The Who vs. The Fugees
Patsy Cline vs. Suede
Jefferson Airplane/Starship vs. Pulp
The Alan Parsons Project vs. The Police
Oasis vs. Cinderella
The Strokes vs. Parliament/Funkadelic
Brook Benton vs. Moby
Night Ranger vs. Bachman-Turner Overdrive vs. Eric Clapton
________________________________________________________________________________

1964 - 166. The Who -- Zoot Suit
1965 - 5. The Who -- My Generation
1965 - 35. The Who -- I Can't Explain
1965 - 90. The Who -- Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
1966 - 57. The Who -- Substitute
1966 - 86. The Who -- Happy Jack
1966 - 108. The Who -- The Kids Are Alright
1966 - 147. The Who -- I'm A Boy
1966 - 274. The Who -- A Legal Matter
1966 - 299. The Who -- Boris The Spider
1967 - 18. The Who -- I Can See For Miles
1967 - 119. The Who -- Pictures Of Lily
1967 - 247. The Who -- The Last Time
1968 - 57. The Who -- Magic Bus
1968 - 150. The Who -- Call Me Lightning
1969 - 31. The Who -- Pinball Wizard
1969 - 147. The Who -- We're Not Gonna Take It
1969 - 229. The Who -- The Acid Queen
1970 - 63. The Who -- See Me, Feel Me
1970 - 128. The Who -- The Seeker
1970 - 146. The Who -- Summertime Blues
1971 - 5. The Who -- Won't Get Fooled Again
1971 - 17. The Who -- Baba O'Riley
1971 - 41. The Who -- Behind Blue Eyes
1971 - 92. The Who -- Bargain
1971 - 131. The Who -- Going Mobile
1971 - 218. The Who -- Let's See Action
1971 - 253. The Who -- Love Ain't For Keeping
1972 - 60. The Who -- Join Together
1972 - 150. The Who -- Relay
1973 - 35. The Who -- Love Reign O'er Me
1973 - 75. The Who -- 5:15
1973 - 138. The Who -- The Real Me
1973 - 268. The Who -- I'm Me
1974 - 126. The Who -- Long Live Rock
1975 - 85. The Who -- Squeeze Box
1976 - 136. The Who -- Slip Kid
1978 - 30. The Who -- Who Are You
1981 - 38. The Who -- You Better You Bet
1981 - 400. The Who -- Another Tricky Day
1982 - 170. The Who -- Athena
1982 - 182. The Who -- Eminence Front
1982 - 360. The Who -- Cry If You Want

1995 - 108. The Fugees -- Fu-Gee-La
1996 - 9. The Fugees -- Killing Me Softly
1996 - 40. The Fugees -- Ready Or Not
1996 - 108. The Fugees -- No Woman, No Cry
1997 - 349. The Fugees -- Rumble In The Jungle

1957 - 16. Patsy Cline -- Walkin' After Midnight
1957 - 165. Patsy Cline -- Three Cigarettes (In An Ashtray)
1959 - 188. Patsy Cline -- Gotta Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul
1961 - 7. Patsy Cline -- Crazy
1961 - 13. Patsy Cline -- I Fall To Pieces
1961 - 127. Patsy Cline -- Seven Lonely Days
1962 - 49. Patsy Cline -- She’s Got You
1962 - 185. Patsy Cline -- When I Get Through With You
1963 - 116. Patsy Cline -- Sweet Dreams (Of You)

1992 - 18. Suede -- The Drowners
1992 - 57. Suede -- Metal Mickey
1993 - 34. Suede -- Animal Nitrate
1993 - 240. Suede -- So Young
1994 - 127. Suede -- Stay Together
1994 - 162. Suede -- The Wild Ones
1994 - 238. Suede -- We Are The Pigs
1995 - 197. Suede -- New Generation
1996 - 77. Suede -- Trash
1996 - 245. Suede -- Beautiful Ones
1997 - 287. Suede -- Saturday Night
1997 - 343. Suede -- Film Star
1999 - 118. Suede -- Electricity
1999 - 192. Suede -- Everything Will Flow
1999 - 235. Suede -- She’s In Fashion
2001 - 375. Suede -- Simon
2002 - 277. Suede -- Obsessions
2002 - 312. Suede -- Positivity
2003 - 285. Suede -- Altitude

