The History Of Pop Part 55 aka Now, usually I don't do this, but....

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

tATu won the Now 54 poll with Girls Alound a close second. Both groups are in it this time, as are Justin, R Kelly and 50 Cent - and the Fast Food Rockers! "Oh, 2003paws", as we wouldn't have said in 2003.

Lots to talk about here, so why don't we get on with it?


[Poll #763194]


TICKNITION (REMIX)

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

My first ever no ticky! (I am prepared to alter this given persuasion about the tracks I've forgotten in section 3)

Tiga's "Hot In Herre" is the ironic indie cover it's OK to like, no?

[zenith.livejournal.com]

Confession: I don't really remember how Excuse Me Miss goes but I ticked it sort of on principle.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Is "Free Me" one of the ones you've forgotten?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Tiga isn't indie he's dance!

I didn't know his cover made it on to a Now, or indeed why - I didn't think Tiga had had any chart hits.

[cis.livejournal.com]

I hated Tiga's Hot In Herre at the time on account of it being an ironic indie cover!

The "Ignition (Remix)" Debate - A USER'S GUIDE

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

1. "Ignition (Remix)" comes out.
2. Lots of people who previously didn't like R Kelly go "This is an amazing pop song."
3. Lots of people who still don't like R Kelly but like other pop go "Hold on it's R Kelly I think it's overrated"
4. Lots of people who previously DID like R Kelly get all precious and go "It's rubbish he's done much better."
5. "Ignition (Remix)" gets argued about a lot but still inspires one of the best ever ILM threads.

Re: The "Ignition (Remix)" Debate - A USER'S GUIDE

[zenith.livejournal.com]

We really were spoilt for POP in the summer of 2003.

Re: The "Ignition (Remix)" Debate - A USER'S GUIDE

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Category 4 for me please. Except I never LOVED R Kelly, just felt vague approval towards him. 'Ignition' is so fucking weak and insipid and NOTHINGY.

He's done much better since as well - the immediate follow-up 'Snake' is completely amazing! "LIKE 2 GORILLAZ IN THE JUNGLE MAKING LUUUVVVV" he bellows at one point.

'I Believe I Can Fly' >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 'Ignition'

Pinnacle of R's career - the sadly-forgotten 'Be Careful' which garnered about five ticks :(

Re: The "Ignition (Remix)" Debate - A USER'S GUIDE

[juror8.livejournal.com]

"Ignition (Remix)" is this century's only good drinking song.

Re: The "Ignition (Remix)" Debate - A USER'S GUIDE

[cis.livejournal.com]

point five: word. how i learnt to stop worrying and love j0hn d4rni3ll3 (http://www.lastplanetojakarta.com/articles/ignition.html).

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

I have never heard that One True Voice follow-up single, but what a title.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

it is the greatest title of the century, it was a TRULY shocking record, although possibly better than the first single...

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

i have a lot of this one on t'ipod innit. it was a very good year.

Poor Justin

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Two Nows running he's only just been pipped to the post by an unstoppable juggernaut - like the Now poll parallel of him never getting to No 1. Come here Justin I will kiss it better.

ANYWAY. Listen to 'Cry Me A River' back to back with 'Everytime' and you will realise that these star-cross'd lovers are weaving a truly epic romance of our times, ie they are destined to end up together again but only after each has gone through about seven more marriages each (one of Justin's to me, naturally).

Re: Poor Justin

[zenith.livejournal.com]

Check the current scores - I think Justin might win this.

Worst lyric on this Now...

[juror8.livejournal.com]

Any advance on "They look good like say they from Bollywood"?

[juror8.livejournal.com]

And still no love for The Studt :(

[zenith.livejournal.com]

"I'm a misfit not like those NORMALS" = the equivalent of indie kids trying to pretend that they are still the oppressed weirdos, not the mainstream.

You know I love Justin but...

[nicolars.livejournal.com]

more people are voting for "Cry Me a River" than for "Ignition"?!? I think "Cry Me a River" has been his weakest single. Not that it's bad, I'm just surprised it's gotten the highest number of votes so far.

Re: You know I love Justin but...

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

With JT I always felt there was a massive amount of goodwill and desire for his records to be amazing, and they were always good, sometimes very good, but never absolute stormers.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

alexmacpherson: please detail the hilarious misunderstandings that led to you seeing the Thrills live.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

hilarious misunderstandings = THEY ARE HIS FAVOURITE BAND AND HE LOVES THEM

Fiddy

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Fiddy embodies a lot of lowest-common-denominator 'urban' music which I am totally a sucker for - the completely generic, formulaic vaguely Eastern sound, usually with a tinny strings/flute in there, usually Scott Storch will be in the vicinity, production always buffed and polished so that it has this awesomely tectonic metallic sheen to it, futuristic in that totally obvious way that a lot of mainstream sci-fi signifiers are. I am writing about this re the new Pussycat Dolls single for my column and I have compared it to the recipe for a cupcake perfected over generations - you follow it to the letter every time and do not fuck with any of the ingredients or quantities because you know it makes the PERFECT CUPCAKE!

Beyoncé's 'In Da Club' was even better than this - in fact one of my favourite mp3s ever is the 10-min megamix of Beyoncé's cover, then Mary J's cover, then the original mixed into each other.

Re: Fiddy

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

good analogy re cupcake

'In Da Club' is about arriving in style and i do love beginnings. it's actually really disappointing that 50 had nowhere to go after this that could impress you in any way.

the only way he is a good role model is that he acquired skills to pay bills and escaped the ghetto like many others before him. but as usual the bigotry is not just part of the act and this makes him endearing only to plebs who feel the same way as he does about women, the gays and whatnot.

not a particularly good artist or even businessman, or even a good product (compared to Em, Luda and others since)! just adequate. 50 actually seems more niche than other big MCs because his schtick is directly post-gangsta with seemingly no interest in exploring other areas unlike even Snoop. everything has been set up for him as it is with popstars and so you wonder what he'll do when everyone loses interest. it seemed to take only two years for the creative juices to dry up.

POOR JAVINE

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

i love this song

[whalefish.livejournal.com]

One other person likes On The Horizon by Mel C! I still don't know why I like that.

[whalefish.livejournal.com]

...no, TWO other people! I am saved!

LEEEEESA! MAFFIA!

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I'm sad no one remembers this, it was maybe the best solo SSC (non-O&N) song ever. I interviewed her once, and I asked her whether she would consider herself a feminist (she had a single out called 'Women Of The World'), and she said "oh no, no, no, I like men".

Re: LEEEEESA! MAFFIA!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i remember it and love it. definitely the best solo So Solid effort (not saying much tho) and better than any SSC track even.

asking someone if they are a feminist = guaranteed hilarity every time

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

Does *anyone* seriously deny that this is the greatest NOW ever? Ignition, Not Gonna Get Us and Fool No More are ALL in the top 10 pop records ever? (Fool No More is more like top 15 actually if you don't count the b-sides (Rush = surely finest tweenpop moment ever)).

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

Tracks on this now that qualify as actively great (rather than merely any good or very good):

R Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
Justin Timberlake - Cry Me An River
Javine - Real Things
t.A.T.u. - Not Gonna Get Us
S Club 8 - Fool No More
XTM - Fly On The Wings Of Love
Tomcraft - Loneliness
Busted - You Said No
Scooter - The Night
Emma - Free Me

also

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

THREE VOTES for fly on the wings of love? Do you people actually like, y'know, pop?

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

WHERE IS THE LOVE FOR "WHAT YOU NEED IS"?

BEST SONG EVAH! you are all indie.