Music Monday: AI finds Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”
Posted By RichC on June 17, 2024
While exploring a little bit with a “new found” AI client … Perplexity.AI … I used it to find an oddity from the 1970s for Music Monday by asking:
“What decade has the most influential music?“
Based on the search results, there is no clear consensus on the most influential decade for music, as different decades are celebrated for their unique contributions and impact. However, the 1970s and 1980s emerge as strong contenders for the most influential decades according to the sources provided.
The 1970s
Several sources highlight the 1970s as a highly influential decade for music, citing the following reasons:
Diversity of rock subgenres flourished, including progressive rock (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd), hard rock (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC), and soft rock, as well as the rise of disco towards the end of the decade.
Emergence of punk rock (Ramones, Sex Pistols) and hip-hop, which would go on to become major genres.
Birth of electronic/synthesizer
music with bands like Kraftwerk.
Consolidation of the “outlaw” country movement with artists like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings.
Many legendary artists produced some of their best and most influential albums, such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Neil Young, and Bruce Springsteen.
The rest of the AI find is below the break, but for now I’ll highlight a musicians name I remember, Lou Reed, but his biggest hit that I had to listen to to remember. “Walk on the Wild Side” was the 5 song on Reed’s 1972 Transformer album and kind of forgotten by me. My point is that reading the AI researched info was that it excluded the music I found memorable and enjoyed … and included some that I did not find high on my list from that decade?
| Lou Read – “Walk on the Wild Side” | 1972 |
The 1980s
The 1980s is also frequently cited as one of the most influential decades for music due to:
The rise of MTV and music videos, which popularized artists and genres like pop, rock, and hip-hop on a massive scale.
Emergence of digital recording technology, which revolutionized music production.
Dominance of iconic pop stars like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince, who became global superstars.
Continued evolution of genres like heavy metal, rap, and electronic/synthpop.
While the 1960s is often praised for its cultural impact and the British Invasion, and the 1990s for grunge and Britpop, the 1970s and 1980s stand out in these sources as particularly influential decades that shaped and advanced many enduring genres and artists.
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