An interesting observation lies in the near consistency in releases during, before, and after, years ending in 7.  Looking back at 1967, we have the first two Hendrix records, the first two Doors records, plus the incredible Velvet Underground and Nico release.  After this year, and before, nowhere near the importance or magnitude of these recordings came to being.  After the dismal early 70's, with the notable exceptions of the Stooges and Bowie, we had the most important and incredible movement in music - the birth of punk rock.  In 1977 with the Sex Pistols' "Nevermind the Bollocks...", The Clash's "The Clash", The Jam's "This is the Modern World", and the industrial/minimal constructivists Suicide duo's first album "Suicide", the new wave/post punk scene was finally set.  The next 5 years would mark the best and most prolific artist contributions in modern music.  But all good things (and thankfully bad) come to an end, and with the notable exceptions of latecomers Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, and The Smiths, it had dried up to naught but a trickle by the mid-80s.  A noteworthy resurgence and dénouement came separately in 1987, the latter with the "death" of gloom rock, evidenced by The Smiths' last and final record, "Strangeways...", Dead Can Dance's (third and final record before they went World chant on us) "Within the Realm of a Dying Sun", and Steve Kilbey's rare solo post-Church title "unearthed".  But additionally and most importantly we had the second coming of punk - grunge.  Although Sonic Youth had already produced awesome records, in 1987 they released one of their best, "Sister", and their guitarist Lee Ranaldo put out arguably his best solo record, "From Here -> Infinity".  In the next year and the short-term we would see Jane's Addition at Perry Farrell's best, the incredible pixies of Frank Black and Kim Deal, and of course Hole and Nirvana, the goddess and god of the grunge punk-renaissance movement.  Sadly the movement rapidly died in a void of originality with copycats becoming so vapid they left us reaching for Reznor's nine inch nails project and cohort Marilyn Manson with gracious and trembling open arms.  Finally in 1997 our patience was rewarded with Sonic Youth again coming to the fore after a dry spell from the early 90's Goo and Dirty offerings to give us their best record of the past decade, a thousand leaves.  Also again Lee Ranaldo gives us the incredible gift of a solo project, this time in the incarnation of Amarillo Ramp.  The DIY indie thing was brought in raging with Sleater Kinney, possibly the best "new" band of the end of the 20th century, releasing their quintessential record "Dig Me Out".  Also in '97 everyone's favorite icelandic pixie Bjork put out one of her best, "Homogenic", breathing hope into electronica.

This year, 2007, we have two releases from two artists in my Top 10.  Marilyn fucking Manson and nine inch nails.  It will be very interesting to me to see if they both manage to release albums so bad I have to reconsider my current level of highest esteem.  Sure, Manson's released several lack-lustre records since "Anti-Christ Superstar", and Trent and company's latest albums have been weak, but a lot of my putting them in my Top 10 is that the majority of their early work is so phenomenal and they hadn't (yet) tarnished that too badly.  Another shit turnout from either and they're seriously in jeopardy of letting someone more deserving (perhaps Bjork, The Clash, Cocteau Twins, Placebo, or Siouxsie & the Banshees) pop them like a zit off my highest accolade chart.  And I know they wouldn't want THAT to happen!