FEATURE:
Nostalgia vs. The Present
The Difficulty in Defining the ‘Best Year in Music’
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I am bringing up this subject…
because there is always a debate about which year is the best for music. I think it is impossible to limit it to a single year but, ask most people and see most polls, and many of the years selected will be before the last decade. In fact, there is always a focus on the 1970s and 1990s. Maybe a prosperity in these decades means that people recall them fondly. I have alluded to James Acaster before but, when thinking about this recent article from the BBC, something interesting popped out. He didn’t explicitly say that 2016 was the best year for music, but he says it is one of his favourites – and he brought up a debate regarding nostalgia and current music; whether we need to open up more to new music and how it is important to have a blend of the old and new in the mind:
“What was the greatest year for music of all time? Many of us, when asked, would probably choose an era from our own youth.
Certain songs or albums which remind you of school, your rebellious teenage years or college and university are the ones most people would choose to return to again and again.
But not James Acaster.
In his new book, Perfect Sound Whatever, the comedian argues 2016 was the greatest ever year for music. And, to be fair, he puts forward a compelling case.
IN THIS PHOTO: James Acaster/PHOTO CREDIT: James Acaster
Some of the albums he highlights were both groundbreaking and hugely successful. Beyonce's Lemonade, for example, or Frank Ocean's critically-acclaimed Blonde. Kanye West and Radiohead are also namechecked, as is David Bowie's final studio album Blackstar, released days before his death.
And while some albums he writes about are much more obscure and unlikely to be remembered by anyone other than the most dedicated fans, Acaster says overall it was a significant year for evolution and innovation in music.
"We need to stop this writing off of modern day music, because the rules for what was the best year for music of all time keep getting made by old people," he says. "I bought over 500 albums from 2016... and if I list my favourite albums now, most of them were released in 2016.
"So I'd be a liar if I said any other year was the best for music. I just think there are so many different types of music now, a level of diversity across all the genres. People go on about the '70s, and you've still got the same styles as there were in the '70s, but [there are] even more now. Music keeps progressing and keeps getting more exciting".
It is interesting because, as part of my existence relies on scouring for new artists and sharing fresh sounds, I am heading back in time more and more. Perhaps, as I have said previously, this is a reaction to hard times and the embrace of the warm and familiar. I think there are elements of the past that are missing from today’s scene: The Pop market is not as uplifting as it was; there was definitely greater unity, and it was easier to get on top of all the new music coming out.
I would say my favourite year for music is 1994, but I cannot confidently claim this is music’s greatest year. Although 1994 was rich with diversity and genius, there are plenty of other years that come close. I wouldn’t say the past decade or so has been a bit bare in comparison, because there have been plenty of brilliant albums released. 2016, as Acaster noted, in bounteous and it (the year) gave us some gold. It is tempting to define a year as being the best – as we would with an album or song -, but I think we can be too subjective and ignore a lot from these times. Although the last decade has not been as memorable as, perhaps, times past, there is so much music coming out from all corners, one cannot ignore what has been happening the past few years. I think it is tempting to be overtly-reliant on the past, but music from now instructs our future and is moulding so many people. We often choose a year from our childhood as being best, as the memories we had back then were stronger and, perhaps, more instrumental and defining. Today’s music is more advance and varied than ever; the past couple of years has seen great strides and revelations; the sheer number of new artists adding different shades and contours to the landscape is stunning.
Whilst I will always reserve my preference of older music, I do love new music. That said, I have been ignoring a lot of new music and becoming too insular regarding discovery. It is hard to absorb so much of what is being put out, which can make us feel a little intimidating. Whilst one cannot listen to everything good, I think there is a lot to be said of modern music. Politics and social issues are prevalent; there is greater visibility of artists from other nations (apart from the U.K. and U.S.), and so many original and innovative albums are being released. It is too tempting to snuggle into the warm embrace of past sounds, but I think what is happening in music at the moment is really interesting. The best blend is to keep alive those old favourites whilst splicing in the best of the contemporary. As I said, it can be tricky controlling the stream of new music. There is no right answer when it comes to which period/year was best for music, but I do think a lot of people either neglect the potential of new music or they are a little narrow regarding their focus. The greatest thing one can experience in the world…
PHOTO CREDIT: @nataliedivine/Unsplash
IS music’s rich variety and evolution.