The History Of Jop Part 26 aka You leave me broken shattered I lie

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

2004 is now THREE YEARS AGO (sort of) - our possibly penultimate pazz and jop ponderations will let you relive that golden or otherwise era. You get THIRTEEN from thirty-eight picks: Alicia Keys "You Don't Know My Name" and the Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Maps" turned up last time so are omitted this.


[Poll #902705]


Poptimism Of Times Past - 2003 Edition

1. Crazy In Love (43 votes)
2. Milkshake (37)
3. Cry Me A River (35)
4=. Ignition (Remix) (31)
4=. Hey Ya! (31)
6. Move Your Feet (30)
7=. Hurt (27)
7=. I Luv U (27)
9=. In Da Club (24)
9=. Danger High Voltage (24)
9=. Rock Your Body (24)
9=. Pass That Dutch (24)

This scientifically confirms my empirical findings at the work Xmas party viz that "Crazy In Love" is much loved again but that people are bored of "Hey Ya". This one will run and run.

Comments

This was the hardest yet by far

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Other years have maybe had higher highs, or more concentrated paths of genius, but in terms of VOLUME - I've never been stuck on 18 ticks without any way to cut it down before. That was TOUGH.

I mean I never dreamt I would end up NOT ticking:

Toxic
Slow Jamz
Chewing Gum
Through The Wire
If I Ain't Got You

Re: This was the hardest yet by far

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

'If I Ain't Got You' I always remember as the song which OLYMPIC HEROINE Kelly Holmes used to inspire her on her way to winning those gold medals - a lovely anecdote in itself but also evidence of something Alicia Keys does very well, which is to tap into very vague universal sentiments of "longing" or "melancholy" and imbue them with a great deal of non-specific soul, which makes it very easy for the listener to feel a sense of identification with her songs and apply them to their own life circumstances, whatever they may be.

I love Alicia!

Re: This was the hardest yet by far

[sbp.livejournal.com]

I only just managed to tick 7.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

My main memories from this year - when I was disillusioned enough to not even bother voting in P&J - were "Some Girls" and "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)". Also I think "Cobrastyle" was originally '04 (maybe it was even '03, seems like it's been around forever).

In fact most of my music memories center on a certain couple of days at Glastonbury when I was the drunkest I have ever been in my whole life.

Personally I was having a good time though - new job, just married, great holiday in Greece, enjoying myself. It was just the music that wasn't matching up.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

do we have any idea as to why no one wants to talk about this year?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

- Too soon after?
- End of year 2006 lists have glutted everyone?
- Resurgent ILX eating up Poptimist time?
- Nobody has much to say?
- January blues?
- Poptimists as a community is still suck in a vision of pop based on a 2001-3 golden era and so gets bored beyond that?

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

it's been done to death already i guess?

[koganbot]

Tom, I'm curious if your perception of the music not matching up had to do with a kind of dissolution or scattering of the original ILM community. Basically, the rolling country thread the next year was what pulled me back into ilX (also interesting stuff on the various M.I.A. threads); but I wouldn't say that I am back in ilX, sinc rolling threads have created their own worlds, much like the Jay-Z Vs. Nas Throwdowns of 2001-2002, though with a bit more crossover.

Hip-hop 2004 was some of the most amazingly creative music I'd heard in my life, but at the same time it wasn't touching my heart. My absorbing Ashlee and Kelly et al. (this absorption was only really coming to fruition in December '05/early '06) was what reinvigorated me as a critic. Unfortunately, this part of my critical writing pretty much only exists on message boards.

can't you see that you must be a part...of that beat in my heart

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

The lineage of cool, restrained, understated r&b summer hits which 'Move Ya Body' belongs to is probably my favourite music of this decade.

Never Leave You
Move Ya Body
Pon De Replay
Me & U

Remind me...

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

"Mosh" was the anti-Bush election single, right? Which was why it placed so high? I'm not sure I ever heard it!

Re: Remind me...

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

it was really effective w/ the video - cartoon eminem leading "the people" to storm the white house, lots of actually v moving scenes ft a war widow, a black man getting beaten up by the police, both of them joining him - the final scene is absolutely brilliant, they storm the building and the doors swing open to reveal...a voting booth.

OH MY GOD STOP TICKING FRANZ FVCKING FERDINAND

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

AND START TICKING CIARA!!!!!!

jaysus.

Re: OH MY GOD STOP TICKING FRANZ FVCKING FERDINAND

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i want to live in a world where Ciara gets 1 more tick than Franz.

Re: OH MY GOD STOP TICKING FRANZ FVCKING FERDINAND

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

"Take Me Out" isnt as goody as "Goodies" but I can see why people tick it - as with so many tracks I disliked at first ("I Don't Feel Like Dancing" and "Wind It Up" from this year) it's monstrous power to ram a pop dancefloor made me completely re-evaluate it. I still don't think it delivers on the tension in its intro, though.

