Plot Synopsis

A YEAR IN MUSIC is a half-hour series that features music experts from all genres and parts of the industry exploring the legendary sounds that defined the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. In each 30-minute episode, one of the hosts explores the impact and influence that bands, songs, pop culture, and politics had on the era.

In Season 1, Former MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown and Matt Pinfield, rock superstar Don Felder, and stand up comedy legend Tommy Chong are the pop culture icons who guide viewers through some of the most pivotal years in music across these three decades -- from the final glory days of classic crooners like Frank Sinatra, to the Peace & Love Movement of 1969, to the rise of heavy metal in 1975 thanks to Led Zeppelin, and the importance of the music video. Episodes include: 1977 (July 7, 2019), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown; 1966 (July 14, 2019), hosted by Matt Pinfield; 1969 (July 21, 2019), hosted by Don Felder; 1972 (July 28, 2019), hosted by Tommy Chong; 1983 (August 4, 2019), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown; 1975 (August 11, 2019), hosted by Matt Pinfield; 1973 (August 18, 2019), hosted by Don Felder; 1964 (August 25, 2019), hosted by Tommy Chong; and 1985 (September 8, 2019), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown.

The sophomore season of A YEAR IN MUSIC premiered on Thursday, January 23, 2020 on AXS TV. This season is going all the way back to 1963 and zooming forward into the '90s. Former MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown and Matt Pinfield and stand up comedy legend Tommy Chong return as guides for another season, and they're joined by Carla Marie and Anthony from iHeartRadio's KISS FM in Seattle. From the the release of The Rolling Stones first single and Bob Dylan's monumental The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 1963, to the rise of heavy grunge and the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, this season reveals the history of music one year at a time! Season 2 episodes include: 1963 (January 23, 2020), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown; 1968 (January 30, 2020), hosted by Tommy Chong; 1994 (February 6, 2020), hosted by Carla Marie and Anthony; 1979 (February 13, 2020), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown; 1971 (February 20, 2020), hosted by Matt Pinfield; 1984 (February 27, 2020), hosted by Downtown Julie Brown; 1980 (March 5, 2020), hosted by Carla Marie and Anthony; and 1991 (March 12, 2020), hosted by Matt Pinfield.

The 12-episode third season of A YEAR IN MUSIC premiered on Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT, with Lzzy Hale as the new host. Season 3 highlights include in-depth profiles detailing how the music world came together in 2001 following the terrorist attacks on September 11th; the landmark music scene of 1998, which saw the release of the breakthrough album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill and the rise of MTV's hit TRL series, which helped launch the careers of pop superstars such as Britney Spears, *NSYNC and Christina Aguilera; and the pop renaissance of 2008, which saw the emergence of current powerhouse performers such as Lady Gaga, Adele, Katy Perry, Rihanna and Beyonce, and the election of Barack Obama; as well as the inspiring world anthems of 1986, fueled by hits such as "We Are The World" and "True Colors," and the Hands Across America movement; and the bitter East Coast vs. West Coast rap rivalries of 1996 which came to a head following the death of hip-hop trailblazer Tupac Shakur. In the season opener, "1989," Halestorm's Lzzy Hale takes you to the year 1989. Glam says goodbye, grunge says hello, and the "King of Pop" is crowned as we leave the 80s behind for good. Meanwhile the U.S. elects a new president and the Berlin Wall stands tall for the last time. Other Season 3 episodes focus on these years: 1993 (October 11, 2020); 1998 (October 18, 2020); 2001 (October 25, 2020); 1986 (November 1, 2020); 2005 (November 15, 2020); 2011 (November 22, 2020); 1981 (November 29, 2020); 2008 (December 6, 2020); 1996 (December 13, 2020); and 2003 (December 20, 2020).

A YEAR IN MUSIC returned for its 12-episode fourth season on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT. In Season 4, host Lizzy Hale continues to spotlight a different period each week. The new season opens with a look back at the Golden Age of Music Videos, 1982, which was headlined by the release of the signature Michael Jackson hit "Thriller." Other highlights include retrospectives on 2012 (May 16), which saw the rise of One Direction and the tragic loss of Whitney Houston; 1967's Summer Of Love (May 23); the mainstream success of Horrorcore amidst the backdrop of the infamous OJ Simpson trial in 1995 (May 30); the Y2K bug that threatened the year 2000 (June 6); the empowered women who provided the soundtrack to 2017 (June 20), and more.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 5 of A YEAR IN MUSIC debuted on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT on AXS TV. Hosted by Lizzy Hale, the series' fifth season presents 12 all-new episodes, opening with a look back at the Latin renaissance, pop battle of the sexes, and rise of Napster that helped define 1999. Other highlights include a breakdown of the halftime wardrobe malfunction and country music schism that had the industry buzzing in 2004; the birth of disco and Van Halen in 1978; Taylor Swift's crossover success in 2014; the British Invasion that rocked 1962; and 1988's eclectic music scene that boasted Jane's Addiction, gangsta rap, and Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror"; as well as retrospectives covering the chart-topping success of "Hotel California" and Peter Frampton's breakthrough in 1976; the music-driven reality TV boom with the first seasons of AMERICAN IDOL and THE OSBOURNES in 2002; Celine Dion's TITANIC hit and Jennifer Lopez's breakout role in the SELENA biopic in 1997; the debut of Bruno Mars in 2010; the new generation of music led by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Motown in 1965; and the COVID pandemic that shook the industry in 2020.