Decade Defining Rock Songs?

[BrewCity83]

That's fair.  My last post reached way, way lower than "decade defining" rock songs.  Guilty as charged.

Probably true, but you're gonna have a pretty short playlist if your criteria of "decade defining rock" is strictly enforced.

[StillAWarrior]

Probably true, but you're gonna have a pretty short playlist if your criteria of "decade defining rock" is strictly enforced.

I agree entirely.  There have been quite a number of bands and songs listed already that fall well short of that.  And honestly, if I were going to critique my most recent list, I'd say that Poison is head and shoulders above Quiet Riot.  And Ratt, for goodness sake.  Fluffy is giving me crap for listing Poison but he let Ratt slide by?!

[Jockey]

I agree entirely.  There have been quite a number of bands and songs listed already that fall well short of that.  And honestly, if I were going to critique my most recent list, I'd say that Poison is head and shoulders above Quiet Riot.  And Ratt, for goodness sake.  Fluffy is giving me crap for listing Poison but he let Ratt slide by?!

Ratt was still a way better band than KISS. Yes, I realize that they are in the HoF.

But, they weren't especially talented - even for a garage band. They certainly were inspirational, though. They made every aspiring rocker realize that anyone could be a rock star. They are in the Hall because of one thing only - wearing silly costumes. They would never have been noticed otherwise.


As to the Bee Gees, no one has ever said, 'Wow, that rocks!" after listening to one of their tunes.

[StillAWarrior]

Ratt was still a way better band than KISS. Yes, I realize that they are in the HoF.

But, they weren't especially talented - even for a garage band. They certainly were inspirational, though. They made every aspiring rocker realize that anyone could be a rock star. They are in the Hall because of one thing only - wearing silly costumes. They would never have been noticed otherwise.

I agree with you 100%.  I am not a KISS fan at all (although I did see them in concert once - coincidentally with Nugent who I also listed).  However, it's hard to deny that KISS left a mark on 70s rock.  Sure, it was a skid mark...but a mark's a mark.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I agree entirely.  There have been quite a number of bands and songs listed already that fall well short of that.  And honestly, if I were going to critique my most recent list, I'd say that Poison is head and shoulders above Quiet Riot.  And Ratt, for goodness sake.  Fluffy is giving me crap for listing Poison but he let Ratt slide by?!

Sorry.  Poison just triggers me as the peak of the crappy hair band music that infected my late teens. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

MUBB decade defining songs?

[Jockey]

I agree with you 100%.  I am not a KISS fan at all (although I did see them in concert once - coincidentally with Nugent who I also listed).  However, it's hard to deny that KISS left a mark on 70s rock.  Sure, it was a skid mark...but a mark's a mark.

Yup.

However, the fact that they were not great musicians (or even close) doesn’t mean they were not a huge influence on rock music.

[Galway Eagle]

How has nobody suggested pepper by the butthole surfers I feel like that's worthy of a 90s mention

[Dr. Blackheart]

MUBB decade defining songs?

1970's:  Hamm's Beer Song
1980's:  ????? Piano Man
1990s:  ?????
2000's: Thunderstruck (song from 1990)
2010's: Streets, Jump Around

[MU82]

Do you only remember Miss You off that album? Because beyond that there isn't a disco song on Some Girls.

Yeah ... my bad. Love that album. I blame the drugs.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Yeah ... my bad. Love that album. I blame the drugs.

I'd put Emotional Rescue as being more on the disco side

Plenty of good suggestions but I don't recall seeing:
Blues Brothers

Steppenwolf
the Doors
Mott the Hoople
Bad Co.
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (Oh Well, Black Magic Woman)
Clapton
Lou Reed or VU
Trower
Jeff Beck
Stevie Wonder
SRV
Allman Bros.
Tommy Bolin
Canned Heat
ZZ Top
Zappa - King King, Peaches En Regalia
Yes
Joe Walsh
George Thorogood
Thin Lizzy
Supertramp
Sly Stone
Santana
Jefferson Airplane/Starship
Alan Parsons
Van Morrison
Mountain
Steve Miller
Paul McCartney
Marshall Tucker
Los Lobos
Little Feat
King Crimson
Jethro Tull
J Geils
Head East

[Jockey]

I'd put Emotional Rescue as being more on the disco side

Plenty of good suggestions but I don't recall seeing Steppenwolf, the Doors, Mott the Hoople, Bad Co., Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (Oh Well, Black Magic Woman)

I thought of putting Mott, Humble Pie, and Bad Co. on my list, but figured since they were all the same band  that I'd just skip them.