General Thoughts on this Poll

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

Not as good a poll as 2003 and definitely not as good a year for music as 2003. "Take Me Out" is the best song that this current era of indie rock has produced and nearly justifies the entire existence of the genre. "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" one of the best country-rock singles of all time, off of one of the best country-rock albums of all time. "Through the Wire" is still my favorite Kanye single. "99 Problems" the best Jay Z single (I like "Bonnie and Clyde 03" a lot too). And sorry Lex, but Ciara was a late untick.

Ones that I like a lot but are missing include Sara Evans and Hilary Duff, not that I would expect them to be on a poll like this. "Suds in the Bucket" also an amazing fun country song. Great year for country music.

Re: General Thoughts on this Poll

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

Also missing is "Leave (Get Out)" by Jojo which should be top 10.

Re: General Thoughts on this Poll

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I found it a real struggle unticking any of the Kanye singles - 'Through The Wire' is probably my least favourite of the ones here, and I love it! I don't feel the same about '99 Problems' though, I like it but you know about me and guitars.

Re: General Thoughts on this Poll

[koganbot]

The thing about "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" is that it's blatantly a '70s funk groove with nominal country accouterments - and as such helped redefine country. As far as I know, it and "Redneck Woman" - both co-written by John Rich - are the first mainstream country (rather than alt-country or Cash dying breaths or Loretta duetting indie) to place strong in P&J: 21st and 15th respectively. ("Goodbye Earl" scraped the bottom of the top 40 several years earlier.) "Save A Horse" is wonderful, and it's at best my fourth or fifth favorite on the album.

My Pazz & Jop singles ballot 2004

[koganbot]

1. Don Yute f. Ying Yang Twins "Row Da Boat" (Slip-N-Slide/Capitol)
2. Kardinal Offishall "Bang Bang" (Blackjays)
3. David Banner "Crank It Up" (SRC/Universal)
4. Westside Connection "Gangsta Nation" (Priority)
5. Ying Yang Twins f. Trick Daddy "What's Happnin!" (TVT)
6. Method Man f. Busta Rhymes "What's Happenin'" (Def Jam)
7. Crime Mob "Knuck if You Buck" (Crunk Inc/BME/Warner Bros.)
8. M.I.A. "Galang" (XL)
9. Jay-Z "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" (Def Jam)
10. Miss B. "Bottle Action" (So So Def/Zomba)

The list is all hip-hop and hip-hop-inflected dancehall; does this mean it was an amazing year for hip-hop or that my listening was too narrow? Well both, but I did listen to scads of other stuff. Courtney Love's "Life Despite God" and Big & Rich's "Rollin' (The Ballad Of Big & Rich)" would have beaten anything on here if they'd been singles - at least that's the way I felt at the time - but the latter is hip-hop-inflected country-funk so kind of proves the rule. Hilary Duff's "Fly" would have been my number one if I'd heard it. And Ashlee Simpson's "Shadow" would have placed. And I'm still kicking myself for leaving JoJo's "Leave" off the list. (But now I'm up to 15, and I don't see what five I would take off.)

And I'm with Lex in the amazingness of the Pazz & Jop list, even though there was almost no overlap with mine. I was up to 21 I would have been delighted to tick, despite there being about 10 or so that I either haven't heard or don't remember (OK, like which Scissors Sisters track is this one?). Normally I try to go back and listen to the unheard/unremembered in advance of these polls, but I was immersed in Pazz 'n' Jack 'n' Country ballots and, like, stuff I was getting paid to write, so it didn't happen.

Re: My Pazz & Jop singles ballot 2004

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

Surprised to see you rank "Crank It Up" over "Cadillac on 22s" which I definitely prefer. This is a weird year (and poll) in that it's weak at the very top, but very strong at the near top. So that there are about 2 or 3 songs that feel like they should be top 5 in most years, but about 30 or 40 songs that feel like they should be top 20 in most year. 2006 was like that as well, incidentally, to me at least.

Re: My Pazz & Jop singles ballot 2004

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

The real gap in this ballot for me (and prob all the other Brits) is Girls Aloud - this was their peak year, I think most people will agree with this. Surprised that 'The Show' or 'Love Machine' didn't force their way into the lower reaches of the list a la Annie.

Meanwhile in NMEland

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The NME poll didn't rep for Girls Aloud or Rachel Stevens either, though this is when the NME really senses its moment and starts going for it, indie-wise.

