Well it was 'Frozen' I had expected to appear in the top two, which was also a #1, but the other one I wasn't sure of and had thought maybe one of The Prodigy or Chemical Brothers' #1s, or just maybe one of that trilogy of #1s from early 1991. I hadn't really considered Depeche Mode, but 'Enjoy The Silence' is a fantastic pick for #1 - very dark and atmospheric, I enjoy the instrumental sections as mush as the song itself.

I'll draft my own 80s and 90s top 10s at some point - I realised I left 'The Model' out of the 70s but I'm not sure there'll be much room in the 80s either so may have to rejig the 70s too... anyhow I look forward to reading about your favourites of the 2000s!

18 hours ago, King Rollo said:

This would be my top 10 from the decade, I've saved Yes for now as their best song is from the 90s. No 'Born Slippy' as there's a better song from Underworld in another decade.

1. Endless Dream - Yes

2. One Night Stand (The Long Night And The Samba) - The Aloof

3. Lonely Soul - Unkle

4. No Connection (Demo Version) - Sophie B Hawkins

5. Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack

6. November Rain - Guns'n'Roses

7. Paranoid Android - Radiohead

8. Salva Mea (album version) - Faithless

9. Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers

10. Vigil - Fish

Love that we both have the exact same choice for #5!

I'm currently listening to 'Paranoid Android' (as part of a general OK Computer re-listen) while typing this *.* love that, 'Lonely Soul' and 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' from your list too. There are a few here I'm unfamiliar with, so I think I'll go back and listen to all the lists everyone else has posted after I've finished counting down all my own choices.

13 hours ago, Chez Wombat said:

Enjoy the Silence was an early Buzzjack discovery for me (think it might have been dandy) and I still love it to this day, an incredibly haunting and atmospheric piece of synth music. Frozen is a great piece from a period of brilliant artistry by her (RIP William Orbit </3), it's close between Hung Up, Like a Prayer and that for my favourite from Madonna and can never quite decide which.

Right Here Right Now is an all time favourite and would be in my top 10 of the decade too, the strings and gradually evolving production are fantastic and I have always enjoyed the video too, I had never known where the samples came from either!

It took me a while to get into Radiohead too, but OK Computer was one of my favourite discoveries from my album bucket list and definitely made me wonder what the hell I was missing, it's such a timeless album thematically and with some gorgeous haunting and strikingly diverse moments, I think No Surprises would be my favourite, the riff and slow build is fantastic, though I could easily also give that title to Paranoid Android, Exit Music or Climbing Up the Walls too.

Unfinished Sympathy is what I first think of with that Trip Hop sound and still sounds phenomenal. As it turns out all of your top 5 are songs from albums on my first or second bucket list, I have heard and enjoyed You've Come a Long Way Baby and Blue Lines from my first, and Violator and Ray of Light from my second certainly sound like they'd be my thing x

Enjoy all of the rest of the top 10 too but keeping it brief so I'm not rambling too much...Oasis of course one of my favourite bands and Live Forever's a great pick (I first heard this in a video about gardens in a Geography lesson at school *__), I think I narrowly prefer Don't Look Back in Anger but it's close. Born Slippy (.NUXX though I never knew it as that originally) is an exhilarating listen and Trainspotting is a classic film that matches that. I was fairly late to get into Air (think I heard Moon Safari on a synctube listenthrough), but Sexy Boy and Kelly Watch The Stars are both trippy and great examples of how good 90s dance can be.

My own rough top 10 (again I have probably forgotten a ton) does look just a little different, but that goes to show how good the decade was!

1. Robert Miles - Children

2. Dario G - Sunchyme

3. Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun

4. Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now

5. Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next

6. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

7. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger

8. Pulp - Common People

9. William Orbit - Barber's Adagio for Strings (Ferry Corsten Mix)

10. The Cranberries - Zombie

    Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

    Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

    Air - Sexy Boy

    Radiohead - No Surprises

    Coolio feat. LV - Gangsta's Paradise

    Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) (I have to give something to my childhood fondness here!)

