Best DecadeYear of Music for an Artist

[Holden]

So I went through the Top Five AM Artists (and plan to do more) to see which years did they release the most acclaimed music, using the formula that creates the Top Artist list, so I can compare them. Example: Which year is better, Bruce Springsteen in 1975 or David Bowie in 1972? Is the 1970s better for the Stones or David Bowie?

Here are the Results through the Top Ten AM Artists. I'll probably update with every ten artists I do!
Decades:
1 | The Beatles | 1960 | 45.969
2 | Bob Dylan | 1960 | 21.900
3 | The Rolling Stones | 1960 | 20.412
4 | David Bowie | 1970 | 18.057
5 | Prince | 1980 | 13.190
6 | The Rolling Stones | 1970 | 12.446
7 | Neil Young | 1970 | 11.497
8 | Led Zeppelin | 1970 | 11.118
9 | Bruce Springsteen | 1970 | 9.433
10 | Radiohead | 1990 | 8.704
11 | Radiohead | 2000 | 8.195
12 | The Who | 1960 | 7.924
13 | Bruce Springsteen | 1980 | 7.854
14 | Bob Dylan | 1970 | 7.398
15 | The Who | 1970 | 6.352
16 | Led Zeppelin | 1960 | 5.423
17 | David Bowie | 1980 | 3.240
18 | David Bowie | 2010 | 3.097
19 | Bob Dylan | 1990 | 2.258
20 | Neil Young | 1960 | 1.974
21 | Radiohead | 2010 | 1.938
22 | Bob Dylan | 2000 | 1.938
23 | Neil Young | 1990 | 1.776
24 | The Beatles | 1970 | 1.651
25 | Bruce Springsteen | 2000 | 1.288
26 | Bruce Springsteen | 1990 | 1.047
27 | The Rolling Stones | 1980 | 1.043
28 | Bob Dylan | 1980 | 1.026
29 | David Bowie | 1960 | 0.879
30 | Neil Young | 1980 | 0.859
31 | Prince | 1990 | 0.810
32 | Prince | 1970 | 0.210
33 | Bob Dylan | 2010 | 0.154
34 | The Who | 1980 | 0.143
35 | David Bowie | 1990 | 0.100
36 | Neil Young | 2010 | 0.093
37 | Led Zeppelin | 2000 | 0.088
38 | Led Zeppelin | 1990 | 0.057
39 | The Rolling Stones | 2010 | 0.055
40 | The Beatles | 1990 | 0.046
41 | Prince | 2000 | 0.042
42 | The Rolling Stones | 1990 | 0.024
43 | Bruce Springsteen | 2010 | 0.024

