1992 in music: Conflicting sales statistics and an emergence up north

The number one album in sales is a little unclear for 1992. Both Ropin' the Wind and Nevermind come up as surprisingly murky contenders for the top seller, and frankly, Billy Ray Cyrus and Whitney Houston join in the fight, too.

In the end, it doesn't really bother me to listen to them both (and a little Billy Ray, but I'll save Houston for next week when she definitely took the crown). 

There are very few artists that manage to pull me into country music; usually I'll tip my cap to someone who makes a good song, but buying into an entire record is a big deal for me. Sticking with Brooks for multiple albums is unheard of for me in that genre. 

Rodeo is my official "driving through Texas song," making sure that it was cued up on a road trip that even threw in the tumbleweeds for good measure. In Lonesome Dove is beautiful and one of my favourite examples of changing the meaning of a chorus by the end of the story. There's some filler on here, to be sure, but it all fits together for a classic, not-yet-new country.

Nevermind was an album that stood for something altogether bigger and different than the music, of course, but it doesn't hurt that the album has so many great songs. Honestly, what to say? This album changed the game and opened the door for groups to come through and crash the party. It was a very exciting time to be of age and enjoy the movement.

Lasting favourites here are Drain You and Breed, but Teen Spirit is still irresistible, too. And long live the hidden CD bonus track!

 

Before Ingénue, there was Crying with Roy Orbison. Before that, there was Hanky Panky with The Reclines. And that's all I knew about k.d. lang. That changed for me, and a lot of people, with this album. I won't pretend that I kept up or even had her tracks on replay, but the singles off the album were enough to convince me that she was going to leave a lasting mark as a vocalist.

Constant Craving and Miss Chatelaine are always nice to hear again, but Outside Myself is the new favourite pick-up from the album.