40 years of music

Wherein I'm finally rolling this beast out the door

I started this project back in October. It's pretty much been done since November and I've just been sitting on it. Might as well get rid of it now. I got this idea from a couple of specific posts, but it's been so long I'm not going to look them up. Instead, I'll just mention the blogs that posted the inspiration for this (in other words, blame them):

• Althouse
  
• Shot in the Dark
  
• Throwing Things

The idea is a review of music for every year from 1960 through 2000. Why those years? Well, I was born in 1964 and felt pretty comfortable reviewing music throughout the 1960s. I'm stopping at 2000 because I honestly have no idea what's going on with commercial music or commercial radio in any genre. I'm still listening to music, even new music, just nothing that comes near any charts.

For this project, I’m taking the billboard 100 as listed by Musical Outfitters. But rather than taking the entire 100, I’ll take the top 10 and the bottom 10. These 20 songs should give a decent representation of what people were buying (plus, it's easier than reviewing all 100 and slightly more interesting than just taking the top 20). And by looking at popular in no way do I insinuate that these are lists of GOOD songs. I’ll try and only review each by these twenty songs and ignore anything else I knew was going on.

A few notes before I begin:

• I’m expecting to find an unapologetic fondness for songs in the early to mid 1970s. There was no cable, no video games; all we did was run wild outside and listen to the radio. And I remember that top 40 radio was still fairly inclusive of multiple genres.
  
• Early-mid 1980s my tastes are switching to more punk and new wave. I remember some of these being great years musically, but much of what I liked was not on the local radio. Prediction: I won’t like most of what makes the list.
  
• 80s hair and metal bands - pretty much dislike them all. If they're on the list, that year gets marked down. Deal with it.
  
• Since about 1990 I’ve listened almost exclusively to college or community radio. I’ve had very little awareness of whatever has been popular. Especially in the last 5-10 years, I’m expecting hosts of names I don’t recognize. Which is why I'm stopping at 2000; it really gets hazy after 1995.
  
• Bad songs = crossed out. It's my list, I determine what is bad.
  
• Great songs = bold. See above.

This will be the main page and I’ll update links as I add years.

Songs of the 1960s Overview
1960 D
1961 B+
1962 C+
1963 C
1964 A
1965 B
1966 B
1967 B
1968 B-
1969 B-

Songs of the 1970s Overview
1970 B+
1971 B-
1972 C-
1973 B-
1974 D+
1975 B
1976 B-
1977 D
1978 C+
1979 B

Songs of the 1980s Overview
1980 C
1981 B-
1982 D
1983 C
1984 D
1985 C
1986 F
1987 D
1988 C-
1989 C-
the 1990s will be released first week of April