1967 - 19. Jefferson Airplane -- White Rabbit
1967 - 36. Jefferson Airplane -- Somebody To Love
1969 - 245. Jefferson Airplane -- Volunteers
1970 - 300. Jefferson Airplane -- Mexico
1971 - 287. Jefferson Airplane -- Pretty As You Feel
1972 - 290. Jefferson Airplane -- Alexander The Medium
1974 - 273. Jefferson Starship -- Ride The Tiger
1975 - 67. Jefferson Starship -- Miracles
1975 - 240. Jefferson Starship -- Once You Got Started
1976 - 124. Jefferson Starship -- With Your Love
1976 - 307. Jefferson Starship -- St. Charles
1978 - 127. Jefferson Starship -- Count On Me
1978 - 261. Jefferson Starship -- Runaway
1978 - 321. Jefferson Starship -- Crazy Feelin’
1979 - 118. Jefferson Starship -- Jane
1980 - 350. Jefferson Starship -- Girl With The Hungry Eyes
1981 - 137. Jefferson Starship -- Find Your Way Back
1981 - 355. Jefferson Starship -- Strangers
1983 - 381. Jefferson Starship -- Winds of Change
1984 - 231. Jefferson Starship -- No Way Out
1984 - 279. Jefferson Starship -- Layin' It On The Line
1985 - 48. Starship -- We Built This City
1985 - 86. Starship -- Sara
1987 - 105. Starship -- Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
1987 - 248. Starship -- It's Not Over (Til It's Over)
1987 - 338. Starship -- Beat Patrol
1989 - 319. Starship -- It's Not Enough

1991 - 270. Pulp -- Countdown
1991 - 354. Pulp -- My Legendary Girlfriend
1992 - 121. Pulp -- Babies
1993 - 197. Pulp -- Razzmatazz
1994 - 126. Pulp -- Do You Remember The First Time?
1995 - 5. Pulp -- Common People
1995 - 110. Pulp -- Sorted E's And Wizz
1995 - 125. Pulp -- Mis-Shapes
1995 - 154. Pulp -- Disco 2000
1996 - 340. Pulp -- Something’s Changed
1997 - 101. Pulp -- Help The Aged
1998 - 44. Pulp -- This Is Hardcore
1998 - 278. Pulp -- A Little Soul
1998 - 298. Pulp -- Party Hard
2001 - 240. Pulp -- The Trees
2002 - 141. Pulp -- Bad Cover Version

1976 - 277. The Alan Parsons Project -- (The System Of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Feather
1976 - 329. The Alan Parsons Project -- The Raven
1977 - 164. The Alan Parsons Project -- I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You
1977 - 323. The Alan Parsons Project -- Don't Let It Show
1978 - 330. The Alan Parsons Project -- What Goes Up
1979 - 273. The Alan Parsons Project -- Damned If I Do
1980 - 166. The Alan Parsons Project -- Games People Play
1981 - 117. The Alan Parsons Project -- Time
1981 - 307. The Alan Parsons Project -- Snake Eyes
1982 - 66. The Alan Parsons Project -- Eye in the Sky
1982 - 326. The Alan Parsons Project -- Psychobabble
1982 - 356. The Alan Parsons Project -- Old And Wise
1984 - 194. The Alan Parsons Project -- Don't Answer Me
1984 - 357. The Alan Parsons Project -- Prime Time
1985 - 306. The Alan Parsons Project -- Let's Talk About Me

1978 - 5. The Police -- Roxanne
1978 - 47. The Police -- Can’t Stand Losing You
1978 - 70. The Police -- So Lonely
1979 - 16. The Police -- Message In A Bottle
1979 - 47. The Police -- Walking On The Moon
1979 - 182. The Police -- Bed's Too Big Without You
1979 - 287. The Police -- Reggatta De Blanc
1979 - 332. The Police -- Bring On The Night
1980 - 11. The Police -- Don't Stand So Close To Me
1980 - 40. The Police -- De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
1980 - 144. The Police -- When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around
1980 - 197. The Police -- Canary In A Coalmine
1981 - 12. The Police -- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
1981 - 105. The Police -- Driven To Tears
1981 - 135. The Police -- Invisible Sun
1982 - 59. The Police -- Spirits in the Material World
1982 - 285. The Police -- Secret Journey
1982 - 311. The Police -- Hungry For You
1982 - 399. The Police -- I Burn For You
1983 - 1. The Police -- Every Breath You Take
1983 - 60. The Police -- King Of Pain
1983 - 85. The Police -- Wrapped Around Your Finger
1983 - 99. The Police -- Synchronicity II
1983 - 306. The Police -- Tea in the Sahara
1983 - 397. The Police -- Miss Gradenko

