By Raphael Dunn | Staff Writer |
From the golden age of hip hop to classic rock, there is something for everyone.
There are albums that someway, somehow have left a lasting impression on CSUSB students.
Everyone has their opinion on what albums are most impressionable. These are some that CSUSB students can agree on.
Hip hop has been around since the 80s and really grew into popularity during the early 90s with many artists coming out with new sounds and rhymes from both coasts of the country.
The iconic rapper Nas released his debut album “Illmatic” in 1994, which is revered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
It contains themes concerning desolation, gang rivalry, and inner city struggles told in first person narrative form by Nas himself.
Through his lyricism, he managed to put his own experiences growing up in housing projects in Queens, New York and depicted himself trying to escape life in urban squalor.
Dr. Dre laid the foundation for his rap empire with his involvement with the rap group N.W.A., but he struck gold when he released his first solo album “The Chronic” in 1992.
He ushered in the new G-funk sound into mainstream success by mixing live instrumentation with mellow bass lines and keyboard chords and put West Coast style hip hop on the map.
“The beats were amazing and the album still catches people’s attention when ever and where ever it is played,” said student Daniel Campos.
Although the lyricism was met with discourse, the album went triple platinum by 1993.
Last on the hip hop album list is none other than “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” by the Wu-Tang Clan.
The Wu-Tang Clan released the album in 1993 and immediately brought New York City hip hop back to prominence.
The album displayed raw, explicit, and freestyle sounds by its members and became a pinnacle record in a hip hop era labeled the East Coast Renaissance.
Although hip hop is a genre most people relate to, it is incomparable to the impact classic rock music has had, according to CSUSB students.
“Rock music is really everywhere you go. Movies and T.V. use rock songs all the time and they have become a way of expressing yourself,” said student Alyssa Wood.
In the early 90s, Seattle, Washington was a breeding ground for grunge rock music, which led to the release of “Nevermind” by Nirvana in 1991.
Nirvana is one of the most influential rock bands of all time and, with their release of “Nevermind,” brought alternative rock to mainstream accolades.
The quintessential band’s work on this album also influenced production for future rock albums due to their binding style of loud guitar riffs and signature D flat bass sound.
Pink Floyd released “The Wall” in 1979 and was the band’s last studio album that was made with the original members, which is why it is considered to be one of their greatest works.
The English progressive rock band used this album as a tool to display life in England after WWII through the eyes of bassist Roger Waters.
It is a very dark and harsh album, displaying concepts concerning isolation and abandonment from society due to the war and has sold over 23 million copies worldwide since its release.
The Doors, hailing from Los Angeles, Calif. became America’s go-to psychedelic rock band with its release of their self-titled album in 1966.
With the deep and ominous voice of Jim Morrison and their recognizable extensive keyboard solos, the album has been recognized as a work of art by all outlets of society.
“When I think of The Doors I think of chilling at a bar and drinking some beers. Their sounds make it perfect for relaxing with friends,” said student Jessica Jimenez.
The album was placed in the Grammy Hall of Fame and inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2015 claiming it to be culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.
These are CSUSB’s favorite iconic albums from these genres but they have all still left their mark on the world and will be appreciated by fans for generations to come.
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