and it was just amazing. I really do miss it. I want every year to be like 2004.

Your's?

[oscillations.]

I got into music for real around 1998, so that's a very positive, prolific year in my mind. I had The Box, so I was exposed to every type of music, from both the uber-popular to the obscure ends of the fame spectrum, at a pretty young age. So Bjork and Madonna and Junkie XL all seemed cool in book. It was a formative, influential period for me. It seems so strange that I did have that opportunity, but I'm thankful for it, as it helped shaped the ecclectic musical taste I still have. I feel bad for kids growing up with MTV and MTV2 now. I suggest they find VH1 Classic on their dials as soon as possible.

I'm pretty sure that whatever year you venture into music will seem like the best, regardless of how others perceive it. I don't know that many people that think 1998 was that wonderful, but it will always be special to me.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

In terms of liking stuff that was current and popular, 1994-1996 (emphasis on 96) was my favourite year.

In terms of buying albums, 2004 was a great year for me in which a lot of albums I got that year I really enjoyed compared to any other year in which only a handful have made it. I don't know why though. I guess I had more patience for full CDs in 2004 for some reason.

However, the way I look at it now, the present year will always be my favourite because I can always listen to my favourites from years past in addition to my favourites from now. Back in 1996, my favourite songs from the next 10 years didn't exist so there was limited selection.

[halo19]

Actually, oscillations., that was one year that really drew me into music as well. I have so many turning points as a music fan, though. But during 1998, there was a lot of amazing albums that came out that I still like even now. It was where my taste began to expand. I started liking some of the lite alternative rock and hip-hop songs that I tended to hear, as well as the sugary pop I had already enjoyed. I even briefly began getting into more electronic stuff toward the end of the year, enjoying tracks from artists like Fatboy Slim, and what the Cardigans were doing at that time. VAST, my favorite artist, debuted with an outstanding album and music video (for "Pretty"), although I would not discover that of them for another couple years and the album for another couple or so. There were great creative times for Air, Garbage, OutKast, Massive Attack, Madonna, and the Smashing Pumpkins, many of those cases being the artist's peak. Even Korn were great and got a well-deserved breakthrough, even if it unfortunately brought a result that turned out for the worse. Hey, even hip-hop then was way better than it is now. In fact, I listened to more rhythmic-leaning stuff at the time, suprising as that may seem. I mean, listen to Lauryn Hill, DMX, Big Pun and Jay-Z (and OutKast, already noted) around that time, as compared to well, Dem Franchize Boyz and Young Jeezy.

I hated a lot of stuff at the time, but for me as a listener, 2000 was another year of great growth. I had started listening to a lot more rock and industrial stuff that's closer to what I listen to now and The Fragile by NIN totally brought me where I had never been before. Then, as time went by, 2001-2003 was my indie-happy peak. 2004 was when I started listening to more edgy and hardcore stuff along with what I generally listen to. I actually enjoyed a lot of what the radio played at that time.

[John77]

This is a good question... I can think of about 3 different years I really liked: 1983, 1989 and 1998... 2002 wasn't too bad either.

[popmusicaddict]

1992, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005

And your champion....2005. 2005 is when I really got obsessed with music. 92 was my classic hip hop dance year. 1998 is when I last payed much attention to music, went through a dark period of music from 98-02. 02 got me back with alot of rock, 04 got me really into learning all the new pop era artists out there, lot of em made me like Pop as I was mainly into rock/rap before then. And 2005 was just pure pop personification for me, so many hits by great artists...after 2005 I was hooked on the mainstream as well as my favorite artist lol.

[John77]

'98's getting A LOT of love... can't say I'm too surprised! :)

[oscillations.]

halo20 said:

Actually, oscillations., that was one year that really drew me into music as well. I have so many turning points as a music fan, though. But during 1998, there was a lot of amazing albums that came out that I still like even now. It was where my taste began to expand. I started liking some of the lite alternative rock and hip-hop songs that I tended to hear, as well as the sugary pop I had already enjoyed. I even briefly began getting into more electronic stuff toward the end of the year, enjoying tracks from artists like Fatboy Slim, and what the Cardigans were doing at that time. VAST, my favorite artist, debuted with an outstanding album and music video (for "Pretty"), although I would not discover that of them for another couple years and the album for another couple or so. There were great creative times for Air, Garbage, OutKast, Massive Attack, Madonna, and the Smashing Pumpkins, many of those cases being the artist's peak. Even Korn were great and got a well-deserved breakthrough, even if it unfortunately brought a result that turned out for the worse. Hey, even hip-hop then was way better than it is now. In fact, I listened to more rhythmic-leaning stuff at the time, suprising as that may seem. I mean, listen to Lauryn Hill, DMX, Big Pun and Jay-Z (and OutKast, already noted) around that time, as compared to well, Dem Franchize Boyz and Young Jeezy.

