Top 100: Ahead Of Their Time

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define as you wish, let us inspire as inspired

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

01. Kraftwerk

― willem (willem), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

02. Run DMC

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

03. Velvet Underground

― daarkbee, Monday, 8 December 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

04. MBV ('91)

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

05. Hellhammer
06. Dinosaur Jr.
07. Juan Atkins
08. Faith No More

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

9. Wire

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

10. Giorgio Moroder

― Michael B, Monday, 8 December 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

11. roxy music

― pete b. (pete b.), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

12. scritti politti

― pete b. (pete b.), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

11 Mahler
12 Beethoven's last 4 string quartets

― pete s, Monday, 8 December 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

13 Stardust

― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

er, i was hoping people would pick specific tracks - sorry, should've indicated that

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

14 Killing Joke

― sucka (sucka), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Which Stardust track did you think, stevem??

― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

'Arianna'

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry steve. start again?
a lot of their tracks apply, but i'll go with the earliest:

01. Kraftwerk - Autobahn

― willem (willem), Monday, 8 December 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

15 Bananarama

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

16. devo

― j c (j c), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Big Star

― Karla, Monday, 8 December 2003 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Eric B and Rakim - Follow The Leader

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The United States of America

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

20. Louis Armstrong
21. Charlie Parker
22. Stravinsky
23. Blind Blake and Charlie Spand (first rock and roll record, 1929)

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:52 (twenty-two years ago)

24. The Normal 'Warm Leatherette'

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow. Someone else cited the Joke. Outstanding.

25. Portishead

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

it's a tough one because a lot of the time a record comes out and it's the exact right time for that record to come out, so it's not ahead of it's time as such. was 'Autobahn' ahead of it's time in this case? wasn't it actually quite retro at the same time? what about picking tracks that were largely ignored at the time of their release but became cult classics years later?

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

they don't even have to be innovative records in which case

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)

26. "Bring the noise" - Anthrax and Public Enemy

― Michael B, Monday, 8 December 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

but Run DMC had already fused hip hop with rock?

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

27. Run DMC - "Raisin' Hell" then

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I just see that song in particular as the blueprint for nu-metal

― Michael B, Monday, 8 December 2003 15:19 (twenty-two years ago)

28. "World Destruction" by Time Zone (Afrika Bambaata & John Lydon....which predates "Walk this Way", no?)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

PE themselves did "She Watch Channel Zero?!" before "Bring The Noise".

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the godfather of goth.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

29. Tiny Tim "Tiptoe through the Tulips"

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

30. MX-80 Sound - Big Hits/Hard Attack

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Helmet

― johno, Monday, 8 December 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Buck Owens
Schooly D

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 8 December 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Sir Mixalot -- not really ahead, but kept the electro/synth flame alive in the late 80s when everyone had abandoned Bambaataa type stuff, before Timbaland/Cash Money, et al brought it back.

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 8 December 2003 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Yoko Ono, The Stooges, The Godz

― may pang (maypang), Monday, 8 December 2003 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

38. Leon Theremin, inventor of the world's first electronic instrument, the theremin (see Portishead upthread).

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

39. The Monks (about half of Black Monk Time at least)

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Mohammed Abdel Wahab: "Ya Dounia Gharami" (Invented postmodern pop music.)

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

That was 40.

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

41. Love - Da Capo

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Metal Machine Music - Lou Reed

― may pang (maypang), Monday, 8 December 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

42. My Bloody Valentine - I'm not sure I can pick a track.

― Big Red, Monday, 8 December 2003 18:37 (twenty-two years ago)

44. replacements - "black diamond" album track and "the shit hits the fans" album. ushering in an era of sloppy indie-rock covers of your campy heroes.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 8 December 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

45. the byrds, "the christian life"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 8 December 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

46. Mission of Burma
47. Joy Division / New Order

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Monday, 8 December 2003 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

did portishead ever really use a theremin? i used to think they did, but then i saw that live symphony performance and they were using a moog for what i had always thought were the theremin parts.

― Felcher (Felcher), Monday, 8 December 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

serge gainsbourg. he invented post rock. don't laugh, it's true.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 8 December 2003 22:29 (twenty-two years ago)

48. Glenn Branca

― Stupid (Stupid), Monday, 8 December 2003 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

23. Blind Blake and Charlie Spand (first rock and roll record, 1929)

Which record is that? "Hastings Street"?

