2004 - A Banner Year In Music

Welcome. The sights and sounds of the Best in Music for 2004. Take your time, browse the stories and Music Charts as well as Listen to clips from some of the best Music of 2004 right here @ Rikks Revues!

When you are through reading, make sure you don't miss the links at the bottom to the year in Country Music and the Year In Rock and Pop Music Categories. There are the picks from Rikks Revues for the top CDs as well as music news headlines from the Year In Music too!

Over the course of Music History, I have found a lot of years that contributed great music that will go down in history. That may be so, but, 2004 stands high above the rest of the years for bringing us some awesome new tunes and by crashing some barriers that should have been gone long ago. The Music of 2004 was incredible in Country, Rock, Pop and everything in between. Here is the way it looked for Rikks Revues.... 2004, The Year In Music - Review / wrap-up.

Some of the music talked about in this 2004, The Year In Music may not have been reviewed at Rikks Revues, but there is much out there that deserves to have a voice so I chose this time to talk about it, to bring you up to date. Any of the Chart references etc. are mentioned to let you know what music was popular to the music buying public. It may not necessarily be the best, but it was most popular, so to NOT add it would be an injustice.

Music and Entertainment Obituaries

Music Obituaries

I want to start by saying a fond farewell to some of the most influential artists of our time that passed away in 2004. Every Year, Music and entertainment in general lose some amazing talent. 2004 was no exception to that rule, what follows is by no means the COMPLETE 2004 Obituaries list, but these are some of the more renowned. One of the most renowned musical artists of the 20th Century, Ray Charles, passed away. Ray Charles transcended musical boundaries his entire life. The Music of Ray Charles will be remembered always in the Country, Rock, Soul, and Jazz genres. Charles' magnificent career spanned styles, as well as decades.

Some more 2004 Music Obituaries includes one of United States punk rock pioneers Johnny Ramone. The Ramones are still popular in the punk circles today, and Johnny will surely be missed. Funkster Rick James, probably best known for "Super Freak", Laura Branigan ("Self Control", "Solitaire", "Ti  Amo"), Buffalo Springfield bassist Bruce Palmer ("For What It's Worth", "Sit Down I Think I Love You"), Canadian Doug Bennett (Doug and The Slugs - "Makin' It Work", "Who Knows How To Make Love Stay") , former Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Niki Sullivan (Buddy Holly and the Crickets), Composer Jerry Goldsmith, and Artie Shaw ("Stardust"). Gone but not forgotten, and the music of all stars lost will live on forever.

Buy the Ray Charles Ultimate Hits Collection BOX - 36 Tracks @ Amazon.com $25.49 (USD)

Buy Laura Branigan - Self Control @ Amazon.com $9.98

Buy the Ramones Anthology - 58 Tracks only $28.99 @ Amazon.com

 Buy the Rick James Ultimate Collection @ Amazon.com $12.99 (USD)

Entertainment Obituaries 2004

Other 2004 Entertainment Obituaries the world has had to deal with losing include one of the most influential actors of his time - Marlin Brando, original Queen of the TV Cooking shows - Julia Child, Actor and US President - Ronald Reagan, Actor - Christopher Reeve, Actor - Peter Ustinov, Baseball Legend and father of Country Music's Tim McGraw - Tug McGraw, children's show pioneer - Bob Keeshan (Capt. Kangaroo), talk show pioneer - Jack Paar (The Tonight Show), actor Robert Pastorelli (Eldin - Murphy Brown), radio and Television announcer JJ Jackson (Original MTV VJ), Alistair Cooke (Masterpiece Theater), broadway and film actor - Tony Randall, the original Scream Queen Janet Leigh (Psycho), the man with "No Respect" - Rodney Dangerfield, and TV and film actor - Jerry Orbach (Law and Order).

2004 The Year in Country Music Part 1

2004 The Year in Country Music Part 2

Buy Music online

Rikk Rekkomends the following online music retailers.

Amazon.com   Buy.com   Collectors' Choice   JR.com   WalMart.com
Amazon.ca (Canada)   Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)   TowerRecords.com