When, in your opinion, did pop music peak?

[JK]

This is highly subjective, of course. My year of years is 1966. Naturally there can be more than one peak-----I don't know enough about music of later decades to be able to name any others.

What say you?

[alf wiedersehen]

How are we defining "pop music"?

[the captain]

Always and never, more or less. Even acknowledging the subjectivity of it and so making the question about myself, my tastes have evolved over my lifetime so dramatically as to make the question impossible. OK, there are presumably certain years in there that never would have had the goods to fit my tastes so as to anoint them #1, but they'd be so few and far between, and of course my opinion could still change later with new discoveries of music from those years. But really, as my musical addictions of the moment change, so would my answer.

In the middle-late '80s, when I was 11 or 12, I'd point to 1984 as the inarguable victor mostly because of Twisted Sister's Stay Hungry and Prince's Purple Rain. It wasn't long before I'd point to 1986, 1987, 1976, 1967, 1969, 1966, 1965, 1971 ... you get the idea.

I think there is almost certainly enough great music from every year that one could make a pretty good case, especially since one's own taste is all that's required to answer the question as asked.

But, oh, ok, what the hell: your 1966 is a good choice. I'd say '65-'67 as a three-year span is tough to beat, and '65-'69 is tough as a five-year span.

[JK]

How are we defining "pop music"?

Perhaps "pop/rock" makes more sense?

Maybe a single year is too specific, as the captain suggests (the voice of reason). But unlike him, my choice of 1966 has never wavered, for better or for worse.

Of course there's been great music every year. That's patently clear from this message board alone...   

[the captain]

I don't mean to be too big a dick about it. Obviously people have their favorites and there is some good arguing to be had. I just hate the idea of it devolving into trash like the Rolling Stone songwriter thread, where people take it seriously and seem offended by the various differences and omissions!

For the fun of choosing, I'd say '66 or '67. Beatles, Zappa, Kinks, Beach Boys, Hendrix, Dylan, Velvet Underground, Lovin' Spoonful, Beefheart, and on and on. Each of those years (along with many others) has more than enough to qualify.

[Ovi]

Sometime in the 70s. On a Tuesday, I believe.

[Ron]

I don't think you can really point to a peak... when I was younger I would have said late 60's too, but over the past 10 years or so I've really become enamored with a lot of the stuff from the 80's.  If you're using a word like "pop", it's hard to ignore the 80's, even over the 60's. 

[Lonely Summer]

Sometime in the 70s. On a Tuesday, I believe.

Yeah, July 1971.

[JK]

I just hate the idea of it devolving into trash like the Rolling Stone songwriter thread, where people take it seriously and seem offended by the various differences and omissions!

I hate that idea too----heaven forbid.

By sheer coincidence, a friend emailed me yesterday to say he was (I'm sure he won't mind me quoting him) "reading a book called . . . '1965: The Most Revolutionary Year In Music' A real eye opener.  On JUne 15th, 1965, Bib Dylan went into the studio to record 'Like A Rolling Stone'. Nine days earlier, the Stones had released 'Satisfaction'. Literally, music was moving forward by leaps and bounds every week."

I've immediately thrown a spanner in the works by using the word "pop". It's just that I detest the word "rock". That really is all.

As for July 1971----why not? Check out this list----there's something for everyone there. :=)

http://www.everyhit.com/retrocharts/1971-July.html

[the captain]

For what it's worth--so much, I know!--I'd have used the word pop, too. To me, pop is the broader umbrella including more or less everything we're talking about, spanning the more narrow "pop," rock, metal, rap, country, funk, R&B, etc. In my mind, it's all the music you don't traditionally study formally, that anyone gets together to play. (I know there are places where people actually DO study pop now, but that's why I said traditionally.) So it doesn't include art music, what most people call classical (though it includes musics that borrow from that). But otherwise, it's largely inclusive. Good word choice.

[JK]

For what it's worth--so much, I know!--I'd have used the word pop, too. To me, pop is the broader umbrella including more or less everything we're talking about, spanning the more narrow "pop," rock, metal, rap, country, funk, R&B, etc. In my mind, it's all the music you don't traditionally study formally, that anyone gets together to play. (I know there are places where people actually DO study pop now, but that's why I said traditionally.) So it doesn't include art music, what most people call classical (though it includes musics that borrow from that). But otherwise, it's largely inclusive. Good word choice.

Thanks, captain.

Speaking of good word choices, "all the music you don't traditionally study formally, that anyone gets together to play" is right on target. I was racking my brains last night trying to put together a definition of what I meant and not coming up with a satisfactory one. I've made a note of that. :=)