1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

This is the definitive visual history of one of the most tumultuous years in American history — and arguably the greatest year ever for rock, pop and soul.

Archival footage is the hero here, everything from tear gas canisters arcing into the students at Kent State and those lying bleeding after the National Guard shootings, to a raw live performance of “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills & Nash that leaps off the screen with nervy energy. Audio interviews accompany the montages, and are lent particular power in their juxtaposition.

The mix of interviews and rare footage creates a trippy ride down memory lane for those who grew up with this music as the soundtrack to their lives.

As a work of curation, it’s endlessly eye-opening, even for those well versed in the period. ... To this team’s credit, the series never reaches for a grand-gesture summing-up. Instead it drills in on turning points in the careers of particularly influential and emblematic artists.

Throughout the series, the filmmakers play fast and loose with the timeline, blurring events to their own ends, and neglecting anyone who doesn’t fit the narrative or to whom they couldn’t get music rights (there is no Led Zeppelin, and no American Pie, the biggest hit of the year). Nevertheless, the music is fantastic, the footage is generally superb, the editing is sharp and clever, and any music fan of a certain vintage should be happy just to strap in, turn up the volume, and turn back the clock to a time when pop still genuinely mattered.

You get the full tidal wave of artistry and why it was so era-defining. “1971” wants to paint a picture of the full moment, and by doing so, it doesn’t quite give you that intimacy. Even so, “1971” is still well worth the price of admission.