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.

Comments

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

neat idea and should placate the demand for top40 poll to have continued in it's previous form nicely.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

The Jojo song is poor.

Eric and his Prids is a decent effort but it is lacking oomph somehow - the video makes up for it tho. Save the planet, kids!

Thoughts and Prejudices

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Eric Prydz: dunno if I've heard this specific Floyd bootleg but I have a base liking for any and all, though none truly satisfy. Gets a tick.

U2: unlikely to be good, also makes me think of "Window In The Sky" by Acen which is almost certainly a lot better than this. No tick.

Jojo: this is excellent, from the girl who did "Leave (Get Out)", it's a similarly expressive and heart-on-sleeve bit of R'n'Pop. Hearty tick.

Eminem/50/Lloyd: Not heard it yet - I can't remember the last time I liked something Eminem was involved in though. No tick.

Amy Winehouse: Hated "Rehab", not heard this yet. Probably no tick.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Why have they put that absurd rap on the single version of 'You Know I'm No Good?'

youtubery

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

U2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskbxuehP3I)
Eric Prydz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWdbBhQ7U8A)
JoJo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FY8hl6b54A)
Eminem et al (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLcWEAPzGKc)
Amy Winehouse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFVM5pVTwkM)

(You're welcome.)

...but I have no sound at work, so no go on all five for me.

what madness is this!

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

The JoJo song is excellent! Not as good as 'Leave (Get Out)' [but then very little is] but since it's pretty much a carbon copy of it, it still satisfies.

And the Eric Prickz song is k-rub.

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

I was wondering whether 'now heard any' would win, given the poptimist demographic, but then again, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised that radio 2-friendly Amy W is in the lead.

Re: youtubery

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Actually we're both at the high-end of the poptimist demographic, age-wise. That said I've no idea what R2's target market is.

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

I think I maybe meant something more like mind-set, in a snarky 'Call Yourselves Poptimists!' kind of way.

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

Also ta for making me feel REALLY old ;-)

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest 'mentality'.

I wish I could see the appeal of Winehouse. (well, not really, but I can't)

Re: JoJo

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

"Too Little..." has grown on me a bit (it has a nice hook, I guess), but I'm still closer to Kat's view on it. I have the album, which is also a disappointment :( The one (1) great song on it is "Like That".

Feel free to use this avatar in all future poptimists posts

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

;-)

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

ahem. (what jeff sed)

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

she's a loon! i think that's why i might have some time for her

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

it's not absurd! it's not Ghostface's highest point but it doesn't ruin the song or anything, it's a decent touch.

(nb - I haven’t heard whatever version will actually be the single, just the Ghostface ft Amy Winehouse version which is on his album – he basically removes her verses to do his own, but keeps the beat and the chorus. He namedrops Kelly Clarkson!)

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard any but this new weekly format meant it was feasible to look at all of them on youtube, which was impossible before when there was a whole month's worth to do at once.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The start of the year is fairly slow, so it may be that things do get a bit mental, but on the other hand I think the new chart rules will clog stuff up more than liberating it.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

On the single version, it sounds like separately or more integrated into the song, the rap would be good but it just sounds kind of pointless in the middle of Amy's singing, like some contrived afterthought they had to try and make it 'down with the kids' or something. Maybe they should have put the Ghostface version as the B-Side or something, rather than lessening the appeal of both versions by just gluing it onto Amy's.

I just looked up the mostly-Ghostface version and I agree, that is good. The single mix is not.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I'm slightly surprised that you don't! She writes really hooky material - certainly 'Rehab' is one of the catchiest songs of last year, melodically and lyrically. She's properly funny (as opposed to having to wave a metaphorical massive LOOK I AM COMEDY sign around like Lallen and The Streets). She pulls off the "young lady about town" persona pretty well in her songs - this is actually at odds with her public profile, she sounds so assured and in control in her music, but the public profile is OMG in a Lohanesque way too. She really treads the line between wit and sadness well, in 'Rehab' she sings "I don't ever want a drink again/Ooh, I just need a friend" brilliantly - starting off winking at the audience, everyone knows the first line is a lie, but then hitting you with the isolation of the second.

Re: Thoughts and Prejudices

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard the JoJo but I have just this second received her album in the post and I am feeling generous so I ticked it.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Is Amy Winehouse on Radio 2 these days? No wonder my dad's switched to Capital Gold. :o

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I think I just hate her voice really Lex! My "not seeing the appeal" is harsh - I can see that she works as a pop star, the marketing angle of Joss Stone meets Charlotte Church without the boringness of one or naffness of the other.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Maybe, I just think guest raps get, um, an unfair rap a lot of the time in pop communities. Even if they're bad they hardly ever RUIN the song! There are loads which work wonderfully, only a few which make the song unlistenable, most are just...there. I def like the idea of Amy W having a guest rap, especially in a song where her own narrative is classically unreliable.