What Was The Best Year For Rock And Roll: 1989 - Present? Why?

Question

I was reading/answering Lovenrckts question about the best records for each year 1990 - 1998 and it got me thinking about which year was the best. I throw that to you. I had to include 1989, though it wouldn't be my answer (top 3 though most likely), because that was just a monster year. You can factor in other things too. For instance in 1989 Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails released their first records, marking their beginnings in my opinion. 1995 marked the beginning of Radiohead by that logic. 1991 gave us Nevermind, Ten, and Badmotofinger which was the beginning of the grunge movement spreading out of Seattle on a large scale. You could go with a landmark show, beginning of a festival. Factor in personal things if you want, but it would be good if that was more of a coincidental thing to accent the actual happenings of the year. The easiest way to approach it would be by records, but the more in depth the better the answer.
Thanks in advance.

I agree that the 50s-70s were great, but that was part of why I put the parameters on it that I did. There is plenty of merrit, plenty of good years 1989 and after.

Maybe the question is being misread by most. I agree that the best year of rock is probably somewhere in the 60s, (the 60s and 70s are the golden age of rock and roll in my opinion too) but the question is which year within years 1989 - 2007 is the best year. I actually didn't just leave it as an open question to kind of avoid seeing those years over and over again. No offense, but I've seen that question in one incarnation or another and answered it several times. I was just curious about roping it into those specific years.

Answer 1

It's not everyday you get to inspire a professor. If you ask the rock critics, I'm sure they would go 1991. For me, I am going to pick 1996. That for me was the hardest year to keep to two or less. Beside the two I had listed on my question there was also:

Love & Rockets - Sweet F.A. - criminally overlooked :-)
KMFDM - XTORT
Jawbox -Jawbox - off the Fugazi tree
Placebo - Placebo
White Zombie - Supersexy Swingin' Sounds - mostly remixes

Beside that, it seemed like commercial radio was more exciting around 96. Every major label was in a feeding frenzy to discover the next Nirvana so there was always a ton of new music coming out and it's wasn't hard to find. There also were several cool one-hit wonders like Fun Loving Criminals and Presidents of the United States of America.

Answer 2

Best years of Rock huh? Let me see....

60s and70s
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
The Who
Pink Floyd
The Eagles
Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Band
Queen
Van Halen

89-Present
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Radiohead
Nine Inch Nails

I was thinking about this as I was writing it out and I could easily list another 15 good rock bands from 89 till Present. Then I got to thinking, no matter how many bands I write out from the years 89 till now compare with the Bands from the 60s and 70s... In my opinion there is just no comparison....It wasn't just a best year for Rock.....It was a Decade!!!

Answer 3

The last year rock was really good, in it's truest form was when Born In The USA came out. It's gone downhill from there.Metal all sounds the same, Van Halen can't cut it any more, Areosmith is trying to be butt buddies with rap and hip hop,Tom Petty finally has a new album out (thank GOD) and what else is there?? And the Stones.....Why do you think so many of the top rock songs now are remakes of the classic rock tunes?? We need Van Halen to get back together, we need another Areosmith, Creedence and Stones need to do something soon. Lord for another Beatles that isn't a gay boy band! You know what rock is crying for?? A band with a kick butt HORN SECTION!! WHERE ARE THE SAX PLAYERS??????????

Answer 4

The best years for Rock came long before 1989,

Answer 5

Yes, I agree, best years for rock and roll came way before 1989 and I don't think any great rock and roll was produced after 1989.

Answer 6

1991 I will give 3 reasons I will also say Rock has been basically on life support to me since the mid 1990's..modern rock UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
1 Alice In Chains-Man In The Box
2 Faith No More-Epic
3 Soundgarden-Outshined
Three Awe Inspiring Metal Songs from 1991.
After the release of Alice In Chains Final Album it was all downhill to me with the sparkling exception of Coldplay the one unique original band in the wilderness.

Answer 7

1966, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Animals, Bobby Fuller Four, that great prepsychedelic sound.

Answer 8

1969

Answer 9

I cant really pin an exact year, but the 90's indie scene was kickin. Modest Mouse, Built to spill, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr. ect.

Answer 10

1991
NIRVANA - Nevermind
METALLICA - Black Album
PEARL JAM - Ten
U2 - Achtung Baby
GUNS N ROSES - Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
SMASHING PUMPKINS - Gish
LIVE - Mental Jewelry
OZZY OSBOURNE - No More Tears

or

1994
NIRVANA - Unplugged
LIVE - Throwing Copper
BUSH - Sixteen Stone
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS - Purple
NINE INCH NAILS - The Downward Spiral
PEARL JAM - Vitalogy
PANTERA - Far Beyond Driven
KORN - Korn
OFFSPRING - Smash
WEEZER - Weezer (Blue)
GREEN DAY - Dookie