So the next video project out there plans to use tsort's extensive top hits database to document the top 20 hits in each year in music history, from 1900 to 2009.
Below follows every year of the 90s decade (click on the year to watch the respective youtube video):
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Some early observations: A huge rise in hip hop and rap scenes, as well as an increase in boys bands/girl bands in the late 90s (1995-1999). We also see rising music genres created within the decade itself appearing the top 20 positions, like Trance, Eurodance, with older genres also gaining momentum, such as House and Techno. The Grunge genre that spawned in the late 80s only goes so far as the first half of the decade (1990-1995).
In a subjective analysis of the general feel of the decade, it almost sounds as if there is a certain laid back, almost naive sound of the late 90s, with more pop and soul acts entering the top 20 positions, in contrast to the more experimental, aggressive and intense sound of the early 90s, featuring more developed forms of rock, and new experimental electronic music.
My main point with this series was, and will be, to show how common complaints of current contemporary music do not fit the stereotype that a certain decade is inherently better than other, especially when looking at their top 20. There are subjectively good and bad songs in this top 20 list, as well as songs less memorable than others. If you think, for some reason, that the past decade and the current one (00s and 10s) is inherently bad, it is worth a reminder that many of the great hits of the past sometimes don't even make it in the top 20.
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