Your generation's anthem

[Jumbo]

I'm 29, and the Seattle rock scene was it for me. I was in Jr High when it started, but I still consider that the monumental music time for me. Considering what has come since then, excluding a short resurgence of rock in the early 2000's, I'd still go with PJ/AIC/Nirvana as generational anthem music for me.

This.

I think the big question is which generation those of us with birthday, say, 1979-81 should fall. We're basically on the border of Gen X and Y, and while it was pretty clear that Nirvana was the anthem at the time I can't say for certain it was "our" generation's anthem.

(BTW, I think if you were going across all music, you can't ignore Nuthin But a G Thang.)

So right, after grunge fades and the big guys in rap die, and the Roarin 90s (like, as they say, other boom times) means that music is purely cash-flow entertainment...it seems that the iconic anthem for the late 90s-early 00s has to be the one that takes what worked in the early part of the decade and then commercializes it to the extreme. It doesn't hurt to toss in a little bit of celebreality, on the eve of the "Reality" Decade.

So it surprises me that nobody has yet suggested: The Real Slim Shady.

[Larvell Blanks]

I'm 41 and grew up listening to all types of music. To try and pick one specific song to define a generation is tough. It all depends on where you were at culturally, financially, etc

If I'm from the inner city in the late 80's and feel like I'm being held back, there's no doubt Fight the Power or My Philosophy by BDP speaks to me.

I'm living the good life, not a care in the world, knocking off a different piece nightly then I'm down w/ Posion -Nothing but a good time or a Bon Jovi song.

I'm an outsider and drawn to the underground then I'm looking at hardcore bands to tell my story. Circle Jerks -World up my ass or Black Flag - Rise above, White Minority, My War among others

I agree w/ SLTS. I remember where I was the first time I heard that song and getting hooked right in.

Big AIC fan but Soundgardens Badmotorfinger was the shit


No mention of Celebration by Kool and the Gang?

[peeker643]

I think it's worth a chuckle that JB is trying to be hip and suggest SLTS. We all know he's like a million years old.

This is his generation's anthem.

JB always tells me in PMs that the seminal album of his generation was Bryan Adams- Waking up the Neighbors. The Robin Hood theme still reaches him.

[Bayou Tribe]

I'm 29, and the Seattle rock scene was it for me. I was in Jr High when it started, but I still consider that the monumental music time for me. Considering what has come since then, excluding a short resurgence of rock in the early 2000's, I'd still go with PJ/AIC/Nirvana as generational anthem music for me.

This.

I think the big question is which generation those of us with birthday, say, 1979-81 should fall. We're basically on the border of Gen X and Y, and while it was pretty clear that Nirvana was the anthem at the time I can't say for certain it was "our" generation's anthem.

If you were born in 81 than you were 10 when SLTS dropped. I was 9 and growing up in a very rural area when it was released, and (I can only speak for myself) I wasn't self-aware enough yet to relate to what the scene was about at the time. Didn't have much to rebel against and didn't need anything to rally behind when I was 9, me and Mac were just collecting Tranformers and waiting patiently for the TMNT movie to hit the screen.

I guess it is up to the individual though, music hits different people differently.

[jb]

I think it's worth a chuckle that JB is trying to be hip and suggest SLTS. We all know he's like a million years old.

This is his generation's anthem.

Nahh, too recent.

Medievil minstrals doing Greensleves. That's the ticket.

BTW - This thread is about generational anthems, not personal tastes, likes / dislikes of music. Y'all do enough of that. Thininkg about this more, NFW is AIC generational anthem worthy. Good grundge band, others may think it great. But not Nirvana / PJ level as far as influence, and isn't that what we'retalking about? Iconic influence of a single song? I think Sonic Youth did some amazing shit in the day when CDT was a sperm cell. Doesn't mean they had the gen anthem.

[jb]

I'm 29, and the Seattle rock scene was it for me. I was in Jr High when it started, but I still consider that the monumental music time for me. Considering what has come since then, excluding a short resurgence of rock in the early 2000's, I'd still go with PJ/AIC/Nirvana as generational anthem music for me.

This.

I think the big question is which generation those of us with birthday, say, 1979-81 should fall. We're basically on the border of Gen X and Y,

Nahh, yer not Gen X. To be gen X you had to come to consciousness in the 1980's / early 90's. 10 years old ain't conscious.

