A decent start !

Sisters only getting to number 9 in the chart is a little surprising.

I picked a few charts at random for that one until I found something that fitted the criteria.

Damn you Bjork haha - I didn't think anyone else would go for Crying In The Club!

Q3. Single which peaked at least 10 years after its Top 40 debut

 

Correct answers given 14 | Pointless 10 | Incorrect 2

 

 

2 points

Goo Goo Dolls - Iris [1999; #3, 2011] | chrissmith276, Jade, Brer

PJ & Duncan - Let's Get Ready To Rhumble [1994; #1, 2013] | awardinary, Riser, Mack.

 

1 point

Ben E. King - Stand By Me [1961; #1, 1987] | ds, vibe

The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin' [1966; #9, 1997] | jimwatts, Mango

 

Pointless

Andy Stewart - Donald Where's Your Troosers? [1960; #4, 1989] | King Rollo

Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year [2007; #15, 2021*] | LewisGT

Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas [2007; #11, 2018*] | Ansel

Elvis Presley - Viva Las Vegas [1964; #15, 2007] | Bjork

Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite [1957; #1, 1986] | music21

Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror [1988; #2, 2009] | JulianT

Motorhead - Ace Of Spades [1980; #13, 2016] | PeteOnEarth

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name [1993; #1, 2009] | rio309

Sam Cooke - Wonderful World [1960; #2, 1986] | paulgilb

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car [1988; #4, 2011] | n4yr

 

10.5 points

Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad [2021; #34, 2021*] | Cow Cow

Journey - Don't Stop Believin' [2009; #6, 2010] | gavindeejay

 

A question on a similar theme, and indeed a couple of Christmas songs come up Pointless here too – Andy Williams and Chris Rea were eligible even before breaking into this week’s Top 10. Plenty of other Christmas songs could have fitted the bill (and in terms of timespan from debut to peak everything has been usurped by Brenda Lee’s song which reached #5 too late to be eligible), but there’s no Mariah here - the top points scorers originated elsewhere in the 90s. The two incorrect answers made their Top 40 debuts deceptively late in life and peaked less than a year later!

I thought most people would probably go Xmas themed so was quite happy with my Goo Goo Dolls answer but alas is top scoring! :(

Q9. Single which spent at least 9 weeks in the Top 20 but didn’t reach the Top 10

Can't believe no one went for 'Numb/Encore' for this, that was the first one that sprang to mind but I didn't put it because I thought that's what everyone else would think of!

Q4. Top 10 single which contains "Christmas" in the title and has NOT been in the Top 40 from 2005 onwards

 

Correct answers given 11 | Pointless 5 | Incorrect 3

 

 

2 points

Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) [#2, 2003] | vibe, gavindeejay, Jade

Smurfs - Your Christmas Wish [#8, 1996] | jimwatts, PeteOnEarth, Ansel

 

1 point

Adam Faith - Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop) [#4, 1960] | King Rollo, ds

Childliners - The Gift Of Christmas [#9, 1995] | chrissmith276, music21

Dana - It's Gonna Be A Cold Cold Christmas [#4, 1975] | Mango, n4yr

Dickie Valentine - Christmas Alphabet [#1, 1955] | paulgilb, Brer

 

Pointless

Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas? [#1, 1989] | Riser

Dickie Valentine - Christmas Island [#8, 1956] | Bjork

Elvis Presley - If Every Day Was Like Christmas [#9, 1966] | LewisGT

Goodies - Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me [#7, 1974] | JulianT

Mr Hankey - Mr Hankey The Christmas Poo [#4, 1999] | rio309

 

10.5 points

Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas? [still Top 40 in 2005] | awardinary

Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas [#1, 2021] | Cow Cow

Geraldine - Once Upon A Christmas Song [#5, 2008] | Mack.

 

Now for some Christmas songs that haven’t been clogging up the chart in recent years – and it may come as some surprise that the joint top scorer from The Darkness qualifies, but beyond its original chart run it has climbed no higher than #42 (twice). My choice was a coin toss between the other joint top scorer and the similarly underrated I Believe In Christmas by the Tweenies, ah never mind. Band Aid II (I can’t count the number of quizzes I’ve taken part in which have ignored its existence) is a Pointless, but unfortunately Band Aid 20 (the one they seem to think came next) was still in the Top 40 deep into January 2005 and is therefore one of three incorrect answers here.