― Chris F. (servoret), Monday, 8 December 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

49. Not a recommendation, but Kinky Machine arrived two years too early for Britpop when "Shockaholic" would surely have reached the top twenty for one week only...

― Ben Dot (1977), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

50. Pink Floyd: On The Run
51. La's: There She Goes
52. Procol Harum: In Held In Twas I
53. Big Star: September Gurls
54. Beach Boys: Good Vibrations

The Beatles tracks that were ahead of their time are too many to pick just one.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 01:15 (twenty-two years ago)

the La's ahead of their time? are you pulling my dick?

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 01:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with Pere Ubu's David Thomas, its not that you're ahead of your time, it's that you're OF it and everyone else is dealing with the past!

That said,

55. Pere Ubu

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 01:32 (twenty-two years ago)

also, considering the Darknes...

56. Redd Kross

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 01:34 (twenty-two years ago)

the La's ahead of their time?

How many UK bands were doing highly melodic guitar based pop in 1989?
How many UK bands were doing highly melodic guitar based pop in 1994?

Certainly ahead of the phenomenon that was Britpop.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)

57. MC5: Kick Out The Jams

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

38. Leon Theremin, inventor of the world's first electronic instrument, the theremin (see Portishead upthread).

Erm, he wasn't the first. There were different sorts of proto-synthesizers around years before the theremin; it's just that theremin became the most famous electronic instrument of the early 20th century via movie soundtracks etc.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

39. Silver Apples
41. Cabaret Voltaire
42. Gary Numan

― sucka (sucka), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 10:24 (twenty-two years ago)

61: The Modern Lovers - invented indie.

― MikeB, Tuesday, 9 December 2003 10:32 (twenty-two years ago)

62. The Rutles.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

63. Rites of Spring

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 10:53 (twenty-two years ago)

38. Leon Theremin, inventor of the world's first electronic instrument, the theremin (see Portishead upthread).

that might be so, but that ol' russian was still ahead of his time!

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

64. Brian Eno - Baby's On FIre.

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

that might be so, but that ol' russian was still ahead of his time!

I wouldn't say so. While the theremin has indeed an interesting sound, it can only produce that one sound, so it has more of a gimmick value (even today, when it's used, it's mostly as a gimmick), and it never had big influence in the development of electronic music. I think the guys who dreamed of machines which can produce any kind of a sound, and then tried to build those machines were far more ahead of their times than Leon Theremin.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

also, considering the Darknes...

56. Redd Kross

Yeah, not to mention Jellyfish, Urge Overkill, Pooh Sticks, and on and on...

I don't get the Darkness. The songs are so shitty!

― Arthur (Arthur), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Arthur, you need to think of it as a starter band, ie, "Oh, got it, this stuff can sound good. Now to find a band that does it better!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, I know, I'm an old crank, I shouldn't rain on anyone's parade. But I keep reading that despite the joke element (which I don't mind at all) the songs are ace and they just don't sound like it to me. I don't know, Dave Q and Scott Seward have kinda said all this already elsewhere and said it much better.

― Arthur (Arthur), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Surely a devalued concept. Pop has got so desperate for "fresh" ideas that practically every nook and cranny of the past has now been revisited and recolonised. Everything was ahead of its time.

― ArfArf, Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

65. Cro-Magnon: "Caledonia"

― Dr. Annabel Lies (Michael Kelly), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 04:15 (twenty-two years ago)

66. The Rapture - Out of the Races & Onto the Tracks

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

67. Prince's 1999 - ahead of its time for fusing electronics, funk and rock. Not to mention dance, music, sex and romance.

― p.j. (Henry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Oasis

― kevin brady (groeuvre), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Magazine anticipate "Prog Is The New Punk" by actually combining them way back when.

― Clarke B., Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

frank zappa
black sabbath

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:31 (twenty-two years ago)

um, oasis?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Third Bardo, obviously.

― Curt (cgould), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

captain beefheart

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

74. The Residents
75. The Zombies

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

76. Sonic Youth

Hahaha, just kidding.

― Stupid (Stupid), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

fun boy three

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Blackmore's Night

http://www.blackmoresnight.com/photos/promo/pics/tall/02.jpg

..oh, okay, not really.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)

77. Dick Dale

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)

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