Years:
1 | The Beatles | 1967 | 9.831
2 | Bob Dylan | 1965 | 9.519
3 | The Beatles | 1965 | 7.648
4 | The Beatles | 1966 | 7.404
5 | The Beatles | 1968 | 7.260
6 | The Beatles | 1969 | 5.784
7 | Led Zeppelin | 1969 | 5.423
8 | Bob Dylan | 1975 | 5.223
9 | Bruce Springsteen | 1975 | 5.100
10 | The Rolling Stones | 1968 | 4.997
11 | Radiohead | 1997 | 4.984
12 | David Bowie | 1972 | 4.876
13 | Led Zeppelin | 1971 | 4.745
14 | Bob Dylan | 1966 | 4.733
15 | The Rolling Stones | 1969 | 4.666
16 | The Rolling Stones | 1972 | 4.596
17 | The Beatles | 1963 | 4.335
18 | Prince | 1984 | 4.096
19 | The Rolling Stones | 1971 | 4.061
20 | David Bowie | 1977 | 4.038
21 | The Rolling Stones | 1965 | 3.634
22 | The Who | 1971 | 3.582
23 | The Beatles | 1964 | 3.484
24 | David Bowie | 1971 | 3.375
25 | Radiohead | 2000 | 3.273
26 | The Rolling Stones | 1966 | 3.271
27 | Prince | 1987 | 3.228
28 | Bob Dylan | 1963 | 3.000
29 | Radiohead | 1995 | 2.937
30 | Bruce Springsteen | 1984 | 2.867
31 | Neil Young | 1970 | 2.726
32 | The Who | 1965 | 2.708
33 | Neil Young | 1972 | 2.651
34 | Led Zeppelin | 1975 | 2.596
35 | Bruce Springsteen | 1978 | 2.484
36 | Neil Young | 1979 | 2.482
37 | Bob Dylan | 1964 | 2.364
38 | Radiohead | 2007 | 2.280
39 | The Rolling Stones | 1967 | 2.235
40 | Neil Young | 1975 | 2.131
41 | Prince | 1982 | 2.098
42 | The Who | 1969 | 2.026
43 | Bruce Springsteen | 1982 | 2.010
44 | Neil Young | 1969 | 1.974
45 | Bruce Springsteen | 1973 | 1.849
46 | Led Zeppelin | 1973 | 1.708
47 | Bruce Springsteen | 1980 | 1.707
48 | The Beatles | 1970 | 1.651
49 | Led Zeppelin | 1970 | 1.633
50 | The Rolling Stones | 1964 | 1.609
51 | The Rolling Stones | 1978 | 1.596
52 | The Who | 1967 | 1.586
53 | David Bowie | 1975 | 1.546
54 | Radiohead | 2001 | 1.507
55 | Radiohead | 2016 | 1.468
56 | David Bowie | 1976 | 1.412
57 | David Bowie | 1980 | 1.399
58 | David Bowie | 2016 | 1.378
59 | Bob Dylan | 1997 | 1.340
60 | Prince | 1986 | 1.308
61 | The Who | 1973 | 1.290
62 | David Bowie | 1983 | 1.175
63 | Radiohead | 2003 | 1.135
64 | Neil Young | 1974 | 1.127
65 | Bob Dylan | 1967 | 1.084
66 | The Who | 1970 | 1.081
67 | Bob Dylan | 2001 | 1.055
68 | Prince | 1980 | 1.051
69 | David Bowie | 1974 | 1.010
70 | David Bowie | 1973 | 0.982
71 | Bob Dylan | 1969 | 0.979
72 | Bob Dylan | 1976 | 0.906
73 | The Who | 1966 | 0.902
74 | David Bowie | 1969 | 0.879
75 | Bruce Springsteen | 1987 | 0.862
76 | Neil Young | 1989 | 0.859
77 | David Bowie | 2015 | 0.835
78 | Prince | 1985 | 0.814
79 | David Bowie | 2013 | 0.807
80 | The Rolling Stones | 1981 | 0.796
81 | The Rolling Stones | 1973 | 0.723
82 | Bruce Springsteen | 2002 | 0.702
83 | Bob Dylan | 2006 | 0.689
84 | The Rolling Stones | 1970 | 0.687
85 | Bruce Springsteen | 1995 | 0.646
86 | Radiohead | 1992 | 0.642
87 | David Bowie | 1970 | 0.597
88 | Bob Dylan | 1989 | 0.577
89 | Neil Young | 1990 | 0.571
90 | Bob Dylan | 1998 | 0.558
91 | Bob Dylan | 1974 | 0.538
92 | The Who | 1964 | 0.489
93 | Neil Young | 1992 | 0.486
94 | Radiohead | 2011 | 0.470
95 | David Bowie | 1981 | 0.444
