Jun 4, 2026, 1:03 PMToday's #1001albums is My Generation by The Who, and I feel this is a classic example of something that at the time was considered radical (so much distorted guitar, in 1965!) and now feels like pretty standard indie rock.
It's not bad, but it also doesn't seem that amazing, I suspect because I'm used to everything that came later and copied it, and so can't experience how new it sounded at the time.
@hl Agreed. It's worth looking at the general popular music landscape at the time (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_top-ten_singles_in_1965) - it’s very radical in comparison. But it's not something that’s really held up well in my opinion.
@hl Nailed it.
I've sat here thinking through an entire laundry list of things in that category, from Star Wars to the Beatles' mop-top era, to Eruption, that a teenager experiencing them for the first time in 2026 would respond to with something like "...is that all? Bit mid, isn't it?"
And you just can't (reasonably) respond with "listen here, you little shit..." because so much has been built on those things in the meantime, that they really do seem bland by comparison.
You'd have to get them to hold still long enough to get the full context, and I've heard of exactly one person who pulled that off properly.
Jun 4, 2026, 3:25 PM@KatS yeah, I'm trying to think of examples from my youth which we considered revolutionary. My children will be like "meh Dad, they're just CGI dinosaurs.", while I'm trying to explain how the original Jurassic Park looked so realistic the way the shots and the people interacted with the dinos.
@hl yeah thats true. Interesting. I love the Who but in small doses, certain songs.. theyre one of those bands I have a playlist for, I never do full albums haha
@jake4480 @hl I think the album is pretty incredible, but maybe it's easier for me to get in the headspace of 1965. It's like watching a solar system being created because now we know why some later bands or music scenes sound the way they do. However, I came to the album before indie or neo-psychedelic music exploded. Regardless, I'm glad you enjoyed it... ;>)
Jun 4, 2026, 4:30 PM@wendigo @jake4480 @bendaubney Yes, I can imagine so. I'm trying to think of more recent examples (say mid 90s onwards) that would be considered as radical. I feel there's fewer such examples, or perhaps I can just see the lineage better and so no music evolution seems like such a big jump for me?
From the 1965 UK top ten hit list Ben shared, I think the one that feels most interesting, and that it has aged the least, is "Subterranean Homesick Blues". You can see it's kind of a Chuck Berry knock off, but with enough of a twist to be different and so not feel (to me) as old as a Chuck Berry number.
@hl @wendigo @jake4480 @bendaubney
A few — of various magnitudes — I think fit the bill
Bjork - Homogenic/ Post
Broadcast - Work and NonWork
Radiohead - OK Computer
Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
Sigur Ros - Ageatis Byrjun
At The Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Jun 4, 2026, 6:28 PM@fistfulofdave @wendigo @jake4480 @bendaubney that's a good list, with a few things I don't know. I'd agree on Homogenic and OK Computer.
@hl @wendigo @jake4480 @bendaubney not quite the number from the 60s through early 90s but there’s a few.