July 5Jul 5 Author 56 minutes ago, Julian_ said:Maybe we need both “Forever Young” and “Redemption Song” hehe.I'm still only letting one or the other through unfortunately! There's already been lots of tough decisions to make in this rate so I'll keep up the tradition 😆 Edited July 5Jul 5 by gasman449
July 5Jul 5 Author 40. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth- Defying Gravity (104 points)Writer: Stephen SchwartzProducer: Stephen SchwartzUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 31/05/2024Top voters: AaronTM 24, GreyAsh 23, Herbs 21 The most famous song from the 2003 musical Wicked, it serves as the climax of the show's first act. It is mostly sung by Menzel as the character Elphaba with brief lines from Chenoweth as Glinda. The 2024 version from the film adaption performed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, in Menzel and Chenoweth's roles respectively, reached number 7.
July 5Jul 5 Author 39. Imagine Dragons- Whatever It Takes (107 points)Writers: Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Joel LittleProducer: Joel LittleUK chart peak: 93 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 16/09/2022Top voters: Mangø 25, Cymro87 19, WhoOdyssey 18And there goes the second wildcard. "Whatever It Takes" was single three from the Dragons' 2017 album Evolve. It was used in the game Madden 18 and was the theme of WWE's Battleground event in 2017.
July 5Jul 5 Author 38. Meat Loaf- Paradise By The Dashboard Light (113 points)Writer: Jim SteinmanProducer: Todd RundgrenUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 25/10/2024Top voters: chartjack2 25, Cymro87 24, Viper* 17An 8.5 minute epic from the 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell, "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" is split into four sections, telling the story of a young couple who agree to marry after sex in the car but grow to resent each other after marriage. The female vocals are performed by Ellen Foley who was a close collaborator of Steinman and Meat Loaf. Meat's death in 2022 would've helped this become a top 40 hit but the 3-track rule and ACR prevented this.
July 5Jul 5 Author 37. Paramore- Ain't It Fun (123 points)Writers: Hayley Williams, Taylor YorkProducers: Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Taylor YorkUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 10/01/2025Top voters: seven 23, ...ready for it 20, WhoOdyssey 20Taken from their chart-topping self-titled 2013 album, "Ain't It Fun" was Paramore's only top 10 single in the US but failed to make the UK charts. It was the first song they completed for the album. Hayley Williams wrote the lyrics based on her experience of relocating, and brought in a gospel choir which Jeremy Davis said would have been difficult to approve if former members Josh and Zac Farro had remained in the group.
July 5Jul 5 Author 36. Michael Kiwanuka- Cold Little Heart (125 points)Writer: Michael KiwanukaProducers: Danger Mouse, Inflo, Paul ButlerUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 08/03/2024Top voters: PedroNL25 24, dandy* 22, Julian_ 20"Cold Little Heart" is the 10-minute opener to Kiwanuka's acclaimed 2016 album Love And Hate, his only number one album. It is also his most-successful single in the UK, mainly thanks to its use as the theme of the series Big Little Lies. The single/radio edit shortens the track to 3:30.
July 5Jul 5 Author 35. Sam Fender- Hypersonic Missiles (125 points)Writer: Sam FenderProducer: Bramwell BronteUK chart peak: 48 (11 weeks in the top 100)Achieved platinum status 29/07/2022, 2x platinum 12/07/2024Top voters: WhoOdyssey 24, Maestro 23, Scene 16Voted Hottest Record of 2019 by BBC Radio 1 listeners, "Hypersonic Missiles" is Geordie hero Sam's second biggest seller and track one on his debut album of the same name. He has described the track as an "unorthodox love song" about a man who worries for the world but is unable to do anything to change it. "Hypersonic Missiles" beats "Cold Little Heart" as it received 14 votes compared to the latter's 9 votes.
July 5Jul 5 Author 34. Adele- All I Ask (146 points)Writers: Adele Adkins, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody BrownProducers: The SmeezingtonsUK chart peak: 41 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 19/08/2022Top voters: Herbs 24, Viper* 23, AaronTM 21, ...ready for it 21Taken from the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, 2015's 25, this ballad started out as an up-tempo track before Bruno Mars stepped in with an idea for a "big, diva ballad thing". Adele and Bruno initially disagreed over the use of the word "lovers" but Bruno eventually came around on the lyric.
July 5Jul 5 Author 33. Oasis- The Masterplan (146 points)Writer: Noel GallagherProducers: Owen Morris, Noel GallagherUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 30/05/2025Top voters: rio309 25, Mangø 24, Uls2000 21Originally released as the B-side to their biggest-selling single "Wonderwall", "The Masterplan" is now recognised as one of the band's most beloved songs and became a concert staple. Its title was used for the band's 1998 B-side collection. Noel has called it one of the best songs he's ever written and regrets releasing it as a B-side only. Towards the end you can hear Noel singing the Beatles' "Octopus's Garden". It got 10 votes compared to the 9 for "All I Ask".
