I’m officially declaring the first three parts of this blog series as beta testing which is just a nice way of saying, “yeah, those were rough drafts, let’s all just move on.” Some major changes are coming down the pipeline, starting with the obvious: the 1980s are out. Let’s be honest, calling that decade “modern” is like calling a rotary phone “wireless communication.” Besides, the ’80s don’t play nicely with the other decades. In fact, they don’t even play nicely with themselves. The whole thing’s a neon-soaked, Aqua-Net-fueled anomaly.
Next up, I’m removing the Electronic genre from future installments. It’s not personal…it’s just that I’d like to preserve what’s left of my eardrums and sanity. That leaves Rock, Pop, and Soul which is music made by people who (at least occasionally) pick up an instrument instead of staring at a waveform. Narrower focus, less clutter, fewer migraines.
Now, confession time: I’m also not thrilled with my top 20 lists from parts A through C. I was trying to be diplomatic, but “inclusive” ranking is just another word for “watering down your own taste.” So from here on out, I’m ditching neutrality and embracing brutal honesty. The new system? Streamlined. Personal. Opinionated. And just to clarify, this is not a fanboy blog. I appreciate talent, sure…but I also understand how the sausage gets made. The artists who get airplay are, for the most part, industry-approved products, conveniently aligned with whatever agenda the social engineers are pushing this quarter. If that sounds conspiratorial, just think back to the Plandemic, when every second pop star suddenly became a part-time moral enforcer. Remember when musicians used to stand for rebellion and freedom of thought? Yeah, apparently that gig got outsourced. But that’s a rant for another day.
For now, let’s move forward with Part 4 (D) of The Pros and Cons of Modern Music. Turns out, there aren’t many notable acts starting with “D,” and even fewer that are worth listening to, so building this top 20 was a bit of a scavenger hunt.
This project is a logistical beast, and some deserving music will inevitably slip through the cracks. It isn’t designed to be exhaustive (just exhausting…lol). My focus is on three core genres – Rock, Pop, and Soul, while deliberately leaving out rap, country, heavy metal, punk, electronic and a few other sub-genres. Only artists who debuted after 1990 are eligible, and if their music isn’t available on Pandora, my go-to platform, they’re also excluded.
My hope is that these posts serve as a practical guide for curious listeners…part discovery tool, part memory jogger. And if nothing else, I’m having fun unearthing keepers and building playlists worth replaying.
Here are my top 17 selections from the wide world of artists beginning with “D”.
#17) D’SOUND – Beauty is a Blessing (1998)
A smooth Norwegian import that plays like a softer, less in-your-face version of Ace of Base. And yes, Ace of Base could definitely be a-base’ive (sorry) but at least you can still hum a couple of their tunes. D’Sound’s songs, by contrast, tend to drift into the ether even as you’re listening to them. Still, it’s not an unpleasant experience, just more like background music for a café that serves feelings instead of coffee. Sample track: “Ain’t Giving Up.”
#16) DWELE – Subject (2003)
I’ll admit, my patience for lover-man pillow talk albums is limited, and even less so when they’re padded with intros, outros, interludes, and reprises that feel like speed bumps on the way to the good stuff. That said, Dwele seems like a genuinely cool, smooth brother with a voice as rich as Sunday brunch coffee. I just wish he’d tightened up a little earlier instead of saving all that energy for the final track, fittingly titled “Let Your Hair Down,” which also happens to be my sample pick.
#15) DINA CARROLL – So Close (1993)
While plenty of albums on this list nod to earlier eras, So Close is unapologetically rooted in its early-’90s moment. It’s sleek, polished, and very much of its time. Despite spawning six singles, not one had crossed my radar before embarking on this project, and to be honest, I hadn’t even heard of Dina Carroll herself, which suggests her fame never fully made it across the Atlantic. Incredible because So Close was the highest selling debut album by a British female singer in UK chart history, a record it held until 2001 when it was overtaken by Dido’s “No Angel”. She’s undeniably a gifted vocalist, but for all its glossy charm, nothing here really lingers…and judging by its limited U.S. impact, I’m clearly not alone in that impression. My choice for sample track is the album’s opener “Special Kind of Love”.
#14) THE DECEMBERISTS – Picaresque (2005)
I’ll admit, I had to look up what “picaresque” even meant, and after learning it refers to “an episodic tale about a roguish but charming hero,” I decided to stop feeling bad about it. Turns out, I’ve just never needed the word… or this album. It plays like a rock opera adapted from Great Expectations meaning it’s clever, ornate, and relentlessly literary. Which is wonderful if you’re in the mood to read your music, but I prefer mine with a little less Dickens and a little more kick drum. I respect that The Decemberists are trying to elevate rock to a higher intellectual plane (and God knows we could use that), but it’s simply not my cup of properly steeped Portland tea. I was certain these folks were British, but nope, they’re from Oregon, which somehow makes it all even quirkier. Sample track: “We Both Go Down Together.”