Good take on M & M for your gen.

[aoxo1]

So it surprises me that nobody has yet suggested: The Real Slim Shady.

This.

SLTS is obviously Gen X, anyone trying to argue that other acts were better is missing the point. No one was as big as Nirvana, and their biggest hit and first hit was SLTS. Same with Eminem half a decade or so later.

[jb]

So it surprises me that nobody has yet suggested: The Real Slim Shady.

This.

SLTS is obviously Gen X, anyone trying to argue that other acts were better is missing the point. No one was as big as Nirvana, and their biggest hit and first hit was SLTS. Same with Eminem half a decade or so later.

?

Why The Real SS and not the first SS ?

[e0y2e3]

Seriously, what JB said.

One of the biggest Em honks in the world, and the Marshall Mathers LP is my shiz, but The Real SS was meh.

Only his second radio hit and just about the same if not less quality as the first.

Wanna grab his most epic song from the LP in terms of popularity and quality go w/ Lose Yourself.

[aoxo1]

So it surprises me that nobody has yet suggested: The Real Slim Shady.

This.

SLTS is obviously Gen X, anyone trying to argue that other acts were better is missing the point. No one was as big as Nirvana, and their biggest hit and first hit was SLTS. Same with Eminem half a decade or so later.

?

Why The Real SS and not the first SS ?

My bad. You are right. First single was "My Name Is". TRSS was on MM.

I guess argument could go either way. TRSS is more of a generational defining anthem.

[hermanfontenot]

"Generational anthem?" Negro please. Leave that naval-gazing BS to the Boomers.

[jb]

"Generational anthem?" Negro please. Leave that naval-gazing BS to the Boomers.

Great point.

End of thread.

[FUDU]

Another song that I think many would consider for this, and I will get attacked for this (but just hear me out) Pour Some Sugar On Me. Yeah it is got a bit of that big hair band feel, but IMO only b/c of the era it came out, Def Leppard however was not really a big hair band (at least far from the typical one), couldn't be with their roots in Britain and starting out in the seventies. It legitimately rocks way more than most big hair rock and is not on the same level of cheesiness.

For me personally it was a bit early in my years to garner my vote for an anthem, 87 I was 17, too dumb to know much of anything.

OMG. Dude, you are most respected when it comes to a bunch of stuff, but the NBA Playoffs are not about match ups and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" as the anthem song that represents your generation are 2 of the greatest, most significantly fucked up takes I can remember from a regular. And I mean that in a very lighthearted, most respectful manner.

matt you seem to be reading too much into stuff or not reading what I am saying. I am not saying it should be, saying it would probably be considered as such by a lot of people in their mid to late 30's. I'd bet more people in that demo would vote for PSSoM than SLTS. That is why I suggested there are very fine lines to this. A friend of mine who is 34 would say Teen Spirit, another friend 38 would say Sugar.

..and M&M, puhlease. M&M to most of gen X is listenable and entertaining but now way in hell that enough people really connect with it enough to be an anthem (not sure if anybody really suggested that, I got the impression somebody did).

I just feel like we are missing a rather obvious hoice for some reason.

Agreed on the Born to Run call as well for the previous generation, gen W?

[Bayou Tribe]

..and M&M, puhlease. M&M to most of gen X is listenable and entertaining but now way in hell that enough people really connect with it enough to be an anthem (not sure if anybody really suggested that, I got the impression somebody did).

I just feel like we are missing a rather obvious hoice for some reason.

If you can find out what it is, it would be much appreciated. I've been thinking about it for the past day and a half and I can't come up with anything.

[e0y2e3]

FUDU you are too out of touch to understand Gen Y, keep to your own rapidly crustifying types....

[FUDU]

FUDU you are too out of touch to understand Gen Y

I know I have a job

M&M for gen Y, completely agree, fits like a glove.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I just feel like we are missing a rather obvious hoice for some reason.

Not an anthem per se, but a fun song. The video always creeped me out.

[FUDU]

[Cerebral_DownTime]

lol. Bad choice?

[FUDU]

lol. Bad choice?

If I were Swerb I'd ban your ass.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

lol. Bad choice?

If I were Swerb I'd ban your ass.

Hah!

