A Year In Pop: 1

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

A what in who? This is the first of a series of polls replacing the mighty stevem78's monthly Top 40 polls.

The Top 40 polls were an grebt idea because they put the focus on NEW pop, unlike the canons, P&Js, Now polls etc. But they were by all accounts a hassle to do and response was never great, partly because there were SO MANY songs to deal with.

By doing them weekly (hear the method in the madness) we have a much smaller number of songs to pick, so there's more chance of individual songs getting discussion time, and also more chance of people who haven't heard the new goodies hearing them via YSIs or YouTube or what have you. (To save my time and sanity I will leave it up to commenters to hunt these down).

Of course I will be keeping track of the scores on these!

[Poll #904685]

What about teh AMAZING NEW CHART REVOLUTION then? My arbitrary rule is that re-releases will be included but only if they weren't in Steve's polls, which I think rules out all of this week's.

uk pop crisis: supa-koopa.

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

So, according to the HQ of the enemies of pop (aka BBC), this band whose website proudly bears the legends 'This is what REAL music sounds like' and 'Against Manufactured Pop' (get fighting koganbot on the case, once he's duffed up those idolators!) might crack the top 40 with full indie credibility intact, having no record label at all. (See here for story, if you can bear it). Blimey, punk or what? (ans: NO, obv.)

The obvious response: 'who knew that REAL music sounded like Mega City 4?'.

The other obvious response: 'crikey is this the future of the UK charts?'

(Or really: 'blimey, slow news day at the beeb!')

But seriously: why does the whole '4 real' thing get up my nose so much? Obviously they're wrong, but since when did truth matter over style in the world of pop? Surely this kind of thing just IS pop, or part of it, even if the music is dire? (esp. since I don't subscribe to the lex's no-guitars-in-pop / pop and rock ought to be mutually exclusive platform) Assuage my guilt, poptimists!

The History Of Jop Part 27 aka She got one of your kids got you for 18 years

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

And now - the final* Pazz and Jop poll. 2005 - seems like it was yesterday eh?

You have thirteen ticks across 39 boxes - the holdover from last year that I left out was "Galang", if you're interested.

( My car keys are jingling in my hand )

*or potentially penultimate, but I suspect the discussion of the New Times PJ poll will be along the lines of the JP one i.e. poll-free.

2004: Joptimists Verdict

1. Toxic (52 votes - offhand I can't remember anyone ever getting more, and certainly the 91% is huge)
2. Take Me Out (43)
3. What You Waiting For? (38)
4. Chewing Gum (37)
5=. 99 Problems (36)
5=. Galang (36)
7. Heartbeat (33)
8. Drop It Like It's Hot (27)
9. Yeah (Usher) (26)
10. Somebody Told Me (25)

And that's it. If anyone has any ideas for flagship poll series I will take them under consideration!