July 5Jul 5 First big loss from my vote in this semi - as a B-side, 'The Masterplan' isn't just better than many band's A-sides, it's better than some of Oasis' own around that time (*cough* 'Roll With It')
July 5Jul 5 Oasis's best song and therefore a very good song indeed. Shits all over the likes of Wonderwall and Roll With It, that's for sure!
July 6Jul 6 Author 32. Stevie Wonder- Isn't She Lovely (149 points)Writer: Stevie WonderProducer: Stevie WonderUK chart peak: 94 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 28/02/2025Top voters: AaronTM 16, jimwatts 16, seven 16, Uls2000 16Stevie included this song on his classic 1976 album Songs In The Key Of Life, its lyrics celebrate the birth of his first daughter Aisha. It was never released as a single in either the US or UK, it charted for the first time in the UK in 2012 after Stevie performed the track at Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee with modified lyrics to celebrate the Queen.
July 6Jul 6 'The Masterplan' is a top tier B-side for sure. I've been watching clips of their tour and that song was dedicated to "all the people in their 20s who have never seen us before" so the FOMO has further intensified
July 6Jul 6 Author 31. Alt-J- Breezeblocks (156 points)Writers: Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Gwilym Sainsbury, Thom GreenProducer: Charlie AndrewUK chart peak: 75 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 01/01/2021Top voters: CianS 25, rio309 21, seven 18"Breezeblocks" was the third single from Alt-J's 2012 debut album An Awesome Wave and features lyrics inspired by the 1963 book Where The Wild Things Are. Joe Newman started writing the song after looking at a "may contain traces" label on an aerosol bottle.
July 6Jul 6 Author 30. The XX- Intro (156 points)Writers: Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith, Baria QureshiProducer: Jamie XXUK chart peak: did not chartAchieved platinum status on 29/10/2021Top voters: dandy* 21, rio309 20, Jaz13music 18Track 1 on the XX's first album is their most successful in terms of sales. The instrumental track has been used in a variety of TV ads across the world. The BBC used as the theme of their coverage of the 2010 general election, while it was also played during the 2022 World Cup final before the penalty shootouts. Rihanna sampled the track on her 2011 song "Drunk On Love" from Talk That Talk. It received 14 votes ahead of 11 votes for "Breezeblocks".
July 6Jul 6 Author 29. Cat Stevens- Wild World (159 points)Writer: Cat StevensProducer: Paul Samwell-SmithUK chart peak: 52 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status 05/01/2024Top voters: chartjack2 24, ElectroBoy 24, Mangø 22The best-performing song in the digital age by the man who now goes by Yusuf Islam, "Wild World" from 1970's Tea For The Tillerman was never released as a single in the UK but reached number 11 in the US. It charted in the UK for the first time in 2007 after Stevens' catalogue was made available digitally. Reggae covers by Jimmy Cliff and Maxi Priest reached number 8 and 5 respectively in the UK.
July 6Jul 6 Author 28. Rihanna- Man Down (160 points)Writers: Shama Joseph, Timothy Thomas, Theron Thomas, Shontelle LayneProducers: SAK PASE, Kuk Harrell, Bobby CampbellUK chart peak: 54 (11 weeks in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 25/10/2024Top voters: Scene 25, detonate 24, PedroNL25 22"Man Down" is the fifth single from Rihanna's 2010 album Loud. Inspired by Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff", this dancehall track is written from the perspective of a woman on the run after shooting and killing a man. The music video, which sees Rihanna shoot and kill a man out of revenge*, caused controversy and was divisive at the time.*content warningfor sexually assaulting her Edited July 6Jul 6 by gasman449
July 6Jul 6 Author 27. Oasis- Half The World Away (160 points)Writer: Noel GallagherProducers: Owen Morris, Noel GallagherUK chart peak: 56 (1 week in the top 100)Achieved platinum status on 14/02/2020, 2x platinum 19/07/2024Top voters: Viper* 22, Mangø 17, King Rollo 15Another Oasis B-side drops out, this one was the B-side to "Whatever". It would later be included on their B-side compilation album The Masterplan in 1998. It was used as the theme to the classic sitcom The Royle Family and charted for the first time in 2015 after a cover by Aurora (which reached number 11) was featured as the theme to that year's John Lewis Christmas advert. 16 votes puts this ahead of "Man Down" which had 11 votes.
July 6Jul 6 Author Having to finish up results earlier than planned- changing the deadline for wildcard voting to 11:30 BST tomorrow, that's when I plan to start the next semi-finals. If you haven't already voted you can do so via the post on the previous page!
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