
Using Data Science to Measure a Musical Revolution - ryan_j_naughton
http://priceonomics.com/using-data-science-to-measure-a-musical-revolution/
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CWuestefeld
I think their characterization of the major shifts they detected are a little
off the mark.

First, they claim that in 1982, Disco was ascendant (along with New Wave and
Hard Rock). I would claim that by '82, Disco was waning, and it's the New Wave
along with Hard Rock and particularly Metal (this being the climax of the
NWOBHM in Iron Maiden that led to Metallica and other metal bands) at this
time.

Then in '91, they claim that rock was receding, while rap was ascendant. The
rap part of this is surely correct, although it had been building steam since
the mid '80s. But their call on "rock" is surely wrong. 1991 was a hugely
pivotal year in rock, but not as a death knell. The 1991 release of Nirvana's
_Nevermind_ shot metal in the head, and brought us the "Seattle Sound" that
dominated rock through that decade. I would claim that it's the Seattle Sound
that was the sudden sea change in '91.

