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A Song for Every Year

Updates

2010-02-15
Changed song for 1974, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John (from Caribou) to "No Woman, No Cry" by Bob Marley (from Natty Dread)

Changed song for 1976, "Hitch A Ride" by Boston (from Boston) to "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult (from Agents of Fortune)


Added song for 2009, "3000 Miles Away" by Star Fucking Hipsters (from Never Rest in Peace)


2009-12-15
Changed song for 2008, "Everybody Knows" by John Legend (from Evolver) to "Sober" by Pink (from Funhouse)
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    Just for kicks, I recently made a playlist featuring a song for each year that I've been alive.

    Of course, with any playlist that spans one's childhood year, I wasn't listening to all these songs when they were originally released, so there's some built-in retrofitting.

    A couple of caveats:
    • This type of playlist was interesting to put together, but it was hard to pick one song for some years, particularly in years when there were several great songs to choose from (like in 1975, the year of release for not only Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road", but also Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"). In the end, I opted not to do ties and just picked songs that had the greatest influence on me.

    • I listened and exposed myself to a lot more music in the 80s and 90s that I did from 2000 on, and this probably shows in the selections from those later years. I'm beginning to listen to new music a lot more frequently now, so I plan to update some of the selections as I discover better songs.
    Anyway, without further preamble, here's the list:

    1971 - "Baba O'Riley" by The Who (from     Who's Next)
    1972 - "Rocket Man" by Elton John (from     Honky Chateau)
    1973 - "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye (from     Let's Get It On)
    1974 -     "No Woman, No Cry" by Bob Marley (from Natty Dread)
    1975 - "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen (from Born To Run)
    1976 -     "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult (from Agents of Fortune)
    1977 - "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel (from     Peter Gabriel 'Car')
    1978 - "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" by Van Halen (from     Van Halen)
    1979 - "Message in a Bottle" by The Police (from     Reggatta De Blanc)
    1980 - "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne (from     Blizzard of Ozz)
    1981 - "Under Pressure" by Queen (from     Hot Space)
    1982 - "Jack and Diane" by John Mellencamp (from     American Fool)
    1983 - "New Year's Day" by U2 (from     War)
    1984 - "Bad" by U2 (from     The Unforgettable Fire)
    1985 - "No One Is to Blame" by Howard Jones (from     Dream Into Action)
    1986 - "Master of Puppets" by Metallica (from     Master of Puppets)
    1987 - "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N Roses (from     Appetite for Destruction)
    1988 - "Suedehead" by Morrissey (from     Viva Hate)
    1989 - "Closer to Fine" by Indigo Girls (from     The Indigo Girls)
    1990 - "Home for a Rest" by Spirit of the West (from     Save This House)
    1991 - "Black" by Pearl Jam (from     Ten)
    1992 - "Man on the Moon" by R.E.M. (from     Automatic for the People)
    1993 - "Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (from     Facing Future)
    1994 - "Nautical Disaster" by Tragically Hip (from     Day for Night)
    1995 - "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins (from     Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
    1996 - "The Old Apartment" by Barenaked Ladies (from     Born on a Pirate Ship)
    1997 - "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day (from     Nimrod)
    1998 - "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Lauryn Hill (from     The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill)
    1999 - "What's My Age Again?" by Blink 182 (from     Enema for the State)
    2000 - "Stan" by Eminem (from     Marshall Mathers LP)
    2001 - "Running" by No Doubt (from     Rock Steady)
    2002 - "The Rising" by Bruce Springsteen (from     The Rising)
    2003 - "Where Is the Love?" by Black Eyed Peas (from     Elephunk)
    2004 - "Jesus of Suburbia" by Green Day (from     American Idiot)
    2005 - "How to Save a Life" by The Fray (from     How to Save a Life)
    2006 - "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse (from     Back To Black)
    2007 - "Big Casino" by Jimmy Eat World (from     Chase This Light)
    2008 - "Sober" by Pink (from     Funhouse)
    2009 - "3000 Miles Away" by Star Fucking Hipsters (from Never Rest in Peace)
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