70s music had disco and punk, 80s music saw Madonna and Michael Jackson at the top of their game and 90s music was a decade where hip hop became mainstream.
Deciding which was the best is always subjective. It’s something that is often influenced by the decade we grew up in, as music can bring back some of our happiest memories.
70s music was really dominated by disco in the US and UK, but it was the rock stars who emerged in that decade who really endured, such as Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Elton John and David Bowie. Punk began in America with the Ramones and British acts the Sex Pistols and the Clash gave it a harder edge. The Police began their successful career in the 70s and, initially, were classed as a punk band by some.
Synthesizers were a key element of 80s music, though hip hop also began to make an impact. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ paved the way for the music video and Madonna shocked many, but she was soon to become the world’s most successful female artist. The decade certainly had its highs and lows, with the uplifting spectacle of Live Aid, but also the murder of former Beatle John Lennon.
90s music saw hip hop really challenge rock music as the music of choice for youngsters, but grunge was one new rock form to emerge, with Kurt Cobain it’s brightest star. Both grunge and hip hop were to see casualties, as Cobain and rappers Biggie E. Smalls and Tupac Shakur died in their 20s.
How good music was in a particular decade can certainly be influenced by nostalgia. Music that didn’t seem notable first time round will often seem better from a distance of twenty or thirty years away. Each decade will have its supporters as to which produced the best music, but all three had classic songs that will last forever.