1994 - 10. Oasis -- Live Forever
1994 - 33. Oasis -- Supersonic
1994 - 55. Oasis -- Whatever
1994 - 79. Oasis -- Cigarettes And Alcohol
1994 - 173. Oasis -- Shakermaker
1994 - 199. Oasis -- Rock 'N Roll Star
1994 - 270. Oasis -- Columbia
1995 - 1. Oasis -- Wonderwall
1995 - 30. Oasis -- Some Might Say
1995 - 77. Oasis -- Hey Now!
1995 - 198. Oasis -- Cast No Shadow
1995 - 395. Oasis -- She's Electric
1996 - 7. Oasis -- Champagne Supernova
1996 - 20. Oasis -- Don’t Look Back In Anger
1996 - 104. Oasis -- Morning Glory
1997 - 36. Oasis -- D'You Know What I Mean
1997 - 142. Oasis -- Stand By Me
1997 - 331. Oasis -- I Hope, I Think, I Know
1998 - 108. Oasis -- Don't Go Away
1998 - 145. Oasis -- Around The World
1998 - 196. Oasis -- Aquiesce
1998 - 291. Oasis -- Underneath The Sky
2000 - 66. Oasis -- Go Let It Out
2000 - 136. Oasis -- Sunday Morning Call
2000 - 148. Oasis -- Where Did It All Go Wrong
2000 - 238. Oasis -- Who Feels Love
2000 - 353. Oasis -- Fuckin’ In The Bushes
2002 - 73. Oasis -- Stop Crying Your Heart Out
2002 - 106. Oasis -- The Hindu Times
2002 - 175. Oasis -- Little By Little
2002 - 341. Oasis -- My Generation
2003 - 239. Oasis -- Songbird
2005 - 66. Oasis -- Lyla
2005 - 102. Oasis -- The Importance Of Being Idle
2005 - 178. Oasis -- Let There Be Love
2005 - 266. Oasis -- Love Like A Bomb
2007 - 179. Oasis -- Lord Don’t Slow Me Down
2008 - 26. Oasis -- The Shock Of The Lightning
2008 - 70. Oasis -- I’m Outta Time
2008 - 293. Oasis -- Falling Down

1986 - 104. Cinderella -- Nobody's Fool
1986 - 183. Cinderella -- Shake Me
1987 - 193. Cinderella -- Somebody Save Me
1987 - 398. Cinderella -- Night Songs
1988 - 72. Cinderella -- Don’t Know What You Got (Til It’s Gone)
1989 - 165. Cinderella -- Coming Home
1989 - 183. Cinderella -- Gypsy Road
1989 - 214. Cinderella -- The Last Mile
1990 - 150. Cinderella -- Shelter Me
1991 - 170. Cinderella -- Heartbreak Station
1992 - 333. Cinderella -- Hot And Bothered

2001 - 17. The Strokes -- Last Nite
2001 - 32. The Strokes -- Hard To Explain
2001 - 137. The Strokes -- The Modern Age
2001 - 353. The Strokes -- Is This It?
2002 - 38. The Strokes -- Someday
2003 - 19. The Strokes -- 12:51
2003 - 290. The Strokes -- Automatic Stop
2003 - 392. The Strokes -- Under Control
2004 - 105. The Strokes -- Reptilia
2004 - 161. The Strokes -- The End Has No End
2004 - 355. The Strokes -- Modern Girls And Old-Fashioned Men
2005 - 46. The Strokes -- Juicebox
2005 - 372. The Strokes -- Heart In A Cage
2006 - 113. The Strokes -- You Only Live Once
2006 - 343. The Strokes -- Razor Blade

1967 - 82. Parliament/Funkadelic -- (I Wanna) Testify
1969 - 138. Parliament/Funkadelic -- I'll Bet You
1971 - 122. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Maggot Brain
1973 - 159. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Cosmic Slop
1974 - 262. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Up For The Down Stroke
1975 - 130. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Chocolate City
1976 - 41. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)
1976 - 129. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Star Child (Mothership Connection)
1976 - 155. Parliament/Funkadelic -- P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)
1977 - 144. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Bop Gun
1977 - 346. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Dr. Funkenstien
1978 - 16. Parliament/Funkadelic -- One Nation Under A Groove
1978 - 28. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Flash Light
1978 - 172. Parliament/Funkadelic -- Who Says A Funk Band Can’t Play Rock
1979 - 133. Parliament/Funkadelic -- (Not Just) Knee Deep

