I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring at 1979.

The year these were released is hard to beat:


The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood
Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Sam & Dave - Hold On! I'm a Comin'
Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman
The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
Lou Rawls - Love Is a Hurtin' Thing
The Capitols - Cool Jerk
Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There
James Brown & The Famous Flames - It's a Man's Man's Man's World
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - Going to a Go-Go
The Temptations - Get Ready
Darrell Banks - Open the Door to Your Heart
Bobby Hebb - Sunny
Carla Thomas - B-A-B-Y
Jr. Walker & the All Stars - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)
Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
Jackie Wilson - Whispers (Gettin' Louder)
Jr. Walker & the All Stars - (I'm A) Road Runner
The Elgins - Put Yourself in My Place
Otis Redding - Satisfaction
The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)
The Elgins - Heaven Must Have Sent You
Lee Dorsey - Working in the Coal Mine
Billy Stewart - Summertime
Lee Dorsey - Get Out of My Life, Woman
The Supremes - Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart
The Supremes - My World Is Empty Without You
James Carr - You've Got My Mind Messed Up

1966! (Except Cool Jerk which Im sure was released in '63?) Also,
Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Kinks - Sunny Afternoon
Troggs - Wild Thing
Rolling Stones - Paint it, Black
Dusty - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
Monkees - I'm A Believer
Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City
Mamas And The Papas - California Dreaming
Simon And Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence
Yardbirds - Shapes Of Things
Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin'

The 2nd greatest year!

I'd agree that 1979 is one of the main contenders. 1993 comes close.

currently 2016, next year it will be 2017 and so forth, as the more recent you are, the more music you have to listen to. in the current day you can hear all the music that happened previously. skip back to the 80s or 90s or 70s and you miss all the great music that happened afterwards

hmmm dont think i can pick one year 1983 was excellent and also I think 2003, in fact there has never been a bad 3 year apart from 73.

Hard to name a best but 1964 to 1974 was 10 years of incredible levels of creativity and originality. 1994 was the best, in my opinion, in terms of production values. Then in came digital effects, autotune, compression like never before.

Some years in pop are more important than other mainly because they set more of the templates for the future than others.

1966 - not many years have this much creativity - 'Pet Sounds', 'Revolver', 'Blonde on Blonde', phenomenal!

1971 - 'Hunky Dory', 'Sticky Fingers', 'Who's Next', 'What's Going On?', 'Meddle', 'Tapestry', 'Electric Warrior', 'Imagine', 'Zeppelin iv' (rock got really heavy and soul socially aware)

1984 - 'Purple Rain', 'Thriller', 'Born in the USA', 'Unforgettable Fire' , 'The Smiths' - this was Billboard's choice and they have a decent rationale http://www.billboard.com/articles/ne...sic-ever-essay

Of course, if you are considering technology then 1925 would be important because that was the year the US recording industry adopted electrical recording technology.

I would pick 1995, I have so many favourite songs from that year, and it was the peak of Britpop.

I think most people will choose a year from when they were in their teens, because everyone usually thinks the music from when they were young is the best.

73 was one of the best music years EVER!!
The year that gave us 'Life on Mars' and 'Drive in Saturday'. Also 'Whiskey in the Jar', 'Live and Let Die', 'Blockbuster', 'Wishing Well', 'Stuck in the Middle With You', 'Love Train', 'Feel the Need In Me', 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', 'Nutbush City Limits', '20th Century Boy', 'Rubber Bullets', 'Angie', 'Killing Me Softly', 'Albatross', and the freaking 'JEAN GENIE'! Plus wall to wall glam!
Most of these songs are still played regularly.
I hardly even dare mention 'Merry Xmas Everybody' and 'I Wish It Could Me Xmas Every Day'
Great year for music!

It will be a different year for everyone so no point.

2004 for albums. I seemed to buy a lot of albums that year. Will Young, Keane, Scissor Sisters, Franz Ferdinand and the Guns N' Roses greatest hits album that I can think of straight away.

1997 was my big year for buying CD singles and compilations.