    The KLF - Justified and Ancient

    Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Oh yes I seem to remember Dandy saying 'Enjoy the Silence' is his favourite song of all-time, or at least a contender, taste *.* 'Hung Up' is another great Madonna song, was pleased to read about your love of it when you ranked the 2005 #1s, would definitely be in my top 5 singles of hers. Those pull from: Ray of Light ('Frozen'), Like a Prayer ('Like a Prayer'), The Immaculate Collection ('Justify My Love'), Confessions on a Dancefloor ('Hung Up') and True Blue ('La Isla Bonita') - so a testament to how many strong periods she had! That's not even scratching the surface of the Music era either, which is one of her best bodies of work on the whole for me. I think you would love Ray of Light (as well as Violator!) so that's great they're set to appear on Bucket List #2.

So happy you appreciate 'Right Here, Right Now' just as much as me I've been listening to the source material of all samples in this countdown while composing my commentaries which has been really interesting in itself.

Glad it wasn't just me who took a while to get into Radiohead! I think I finally took the plunge with OK Computer after 'No Surprises' won the #4s rate on here and never looked back. Never has an album shot to all-time favourite status so quickly for me, it's just that good. I agree it's timeless and those highlights are all strong.

Absolutely love that Geography lesson anecdote 'Don't Look Back In Anger' is probably my second favourite of theirs <3 it has never tired on me despite being one of their more overplayed songs, including a play on the chart show just yesterday *_* I have shamefully never watched Trainspotting in full, only seen clips, but it's on my ever growing list that I'll get back to as soon as this countdown has finished! Excited to hear this amazing song in the context of that whole story for the first time. Oh yes I was there for that Moon Safari listening session as well! Can't go wrong with anything from that album <3

That is a really good top 10 🤩 an electronic heavy top 5 reflective of a strong time for dance. 'Sunchyme' was one of the very last songs I cut. Quite a few of yours were in my honourable mentions list but 'Children' and 'Zombie' are great shouts that I neglected to mention too. Eiffel 65 *.*

11 minutes ago, Julian_ said:

Every decade so far has had one slightly surprising choice at either #9 or #10, and this time it’s “Sexy Boy”. I love what I know of Air and I included “Kelly Watch The Stars” in my songs that peaked at their year minus 1980 quiz haha.

I’m very basic when it comes to favourite Oasis songs - “Don’t Loon Back In Anger” followed by “Wonderwall” followed by “Live Forever”, so I’m quite aligned with the streaming public.

“Born Slippy” received my gold in the favourite #2 of the ‘90s poll. “Frozen” is my favourite from Madonna and got my silver behind “Don’t Look Back In Anger” in the favourite #1 of the ‘90s one. “2 Become 1” was also high in my votes but I think “Viva Forever” is creeping up now. I actually had a period in my early teenage years when I only listened to classical music so I do have nostalgia for “2 Became 1” and only really got to know “Viva Forever” as an adult, but am coming round to it being superior now.

BJSC non qualifier “Unfinished Sympathy” is my other big favourite. That contest seems to have made some choices over the years!

Haha that's an interesting pattern! Shall see if it continues for the 2000s and beyond.

They are all classics for a reason tbh! I find 'Wonderwall' a bit overhated but can also understand why overplay might grate for some.

I'd forgotten what my votes looked like for BuzzJack's favourite #2 of the '90s, so just fetched them, my top 2 remain unchanged! This was my top 10:

+30 Right Here, Right Now Fatboy Slim

+29 Born Slippy Underworld

+28 Sunchyme Dario G

+27 Justified & Ancient The KLF Featuring Tammy Wynette

+26 Music Sounds Better With You Stardust

+25 Last Train To Trancentral The KLF

+24 Common People Pulp

+23 Confide In Me Kylie Minogue

+22 Mysterious Times Sash! Featuring Tina Cousins

+21 Children Robert Miles

^ I'd say 'A Design For Life' would probably knock either 'Mysterious Times' or 'Children' out now but generally static feelings four years on. Some classic #2s this decade

Pleased to hear 'Viva Forever' is creeping up in your affections. <3 Oh wow at the solely classical phase! I think Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' wins the award for my favourite pre-20th century song 🤩

So much 'Unfinished Sympathy' love in this thread is wonderful to read. Truly robbed in BJSC back in the day indeed!