1958 - 128. Brook Benton -- A Million Miles From Nowhere
1959 - 37. Brook Benton -- It's Just A Matter Of Time
1959 - 97. Brook Benton -- So Many Ways
1959 - 103. Brook Benton -- Endlessly
1959 - 153. Brook Benton -- Thank You Pretty Baby
1960 - 52. Brook Benton -- Kiddio
1960 - 57. Brook Benton & Dinah Washington -- Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
1960 - 78. Buster Brown -- Fannie Mae
1960 - 84. Brook Benton & Dinah Washington -- A Rockin' Good Way
1960 - 178. Brook Benton -- Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
1961 - 37. Brook Benton -- The Boll Weevil Song
1961 - 176. Brook Benton -- Think Twice
1962 - 66. Brook Benton -- Hotel Happiness
1962 - 165. Brook Benton -- Revenge
1962 - 180. Brook Benton -- Walk On The Wild Side
1970 - 74. Brook Benton -- Rainy Night In Georgia

1991 - 366. Moby -- Go
1995 - 230. Moby -- Feeling So Real
1996 - 332. Moby -- That’s When I Reach For My Revolver
1997 - 233. Moby -- James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version)
1999 - 94. Moby -- Bodyrock
1999 - 128. Moby -- Honey
1999 - 190. Moby -- Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad
2000 - 35. Moby F/Gwen Steffani -- Southside
2000 - 88. Moby -- Porcelain
2000 - 109. Moby -- Natural Blues
2002 - 59. Moby -- We Are All Made Of Stars
2002 - 278. Moby -- Extreme Ways
2003 - 283. Moby -- Beautiful
2006 - 337. Moby -- New York, New York
2008 - 319. Moby -- Disco Lies

1983 - 88. Night Ranger -- Don't Tell Me You Love Me
1983 - 158. Night Ranger (You Can Still) Rock In America
1983 - 199. Night Ranger -- Sing Me Away
1984 - 25. Night Ranger -- Sister Christian
1984 - 96. Night Ranger -- When You Close Your Eyes
1984 - 398. Night Ranger -- Rumours in the Air
1985 - 98. Night Ranger -- Sentimental Street
1985 - 173. Night Ranger -- Goodbye
1985 - 195. Night Ranger -- Four in The Morning
1987 - 261. Night Ranger -- Secret Of My Success
1988 - 358. Night Ranger -- I Did It For Love

1974 - 1. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
1974 - 28. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- Takin' Care Of Business
1974 - 129. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- Let It Ride
1975 - 143. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- Roll On Down The Highway
1975 - 191. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- Hey You
1976 - 323. Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- Looking Out For Number 1

1970 - 37. Eric Clapton -- After Midnight
1970 - 113. Eric Clapton -- Let It Rain
1970 - 256. Eric Clapton -- Comin’ Home
1974 - 62. Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff
1974 - 259. Eric Clapton -- Mothertless Child
1975 - 146. Eric Clapton -- Knocking On Heavens Door
1976 - 160. Eric Clapton -- Hello Old Friend
1976 - 299. Eric Clapton -- Beautiful Thing
1978 - 77. Eric Clapton -- Lay Down Sally
1978 - 140. Eric Clapton -- Wonderful Tonight
1978 - 150. Eric Clapton -- Promises
1979 - 323. Eric Clapton -- Watch Out For Lucy
1980 - 74. Eric Clapton -- Cocaine
1981 - 82. Eric Clapton -- I Can't Stand It
1981 - 319. Eric Clapton -- Another Ticket
1981 - 375. Eric Clapton -- Rita Mae
1982 - 351. Eric Clapton -- Ain't Going Down
1983 - 115. Eric Clapton -- I've Got A Rock 'N Roll Heart
1985 - 125. Eric Clapton -- Forever Man
1985 - 204. Eric Clapton -- She's Waiting
1985 - 347. Eric Clapton -- See What Love Can Do
1987 - 131. Eric Clapton -- It's In The Way You Use It
1987 - 372. Eric Clapton -- Miss You
1989 - 98. Eric Clapton -- Pretending
1989 - 217. Eric Clapton -- Bad Love
1990 - 255. Eric Clapton -- Before You Accuse Me
1990 - 302. Eric Clapton -- No Alibis
1990 - 366. Eric Clapton -- Run So Far
1992 - 10. Eric Clapton -- Tears In Heaven
1994 - 281. Eric Clapton -- I'm Tore Down
1994 - 310. Eric Clapton -- Motherless Child
1996 - 99. Eric Clapton -- Change The World
1998 - 140. Eric Clapton -- My Fathers Eyes
2000 - 297. B.B. King & Eric Clapton -- Riding With The King
2001 - 330. Eric Clapton -- Believe In Life
2004 - 394. Eric Clapton -- Sweet Home Chicago

