Bring back the 70's and the 80's

[Polkitup2]

So last night I was taking a trip down memory lane listening too:

Fleetwood Mac Rumors
Eagles Hotel California
Steely Dan Aja
Van Halen Van Halen
Rush 2112

To me classics like these, and I'm sure there are many more, and no I'm not forgetting DSOTM , just seemed to have never been topped by any music since then.

I can't think of any "new" music that I've bought in the last 20 years that come even close to matching the "greatness" of the 70' and 80's rock.

[VXR8]

Totally agree - for me it was primarily the late 70s and 80s. I yesterday was listening to:

Depeche Mode - The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
Diesel - Hepfidelity (Texas born Australian).

Again, today I'll be listening to the SACD of Dire Straits Brothers In Arms. All good!

[treitz3]

Again, today I'll be listening to the SACD of Dire Straits Brothers In Arms. All good!

I hear ya'!

Pink Floyd, The Wall and Delicate Sound of Thunder
Dan Folgelberg, Billy Joel, Van Halen, Little Feat........well, I could go on for hours, but yes. I agree.

Or is it just that we are getting old? My dad used to say the same thing.

[avguytx]

It's like I've often said jokingly (to some extent)....all the really good music has already been done. There are only a sprinkle of new "bands" I really like that aren't corporate controlled as to what they put out. Yes, we could go on for hours and hours and hours....

[dudeinaroom]

10 years ago I would have said "whatever!" But now I totally agree. treitz3 said it best.

Or is it just that we are getting old? My dad used to say the same thing.

[Early B.]

We're not simply getting older. It's true that music was better back then. First, in the 70's and 80's, bands used real instuments. Second, talent was important. Third, the songwriting was better. Fourth, it was more creative. Today, the vast majority of the mega-entertainers aren't very good singers, and the industry is creatively stagnant.

[cstpeter]

I disagree. There was great music then and there's great music now. Just have to look beyond FM radio and top 40 lists.

[halo]

I disagree. There was great music then and there's great music now. Just have to look beyond FM radio and top 40 lists.

Yup :)

[dragon1952]

Absolutely agree also. There is very little decent music today. Very, very, very little. Those you mentioned are great. I can listen to them over and over.

[avguytx]

I'll admit that there are still some great "artists" out there and with age, I've definitely broadened my horizons musically. Don't get me wrong...there is still new music I like.

[WilliamM2]

To me classics like these, and I'm sure there are many more, and no I'm not forgetting DSOTM , just seemed to have never been topped by any music since then.

All those albums are from the 70's, I can't think of many great albums from the 80's, I consider the 80's as the beggining of the end for rock music.

But as cstpeter says, that's just top 40, or popular music. There is still good music today, it just never gets airplay.

[Early B.]

There is still good music today, it just never gets airplay.

That's the problem. A needle in a haystack. Why should one have to search "off the grid" for good music? In the 70's and 80's, good music fell from the tree like ripened fruit.

I spent a couple of hours this weekend looking for some new CDs. I had to search beyond the American shores. I found a couple of nice CDs from German artists. It's a damn shame what American music has to offer these days. IMO, of course.

[GV#27]

That's the problem. A needle in a haystack. Why should one have to search "off the grid" for good music? In the 70's and 80's, good music fell from the tree like ripened fruit.

I couldn't agree more.

[mhardy6647]

[George Grand]

The 40's, 50's or 60's instead of the 80's por favor. The sole remembrance of 80's music to me was Los Lobos, and a few schlocky movie themes.

[dragon1952]

Toto was a pretty good 80's band. I'm trying to think back...that was the start of music video. I remember 38 Special, AC/DC, always liked Billy Idol, the Cars, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Van Halen, Dire Straits, Guns N' Roses, INXS, Night Ranger, Tom Petty, Ratt, Tears for Fears, U2. Some of those may have started in the late 70's but were definitely still at their peaks in the 80's.

[markmarc]

I think much of the quality issue has to do with the lack of the music big-whigs willingness to invest several years in an artist or group. Success or death that's all it is anymore.
I'll take the music of the 70's-80's anytime over 99.9% of what is out now.

