The History of Pop Part 5 aka What is wrong in my life that I must get drunk every night?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

So, yeah, you know when I said in the last Now Poll that Now 5 was tons better than Now 4? Erm, well...that was before I typed it out. And also I remember this particular 'era' (first half of 85) with especial sharpness so my judgements may well be softer than yours. There are a few big hitters though - by now of course we're into the period where the success of Now had spawned rivals, and the brand's compilation predominance wasn't assured, so there was a hard fight for the good tracks. Things get gradually better from about Now 7 onwards (I think). As ever, "go for it" in the comments box.

Note a particularly annoying Now syndrome where the follow-up hit shows up on a comp and the better, bigger hit doesn't. PETE BURNS wuz ROBBED in other words.

Note the first thought given to actual sequencing w/the 'soul section' on disc 2!

RESULTS of Now 4 - a comfortable, perhaps too comfortable, win for "Together In Electric Dreams" over "Ghostbusters" and the Pointer Sisters. Nool Pwah to Eugene Wilde, though Limahl seems to have fared the worst in the write-in votes.


[Poll #622466]

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

1997 = worst year. Just look at Now 1997:

1. Beautiful South - Don't Marry Her
2. Texas - Say What You Want
3. Cardigans - Love Fool (ok this is good)
4. White Town - Your Woman (TOO SLOW)
5. Hot Chocolate Remix - You Sexy Thing
6. Spice Girls - Who Do You Think You Are (ok 2 good ones so far)
7. Boyzone - Picture of You (LAME)
8. Eternal and That Bloke - I Wanna Be The Only One (urrrgh plus Louise had left by then)
9. Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me (off the boil)
10. Bee Gees - Alone (SUPER LAME)
11. Coolio - See You When You Get There (WHAT)
12. R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly (vomit!)
13. Gabrielle - Walk On By (Travesty!)
14. Louise - Arms Around The World (is this the one where she had weird contact lenses in?)
15. 911 - Bodyshaking
16. Hansen - Mmmmbop (ok 3 out of 16 so far)
17. Steps - 5678 (ok 4)
18. Aqua - Barbie Girl (nice idea but mediocre execution)

Side 2
1. All Saints - I Know Where Its At (the rubbish first single)
2. Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You (I hate this song)
3. U2 - Discoteque (nuff said)
4. Ocean Colour Scene - 100 Mile High City (!!!!)
5. Supergrass - Richard III (good but not pop!)
6. Oasis - Dyou Know What I Mean
7. Radiohead - Karma Police (could this side BE any more indie?)
8. Blur - Beetlebum (YES YES IT CAN)
9. Meredith Brooks - Bitch (you're no Alanis, luv)
10. Chumbawumba - Thumbtappping (whatevr)
11. Bellini - Samba De Janeiro (rub)
12. Sash! - Ecuador (not as good as encore un fois)
13. DJ Quicksilver - Bellisima (at least it's not indie)
14. Ultra Nate - Free (ok this is good. What's that? 5?)
15. Todd Terry & Jocelyn Brown - Somethin Going On (don't remember this)
16. Chemical Brothers - Block rockin beats (I bought this. but it's not pop)
17. Monaco - What Do You Want From Me (HAHAHAHAH MONACO)
18. Cast - Free Me (bored now)


OK FIVE SONGS OUT OF 36 DOES NOT A GOOD YEAR MAKE

[zenith.livejournal.com]

It all seems very "let's vote New Labour!" now.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

No wonder I turned to the Indie side, and became 1x snob.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and it's not like the NOWs released that year were full of gems either. For every good track left off (On Your Own, A Change Would Do You Good, Breathe), none of which are really pop, there's a horror that we were spared (Scooby Snacks, The Drugs Don't Work, Staring at the Sun, Bittersweet Symphony, Virtual Insanity, The Drugs Don't work).

Whereas in 1996, the actual proven-by-science best year ever, we get as many corkers on the best-of-year (Disco 2000! Trash! Born Slippy! Wannabe! Spaceman!) and also some complete gems on the NOWs (Ladykillers, He's On The Phone, I Wanna Be A Hippy, Freedom, Higher State Of Bring The Noise Consciousness, Fastlove, If It Makes You Happy, Say You'll Be There, Insomnia, Pearl's Girl (!!!?!), Possibly Maybe)

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Patience, grasshoppers.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

do ppl still hate on Bittersweet Symphony. this popped up on the telly the other day, and i very much liked it. knowing that they got no cash for it too was a nice bonus.

[darkpigeon.livejournal.com]

3, 4, 11, 16, 17, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13 and 16 are all OK in my book. i can't stand free though