The Who
Suede
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Eric Clapton

The Who
Patsy Cline
Jefferson Airplane/Starship
Not going to vote Pulp over JA based on one amazing song.
The Alan Parsons Project
I can't stand the Police.
Parliament/Funkadelic
Strokes have one good album that didn't age that well.

The Who
Patsy Cline
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
The Strokes
Moby
Bachman-Turner Overdrive

WHO -- Fugees just do not have nearly enough to compete in this matchup...
SUEDE -- I really wanted to vote for Patsy, but I have a soft spot for 90's Britpop bands like Blur, Manics, Supergrass, Pulp, Placebo, Supergrass, Stereophonics, Oasis, Travis and so on, Suede is one of the big acts of that genre...
PULP -- See above...
POLICE -- One of those great bands that did so much in such a small period of time...
OASIS -- see above...
P/FUNK -- I hate to vote against The Strokes... but...
MOBY --
CLAPTON -- Really though about showing Night Ranger some love here...

The Who
Suede
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
The Strokes
Moby
Eric Clapton

Only The Strokes versus Parliament/Funkadelic was a tough choice.

Every year since Cobain shot himself has sucked, the late 70's and early 80's were bad too, but not THAT bad.
The Who
Patsy
Jefferson
Police
Oasis
Parliament
(pass)
Clapton

The Who
Patsy Cline
Pulp
The Alan Parsons Project (one of my all-time favorites)
Oasis
The Strokes (toughest choice in the second round so far, not really a big fan of either)
Moby
Eric Clapton

The Who

Patsy Cline

Pulp

The Police

Oasis

Parliament/Funkadelic

Moby

Eric Clapton

Favorite this round - By a nose over the Who (and a nose that is much smaller than that of Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk), I'm giving it to P-Funk.

Favorite not voted for - The Strokes

the Who
Suede
Pulp
the Police
Oasis (this list is sure Britpop friendly)
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Eric Clapton

The Who
Suede
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
P-Funk
Brook Benton
Eric Clapton

The Who
Patsy Cline
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Eric Clapton

I used to think `74 was a weak year, but now I think it's one of the best of the 70s. Some all-time greats were released that year:

King Crimson's Red
Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom
Brian Eno's Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Faust's Faust IV
Neil Young's On the Beach
Big Star's Radio City

Since most of these lean toward the more experimental side of things, I'm not surprised they don't show up in the Slicknation polls. But you definitely need to listen to these before you dismiss the entire year as weak. As for recent years, 1997 was an all-timer, and 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2007 were all really good too.

The Who
Pulp
Oasis
The Strokes
BTO

I'd take the Clash over Pablo Cruise any day.

The Who
Patsy Cline
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Big pass on the last…somehow, we ended up with a three-way contest among artists I dislike intensely.

****

AM TOP 10 ALBUMS
1. The Who – Who’s Next
2. The Strokes – Is This It
3. Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
4. Oasis – Definitely Maybe
5. The Who – Tommy
6. Pulp – Different Class
7. Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow
8. Funkadelic – One Nation Under a Groove
9. The Police – Synchronicity
10. The Who – My Generation

AM TOP 10 SONGS
1. The Who, “My Generation”
2. The Police, “Every Breath You Take”
3. Pulp, “Common People”
4. Oasis, “Live Forever”
5. Oasis, “Wonderwall”
6. The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
7. Patsy Cline, “Crazy”
8. The Who, “I Can’t Explain”
9. Jefferson Airplane, “White Rabbit”
10. The Police, “Roxanne”

MY FAVORITE ARTIST TODAY
Hmm…probably the Who.