[JimBRICK]

I think its going to be tuff to match what The Eagles did for music. The writing, recording and the musicians were of a calibre that comes along only in a blue moon. Its pretty hard to listen to Hotel california without getting chills. I'd love to hear some eagles on a set of SDA's

Oh and Markmarc when you ready to sell your 2 chan rig I want first grabs, its almost exactely what I want

[VXR8]

Other than listening to Dire Straits SACD, I also gave DSOTM SACD a hit, Metallica's Black Album on DVD Audio (not such a great mix in multi channel) plus Mike Oldfield with Tubular Bells - some awesome stuff.

PS - forgot to mention I also listened to the Human League yesterday too!

[danger boy]

only thing is. will we be singing the praises of today's music, 20 years from now? like we are 20, 30, even 40 yrs later for groups like The Beatles, Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles.

20 + years ago.. good music was everywhere. you didn't need to find obscure little known bands to hear good music. we don't have what I call mega super bands like we did in the 70's. the music scene is to flooded with music right now.. and alot of it just gets lost in the mix... and a lot of it is just plain crap.

musician's today don't need to have any musical talent to have a hit song.. it's all done for them.. from the writing, to the playing of instruments, to the mixing, mastering, and sometimes the singing too.

[Danny Tse]

Other than listening to Dire Straits SACD, I also gave DSOTM SACD a hit, Metallica's Black Album on DVD Audio (not such a great mix in multi channel) plus Mike Oldfield with Tubular Bells - some awesome stuff.

Many 70s/80s pop/rock artists are available on SACD/DVD-A....Cyndi Lauper, Toto, John Denver, Billy Joel, Journey, Steely Dan, Spandau Ballet, Linda Ronstadt, Talking Heads, Chicago, Doobie Brothers, etc. Heck, even Wham! is on SACD. :D

I do try taking in current pop/rock music, but I'm sorry to say that hardly anything out there today match the music released in the 70s/80s.

[VXR8]

I noticed lately that I am "Living In The Past" tracking down albums that I originally bought on cassette. My latest ventures is Loverboy's self titled album and The Knacks Get The Knack. Can't even get either of those in full on iTunes, only snippets.

Anyway, Amazon here I come....

[madmax]

I found myself living in the past as well. Thats when I decided to go way back. Stuff from the earliest 1900's to the 70's. Lots of cool stuff there. It wasn't until the 40's that the quality got good (unless you go on a Victrola binge). There has always been good music.
madmax

[Yashu]

I loved progressive rock and jazz fusion from the 70's, and I loved 80's new wave and goth rock, but what I like most about those eras are the production values with respect to recording and also radio.

There are so many modern bands, acts, tracks that I love, but most of them are way indie and off the map... The days of popular music as art died in the early 90's, replaced by compressed, processed sludge.

Many of the records you guys have named were very popular records, yet the production values were top notch. Wonderful mastering and dynamics, for instance, and these traits are all but gone when it comes to modern "radio music".

I have old tapes recorded from the radio during those times and they sound better ON TAPE (standard oxide tapes, no dolby NR), hiss and all, than the same songs played on modern "classic rock" stations.

[zombie boy 2000]

I disagree. There was great music then and there's great music now. Just have to look beyond FM radio and top 40 lists.

I wonder if Beethoven's father complained about how much music had degenerated in his lifetime:D
To think that a medium that has existed since the dawn of civilization is just now finding its way down the crapper is outstanding:p

[Yashu]

Well even bad music wouldn't be so bad without commercial studio engineers pussywhipped by RIAA execs.

Think about it... It takes a lot of technology to make a bad record.

[mulveling]

70' and 80's rock accounts for most of my favorite music too.
Current favorites are Jethro Tull, Rush (especially the their early-mid 70's stuff), Iron Maiden, The Smiths, Dire Straits, The Who, New Order. Hunting down their vinyl will keep me busy for a while - which reminds me - a good turntable rig is a MUST if you enjoy 70's/80's rock. The difference in the recording/mastering quality over their CD counterparts is very significant for much of this stuff.