[Orenthal]

Pantera was pretty huge... How about Walk as our anthem! I'd say it was a combo of grunge and Pantera that killed 80's glam rock!

A generational snthem has to be iconic. Id est more that 6 people have to have dug it.

At least double that, and btw the album after Vulgar went to #1... Rush plays it as part of his bumper music, or is that Revolution is My Name... <-grasping

I've never lsitened to 5 minutes of Rush since 1992, so maybe I am wrong.

I know the tankers lover Pantera while wasting Hajjies, so maybe it's the post- 2000 generations anthem.

i admit ignorance, and all music is subjective.

But NFW it it Gen X's anthem. That much I am sure.

Peace out cat.

Am I a Gen-Xer? I don't feell like one, seems b4 my age. Though I really have no idea...

[Orenthal]

I'm 29, and the Seattle rock scene was it for me. I was in Jr High when it started, but I still consider that the monumental music time for me. Considering what has come since then, excluding a short resurgence of rock in the early 2000's, I'd still go with PJ/AIC/Nirvana as generational anthem music for me.

This.

I think the big question is which generation those of us with birthday, say, 1979-81 should fall. We're basically on the border of Gen X and Y, and while it was pretty clear that Nirvana was the anthem at the time I can't say for certain it was "our" generation's anthem.

If you were born in 81 than you were 10 when SLTS dropped. I was 9 and growing up in a very rural area when it was released, and (I can only speak for myself) I wasn't self-aware enough yet to relate to what the scene was about at the time. Didn't have much to rebel against and didn't need anything to rally behind when I was 9, me and Mac were just collecting Tranformers and waiting patiently for the TMNT movie to hit the screen.

I guess it is up to the individual though, music hits different people differently.

TMNT, GI JOE, and Transformers no doubt. Just wasn't caring about SLTS, not a Gen X'er, and with little to chose from. Although Onyx is heavyweight and still undisputed... SLAM!

[Triple-S]

damn, forget about Eminem

I'd secound that, always figured he was more of a "guilty pleasure", but he's really clevor and very relevant in his lyrics. Only downside to him was the wigger army that he produced after that.

But, overall I'm all for him being the guy whom made the Anthem for Gen. Y.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

. Although Onyx is heavyweight and still undisputed... SLAM!

Word.

Only thing better than Onyx, is Onyx and Biohazard.

[hermanfontenot]

. Although Onyx is heavyweight and still undisputed... SLAM!

Word.

Only thing better than Onyx, is Onyx and Biohazard.

Judgement Night: Skip the movie, buy the soundtrack.

[Jumbo]

Nahh, yer not Gen X. To be gen X you had to come to consciousness in the 1980's / early 90's. 10 years old ain't conscious.

Maybe. I'd note there seems to be some disagreement as to the exact point of division: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X. Some say "late 70s," one says 1981.

More to the relevant point, the ripple effects on the culture by Nirvana etc. lasted for several years, and so there was at least awareness of what was going on. But I will agree, in terms of cultural impact for our age-range: Nintendo @ 7 years old > Nirvana @ 11 years old.

JB:

Why The Real SS and not the first SS ?

e0y2e3

Seriously, what JB said.

One of the biggest Em honks in the world, and the Marshall Mathers LP is my shiz, but The Real SS was meh.

Only his second radio hit and just about the same if not less quality as the first.

Wanna grab his most epic song from the LP in terms of popularity and quality go w/ Lose Yourself.

..and M&M, puhlease. M&M to most of gen X is listenable and entertaining but now way in hell that enough people really connect with it enough to be an anthem (not sure if anybody really suggested that, I got the impression somebody did).

Two things. First, is Eminem vs. anybody else. Obviously, you've got to define what it means to be iconic: it's either somebody who is revolutionary and is such a game-changer that everybody follows in his wake, or is somebody who best represents what the culture is putting out at that time. I think that just the fact that it's so hard to come up with anybody shows that there is nobody revolutionary. So, who best represents what pop music was in that era? Can't think of anybody but Eminem...I tried to think of alternatives, and honestly the best alternative is Dave Matthews Band representing post-alternative college rock.

Second issue is which M&M song. They'd be pretty much interchangeable, but when I thought of him TRSS was the first song I thought of. So that's how I picked it. (I also think it was the most famous/highest on the charts/whatever, although Lose Yourself might have been more famous because of the movie.) And it had the memorable MTV Video Awards opening. No more thought than that.