#13) DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE – Transatlanticism (2003)
Rock for wistful white boys. I’ve certainly had my bouts of wistfulness, so in another timeline, this album might’ve hit me right in the cardigan. But as things stand now, I’m neither wistful nor particularly white-boy inclined, so the emotional resonance here sort of sails past me like a paper boat on a rainy Seattle street. Still, credit where it’s due since it’s beautifully made, heartfelt stuff for those who crave poetic melancholy with their caffeine. My pick for the sample track: “The Sound of Settling,” if only because it at least sounds like it’s having a pulse.
#12) DANIEL MERRIWEATHER – Love & War (2009)
This lone release from the Australian singer was a complete discovery for me, and a pleasant one at that. The album leans heavily on a 1960s soul aesthetic but adds just enough contemporary sheen to avoid feeling like pure nostalgia. Merriweather’s vocals are rich and expressive, and the production, courtesy of Mark Ronson (of Amy Winehouse and general hitmaking fame),gives everything a crisp, cinematic edge. My pick for the sample track, “Change,” stands out as the most modern-sounding cut here, bridging vintage style with present-day polish.
#11) DUMPSTAPHUNK – Dirty Word (2013)
This New Orleans powerhouse, led by Ivan Neville, son of Aaron Neville of Neville Brothers and The Meters fame, keeps the Crescent City funk legacy alive and well. Dirty Word is a proud throwback to the 1970s, but in the best possible way; there’s never a wrong decade to unleash da funk. The title track is a lyrical standout, calling out hypocrisy and complacency…people preaching virtue while chasing power, institutions protecting privilege over truth, and a society afraid of facing itself. Delivered half like a sermon and half like a street chant, it’s equal parts groove and grit. The album also features an impressive guest list, including Trombone Shorty, Ani DiFranco, and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame, who tears it up on my chosen sample track, “If I’m in Luck.”
#10) DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)
As a child of the ’70s, I should love this band, and in flashes, I absolutely do. But like any proper drive-by, this album is a hit-and-miss affair. At a sprawling 19 tracks, these Truckers linger at the scene of the crime far too long, practically begging the listener to identify the guilty parties. Fellas, a little advice from a non–gang-banger: get in, get out, and save a few bullets for the next job. With a catalog as massive as yours, maybe holstering a few of these tunes for a future release wouldn’t have been the worst idea. Still, there’s a gritty charm in the chaos. My sample track: “Self Destructive Zones.” Don’t ask me why. I guess it just seemed like the most cooperative witness.
#9) DES’REE – I Ain’t Movin’ (1994)
I figured I might as well pair this one with her apostrophe soulmate D’Angelo, since they’re basically the male and female sides of the same slow-burn, incense-scented coin. The difference is, Des’ree tells you right up front…she ain’t movin’ anything, least of all the tempo. You, dear listener, are expected to sit quietly, breathe deeply, and absorb every ounce of soulful wisdom she’s serving. And don’t you dare question it because the woman’s got an apostrophe in her name, which automatically grants divine authority in mid-’90s R&B. Somewhere around track seven, I found myself craving a little gangsta rap just to wake the room up. Still, “You Gotta Be” is the obvious gem (and will resurface on a future Video List), so for this round, the sample track is the tender “Little Child.”
#8) D’ANGELO – Brown Sugar (1995)
This album gets so much universal love that I can’t help but wonder what’s in the recipe, because most of the sweetness seems lost on me. By the time we reach track five, “Sht, Damn, Motherfcker,” I’m ready for a follow-up titled “Snap Out of It!” Thankfully, things perk up a bit in the back half, but with most tracks stretching past the five-minute mark, it’s a slow simmer for those of us with limited tolerance for extended lover-man pillow talk. For me, the experience feels less like a sugar rush and more like a sugar crash. Sample track: “When We Get By.”
#7) DANDY WARHOLS – Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia (2000)
I first stumbled across this band courtesy of Veronica Mars, and much like that show, my enthusiasm faded somewhere around season two. Still, this album stands as a shining monument to hipster irony…a hipster doofus classic, if such a thing exists. It’s as self-aware as a Warhol soup can: you’re never quite sure if they’re in on the joke or if you are. Listening to them sometimes feels like chatting with that eccentric neighbor kid who drops cryptic one-liners just to see if you’ll flinch. But despite the eye-rolling, there’s something oddly hypnotic here, and “Solid” – ironically titled – is my pick for sample track.