10 minutes ago, jimwatts said:

Well it was 'Frozen' I had expected to appear in the top two, which was also a #1, but the other one I wasn't sure of and had thought maybe one of The Prodigy or Chemical Brothers' #1s, or just maybe one of that trilogy of #1s from early 1991. I hadn't really considered Depeche Mode, but 'Enjoy The Silence' is a fantastic pick for #1 - very dark and atmospheric, I enjoy the instrumental sections as mush as the song itself.

I'll draft my own 80s and 90s top 10s at some point - I realised I left 'The Model' out of the 70s but I'm not sure there'll be much room in the 80s either so may have to rejig the 70s too... anyhow I look forward to reading about your favourites of the 2000s!

Haha I suppose my own love of 'Frozen', as well as BuzzJack's in general, is pretty well documented! Those other guesses were strong shouts, although it's fun to have provided a swerve in the end. Glad you also rate 'Enjoy the Silence' <3 I look forward to seeing what your own '80s and '90s top 10s look like ❤️ excited to kick off the 2000s shortly... *.*

2000s

Now we finally move on to a decade that I actually remember as it happened! Well, for the most part.

The first song I can ever recall hearing around its time of release is the #1 hit 'Toca's Miracle' by Fragma, which has recently featured on BBC4's 2000 TOTP repeats. I mostly loved pop and dance music while growing up and my taste only began to skew more alt in my later teen years.

I got into the Now! That's What I Call Music series as a 7-year-old, which mostly shaped my younger taste, in addition to some of the music my parents and peers were listening to. My first hint as to what is coming up is that my first ever volume, Now! 60, contains a song that will feature in this countdown. Okay, second hint - it's not Verbalicious, apologies.

I pored over the booklets in those Now! That's What I Call Music CDs but did not start listening to the official chart run down until 2007 for some reason. I recall 'About You Now' by Sugababes being announced at #1 in the first top 40 show I heard on Radio 1. A chart geek was soon born.

Some of the first artists I remember obsessing over as a little girl were Avril Lavigne (my first studio album was Let Go and I even made a fansite dedicated to her!) and Girls Aloud. I still have a place in my heart for both and even finally saw the latter act live in 2024, sans the much missed Sarah Harding. The girls were of course put together on a reality TV show which was a huge part of the 2000s music industry. Their coronation single was pleasingly refreshing but the general formula would soon become stale. There was still quite a lot of diversity in the top 40 during this decade elsewhere though - from pop, to dance, to landfill indie, to R&B, to nu-metal, to pop-punk, to hip-hop amongst other styles thriving to varying degrees at different times.

At the movies, the 2000s birthed two of my all-time favourite films in Spirited Away and Pan's Labyrinth 🖤

I have a soft spot for this decade, that I entered as a 2-year-old and exited at 12, due to nostalgia. Let's move on to this new millennium, which features some enduring childhood favourites, plus other picks I've come to appreciate more in adulthood...

#10 Alizée - 'Moi… Lolita' (2000)

#09 Sigur Rós - 'Hoppípolla' (2005)

Kicking off the 2000s is a pick that proves upbeat dance-pop music can in fact still scratch an itch in my brain too!

'Moi… Lolita' by Alizée is my first fully non-English language selection since Serge Gainsbourg's 'Cargo culte' from the 1970s. Like that song, this one also tackles a similarly taboo subject, drawing inspiration from the classic novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I've watched the 1962 Kubrick adaptation (and since added 'Lolita Ya Ya' by Nelson Riddle to my chilled '60s playlist) but have never read the novel, although will endeavour to one day, as it is supposedly well written. The subject matter is disturbing though as the adult male protagonist falls for an underage girl, Lolita. Alizée sings from her perspective.

