Poptimists 2006 Poll: Lifetime Achievement / Track Of The Year

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I'm too busy to do the nice picture banner at the top of the post today, but here are the final two categories in the End of Year poll - as ever, multiple nominations gained you a place, in the case of "Track Of The Year" you needed a mighty THREE different poptimists to rep you, in the case of Lifetime Achievement, well erm yes.

The Lifetime Achievement contestants should need no introduction, even to the Lex. The Track of the Year nominees should also be familiar to most, though hopefully someone less hassled than me will get an opportunity to post YouTube/MySpace/etc links.

Thanks for nominating, voting, and especially commenting on the awards - they've been some very good threads. Normal services return next week, most likely.

[Poll #900272]

Comments

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

Curse you for making me pick CSS over lovely, lovely Nelly.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

There were quite a few good records that got 2 nominations in the track category, by the way. I will list them if I have time.

As for what did make it - The Knife I don't really get, Justice vs Simian I think is wretched caterwauling guff, Aly and AJ and the Veronicas I like a lot but not enough to vote for. Maneater seems too long ago somehow, so that leaves Cassie and CSS.

Cassie is the track that's grown on me most in 06, and CSS probably is the track that made the biggest initial impression. Neither are my favourite of the year, both are Top 5 or thereabouts. Could have been either, I went for Cansei cos the memories are better.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

i gave the psbs the lifetime award because its also the implicit "and now please stop before you make it any worse" award. which startles me as i'm a bigger fan of them than madonna - but at least she's (getting together with ppl who are?) making stuff i can still enjoy

COLIN ME HIGH ON ZA TELLYFONE

[zenith.livejournal.com]

An early lead for my track of the year! I hardly believe it can win but I am still going to roar from the touchlines.

Speech Made You Nervous That You Couldn't Eat

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I know! Yay!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

As most of you know I picked my traXX0r of the year and CSS was luckily top! The first question was much harder but I plumped for Madge given that I would rather listen to the Immaculate Collection than the best of James Brown or Take That, even tho both of those are grebt. Timbaland is clearly the only candidate for Producer Of The Year so he should be happy with that.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Loved the Cansei during the PWC, but I've gone off it now: the poor CSS album takes some of the shine off "Let's Make Love..." in context. (Would still like to hear the "proper" version of their album though - intrigued to know whether it really is significantly better than the Sub Pop version as everyone claims.)

"Maneater" I've never tired of. Can't decide if I like this or "Rush" more, but it stands a better chance of winning so tictac voting in full effect.

[zenith.livejournal.com]

I know of no such poor CSS album.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah same here - there are a couple of other good tracks on the CSS album but 'Let's Make Love...' sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of greatness. The Sub Pop album even makes the original album worse in retrospect! You hear all these nods towards indie punk that you never heard originally.

Whereas while 'Me & U' is the best song on Cassie's album, everything else backs it up admirably.

[crackling.livejournal.com]

I've heard variations of both the international and local albums. The original is 10xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx better.

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

I wonder how many other people feel they can't vote GA for lifetime achievement after the "act of the year" shangles, I know I do :(

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

Do people, in general, thing this was a good year, for pop?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

YES, it had 'Unfaithful' in it as well.

Greg what on earth happened to you on NYE?

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I thought it was the worst pop year of the decade so far but it could well be that i'm going to say this about each remaining year of this decade as they whizz by. oh the cynicism...

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

I'm glad James Brown made it onto the hall of fame list - not just because of the timeliness, but because I think he's the most important musician of the second half of the 20th Century. I will understand on a pop-focussed community if the magnificent Pet Shop Boys win this category, but I'm glad JB is at least in contention.

The tracks list is very disappointing to me - none of my top 23 (just checked my list) made it! At least that left me a straight choice between Nelly and Cassie, and the former won out. I'm rather shocked at the big CSS dominance.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Wise words from Martin on JB here. Certainly more sensible than the "Go James! Kick those limeys' asses" post I was contemplating ;)

[anatol-merklich.livejournal.com]

Oh --
Solon he was one of the Seven Sages of Greece,
Saying wise sayings, and decreeing wise decrees.
His laws (they're called Solonian) replaced the tough Draconian,
And the tax system of Athens he made more progressivese.