#6) DUFFY – Rockferry (2006)
Here’s an album that could’ve slipped comfortably into a record shelf between Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark circa 1967…all vintage soul, lush orchestration, and heartbreak in high fidelity. Sadly, Duffy’s story took some dark and difficult turns, and she’s openly admitted she’s unlikely to return to the spotlight, saying she doubts she “will ever be the person people once knew.” It’s a real loss for music fans, because this debut hinted at a career that could have gone the distance. The breakout single “Mercy” became an instant classic (and will surely pop up on one of my future Popular Video Lists), but for this round I’m shining a light on the aching slow-burn “Stepping Stone”, a beautifully restrained example of her soul-soaked elegance.
#5) DIDO – No Angel (2001)
Here’s the artist who, as it turns out, dethroned Dina Carroll in 2001, and did so with quiet precision. I’ll admit it’s hard for me to be completely objective about this one, since No Angel was an album I once played to near exhaustion. With hindsight, it’s clear Dido was setting a template here that she’d never quite escape since her later work mostly revisits the same hushed tones and mid-tempo melancholy. Still, there’s no denying the craftsmanship: the songwriting is tight, the production smooth, and the mood consistently wistful, if occasionally veering toward mopey and myopic. For my sample track, I’m skipping the overexposed “Thank You” (which will inevitably turn up in a future “Popular Video Hits” list) and highlighting the opener, “All You Want”, a quietly haunting track that captures both her strengths and her limitations in one elegant swoop.
#4) DUA LIPA – Future Nostalgia (2020)
Is this a Kylie Minogue clone? I thought Danni already proved one Minogue was enough, but after spinning this, I’m convinced there’s room for a Dua Minogue in the world. Sure, it’s about as natural and organic as a can of Cheez Whiz…but gee whiz, it’s tasty stuff. Like that old cereal commercial: Hey Mikey, he likes it! Admittedly, my nerves started twitching somewhere past track eight (there’s only so much glossy euphoria a human can take), but I actually made it through the whole thing, and mostly enjoyed it. My pick for the sample track is “Love Again”, if only because it makes me nostalgic for Al Bowlly… or was it White Town? Don’t answer that! I’m already feeling old enough as it is.
#3) THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN – Emergency & I (1999)
Here’s another band and album that completely passed me by back in the day, probably because I wasn’t nearly hip or caffeinated enough to catch what they were throwing down. Maybe I’ve grown into it, because this record is a delightfully oddball surprise: jittery, inventive, and endlessly unpredictable, yet somehow still catchy. After slogging through so much blandness and sonic wallpaper for this project, stumbling upon something this off-the-wall feels like a jolt of electricity. It’s smart, weird, and genuinely fun which is proof that musical eccentricity doesn’t have to come at the expense of a good hook. I may have arrived unfashionably late to the party, but better late than never. My pick for the sample track: “What Do You Want Me to Say.”
#2) DEREK TRUCKS BAND – Already Free (2009)
As a bona fide child of the ’70s, it’s no surprise this album lands high in my rankings since it’s pure musical comfort food for someone raised on Southern rock, blues, and the sweet spot between soul and jam-band swagger. Listening to it feels like stumbling into a kitchen where Eat a Peach and Dixie Chicken are still simmering on the stove. It’s earthy, warm, and hits all the right nostalgic flavors…(“comfort food”… get it? Never mind, stop Bogarting that joint.) My chosen sample track: “Get What You Deserve.”
#1) DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – Crash (1996)
Back in the ’90s, I was buying music by the truckload, but somehow never boarded the Dave Matthews Band caravan. To me, they always seemed a little anti-melody, like they were intentionally allergic to hooks, and their fanbase struck me as smug, jam-band intellectuals who probably discuss time signatures the way sommeliers discuss tannins. So yes, I can already hear them scoffing at me for choosing Crash as the band’s top album. But here’s the twist: the musicianship is top-tier, the grooves are tight, and the songs breathe with an organic warmth that even a self-proclaimed “simpleton surveyor of songcraft” like me can appreciate. Given that the letter “D” was a little light on depth, this record’s technical excellence earns it a deserved top spot. While the ubiquitous “Crash Into Me” is the obvious pick (and destined for an upcoming Video List), my chosen sample track is the funkier, Grammy-winning opener “So Much to Say.”
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