With
2008 already upon us, it wont be long until another decade of music has
passed us by. Since the invention of Rock n Roll back in the 50’s each
and every generation believes their decade to have been the best for
music. We’ve all heard stories about how great the 60’s and 70’s were,
but about the current generations? Can today’s teenagers claim that
their current idols are any better than those of their predecessors who
grew up during the 90s’?
The 90’s was the decade
which will be forever known as the Britpop era, the return to quality
no nonsense Rock n Roll music. The Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur, Pulp and
the Verve were just some of many bands riding on a crest of a wave that
was powering through the British music industry at the time.
It wasn’t Britpop that kick started the 90’s however. At the turn of
the decade Grunge and alternative music was truly ruling the
airways. Depeche Mode’s Violator was the first of such albums - released in 1990. The following year saw
the release of two huge grunge albums in the shape of Nirvana’s
‘Nevermind’ and Pearl Jam‘s ‘Ten’. There were a lot of grunge bands
around at the time but Nirvana and Pearl Jam were truly In a league of
their own.
The 90’s also proved a good decade for older bands, who rediscovered
top form. R.E.M released two of their finest records in ‘Automatic for
the People and ‘Out of Time’. U2’s ‘Achtung Baby saw the band shift to
a fresh new exciting electronic sound, making a record which they have
never lived up to since. Even the Rolling Stones managed to release a
great album in the shape of the highly underrated ’Voodoo Lounge’
released in 1994. The Red Hot Chili Peppers also produced a couple of
fine records during the 90’s with ‘Californication’ being a fine
example of the band showing a more mature side To their work.
The death of Britpop is often dated back to release of Oasis’s
‘Be Here Now’ in 1997. The album never lived up to the media hype that
had been unfairly poured upon it. Thankfully one record would fill the void
immediately. Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ was without doubt an absolute
masterpiece. Quite simply, with each track flowing seamlessly to the
next - its an album that begs to be listened to from start to finish.
Whilst its easy to remember the great albums the 90’s brought us, it
would be unfair not to look at some of the trash we were unfortunate
enough to bear. Let us not forget the 90’s was also the
decade that provided us with Take That, the Spice Girls, Mr
Blobby and Robbie Williams. Oh dear.
So what of our current decade then?
Whilst the 80’s generation was affected by the advent of MTV and music
television in General, the ever growing presence of broadband internet
has revolutionised music this decade. It’s easier than ever
before to listen to independent music, providing new bands with the
perfect platform to demonstrate their skills. The internet also gave
people the opportunity to buy albums that can’t be picked
off a supermarket shelf. Many of these great records have been hidden
far, far away from the mainstream music press courtesy of MTV, Radio 1
and dare I say it - even the NME. ‘Alligator’ by the National is a
prime example - a real grower of an album with subtle, beautiful
tones alongside great vocals manufacturing an album that is simply a
must buy.
Whilst the 90’s proved a happy hunting ground for many of the big super
bands, most of them have struggled to replicate former glories since
the new millennium. R.E.M, the Rolling Stones, Oasis, Radiohead and U2
are just some bands that have failed to raise the bar and meet the
great expectations placed upon them by the world’s media. U2 might have
recovered some credibility after the whole Pop-mart fiasco, but ‘All
That You Can’t Leave Behind’ doesn’t even begin to compare with their
80’s material.
On the Rock n Roll front, mainstream rock Band the Killers hit the UK
with a bang. The Killers have produced some great tracks on their three
albums, albeit largely over-hyped. The arrival of Kasabian onto the
music scene has been another welcome addition. Their next album could
well be a ‘make or break’ moment for the band, and should certainly be
worth waiting for. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club injected some much
needed passion for Rock n Roll music, with their debut album catching
the eye in particular. The Kings of Leon and Interpol also provided us
with many delights from across the Atlantic and have been welcome
additions to any festival line up.
Unfortunately in terms of record sales and pure radio play, no band has
dominated this decade more than Coldplay. Despite creating three dour,
boring, depressing records that wouldn’t look out of place in a carpet
shop - Coldplay have proved to be the most popular new band
since the turn of the decade. One can only hope this trend
doesn’t continue - and with bands like Keane replicating this
formula, it doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon.
From a Scottish Perspective the emergence of Idlewild has been a
highlight, with the band making two great albums in ‘The Remote Part’
and ‘Warnings and Promises’. Of course Franz Ferdinand have been hugely
successful, but one can’t ignore the fact that the majority of their
songs are merely glorified pop singles. Alex Kopranos and co might well
be capable of something special however, and the bands next album may
well be an interesting listen.
Moby is also more than worthy of a mention. Producing some great songs
from across so many genres, tracks from the albums ‘Play’ and ‘18’
caught the eye in particular. Moby has also put a lot of effort into
what is now a must see live show. Another band producing something different, Arcade Fire - have brought a fresh of breath air into the music industry, producing a quite unique sound from the many different instruments on show within their charismatic band.
Looking back, the 90’s was without doubt a superior decade musically
and culturally. The whole Britpop phenomenon launched good music into
the mainstream, which flowed into the nations bars and clubs. What has
been apparent since the new millennium however, is the unfortunate state of
your everyday music in general. Pop by your local pub nowadays and your
more than likely to hear 50 cent getting pumped out the speakers, or
some unspeakably bad MTV rubbish displayed on an overpriced widescreen
TV. Indeed the very notion of ‘indie music’ seems to have disappeared
without a trace. Band’s such as Hard Fi and the Kaiser Chief’s might
well be labelled as ‘Indie’, however they are anything but
independent. Whilst R n B used to mean rhythm and blues in the form of
the Who and the Stones, apparently Missy Elliot and Rhianna now come
under this category. Am I the only person missing something here?
The sad truth nowadays is that the ordinary person is more than happy
to believe the hype. If MTV and Radio 1 say something is cool enough,
most people will believe it.
It appears that a two tier music society is developing as we approach
the new decade. As more and more great music is discovered from under
the radar of the mainstream media, finding great new music will no
longer just be a case of sticking on Radio 1. In a decade were hip
hop and pop have largely dominated the music market, one can only hope
for a better future. With the news that Jay Z will be headlining
Glastonbury however, it’s most certainly hope rather than expectation.
Having said that, there will always be great music out there.
As the
great Neil Young says: ‘hey, hey, my, my, Rock n Roll’l never die‘.