Last thing: moving forward, who would be most iconic 2003-present? I think there's no question: Beyonce. (And Kanye didn't even need to put in his two cents.)

[Erie Warrior]

If you were born in 81 than you were 10 when SLTS dropped. I was 9 and growing up in a very rural area when it was released, and (I can only speak for myself) I wasn't self-aware enough yet to relate to what the scene was about at the time.

I wasn't waiting in line at Sam Goody to buy it the day it was released, but certainly 12-13 years old isn't too young to remember awesome music. Mine was attached to the muff I was chasing at the time, so it may be the girl as much as the music, but I would still consider it my anthem music.

[Bayou Tribe]

Mine was attached to the muff I was chasing at the time, so it may be the girl as much as the music, but I would still consider it my anthem music.

All of a sudden it clicked for me. Gen Y, you're welcome....

[aoxo1]

Mine was attached to the muff I was chasing at the time, so it may be the girl as much as the music, but I would still consider it my anthem music.

All of a sudden it clicked for me. Gen Y, you're welcome....

Asshole.

LFO is the worst act of all time. No joke.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

lol. FATALITY! Bayou wins.

[Orenthal]

Mine was attached to the muff I was chasing at the time, so it may be the girl as much as the music, but I would still consider it my anthem music.

All of a sudden it clicked for me. Gen Y, you're welcome....

Wow... Ouch!

[Doc]

I'm 26 and SLTS was a bit early for me. I've been racking my brain for a couple days, and this is the only song I can come up with.



I don't know if it's an anthem, but I think Green Day really helped set off mainstream radio rock for the mid 90s on. Whether that's good or bad is debatable.

[e0y2e3]

Bayou aren't you Gen Y as well or are you bending the starting age to try and suck on the Nirvana tit?

[Bayou Tribe]

Bayou aren't you Gen Y as well or are you bending the starting age to try and suck on the Nirvana tit?

Sadly, I fall into the songless generation (gen y). I remember when SLTS was released, but I was just a pre-teen trying to find something to dry hump. It held little to no meaning to me, but it rocked. I'd love to claim it as my anthem, but to no avail.

[mistero]

SLTS was just a bit "new" for me.

I would say something more like Add it Up or Blister in the Sun by Violent Femmes. Maybe Melt with You by Modern English.

99 Red Baloons by Nena?

Big Country in a Big Country from the album Big Country?

Come On Eileen from Dexter Midnight Runners?

867 5309 Jenny ,Tommy TuTone...

Maybe the best pick of the mid eighties crew would be "Don't you forget about me" Simple Minds from the Breakfast Club.
It's something we all can relate to... the jock, the princess, the basket case...

[Fire Marshall Bill]

"Purple Haze"

Now you tell me how old I am...: )

[Spin]

Class of 84, and we had two. And I didn't like either, both groups had much better material on their albums. Yes I said albums, you young fux will have to look that up.

[HoodooMan]

Word.

Only thing better than Onyx, is Onyx and Biohazard.

Doubted by memory, confirmed by video.

That is incorrect.

[HoodooMan]

Class of 84, and we had two. And I didn't like either, both groups had much better material on their albums. Yes I said albums, you young fux will have to look that up.

[dem425]

For you youngers: Theme song from CSI:Las Vegas

For the old farts: Teenage Wasteland/The Who

[hebner20]

For you youngers: Theme song from CSI:Las Vegas

For the old farts: Teenage Wasteland/The Who

Baba O'Riley

Won't get fooled again is a pretty damn good anthem also from Who's Next.

[Triple-S]

I have a nominee for Gen. Y, though this one's a bit personal.

My 2nd/3rd Tribe game I ever went to (against the Twins, I wanna see) when I was about 8, this was played over the loudspeakers in between Innings. Everytime I hear this song I think of going to that game with my dad and seeing Thome, Lofton, Alomar, and crew kicking ass.

Cheesey? Perhaps, but it'll always mean something to me personally.

[Bill the Butcher]

I got sick of that song. But I haven't heard it in a LOOONG time until your post, SSS. Kinda catchy.

aaaand after one listen, I'm done for another 10 years.