Alizée was taken under the wing of fellow French singer Mylène Farmer, who wrote 'Moi... Lolita'. Farmer spotted her on a talent show called Graines de star back in 1999. She, alongside the track's producer Laurent Boutonnat, was on the look out for a young, fresh face to front a new project and thought she fit the bill. Alizée was just 15 when approached by the duo and turned 17 around the time of 'Moi... Lolita's release.

This record is another that I appreciate for its duality. Alizée's fittingly youthful take on Lolita feels innocent yet there's a real darkness to the lyrics, given the contents of the subject matter. Similarly, the production consists of gorgeous, warm synths and strings with a particularly glorious middle 8 section, yet there is a dark undertone to the chosen chords too. I also think the French language makes this a standout hit. It's such an earworm and feels perfect to listen to in summer.

I don't think I discovered this song until I was an adult but it quickly wormed its way into my affections.

'Moi... Lolita' achieved a #9 peak in the U.K. which is pretty remarkable for a fully French language song here.

...

You wait for another non-English language song to appear and suddenly two show up at once!

'Hoppípolla' was released as the second single from Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós' fourth studio album Takk..., so naturally contains Icelandic lyrics, but also parts in their made up language Vonlenska (or 'Hopelandic' in English). The title translates to the rather whimsical "hopping into puddles" and the lyrics display a lot of child-like wonder. The group gave the song an early working title of 'The Money Song' as they were certain they'd written something that would achieve commercial success, a wise prediction.

Lead singer Jonsí provides a reliably ethereal falsetto vocal here. The production is similarly spectacular and cinematic. It opens with a hypnotic piano riff and expands to include stunning strings, driving percussion and horns. This track soars to epic heights and leaves me feeling emotional without fail.

My introduction to the world of this song was through the Chicane reworking 'Poppiholla' in 2009, which is great in its own way. But discovering the source material was particularly special. I've since listened to more work from the band and particularly adore their 2012 album Valtari. But 'Hoppípolla' remains their ultimate song for me and is a classic for a reason.

The track's cinematic nature meant it was a perfect fit for media and was chosen to soundtrack trailers for the Planet Earth series. This exposure lead to a re-release of 'Hoppípolla' in 2006, where it managed #24 in the U.K. chart, again not too shabby for a non-English language song here.

This is an excellent start to the 2000s.

I don’t remember hearing Moi... Lolita before but it sounds great. I absolutely love how French lyrics sound in songs and this is no different. That middle 8 is lovely you’re right, as are the strings.

Hoppípolla is gorgeous of course, I love that Sigur Rós sound like nobody else. Epic of course with those brilliant strings, but the lyrics and vocals feel like an instrument all of their own, adding to the whole beautiful soundscape.

Looking forward to the rest of the ten.

14 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

This is an excellent start to the 2000s.

I don’t remember hearing Moi... Lolita before but it sounds great. I absolutely love how French lyrics sound in songs and this is no different. That middle 8 is lovely you’re right, as are the strings.

Hoppípolla is gorgeous of course, I love that Sigur Rós sound like nobody else. Epic of course with those brilliant strings, but the lyrics and vocals feel like an instrument all of their own, adding to the whole beautiful soundscape.

Looking forward to the rest of the ten.

Ahhhh I'm so pleased you made a good discovery out of 'Moi... Lolita' if you indeed haven't heard it before a different song by her, 'J’en Ai Marre!', was previously sent to an edition of Bop Idol by Julian and did well there. I gave it 7 points so another good one

Agreed Sigur Rós are such a unique act. ❤️

Thank you for the continued support! Next section coming up shortly 🤩

2000s

#08 Tomcraft - 'Loneliness' (2002)

#07 My Chemical Romance - 'Welcome to the Black Parade' (2006)

Next up is a double whammy of chart-toppers!

