JOHN EMMS ROCKS

Growing up in Canada and indeed  a small town in Northern Ontario  (South Porcupine/Timmins)  most always brings back fond memories.

And Rock and Pop music was a part of it even back then.

Sure I listened to Blues, Country Music and Metal but 
‘Rock and Pop Music Was King”

In those days, meaning the sixties and seventies and even the eighties, I remember having talks about who was better:  Bob Dylan, Beatles, The Eagles, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd. The Who, Elton John, David Bowie etc. 

In Canada for our artists my friends and I just loved them all.

With summer now coming to an end again this year you’re inevitably  hosting a barbecue or party and making music playlists for the guests attending. 

It brings to mind some discussions even as close as last week what eras of Rock and Pop music was or continues to be the best.

For example The 60’s to the 80’s composed the musical equivalent of a seismic shift, spanning genres from soulful rhythm and blues to vibrant New Wave, Americana, Punk, Hard Rock, Southern Rock, and even the birth of synth-pop (not my favourite) but it was big. 

Artists like the aforementioned Bob Dylan, The Clash, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd,  Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, The Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, or CCR became synonymous with this era’s music. 

The lyrics were often socially aware, strengthened by raw emotion and a revolutionary spirit. These songs have become the background score to societal change, pulling at personal memories and nostalgia

As far as the 90’s were concerned it was as diverse as Nirvana,  Madonna, Oasis, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, The Backstreet Boys, etc.In contrast, the period from 2000 to 2023 presented a different musical landscape. 
The rise of digital platforms and technology revolutionized the production and distribution of music. 
We saw the birth of Country Pop, digital synthesis, auto-tuning, and electronically produced beats. The industry expanded with diverse genres from Emo, Rap, Hip-Hop EDM, Indie to K-pop. Then again introducing us huge popular artists like our local music legend Shania Twain, Jay Z, Eminem, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day, Lady Gaga, and you can’t forget mega pop star Taylor Swift. The lyrics evolved to reflect individual narratives rather than societal ones, making it a more personal experience rather than collective catharsis.

I look at it this way. The music that shaped our younger years or marked significant life milestones invariably enjoys an elevated status due to emotion and memory. 
It is natural to associate certain songs or genres with life’s joys, heartbreaks, and revolutions, binding the music from our formative years closer to our hearts.

In our symphony of human emotion, music continues to play its part – as our anchor, our expression, and our solace,
 So, was music indeed better in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s? Or do personal memories and nostalgia make it seem so? 
The answer, much like music itself, is beautifully subjective.

By the way I’m curating more playlists for this weekend in the same Northern Ontario town