The Consecration of Musical Incoherence

The analysis explores how music compilations, specifically those organized by a single calendar year, function as historiographical projects that assign value to periods of stylistic uncertainty. By examining the 2005 compilation Meridian 1970, the study argues that the lack of aesthetic unity among the tracks is not a flaw but the primary mechanism for cultural legitimation. Rather than tracing a clear genealogy of influence, such collections celebrate the disorder and "incoherence" of a specific historical moment, effectively spatializing a period of transition where multiple musical currents coexist without consensus.

The scope of this research covers Anglo-American popular music, focusing on the late 1960s and early 1970s. The methodology relies on a qualitative examination of music curation as a form of cultural storage. By comparing Meridian 1970 to various "psyche-folk" compilation series, the analysis highlights how the physical format of the compact disc serves as a necessary boundary. This limitation prevents the overwhelming, infinite nature of digital archives, forcing the listener to engage with a curated, albeit fragmented, representation of a historical "cusp."

Ultimately, the findings suggest that these compilations act as events that supersede the logic of discovery. By gathering disparate musical texts within the frame of a single year, curators transform the compact disc into a tool for historical reflection. This process validates the "1970-ness" of the music, allowing the listener to perceive the period not as a coherent movement, but as a system of variations characterized by tentative inventiveness and failed attempts at collective redirection. The act of curation itself becomes the primary source of meaning, reinforcing the continued relevance of the physical compilation in an age of digital abundance.