music history in gifs

2002. Wilco releases Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Many things have...

freeoldmonk — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:23:44 -0500

2002. Wilco releases Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Many things have been said about how perfect this album is, and none of these things exaggerate. Perfect songwriting, lyrics, guitars, and pure energy. It is just rad.

And those buildings on the cover? One time Steve McQueen chased a bad guy off of them. So rad.

2003. Mars Volta releases their debut album De-Loused in the...

freeoldmonk — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:30:00 -0500

2003. Mars Volta releases their debut album De-Loused in the Comatorium. With its chaotic jazzy-rock madness, this album fuses hardcore and prog rock in insanely fun new ways. And its commercial success proved that prog is not just for guitar geeks anymore

It’s also for guys with awesome afros.

2004. Arcade Fire releases their debut album, Funeral....

freeoldmonk — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:37:54 -0500

2004. Arcade Fire releases their debut album, Funeral. Intense, dramatic, powerful, and loved by just about everyone, this album inspired countless imitators. Every musician aspires to create albums that are this good.

Also, at least one person in this band looks like this guy.

2005. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah self-releases their self-titled...

freeoldmonk — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:30:51 -0500

2005. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah self-releases their self-titled debut. They become one of the first bands to achieve huge success not through record deals and marketing, but through blo gs and the internet. It also helped that they wrote dang good songs.

Anyways. Ahem… child stars child stars child stars child stars child stars child stars child stars child stars…

2006. Man Man releases their breakthrough album, Six Demon Bag,...

freeoldmonk — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:30:37 -0500

2006. Man Man releases their breakthrough album, Six Demon Bag, and begin to tour the world extensively with their wild and riotous live shows. With absurd levels of energy, tons of crazy instruments, and super catchy songs, they become one of the best live acts ever.

Now watch them knock stuff over for musical purposes.

2007. Radiohead releases In Rainbows as a digital download for...

freeoldmonk — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 09:30:41 -0500

2007. Radiohead releases In Rainbows as a digital download for the price of whatever you feel like paying. With odd time signatures, riffy guitars, and some sweet soothing falsettos, they make a good case that that number should be greater than zero.

I mean, just watching Thom Yorke dance is worth at least a few bucks.

2008. Vampire Weekend asks everyone about their thoughts on...

freeoldmonk — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:03:00 -0500

2008. Vampire Weekend asks everyone about their thoughts on Oxford Commas. They also write a bunch of fantastic songs and stick them on a record. A little punky, a little baroque, a little African, and lots awesome.

And for the record, oxford commas eliminate ambiguity and I care about them deeply.

2009. Grizzly Bear releases a sweet collection of songs in an...

freeoldmonk — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:45:00 -0500

2009. Grizzly Bear releases a sweet collection of songs in an album called Veckatimest. Then their heads explode. With wonderfully crafted compositions of thoughtful melodies, and powerful harmonies, this record kicks you in the face, but very tenderly and lovingly.

Then, these songs popped up all over TV, and everyone in bands got jealous.

2010. Girl Talk releases All Day as a free download. The...

freeoldmonk — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:30:00 -0500

2010. Girl Talk releases All Day as a free download. The legitimacy of the mashup as a true form of songwriting is proven by Gregg Gillis. He is the master of transforming the familiar into new creations of ridiculously fun insanity.

And even after the novelty wears off, Ludacris rapping over Black Sabbath is still badass.

2011. Bradford Cox releases Parallax, his third solo album as...

freeoldmonk — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:30:51 -0500

2011. Bradford Cox releases Parallax, his third solo album as Atlas Sound. With stripped down songwriting and a crooning yet sometimes goofy live performance, Cox makes us all as sad and lonely as he is.

And he plays shows in his pyjamas.

2012. Dirty Projectors teach some guy how to play air guitar....

freeoldmonk — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:30:41 -0500

2012. Dirty Projectors teach some guy how to play air guitar. Then they record an amazing record and call it Swing Lo Magellan. Incredible virtuosic guitars, unbelievable vocal harmonies, and sweet, sweet melodies.

And every time this happens I headbang uncontrollably.

2012. Psy releases his music video for Gangnam Style. Never...

freeoldmonk — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:42:22 -0500

2012. Psy releases his music video for Gangnam Style. Never before has an artist so foreign been able to make such a huge impact with one crazy music video. And this video is definitely crazy. Also great.

This is the Platonic Ideal of a viral sensation.

2011. St Vincent releases Strange Mercy and plays a set at the...

freeoldmonk — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 06:32:21 -0500

2011. St Vincent releases Strange Mercy and plays a set at the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She plays amazingly beautiful songs with her amazingly rad guitar fingers.

And I am amazed by her amazingness.

2010. Kanye West releases My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy....

freeoldmonk — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:19:27 -0400

2010. Kanye West releases My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It is released with five album covers, each of which are from a series paintings by George Condo. The album itself is an extravagant mix of pop and hip-hop with lush instrumentation, and even some prog samples. It was incredibly successful both in the charts and as an incredible piece of music history.

Also, look at how many people worked on this album. It is a lot.

2009. The final season of Flight of the Conchords airs on HBO. ...

freeoldmonk — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:47:21 -0400

2009. The final season of Flight of the Conchords airs on HBO. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement confuse everyone by being hilarious comedians, yet actually writing great songs at the same time. Even the snobbiest musicians can’t deny the great melodies and lyrics in these tunes.

Guys, can you please make some more episodes and also be my friends?

2008. Deerhoof releases Offend Maggie, and guitarist Ed...

freeoldmonk — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:46:52 -0400

2008. Deerhoof releases Offend Maggie, and guitarist Ed Rodriguez joins the band. Prior to releasing Fresh Born, the first single of this album, Deerhoof released the song’s sheet music. Then everyone recorded their own versions of the song and felt really bad about themselves when Deerhoof released their far superior version. Uh, that’s how I felt anyways…

Sweet vocals, drum madness, innovative in every way, also tiger. I love Deerhoof very much.

2007. Les Savy Fav releases Let’s Stay Friends. Not only...

freeoldmonk — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:05:52 -0400

2007. Les Savy Fav releases Let’s Stay Friends. Not only does Les Savy Fav treat you to sweaty, powerful performances with plenty of partial nudity and plenty of beard, they also treat you to some of the finest songs ever written.

And if you’re lucky, Tim Harrington will love you right in your face.

2006. Mastodon releases Blood Mountain. An epic concept album...

freeoldmonk — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 10:06:23 -0400

2006. Mastodon releases Blood Mountain. An epic concept album that loosely tells a story of a crystal skull, birchmen, a one-eyed sasquatch, heroes, and of course, blood.

If this all sounds very awesome it is because it is very awesome.

2005. LCD Soundsystem releases their debut album. Electronic...

freeoldmonk — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:46:56 -0400

2005. LCD Soundsystem releases their debut album. Electronic and dance music begin to overtake the garage rock revival in popularity, but James Murphy takes a bit of both to create incredible dance punk albums. Then Daft Punk plays at his house.

And not a single edge was lost.

2004. The Flaming Lips officially become the greatest live band...

freeoldmonk — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:54:42 -0400

2004. The Flaming Lips officially become the greatest live band in the world when Wayne Coyne gets in a giant hamster ball and rolls around on the audience at Coachella. Plus, they pair it with crazy psychedelic lights, hands, and oh yeah, amazing songs.

I love The Flaming Lips, but all I really want to do is roll around in that ball.