Yup! I listened to all the stuff you listed there, too, at that time. In fact, I remember my first experience as a fan of left-field music occuring when I went to the record store & discovering they didn't carry Gran Turismo. I actually thought there was some mistake & I asked them if they were just sold out. And that's when I learned the bitter lesson that would repeat itself over & over throughout the rest of my life: most of what I listen to will not be easily available to purchase. Luckily, that changed when I started buying online. But, before that, I had to order imports (& sometimes still do). And yeah, I remember the VAST video. I even remember Market (remember them???) who apparently disbanded the same year. So, maybe it really was a good year for music & I'm not alone in thinking so. Air, Garbage, Outkast, Sneaker Pimps...I got into all of them in 1998. I think it's beautiful that I was spared the unkind separatism that I would later realize is a part of the music industry. To me, there were no boundaries on what should be allowed to be played side by side. The concept of "format" was one that escaped me, thanks to the Box. (WHAT A GREAT CHANNEL, SERIOUSLY! The people controlled it, not the corporations.) I agree, even mainstream rap seemed better then. Remember "Ghetto Superstar"? I still love that track! There hasn't been a year since where I've able to turn on MTV/MTV2/VH1/whatever and actually sit there & enjoy almost every video. That was the case in those days. I miss them. :(

[halo19]

"Ghetto Superstar", that was totally my JAM! back in the day. :) I still love it today as well. There were even albums by artists like P.J. Harvey (altho I like all I know from her), Stabbing Westward, and I'm not really a Marilyn Manson fan, but Mechanical Animals was a totally awesome record. There was a period from 2000-2002 that I was really into Gravity Kills and I still think Perversion is quite good. Not a common favorite, but I thought Feeling Strangely Fine by Semisonic was a solid pop-rock album the whole way through. I remembered when I watched MTV and did not have to wait for the late night/early morning to watch videos, but I would've never seen them had that been the case. Then, because of how the networks are designed and other choices, I've become more an insomniac in recent days.

[oscillations.]

hahaha

I liked Mechanical Animals, too - and get this - those videos made it to TRL! Top 5!
As did Hole!
Garbage!
Fiona Apple!

ARGH

I miss old TRL...the half-hour version & the first 6 months of the version we have now

[Chato]

I thought about this very often , but couldn't really figure out a way to authentically compare each of the last 30-40 years against all others. There are several reasons why I think this is so hard to do.
Of course I wasn't around in the 60s-80s and my interest in music didn't really get serious until 2000. So even if there were many great releases in 1971 I cannot really say that it's one of my favorite years in music as I wasn't even alive back then.
Another problem is to find the right criteria to compare each year to the others, it could be what was popular, it could be how many great records came out in a certain year (more and lesser known releases) or it could be personal memories I associate with the music I listened to during a period of time.
So there would be different winners for me.
Best Years in popular music: 1992-1996
Years with best overall releases: 1971 , 1989 , 1991 , 1993-96 , 2001 , 2005/06
Favorite years for personal reasons: 1993/94 , 2000-02.

So the overall winners might be 1993 and 1994.

[Jay D83]

1992 - 2000 - Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, TLC, Destiny's Child, Babyface etc.

2004 - FeFe Dobson, Michelle Branch, and my new obsession with Rock music, of the 80s.

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

1997 and 1998. It's hard for me to decide.

1997 because of Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Aqua, Spice Girls, Ma$e, Celine Dion

1998 because of Madonna, Gloria Estefan

[babyboylrtm]

2001-2002 were AWESOME!

Nellyville, This Is Me Then, J.Lo, Britney, Glitter , Let Go, Missundaztood, Laundry Service, J To Tha L-o!, Justified, etc.

[Pulse]

I have to agree on 1998 too. Also loved Ghetto Superstar. Others songs I loved that year...

I Will Buy You A New Life - Everclear
Jumper - Third Eye Blind
How's It Going To Be - Third Eye Blind
Lately - Divine
From This Moment On - Shania Twain
Celebrity Skin - Hole
The Way - Fastball
Closing Time - Semisonic
Power of Goodbye - Madonna
The First Night - Monica

[damnnnitzzjohn]

Late 90s-early 00s were the best. and everyone know sthat

98-04

[when the pawn...]

1995-1996 was great because it was Alanis's domination. But my favorite year for pop music was without a doubt 1998. Every year since 02 (maybe excluding 05) has been great however.

[britneyrules]

Well I actually wanna say 1999. Right when Britney, NSYNC, BSB came out. They really drew me into the world of pop music.

It alos helped that S Club 7 & A*Teens were getting Nickelodeon play, lest we forget the spice girls.

I wanna agree with 98 also too and 2004, because 04 gave me my first taste of Brooke Hogan (ahhhh *sings Everything To Me*)

[Deleted]

For many people, their favorite year of music is when they are about 14-19 years old. Certainly the case with me.

[oscillations.]

