Classic music acts attract new listeners with modern releases

Some of the most influential music and artists have been products of the late 20th century. Though many feel that in the realm of current popular music, there is a lack of talent comparable to such present in the 80’s and 90’s, it may just be that these “oldies but goodies” are not leaving the music scene just yet. Classic favorites like A Tribe Called Quest and Metallica, whose decade-old roots hold firm, are branching from their traditional material to create new, modernized music. 2016 has proven to be the year of surprises, and these two new albums triggered surprising reaction and critique within the world of music. Metallica’s fan base largely developed through the success of their 1988 and 1991 albums “...And Justice for All” and “The Black Album.” Long-time Metallica fans are have stayed loyal over the band’s long hiatus, content with their classic material. “All of Metallica’s work from the 80’s and 90’s is fantastic,” Shane O'Shaughnessy (’18) said. Since their first album “Kill ‘em All” debuted in 1983, Metallica has released ten studio albums, five extended plays, four live albums, 26 music videos, and 37 singles. In 2009, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they are considered by many as one of the most influential metal groups to ever make their mark on the world of rock and roll.A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ) also reached its peak of popularity in the 90’s, with albums like “The Anthology” and “Midnight Marauders,” which appeal to tranquil vibes and equally chill listeners.“A Tribe Called Quest in the 90’s was just amazing. Everything that went into their albums was so genuine. There’s not a track I don’t love from their older music,” Samo student Jasmine Joffe (’18) said.ATCQ received a Special Achievement Award at the Billboard Hip Hop Awards in 2005, and was honored at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors in 2007. Many recognize ATCQ as frontier founders of alternative Hip-Hop music. ATCQ’s first album in 18 years, “We Got it From Here… Thank You for Your Service,” was conveniently released on Nov. 11, 2016, three days post election cataclysm. Members Q-Tip, Jarobi White, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Phife Dawg have been anything but shy in expressing their political beliefs through lyrics. Songs like “The Donald” and “We The People” bluntly mock society’s corruptions, the influence of media and recent hate directed towards people of minority groups. “Melatonin” eludes to the Black Lives Matter movement and the messages it advocates. Nonetheless, a tragic event struck midway into the production of the album. One of Tribe’s head lyricist/rapper, Phife Dawg, fell victim to diabetes complications and illness. A short time after his passing on March 22, 2016, the group was able to produce material with deep context and educational motives referencing what is going on around the world. Phife Dawg’s epic verses remain in the final mix of the album, and they serve as an epic conclusion to his legacy.Metallica’s newest album, “Hardwired… To Self Destruct,” was released on Nov. 18, 2016. “The album is relevant because it shows that even nearly nine years after Death Magnetic, Metallica is still just as talented, if not better,” O'Shaughnessy said. “I don’t think it is justified when critics around school say that ‘New Metallica’ is garbage. In reality, most of these people wouldn't even be able to tell what band is playing on the radio unless it is a number one hit.”Joffe, a formerly established ATCQ fan, did not know what to expect from “We Got it From Here.”“I was very excited to hear the album, but also a little skeptical because Phife passed away; I didn’t know how the sound would be,” Joffe said. “People were probably unsure as to whether the music would live up to their past content, but I know a lot of people who are really into the new rhymes.”A Tribe Called Quest and Metallica have persisted throughout the decades, and in 2016, they returned, pleasing old fans and attracting new ones.