In the digital era, I bought more singles on iTunes in 2013 compared to 2014, 2015 and 2016 (so far!!!). 2013 was the last solid year for chart hits. 2014 was a piss take, it really was a shockingly bad year for music. :/ I definitely bought more singles in 2015 by comparison.

I am going to go with 1965 because it is the year that my newest favorite was finally given a spot on the musical map, I love the late beautiful precious Billy Joe Royal SO much!!!

God bless you and his family always!!!

Holly

2004 was actually the last year I bought current albums. There was definitely a renaissance of sorts of quality music in that year, shame it never lasted.

1997 had some truly iconic pop moments

The Verve - Bittersweet Sympthony
Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
All Saints - Never Ever
No Doubt - Don't Speak
Backstreet Boys - As Long as you Love Me
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Puff Daddy & Faith Evans - I'll be Missing You
Hanson - Mmmmm Bop
Janet Jackson - Together Again
Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Robbie Williams - Angels
Eternal feat Bebe Winans - I Wanna be the Only One

I pick that

I agree , '79 is the best year overall.

LOL

I have all those on CD although the songs in bold I bought on CD single. The rest all appeared on compilations I bought throughout the year. Only song in that list I have no time for is Mmmbop.

Of the years mentioned so far, I agree most with 1966, 1979, 1983, 1995 & 1997. In fact, pretty much half my favourite songs of the 90s were 1995 or 1997!

Others that stand out are 1967, 1968, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1992 and to some extent 2004.

I'd say 1995 was the peak year of the 90s, '96 was great too. After '97 it went rapidly downhill for me and has never recovered. Yes I'm getting old

2013 for me - Lorde, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, Passenger, Daft Punk, Olly Murs, John Newman, Tom Odell, Rebecca Ferguson, Gary Barlow, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift all released superb songs.
Say about them what you will but Miley Cyrus' tracks from that year are pretty iconic too, if a little low-quality. 2013 was just all-round insane.

That said, 2014 was pretty good too - lots of interesting and more intricate sounds by the likes of Mr. Probz, Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne, Ed Sheeran, Neon Jungle etc.

(On a side note, 2015 totally sucked for pop music. Too much Adele/Bieber and childish rubbish like 'Whip Nae' or 'Shut Up and Dance').

1982

The Cure - Pornography
Siouxsie & The Banshees - a kiss In The Dreamhouse
Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Bauhaus - The Sky’s Gone Out
The Psychedelic Furs - Forever Now
Cocteau Twins - Garlands
XTC - English Settlement
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Talk Talk - The Party’s Over
The Jam - The Gift
The Birthday Party - Junkyard
Haircut One Hundred - Pelican West
Squeeze - Sweets from a Stranger
The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour
Killing Joke - Revelations
Gang of Four - Songs of the Free
Brian Eno - Ambient 4: On Land
Orange Juice - Rip It Up
Altered Images - Pinky Blue

it was also a big year for gg

[quote=Luner13;83482608]1997 had some truly iconic pop moments

The Verve - Bittersweet Sympthony
Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
All Saints - Never Ever
No Doubt - Don't Speak
Backstreet Boys - As Long as you Love Me
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Puff Daddy & Faith Evans - I'll be Missing You
Hanson - Mmmmm Bop
Janet Jackson - Together Again
Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Robbie Williams - Angels
Eternal feat Bebe Winans - I Wanna be the Only One

I pick that[/QUOTE

1997 stands out as a classic for me as all those songs bring back memories. 2000 was as good, a different number 1 most weeks and most have aged well

1966 for me, closely followed by 65...

keep on running
michelle
shapes of things
run
got to get you into my life
inside looking out
little by little and goin back
my ship is comin in
solitary man
i feel free
dead end street, sunny afternoon, dedicated follower of fashion
friday on my mind
all or nothing
uptight (everythings alright) and a place in the sun
loves just a broken heart
god only knows
makin time

and many many more..... to me the period mid 65 - mid 67 was the most creative in music where fresh sounds were created by musicians wanting to experiment and explore.... everything else since is just not as higher standard.

Alarmed that no one has mentioned 1956???

Be bop a lula
Hound dog
heartbreak hotel
blue suede shoes
I walk the line


Thats just 5, look at 1956 in music, everything changed in 1956.