[HouWarrior]

The roots and birth of rock and roll was in the 50s. See Alan Freed, Cleveland...coining of the term, etc.

Here is a listing of that decade's top "rock"songs:
1.  Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
2.  Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
3.  Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
4.  Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard
5.  Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis
6.  What'd I Say - Ray Charles
7.  Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
8.  Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
9.  Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
10.  That'll Be the Day - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
11.  Maybellene - Chuck Berry
12.  Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
13.  Shake, Rattle and Roll - Joe Turner
14.  Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
15.  Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
16.  Bye Bye Love - Everly Brothers
17.  Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
18.  Earth Angel - Penguins
19.  Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
20.  Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard

I agree with the primary lists earliest above for the 60s 70s and 80s. The heydays of Rock.

After then, I admit to becoming lost from keeping up with newer rock....Also, the pop production methods, and industry controls of "rock" seemed to have muddled what folks referred to as "rock". However...

The whole what is "rock" point strikes me as odd and unnecessary....Because rock itself was born from multiple influences ....and it
... always had concurrent other genres and artists that would crossover to rock or have elements popular with rockers. Do Wop, Folk music, Motown, Sun, Chess, Mussel Shoals, surfer,  R&B, rockabilly, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Disco, Bubble Gum, Southern rock, country rock, heavy metal, Euro electronic/moog, boy bands, dance/club music, etc.

[tower912]

Peace, Love and Understanding: Elvis Costello
Sunday Bloody Sunday: U2
People are People:  Depeche mode.
I don't like Mondays:  Boomtown Rats

[rocket surgeon]

How has nobody suggested pepper by the butthole surfers I feel like that's worthy of a 90s mention

just the name deserves a hof nomination.  right up there with wretched johnny and the dry heaves

[🏀]

90's is missing a large segment:
Radiohead - Paranoid Android, Fake Plastic Trees
Tool - Sober, Ænema
Pearl Jam - Evenflow, Jeremy
REM - Losing My Religion, End of the World
Korn - Got the Life, Freak on a Leash
Limp Bizkit - Faith, Nookie
Deftones - My Own Summer, Be Quiet and Drive

[StillAWarrior]

BoDeans - She's a Runaway. Come on, late 80s/early 90s Marquette alums.  Honestly, based upon my time at Marquette and everything that was going on for me, BoDeans is one of the more defining rock bands in my life.  Obviously, that's not what this thread is about, though. Man, I gotta go listen to Joe Dirt Car.

I popped Joe Dirt Car into the cd player last night on the way to the Train/Goo Goo Dolls concert.  It holds up; I love that album.  For wall-to-wall enjoyment (for me, at least), I'd put Disc 1 of Joe Dirt Car up against pretty much any other cd I own.  My daughter liked it too.

BoDeans "Fadeaway" would be my picks for those bands

You're absolutely right; it should be Fadeaway.

[tower912]

I found Joe Dirt Car too mopey.  I thought Live from the Pabst was a better concert album.   Having Kenny Aronoff for the concert made everything better.

[StillAWarrior]

I found Joe Dirt Car too mopey.  I thought Live from the Pabst was a better concert album.   Having Kenny Aronoff for the concert made everything better.

I'll have to look into that.

[tower912]

I have both.  Because who wouldn't want two separate concert albums by the BoDeans?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I was playing Resolution on the way to work this morning.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Am I the only marquette grad that thinks the Bodeens are absolutely terrible?

No one mentioned the Spanish O'Donnells, shame on you all.

[Galway Eagle]

Am I the only marquette grad that thinks the Bodeens are absolutely terrible?

No one mentioned the Spanish O'Donnells, shame on you all.

I successfully had blocked the Spanish O'Donnell's from memory.

[BrewCity83]

Am I the only marquette grad that thinks the Bodeens are absolutely terrible?

Yes.

[ChuckyChip]

Am I the only marquette grad that thinks the Bodeens are absolutely terrible?

No.