 

Back in about an hour when the first of the two questions with bonuses is next up! :w00t:

I almost went for The Tweenies too Jim but didn't. At least only one point scored though with Childliners.

As per usual I have terrible luck in this :lol:

 

Glad 'Some Might Say' was a pointless answer at least, thought it would be wise to go for a song where kitchen wasn't in the title

Doing relatively well so far! I imagine some people are still on 0 points so far, although the questions with bonuses could well shake that up.

Q5. Artist/group with at least 3 Top 10 singles in 2021. BONUS: -0.3 points for each Top 10 single

 

Correct answers given 10 (from a possible 14) | Pointless 4 | Incorrect 4

 

 

1.1 points (2 – 0.9)

ArrDee [3 songs] | chrissmith276, n4yr, Ansel

 

0.8 points (2 – 1.2)

Olivia Rodrigo [4 songs] | paulgilb, vibe, Jade

 

-0.2 points (1 – 1.2)

Elton John [4 songs] | rio309, Brer

 

-0.5 points (1 – 1.5)

Dave [5 songs] | Mango, Riser

Justin Bieber [5 songs] | Bjork, LewisGT

 

-0.8 points (1 – 1.8)

Drake [6 songs] | King Rollo, PeteOnEarth

 

Pointless: -0.9 points

Central Cee [3 songs] | jimwatts

David Guetta [3 songs] | ds

KSI [3 songs] | Cow Cow

Tom Grennan [3 songs] | music21

 

10.5 points

BTS [2 songs] | Mack.

J Cole [0 songs] | awardinary

Joel Corry [2 songs] | gavindeejay

Wes Nelson [0 songs] | JulianT

 

Unused correct answers

Ed Sheeran [7 songs] :o , Little Mix [4 songs], Adele [3 songs], Lil Nas X [3 songs]

 

Here’s the first question with a small defined set of answers, and with bonuses thrown in! As it happened, most of the correct answers score similarly, with the four Pointless answers being artists who had three Top 10s each during the year, while the four chosen by two people all had more than that (the 1 January 2021 chart is counted so Justin’s Alexa and Elton’s oldie Christmas songs are in) so also score in the negatives. However, the chance for -2.1 point bonus goes begging as nobody voted for Ed (yes, he really had that many Top 10 hits last year). There were four incorrect answers, which I can only assume are where people misread the question as Top 20/40 or thought former Top 10 hits which were lower down the chart in 2021 counted – unfortunately not!

Oh bummer misread the question as Top 40s. :drama:

Normally I’m quite careful not to make any mistakes like that. :(

Q7. Top 20 single where the word "breakfast" appears in the lyrics

 

Correct answers given 15 | Pointless 9 | Incorrect 0

 

 

2 points

Melissa Steel feat. Popcaan - Kisses For Breakfast [#10, 2014] | n4yr, music21, Brer

 

1 point

Ariana Grande - 7 rings [#1, 2019] | Cow Cow, LewisGT

Drake - Signs [#14, 2017] | PeteOnEarth, JulianT

Just Jack - The Day I Died [#11, 2009] | awardinary, Mack.

Kanye West - Through The Wire [#9, 2004] | ds, vibe

Rita Ora - Poison [#3, 2015] | Riser, Jade

 

Pointless

Bay City Rollers - Money Honey [#3, 1975] | chrissmith276

Cliff Richard - Wired For Sound [#4, 1981] | Mango

Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's [#1, 1996] | rio309

James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go [#1, 2016] | Ansel

Men At Work - Down Under [#1, 1983] | King Rollo

Pearl Jam - Daughter [#18, 1993] | Bjork

Prince - If I Was Your Girlfriend [#20, 1987] | jimwatts

Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You [#3, 1995] | paulgilb

UB40 with Chrissie Hynde - Breakfast In Bed [#6, 1988] | gavindeejay

 

Another lyrics question, although this time a few more songs were chosen twice or thrice. Two of the Pointless answers have “Breakfast” in the title, but the top scoring answer does too.

'Kisses For Breakfast' was the first thing that came into my head when I saw that question so glad I avoided it!