I know I shouldn’t rise to this bait, but…

The whole question of what constitutes a “good year” in music seems to me…misguided. We all have our favorites—I’d be happy to make the case for 1965, 1977, 1987, 1991, or 2000—and that’s fun. But any claim that an entire era of music (whether we’re talking pre-1977, post-1994, or whatever) is somehow inferior to what came before or after is, frankly, axe-grinding…and usually has as a shadow argument the belief that certain genres of music are unworthy of respect (“disco sucks,” “rap sucks,” “emo sucks”). That’s not criticism. That’s prejudice.

My usual target, which I’m sure is getting very tiresome, is what seems to me the amount of wildly overrated music from the 1967-1972 era…for argument’s sake, let’s say the first five years of serious rock criticism (and that’s no coincidence). But I would never claim that all music from that era “sucked”—that would of course be stupid for a period which includes landmark work by the Beatles, Stones, Stooges, VU, Sly, Marvin, Miles, Bowie, Can and, yes, Led Zep.

The post-grunge period (or whatever you want to call it) has been as fruitful as any in pop music history. Blithely dismissing the work of Radiohead, Wilco, Blur, Daft Punk, QotSA, Sigur Rós, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and, yes, the pop music produced by folks like Timbaland and Kanye West—work that easily stands comparison with the more well-worn titans listed in the last paragraph—is, at best, uninformed. And wearisome. And irritating.

The relative scarcity of music from the last 15 years in the upper reaches of the AM lists is down to two factors. I’m embarrassed to have to point this out, again, but:

1. Critical consensus normally takes about a generation to solidify. If Henrik had put the list together in 1995, I promise you the Pixies would not have had two albums in the top 100. If he had done it in 1980, the top 100 would have included no Ramones, no Raw Power, no Low. It will take time, but in ten years or so, there will be more 21st-century music in there.

2. Between narrowcasting and the online revolution in how music is produced and consumed, we are now in an era in which no artist can achieve universal, cross-demographic appeal. If you praise the Beatles in 1970, everyone will agree with you. If you praise Radiohead in 2010, a lot of folks won’t know who the hell you’re talking about. But that has NO bearing on whether the Beatles or Radiohead are any good.

This is partly why talking about the “mainstream” makes no sense. In 2010, who cares, really?

The #1 song in the US right now is “California Gurls” by Katy Perry with Snoop Dogg. I’ve never heard it, and for all I know it might be good. But does it make any sense to compare it to the Beach Boys or Big Star and claim that you’ve proved an overarching point about the decline of music?

By the way, the US #1 35 years ago today, in the heart of the 1970s, was “Love Will Keep Us Together,” by Captain and Tennille. That doesn’t prove anything either.

There is always great music, both in and outside of the mainstream. There is, also, always a lot of crap, in both places. The trick is to overcome your preconceptions and let yourself hear both (I’ve had to learn this trick myself).

If you don’t, you’ll never know what you’re missing.

/rant

The Who
Patsy Cline
Jefferson Starplane
The Police - I love APP, but can't justify taking them over Gordon Sumner & crew
Oasis
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Eric Clapton - another 80s favorite of mine (Night Ranger) bites the dust...

Underdogs in this bracket: None!

Today's favorite: Eric Clapton
Today's favorite I didn't vote for: Night Ranger
Favorite Song from today's bracket: "Promises", Eric Clapton

I concur with what Schleuse said.

I do believe that 1967-1971 were higher quality years than just about any year since. But I don't think the years of the 80s and 90s were any better than the years of the 00s.

The Who
Suede
Pulp
The Police
Oasis
Parliament/Funkadelic
Moby
Eric Clapton

I heard Cinderella and Night Ranger for the first time today and I must say it was a long time since I heard something so awful. I can't believe such crap made it to round 2. Slick, I really like this game and your lists, but they seem a little US-biased and hard rock-biased. Are the slicknation lists solely based on sales etc. from the USA (plus maybe UK)?

Winners in 2.6...
The Who 97% / The Fugees 3%
Patsy Cline 59.4% / Suede 40.6%
Pulp 57.6% / Jefferson Airplane (Starship) 42.4%
Police 81.3% / Alan Parsons Project 18.7%
Oasis 90.6% / Cinderella 9.4%
PFunk 72.7% / The Strokes 27.3%
Moby 75.9% / Brook Benton 24.1%
Eric Clapton 66.7% / Night Ranger 16.7% / BTO 16.7%