96 | The Rolling Stones | 1974 | 0.442
97 | Bruce Springsteen | 1986 | 0.409
98 | Bob Dylan | 1973 | 0.371
99 | Bob Dylan | 1991 | 0.360
100 | Prince | 1988 | 0.344
101 | Neil Young | 1991 | 0.342
102 | Prince | 1991 | 0.342
103 | The Rolling Stones | 1976 | 0.341
104 | Neil Young | 1994 | 0.339
105 | Neil Young | 1977 | 0.333
106 | Prince | 1992 | 0.318
107 | Bruce Springsteen | 2007 | 0.307
108 | Bruce Springsteen | 1993 | 0.279
109 | The Who | 1978 | 0.257
110 | Led Zeppelin | 1976 | 0.254
111 | David Bowie | 1979 | 0.223
112 | Bob Dylan | 1962 | 0.222
113 | The Beatles | 1962 | 0.221
114 | The Who | 1968 | 0.213
115 | Prince | 1979 | 0.210
116 | Bob Dylan | 1981 | 0.200
117 | Prince | 1981 | 0.198
118 | Bob Dylan | 2000 | 0.194
119 | Bob Dylan | 1971 | 0.184
120 | Led Zeppelin | 1979 | 0.183
121 | Bruce Springsteen | 2001 | 0.155
122 | Bob Dylan | 2012 | 0.154
123 | Prince | 1994 | 0.132
124 | David Bowie | 1986 | 0.118
125 | Radiohead | 1994 | 0.112
126 | Bob Dylan | 1983 | 0.111
127 | The Rolling Stones | 1980 | 0.109
128 | The Who | 1975 | 0.108
129 | Bob Dylan | 1978 | 0.107
130 | Bruce Springsteen | 2006 | 0.106
131 | Bruce Springsteen | 1999 | 0.097
132 | Neil Young | 2010 | 0.093
133 | The Who | 1981 | 0.090
134 | The Rolling Stones | 1983 | 0.089
135 | Led Zeppelin | 2003 | 0.088
136 | Bob Dylan | 1985 | 0.086
137 | David Bowie | 2014 | 0.078
138 | David Bowie | 1982 | 0.064
139 | David Bowie | 1997 | 0.061
140 | Led Zeppelin | 1990 | 0.057
141 | The Rolling Stones | 2012 | 0.055
142 | Bob Dylan | 1979 | 0.055
143 | Prince | 1989 | 0.053
144 | The Who | 1982 | 0.053
145 | Bob Dylan | 1986 | 0.052
146 | The Rolling Stones | 1989 | 0.048
147 | Neil Young | 1978 | 0.048
148 | The Beatles | 1995 | 0.046
149 | Prince | 2006 | 0.042
150 | David Bowie | 1984 | 0.039
151 | Neil Young | 1995 | 0.037
152 | The Who | 1972 | 0.034
153 | Radiohead | 1996 | 0.028
154 | Bruce Springsteen | 1992 | 0.025
155 | The Rolling Stones | 1994 | 0.024
156 | Bruce Springsteen | 2010 | 0.024
157 | David Bowie | 1998 | 0.021
158 | Bruce Springsteen | 2008 | 0.018
159 | Prince | 1990 | 0.017
160 | David Bowie | 1993 | 0.017
161 | Bob Dylan | 1970 | 0.013

[andyd1010]

Is the 1970s better for the Stones or David Bowie?

David Bowie according to the main page.

So I’ll share those results soon, but I thought it would be fun to pose a question: which year, for which artist, is the best of All-Time?

I would guess 1967 - The Beatles.

[Future Critic]

Based on the rankings, 1967 was a better year for Hendrix and the Velvet Underground than it was for the Beatles.

[andyd1010]

I haven't crunched the numbers. The Beatles are clearly ahead of both songs-wise. It depends how much it hurts that Magical Mystery Tour is pretty far behind the 2nd album by both of those two.

[FrankLotion]

I’d have to imagine 1965 for Bob Dylan is a strong contender, or 1977 Bowie.

[Listyguy]

My personal favorites are Jimi Hendrix in 1967 (Are You Experienced? and Axis: Bold As Love) and Bob Dylan in 1965 (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and "Positively 4th Street").