I wasn't sure if Down Under would be pointless as it's a number 1. I couldn't think of anything more obscure.

 

I see no one chose Breakfast In America by Supertramp.

Q1. Studio album which has spent at least 300 weeks in the album chart

 

Correct answers given 11 (from a possible 16) | Pointless 6 | Incorrect 2

 

 

3 points

Sam Smith - In The Lonely Hour [367 wks*] | Mango, Cow Cow, Mack., LewisGT

 

2 points

Ed Sheeran - + [439 wks] | chrissmith276, Bjork, Jade

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours [920 wks*] | rio309, paulgilb, Brer

 

1 point

Jeff Wayne - The War Of The Worlds [319 weeks] | JulianT, music21

Phil Collins - Face Value [300 wks] | ds, Ansel

 

Pointless

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not [371 wks*] | n4yr

Ed Sheeran - x [389 wks*] | Riser

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell [522 wks] | PeteOnEarth

Nirvana - Nevermind [371 wks*] | King Rollo

Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory? [520 wks*] | vibe

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water [330 wks] | jimwatts

 

10.5 points

Beatles - 1 [346 wks* but not a studio album] | awardinary

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP [93 wks] | gavindeejay

 

Unused correct answers

Adele - 21 [307 wks*]

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black [453 wks*]

Arctic Monkeys - AM [432 wks*]

Oasis - Definitely Maybe [428 wks]

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon [543 wks*]

 

Now the first question with the top correct answer scoring 3 points – that being Sam Smith’s debut. Many of these have clearly benefitted from the streaming of individual tracks away from the albums themselves, but there are some classics too. Adele was ignored once again as a possible Pointless. I wasn’t sure whether to disqualify The War Of The Worlds as it contains songs by many artists, but according to Wikipedia it is a studio album so scores just a point. However, the Beatles – 1 is a compilation and Eminem’s second album didn’t have the longevity to qualify either.

loved those lyrics questions

for the iamspamspamamione, almost went for Garbage-Milk, good I changed my mind :)

Q2. Album with at least one week during 2020 or 2021 at #1 which came after its chart debut week

 

Correct answers given 12 (from a possible 14) | Pointless 7 | Incorrect 2

 

 

3 points

Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup [wk 15] | Mango, LewisGT, JulianT, music21

 

2 points

Dave - We're All Alone In This Together [wks 1, 3] | ds, n4yr, Ansel

 

1 point

Adele - 30 [wks 1-5] | paulgilb, Bjork

Bring Me The Horizon - Post Human: Survival Horror [wk 6] | jimwatts, Brer

Stormzy - Heavy Is The Head [wk 4] | chrissmith276, King Rollo

 

Pointless

Drake - Certified Lover Boy [wks 1, 3] | Jade

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia [wks 2-3, 5, 7] | Mack.

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent [wks 33, 35, 42, 53] | vibe

Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR [wks 1-2, 5, 7, 14] | Riser

Pop Smoke - Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon [wk 12] | awardinary

Taylor Swift - evermore [wks 1, 4] | PeteOnEarth

Taylor Swift - folklore [wks 1-3] | rio309

 

10.5 points

Ed Sheeran - = [wk 1 only*] | Cow Cow

Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - You're in My Heart [all wks at #1 in 2019] | gavindeejay

 

Unused correct answers

Lady Gaga - Chromatica [wks 1-2], Michael Bublé - Christmas [wk 90]

 

*as at the time answers were eligible for this quiz

 

It’s now most definitely the norm for #1 albums to get a week there on debut only, with all the coloured vinyls, signed CDs, fake cassettes :D and the rest pushed in one shot for glory. For all that, there have been as many as fourteen #1 albums which have bucked this trend so far this decade, and twelve of them were found (the others were Lady Gaga seeing off the challenge of Sports Team and Michael Bublé pioneering the 1-OUT drop). The top scoring answer is perhaps the least ‘obvious’ in that its debut came way back in 1973. Two answers fall foul of the small print: Rod Stewart vacated #1 before the first full week in 2020 and Ed Sheeran got back there too late (though it seems the main surprise is that he only had one week to start with).

Finally another pointless answer :cheer:

Pretty much scoring in every question but just a point or 2. But still means low down table when I think the highest scoring answer so far has been 3?!