Pop Music: The Modern Era 1976-1999

Soundtrack For A Century (Series)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00001SIF3
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,600 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With the earliest of its cuts, Aerosmith's "Dream On," dating back more than a quarter of a century--a hit in 1976, it was first issued in '73--calling this double-CD volume of Sony Music's self-admiring Soundtrack for a Century series "The Modern Era" seems to be stretching it a little. "Dream On" is a great song, though, which is more than some might say of Des'ree's listlessly anthemic "You Gotta Be" or the endless (aren't they all?) Celine Dion ballad "Because I Loved You." But because of the formerly CBS Records corporation's massive sales and airplay presence over much of the period surveyed here, Modern does bring together some of the decades' signature moments, both good and bad. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars more isn't always good, June 13, 2000

By	ron (santa monica, california) - See all my reviews

i may not be an expert on the history of sony records, the modern era 23 years worth of music and all they have is this? They should have put out two volumes of the modern era, vol.1 with the classics like Aerosmith, ELO, Journey, etc. and vol.2 with Fiona Apple, New Kids on the Block, I'm sure Sony could have done better. I gave it 3 stars just for the classic groups. And the classics i do not mean Michael Bolton & Wham (Know what i mean?)

5.0 out of 5 stars Part three of a wonderful pop music compilation, May 21, 2009

By	RockinRobin411 - See all my reviews

The first part showed the early years and the development into what several people seem to label as "standard" music, and the second part showed that, and then the sudden transition into more modern music, the third part shows how wide a genre it became. Although they seem to group the songs with similar songs, I feel that this album still shows the several directions that pop music split up into.

This disc, however, still shows what makes pop music pop music. It's short, catchy, accessible, and usually heavily produced (usually in a good way). I think that they mainly picked out really good songs, and I feel that because of the many directions pop music split up into, it wasn't an easy task to show what pop music is and was.

This is probably my favorite of the three compilations. However, I would recommend that if you ever decide to really study the history of pop music, to listen to more than just this compilation and the other two parts.

4.0 out of 5 stars This is also a good compilation, April 12, 2007

By	Lemas Mitchell "Libertarian/ Empiricist" (Chengdu, Sichuan (China)) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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One problems is that a couple of the songs exist only in the castrated version (missing a verse here or a bridge there). One example is "Just The Way You Are" (Billy Joel). This is, however, well worth buying secondhand.