Comparing years: Albums

Post Reply
audioclectic
Are You Experienced?
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:26 pm

Comparing years: Albums

Post by audioclectic »

I really enjoy manipulating numbers derived from the yearly rankings. Each time there is an update, I start crunching away, playing around. One of the things I do each time is to create an album-based strength number for each year beginning with 1963. This time the formula for that is based on the rank number for the 4th highest album minus the number of albums in the top 261.

Why 261? It’s the rank for the lowest ranked #1 album in any year since 1963. (Yes it’s 2013. That will probably change in the next update. And yes, I’ll revise it next year.)

Why the 4th album? In the 51 years from 1963 to 2013, the mean number of albums per year ranked within 261 is 4. That too may change, but is less likely based on the current distribution.

And that’s it.

The 2014 Index: (rankings from strongest to weakest)

1967 and 1968 (tie)
1971
1969
1977
1965
1991
1970
1972
1973
1989
1975 and 1978 (tie)
1993
1979
1994
1966
1995
1980
1976
1986
1992
2001
2007
1984
2002
1974
2000
1978
1997
2006
1982
1985
1996
1983
1987
1998
1999
2008
2005
2004
2010
2003
2013
1990
1981
2009
1964
1963
2012
2011


I haven’t used this formula for a song-based ranking before, but I’m planning on doing that shortly.
User avatar
Bruce
Feeling Good
Posts: 1232
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:36 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Comparing years: Albums

Post by Bruce »

Why not just add the complete totals for each year?
audioclectic
Are You Experienced?
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:26 pm

Re: Comparing years: Albums

Post by audioclectic »

I'm less interested in the lower ranking albums. Even in the years I identify with, I find most of the low ranking albums to be superfluous.

I would never run this type of analysis with even 1000 albums. I've used 800, 750, 500, and 350, but I prefer the baseline I'm using now.
User avatar
Bruce
Feeling Good
Posts: 1232
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:36 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Comparing years: Albums

Post by Bruce »

I did something similar with my own personal ratings. I went through every song on my computer, which is sorted by year. Each song is rated from 0 to 10. I calculated my 25 favorite years for music. Here's the results:

RNK YEAR POINTS
01 - 1956 - 1283.5
02 - 1955 - 1204.0
03 - 1957 - 1027.5
04 - 1954 - 1004.5
05 - 1958 - 758.5
06 - 1953 - 744.5
07 - 1965 - 667.5
08 - 1964 - 589.0
09 - 1952 - 529.0
10 - 1966 - 477.5
11 - 1960 - 468.0
12 - 1967 - 464.0
13 - 1959 - 462.5
14 - 1961 - 433.0
15 - 1969 - 412.0
16 - 1963 - 408.0
17 - 1951 - 387.0
18 - 1968 - 365.5
19 - 1962 - 342.0
20 - 1970 - 318.0
21 - 1950 - 259.5
22 - 1971 - 213.0
23 - 1972 - 204.5
24 - 1949 - 175.0
25 - 1948 - 124.0

I have more songs from 1956 than any other year. Currently there's 1601 songs from 1956 on my computer.
audioclectic
Are You Experienced?
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:26 pm

Re: Comparing years: Albums

Post by audioclectic »

I have my favorites too. My favorites don't resemble the lists here and I suspect that's true of many members. I'm working with the data as presented here, and reaching my conclusions based on an admittedly arbitrary choice for a baseline. Still, I use the same baseline methodology each time. I have no stake in the outcome.
Post Reply

Return to “Music, Music, Music...”