The game goes like this. What were the top 10 singles of the year you graduated high school. What were the top albums. Of the top 100 singles and 200 albums (which is how Billboard lists them in charts) which ones do you actually LIKE; and, forgetting about the charts, which music in general did you actually like from that year.
Then, who died, broke up, or retired; and who got into music or formed as a group that year.
Finally, list the crappy news and events of that year; and any good ones to offset them.
Kims year was '71, and his chart list was pretty bad; but there was a lot of good music that came out in '7 (it jsut didn't chart well).
I'm '93 here; and it was pretty horrible. The top ten singles that year were:
1. I Will Always Love You, Whitney HoustonOf those, the only one I don't actively hate is the UB40 cover of "I can't help falling in love".. which I only mildly dislike.
2. Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team
3. Can't Help Falling In Love, UB40
4. That's The Way Love Goes, Janet Jackson
5. Freak, Silk
6. Weak, SWV
7. If I Ever Fall In Love, Shai
8. Dreamlover, Mariah Carey
9. Rump Shaker, Wreckx-N-Effect
10. Informer, Snow
Of the whole top 100 for that yea, the only songs I actually LIKED were:
31. Mr. Wendal - Arrested Development
81. Rebirth of slick - Diggable Planets
94. Livin on the edge - Aerosmith
The Album charts is even worse:
1 - The Bodyguard soundtrack
2 - Breathless - Kenny G
3 - Unplugged - Eric Clapton
4 - janet. - Janet Jackson
5 - Some Gave All - Billy Ray Cyrus
The only one even worth thinking about is Clapton unplugged (which I actually still own)
Other albums I liked from that year (not including live, concert, and greatest hits):
Get a Grip - Aerosmith
Crazy Legs - Jeff Beck
Candlebox - Candlebox
Coverdale Page - Jimmy Page and David Coverdale
The Battle Rages On - Deep Purple
Pork Soda - Primus
Pablo Honey - Radiohead
Rancid - Rancid
Counterparts - Rush
Edge of thorns - Savatage
Chaos AD - Sepultura
Undertow - Tool
Bloody Kisses - Type O Negative
The album charts were so bad that year, that of the top 200 billboard albums that year, nearly 60 of them were actually released in 1992.
Dizzy Gillespie, Mick Ronson, Ray Gillen, and Frank Zappa all died. The Pixies and Metal church broke up, and dear god the backstreet boys were formed (now theres a crime against humanity right there); though we did also get The Crystal Method, The Hives, and Jurassic 5.
I like Kims list a lot better; 'cept I know who Lindisfarne are, but have never listened to them.
Now, onto the worst of all, the news.
I don't see how anything could be worse in '93 (or for that matter, be god enough to balance it off) than the first entry, but here goes:
Jan 20: Bill Clinton inaugurated as President
Feb 11: Janet Reno nominated as Attorney General
Feb 28: ATF raids Branch Davidian compound
Mar 11: Reno is confirmed as Attorney General
Mar 31: The first Spam is sent
Mar 31: Brandon Lee "accidentally" shot by Michael Massee while filming "the crow"
Apr 19: The FBI and ATF murder 85 people, burning 79 of them to death in their home
Jul 19: Clinton introduces "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Jul 27: Windows NT is released
Aug 6: Louis Freeh becomes director of the FBI
Sep 13: First Israeli PLO Clinton "peace" accords signed
Oct 3: Battle of Mogadishu (see "Blackhawk down")
Oct 31: IRS recognizes Scientology as a legitimate religion
Nov 11: Windows 3.11 is released
Nov 30: Clinton signs the Brady bill
They gave Toni Morrison the Nobel prize for literature, and Nelson Mandela the Nobel peace prize.
No-one who has yet proven to be both useful and famous was born that year. In addition to the notables in music listed above the following notable (to me anyway) folks died:
1. Audrey Hepburn
2. Andre the Giant
3. Ferrucio Lambroghini
4. Deke Slayton
5. Jimmy Doolittle
6. Vincent Price
Honestly... I'd say that 1993 has to be a top contender for worst ever year not actively involving a global plague, depression, or world war.