1. The Libertines – Can’t Stand Me Now
2. Frans Ferdinand – Take Me Out
3. The Streets – Dry Your Eyes
4. J-Zee – 99 Problems
5. The Killers – Mr Brightside
6. Scissor Sisters – Take Your Mama
7. Eminem – Mosh
8. Razorlight – Golden Touch
9. Britney Spears – Toxic
10. Bloc Party – Little Thoughts
11. Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict A Riot
12. Graham Coxon – Freakin’ Out
13. The Futureheads – Hounds Of Love
14. Johnny Boy – You Are The Generation….
15. Modest Mouse – Float On
16. Morrissey – First Of The Gang To Die
17. Interpol – Evil
18. Wolfman Ft. Pete Doherty – For Lovers
19. The Strokes – Reptile
20. Art Brut – Formed A Band
21. Kanye West – Jesus Walks
22. Snow Patrol – Run
23. Kelis – Milkshake
24. Beastie Boys – Ch-Check It Out
25. TV On The Radio – Staring At The Sun
26. Keane – Somewhere Only We Know
27. Belle & Sebastian – I’m A Cuckoo
28. Dizzee Rascal – Stand Up Tall
29. Kings Of Leon – The Bucket
30. The Concreats – You Can’t Hurry Love
31. The Dears – We Can’t Have It
32. Kelis – Trick Me
33. Engineers – A Given Right
34. The Killers – Somebody Told Me
35. Block Party – She’s Hearing Voices
36. The Von Bondies – C’mon C’mon
37. The Futureheads – Decent Days And Nights
38. LCD Sound System – Movement
39. Muse – Butterflies & Hurricanes
40. Block Party – Banquet
41. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – There She Goes, My Beautiful World
42. Morrissey – Irish Blood, English Heart
43. Basement Jaxx – Good Luck
44. Franz Ferdinand – Michael
45. Babyshambles – The Man Who Came To Stay
46. Dios – Starting Five
47. The Streets – Fit But You Know It
48. Pixies – Bam Thwok
49. Goldie Lookin’ Chain – Your Mothers Got A Penis
50. Delays – Long Time Coming

Re: Meanwhile in NMEland

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

nauseating

Re: Meanwhile in NMEland

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i like all of these:

2. Frans Ferdinand – Take Me Out
4. J-Zee – 99 Problems
5. The Killers – Mr Brightside
6. Scissor Sisters – Take Your Mama
7. Eminem – Mosh
9. Britney Spears – Toxic
11. Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict A Riot
17. Interpol – Evil
19. The Strokes – ReptilIA
21. Kanye West – Jesus Walks
23. Kelis – Milkshake
25. TV On The Radio – Staring At The Sun
28. Dizzee Rascal – Stand Up Tall
32. Kelis – Trick Me
34. The Killers – Somebody Told Me
37. The Futureheads – Decent Days And Nights
38. LCD Sound System – Movement
40. Block Party – Banquet
43. Basement Jaxx – Good Luck
44. Franz Ferdinand – Michael
47. The Streets – Fit But You Know It

Maroon 5, Mario Winans, 3 Doors Down, "My Immortal"

[koganbot]

Billboard's top 40 singles, 2004

1. "Yeah!" Usher f. Lil Jon & Ludacris
2. "Burn" Usher
3. "If I Ain't Got You" Alicia Keys
4. "This Love" Maroon 5
5. "The Way You Move" OutKast f. Sleepy Brown
6. "The Reason" Hoobastank
7. "I Don't Wanna Know" Mario Winans f. Enya & P. Diddy
8. "Hey Ya!" OutKast
9. "Goodies" Ciara f. Petey Pablo
10. "Lean Back" Terror Squad
11. "Tipsy" J-Kwon
12. "Confessions Part II" Usher
13. "Slow Motion" Juvenile f. Soulja Slim
14. "Freek-a-Leek" Petey Pablo
15. "Here Without You" 3 Doors Down
16. "Slow Jamz" Twista f. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx
17. "Someday" Nickelback
18. "Naughty Girl" Beyoncé
19. "My Immortal" Evanescence
20. "Sunshine" Lil' Flip f. Lea
21. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" Jay-Z
22. "Move Ya Body" Nina Sky f. Jabba
23. "Dip It Low" Christina Milian
24. "My Boo" Usher and Alicia Keys
25. "One Call Away" Chingy f. J. Weav
26. "Me, Myself and I" Beyoncé
27. "Turn Me On" Kevin Lyttle f. Spragga Benz
28. "The First Cut is the Deepest" Sheryl Crow
29. "You Don't Know my Name" Alicia Keys
30. "My Place" Nelly f. Jaheim
31. "Overnight Celebrity" Twista
32. "Hotel" Cassidy f. R. "Kelly
33. "Numb" Linkin Park
34. "Diary" Alicia Keys f. Tony! Toni! Tone!
35. "She Will Be Loved" Maroon 5
36. "White Flag" Dido
37. "Heaven" Los Lonely Boys
38. "It's My Life" No Doubt
39. "Pieces of Me" Ashlee Simpson
40. "Leave (Get Out)" JoJo

Evanescence is another group whose absence from P&J jumps out. Doubt that Mastodon's making 2006's Jackin' Pop is a harbinger of much [and the few metal fans posting on my livejournal prediction thread were thinking that Blood Mountain is maybe the 50th or 60th best metal album of the year]. Metal just ain't wowing the critics (unless System Of A Down are considered metal, in which case there's half a wow).