July 23, 2024Jul 23 The remix album of their debut still gets a listen from me from time to time. Take me straight back to 98! I have (had) that one too. I guess this all brings me back to how I chose my votes: either 2 great studio albums or a career-spanning greatest hits album that I’ve played on repeat: Savage Garden only had 2 studio albums but each was perfection: you know when you think an artist’s debut album is so good that they won’t be able to beat it, but then they do. Interestingly the worst song (The Animal Song) on their 2nd album (Affirmation) was the first track to be released from it, and often I wonder if this works in an album‘s favour: people don’t buy it because they think it’s going to be bad, but then as better songs are released, people begin to realise it’s a masterpiece and it’s success grows. Ace of Base had massive success with their 1st and 3rd albums (both were great fun) but at the time I loved their 2nd album ‘The Bridge’ which was much more somber - but a commercial flop. Like Savage Garden’s 2nd album, they released a poor choice (Lucky Love) first - but unlike Savage Garden, when the follow up (Beautiful Life) was released, it didn’t turn around the album’s fortunes. Fact of the day: these were the first 2 UK top 40 hits for Max Martin (he produced them but didn’t write them) - who of course went on to become the most successful songwriter (in terms of big hits) of all time!
July 23, 2024Jul 23 Author NO 140- 43 POINTS SIMPLY RED (81) (Voter: Vibe- 11pts, Lukuzz- 5pts, Quartonworks- 21pts, JordanLee- 6pts) UK TOP 40 HITS: 18 BIGGEST HIT: FAIRGROUND (#1, 1995) MkVMKzqFxYY ALPHABEAT (97) (Voter: Leonardo- 4pts, Gezza- 13pts, Lillanv273- 7pts, Riser- 12pts, Gooddelta- 7pts) 5 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: FASCINATION (#6, 2008) B3W1wce3QG0 PORTISHEAD (117) (Voter: Jester- 26pts, Smint- 17pts) 5 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: ALL MINE (#8, 1997) w6P_6fnlJtE DEF LEPPARD (157) (Voter: Padamic Tension- 18pts, Mango- 25pts) 19 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: LET’S GET ROCKED (#2, 1992) WHEN LOVE AND HATE COLLIDE (#2, 1995) 6p-KU2UWdU4
July 23, 2024Jul 23 Simply Red! Another of my votes ❤️ Alphabeat! Completely forgot about them, are they still going? Enjoy some Def Leppard too, never really heard any of Portishead
July 23, 2024Jul 23 Portishead's Dummy album is in my vinyl collection, stunning record. I need to check out more of their other work.
July 23, 2024Jul 23 Portishead's Dummy is a fantastic album and is a must for any essential '90s albums list. The follow up was good but I just couldn't get on with the Third album
July 24, 2024Jul 24 Author NO 138- 44 POINTS THE XX (55) (Voter: Josh!- 7pts, Jade- 24pts, Jester- 4pts, Detonate- 9pts) 2 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: ISLANDS (#34, 2010) ON HOLD (#34, 2016) dBDKTJ3rVEs A1 (NEW) (Voter: Rio309- 9pts, GreyAsh- 23pts, One_For_Sorrow- 12pts) 9 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: TAKE ON ME (#1, 2000) SAME OLD BRAND NEW YOU (#1, 2000) blXB9gK16v8
July 24, 2024Jul 24 Author NO 136- 45 POINTS CROWDED HOUSE (240) (Voter: Jimwatts- 23pts, Stonedragon-22pts) 12 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: WEATHER WITH YOU (#7, 1992) mc062OiIRdc THE WOMBATS (249) (Voter: Quartonworks- 9pts, DoBelieveTheHype- 13pts, PeteFromLeeds- 23pts) 6 UK TOP 40 HITS BIGGEST HIT: MOVING TO NEW YORK (#13, 2008) g4KHCQ98mzs
July 24, 2024Jul 24 Didn't expect to see A1. They were pretty good in that they wrote a lot of their own material and had some genuinely strong songs (Same Old Brand New You/Caught In The Middle), but did have some crap too, like No More, ironically. Crowded House I only know the big singles by, and I did have The xx's debut album and that was strong.
July 24, 2024Jul 24 Only really know A1 out of that bunch of 4, who has some pretty good material to begin with but not a lot of it
July 24, 2024Jul 24 I don't think I've lost any from my vote since the batch on 28 points was revealed more than two weeks ago. I think I have 17 still left in.
July 24, 2024Jul 24 I’m a big A1 fan. They were underrated compared with other boy bands - genuine talents. Between them they’ve written 2 of the 5 Norwegian Eurovision entries this decade - and Ben has written one of my favourite musicals ever (Eugenius). People thought their music was too cheesy - so after 2 massive boy-band albums they made an album in which they performed as a band (playing all their own instruments) rather than a pop group - and still had a number 2 hit. They are the highest of my new entries - (3 points above Ace of Base). I wonder if there are any other new entries higher, other than new artists.
July 24, 2024Jul 24 Ooh a big loss for me with The xx out. I love all three of their albums (dying for a new one!) and seeing them live in 2017 was one of my favourite concerts I’ve ever been to :wub:
July 24, 2024Jul 24 When A1 got it right, they got it really right. Caught In The Middle, Make It Good and Same Old... are in my top tier of boyband songs ever. On that basis I think they're underrated and gave them points, even if some of their other stuff (eg Take On Me) is naff. I've never got on with The Wombats at all, til they released Techno Fan which is a tune! Edited July 24, 2024Jul 24 by rio309
July 24, 2024Jul 24 If this was a “best boy band” rate, then A1 would have definitely got some high votes from me. Ben Adams was my gay awakening haha
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