Mine was when I was 13, I guess (1998). I remember worrying in 1999 if things were going downhill (they were).
Indeed, music offered via major media outlets has let me down time and time again since 2000 (when I was 15). 2005 was (surprisingly) somewhat of an improvement. This year has been pretty staid mainstream-wise, but there were lots of great lesser-known acts releasing albums in 2006. The 2000's are such a joke, it's really depressing. Talk about simulated culture.

[Positive Tension]

I didn't really follow music or listen to the radio until 2004. :x But I've listened to a lot of popular music over the 90s-2000s.

My favorite era in terms of music was 1995-1996. Alanis, Shania, Celine, Mariah, Hootie and the Blowfish, Jewel, Donna Lewis, and many others made many unforgettable songs that sound better than most stuff today.

[tico]

1985

[derek]

This is hard to decide! Well, I didn't REALLY listen to the radio until 2001...but I started liking the whole teen-pop thing back in 2000.

Here's a rundown:

2000 - Britney, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, a few others I listened to on TRL and CD.
2001 - the 3 above + the R&B that started creeping on radio this year.
2002 - DJ Sammy was a highlight this year for me.
2003 - WORST year, music wise...all the #1's sounded mediocre during the first 3 quarters. But then Britney woke us up at the VMA's and everyone went Beyonce crazy!
2004 - This was a GOOD year. YEAH! and Britney had her rise again. The summer reminded me of summer of 1999 with releases from brand new pop artists that hit it big (Ashlee and Jojo)...the end of the year sorta dragged with Over and Over and My Boo, but heated up at the VERY end with SUBG.
2005 - AWESOME year. Mariah was the queen, Green Day were the kings and Kelly was the princess. Hollaback Girl and DHT were summer ANTHEMS!
2006 - I payed attention most to this year. ALOT of "VH1 You Outta Know" artists made it big (Natasha, James Blunt, Daniel Powter, The Fray, Hinder, and others had minor hits). Hot club-bangin beats SOS, Temperature. Hips and Promiscuous paired with eachother and ruled the summer, with a VARIETY of hits playing on the airwaves. The rock bands made it big during the last quater Hinder and Nickelback. Justen RULED the last quarter with another sexy club-banger.


After all that analysis...I'd have to say 2004.

[John77]

alanismariahmadonn said:

My favorite era in terms of music was 1995-1996. Alanis, Shania, Celine, Mariah, Hootie and the Blowfish, Jewel, Donna Lewis, and many others made many unforgettable songs that sound better than most stuff today.

Yeah, that was a VERY nice era indeed... a lot of my favorite GOLD tracks are from that era... it also produced No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom" and also the Cardigans huge hit, "Lovefool"...

[dperkins]

From November of 03 to November of 04. Thats when Try This came out and In The Zone. Then in 04 Destiny Fulfilled came out with L.A.M.B and Breakaway!

[unicorns]

1998 is definitely my favorite. 1999, 1997, 1996, and 2000 would also be up there.

[dperkins]

So far...2007 is shaping up to be fantastic!

[Player211]

My favorite year was 2003. Outkast's "Hey Ya", Beyonce's "Crazy in Love," Justin's "Cry Me a River," Coldplay's "Clocks," Christina's "Beautiful," and a few others are some of the most memorable songs released this decade. No other year gave us more flat out brilliant songs.

[masterpiece]

My favorite.....


2000 - POP GOES OUT WITH A BANG!

The year 2000 produced some of the most memorable songs in history, pop music peaked, and records got shattered. Easily the most exciting year in music to date and also marks the last year we see pop truly topping the hot 100.

'THE SUCCESS STORY OF THE YEAR' - NSYNC shatters records when NO STRINGS ATTACHED sells 2.3 million copies in one week

'BRITNEY EXPLODES' - BRITNEY SPEARS shatters records when 'OOPS!..I DID IT AGAIN' sells 1.3 million copies in one week leading her to the most memorable VMA performance in history and yet another catchphrase that everyone loved. Easily the most exciting story of the year

'WHODATHUNKIT?!!" - AALIYAH becomes the first artist in history to hit #1 on radio airplay alone with 'TRY AGAIN'

"THE GENIE HEATS UP'- CHRISTINA AGUILERA dominates radio and MTV with 'WHAT A GIRL WANTS' and COME ON OVER (ALL I WANT IS YOU), two of her best songs to date

'SHE'S BAAACK' - In the UK, KYLIE MINOGUE returns with her best album to date, 'LIGHT YEARS' and scores a big comeback with 'SPINING AROUND'

'The BIG 3': MARIAH, MADONNA, and JANET both score #1's with THANK GOD I FOUND YOU, MUSIC and DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, proving once and for all they are not going anywhere.

"IT'S DESTINY" - DESTINY'S CHILD scores two #1's with their best songs to date, SAY MY NAME and INDEPENDENT WOMEN PART I

[Haley]

2003.

2007 is soon to be my favorite though.