Now Solon went awalkabout to Egypt and to Lydia,
And Croesus (king of latter) said: "Hear now this quiz I'll bid ya:
Which man upon this Earth has the life most full of mirth?
(I'll have you know the answer's me, than whom no-one is giddyer!)"

But Solon didn't go along with this unshamefaced volley.
He said: "Until a man is dead, he can't be counted jolly --
For who knows what's in store? Of joy or pain or bore-
dom?" And Croesus looked upon him as if he were off his trolley.

Well, later Croesus went afield to fight the mighty Cyrus
(The King of Persians), but was soon expecting to perspire, as
His army soundly beat, he was set to face the heat --
King Cyrus scoffed and sniffed and spat, and placed him on the pyres.

The flames rose up, and skywards were King Croesus' eyes a-rollin'.
He sighed a sigh, he groaned a groan, and cried "O Solon! Solon!"
King Cyrus he grew curious, where once he had been furious,
And asked: "Who, where or indeed what is that which you are calling?"

King Croesus told about the wisdom learnt from that old Greek,
That no-one's fortune should be praised when it is at its peak,
For suddenly you're toast, 'pon pyres set to roast!
And Cyrus said: "Yo Croesus mate, come down and join my clique".

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: I really wanted to click everyone except TT and GA, but teh Solonian wisdom made it easy for me, as only one of them duly qualifies for "Lifetime Achievement Award". QED.

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

I voted "Rush" because it was by far my favorite of the listed songs, and I'm hoping I won't be the only one because that will make me feel like a lone wolf. Actually I would have ticked "Not This Year" were it on the list. "4ever" is good but I still think "Sweet Temptation" (which I also would have ticked if eligible) is way better. "Maneater" and CSS are good but not great. The other three are meh.

[koganbot]

Cassie meh? I can see how someone might dislike it, but it's awfully striking! (What is the accepted def'n of "meh"? Mine is "kinda like so-what.")

What is meaning of "Track Of The Year"?

[koganbot]

Well, I voted for "4ever" 'cause it was my favorite, but I do think there's something very obviously "Track Of The Year" about "Crazy" (not even on the ballot!) and "LDN" (ditto) and "Me & U" and "Let's Make Love And Listen Death From Above," something about them that immediately knocks you on your ass. Immediate impact on the year, or something. Even "Rush," for that matter, in its particular world. In fact I would go back and change my tick to "Rush" if Trackness Of The Year rather than Bestness Of The Year were my criterion. But I think Bestness is still what I should vote for, since if everyone voted Trackness then there'd be this self-fulfilling consensus clustering about what's already having an impact. ("Rush" is third in Bestness, btw. To be honest, in its land of real impact - Disney - it's 2005; but its vid wasn't released until this year, so in the Land Of Slowpoke Grownups it belongs to this year. In the land of "4ever"'s only real impact - Australia - it's 2005 as well.)

Re: What is meaning of "Track Of The Year"?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I think Trackness and Bestness would both be contributing factors.

"Crazy" got one nomination, "LDN" two, though "Smile" got one as well.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I think I am maybe alone in the world in thinking 'Let's Make Love And Listen Death From Above' is kind of rubbish/boring. I like quite a lot of the CSS album quite a bit but overall I think it's a bit NME. (ie: 'OMG pop that's indie and world so you can like it and it's got girls in, with boobies, hur hur hur') Although I know this is not what most people think about it, it's just my personal unerwhelmedness about the whole thing. I mean, it's quite nice I suppose but it just doesn't do for me whatever it seems to be doing for everyone else.

I voted 'Maneater' because it's still great. Would have been Justice vs Simian but that has shameful Jagermeister-related memories attached.

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

I only saw the video for the CSS song the other day. Not my cup of tea man!

Newsflash! Cansei De Ser Sexy Scores A Song Of The Year On ABC News

[koganbot]

ABC News picks "Let's Make Love And Listen Death From Above" as one of its Singles Of The Year! Check video on top of the right-hand column.

Re: Newsflash! Cansei De Ser Sexy Scores A Song Of The Year On ABC News

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

That list was put together by Chuck Eddy according to the associated article, which might explain it. Assuming that the top singles & albums of 2006 list is the same as that video but in article form. I can't watch the video here at work.

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

How would ojne go about hearing this Portuguese stuff? Haven't noticed it on s!sk...

[koganbot]

Well, you can hear Cansei De Ser Sexy here:

http://www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy