Benjamin Ray's The Year That Was

by Jason Warburg

Over a half century into the era of rock and roll, if there's one thing we've learned, it's that every year is different. Some are defining years, some are years of transition. Some are years of transformation, some of beginnings, and some of endings. In every case, it's fascinating to view the entire tapestry of that year's music all at once, to see how different artists reacted to the same trends, the same fresh ideas, in real time, in parallel to one another.

Your professor for this extended course in historical musicology will be longtime Daily Vault contributor Benjamin Ray. Every Monday for the foreseeable future you can expect to find a new edition of Benjamin Ray's The Year That Was delivered right here. There won't be a test, but you can expect to learn a lot...