German DJ and producer Tomcraft, who sadly passed away in 2024, became a one hit wonder when his track 'Loneliness' reached #1 in the U.K. during 2003, after it was championed by Judge Jules on Radio 1. The song was surprisingly buried in the track list of Now! 55 despite its chart topping status, plus went uncertified for years, but has taken on a new life since featuring in the dark comedy thriller Saltburn. 'Loneliness' is now certified Gold in the U.K. and has become a firm favourite for me. I was always a fan but it has quietly crept up in my affections even more and is now one of my top examples of effective, sample driven loopy dance music, a template the 2000s went wild for.

The sample in question here is Andrea Martin's 1999 single 'Share the Love'. Martin had a hand in writing many big hits, including: En Vogue's 'Don't Let Go (Love)', Blu Cantrell's 'Breathe' and Leona Lewis' 'Better in Time'. Her own 'Share the Love', emotionally penned about a selfish lover, didn't dent the chart here but would provide excellent material for a hook lifted by producers Tomcraft and Eniac. "Happiness seems to be loneliness and loneliness killed my world" is a stark focal point that is hauntingly delivered and driven home hard with the repetition.

Away from the hook, I also adore the production that mixes both techno and trance sounds. The 'radio cut' is my preferred version, just because I like to go in hard with this song from the word go, so I linked that rather than the music video version - but also understand the appeal of that one too. I can sometimes be in the mood for that build-up instead which is more of a tease. Either way, this is a pleasingly dark dance banger, with another dimension thanks to the beautiful piano deviation too.

...

I wrote an essay about My Chemical Romance's 'Welcome to the Black Parade' just 9 months ago, when ranking the #1 hits of 2006, so might as well cheekily lift a shorter version of my very long commentary there given it was so recent! 'Welcome to the Black Parade' was my #1 choice in that thread, with Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy' the runner-up - which is the final song I cut from my 2000s top 10 here.

'Welcome to the Black Parade' was fittingly chosen as the single to lead My Chemical Romance's third album, The Black Parade. This was a concept record based on a character named 'The Patient' who is suffering from terminal cancer. The album chronicles his story as he is nearing the end of his life. The album reached #2 here in the U.K. and left a huge legacy, immediately altering the sound of 'emo' music and influencing the rap world too, particularly metalcore bands. The record's impact also stretched to alternative fashion and culture. Despite this influence, Gerard Way did not like their music being described as 'emo', finding it a restrictive label.

The album's lead single focuses on the aforementioned character 'The Patient' and explores the afterlife. The song was originally known as 'The Five of Us Are Dying', as far back as 2001, but the band repeatedly struggled to feel satisfied with the final product. The turning point was producer Rob Cavallo creating its famous piano line. This addition finally motivated the group to finish what would become known as 'Welcome to the Black Parade'. The lyrics open with 'The Patient' recalling his fondest childhood memory ahead of his impending death, in this case, it's his father taking him to see a marching band, inspired by a true anecdote in Gerard and Mikey's Way's life, when their own dad took them to see a parade. As the song progresses, we learn of advice that this father had dispensed to his son in a God-like way, such as: "he said, son, when you grow up, would you be the saviour of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?".

The overarching theme is overcoming darkness in the world and the triumph of the human spirit. The character never gave up on his dreams during his lifetime which means he became the hero his dad wanted, even if he does not see himself in this way. This intriguing mix of conceptual lyrics and production, that can be described as emo music, pop-punk or even rock opera, provided a unique U.K. #1 single for the 2000s.

There is so much that I love about this song... from the off, that opening piano note is so beautiful and impactful. In subsequent years, it has become a bit of a meme, in a "play this to make an emo cry" kind of way. I know nothing about the theory behind piano playing but am aware that this note is a G5, thanks to the aforementioned memes. This slow start is also accompanied by an initially tender vocal performance from Gerard. The subject matter makes me feel a range of emotions. Writing about someone in terminal decline who is coming face to face with an impending death is obviously a difficult subject. But they tackle it sensitively and the creative, conceptual world allows the story to have that element of escapism too. The lyrics include imagery such as phantoms, demons and of course, the Black Parade, on top of real human connections. There is a lot of hope offered as well. Gerard's concept of a special childhood memory being your last thought ahead of the afterlife is quite a comforting outlook. The more general themes of human triumph and overcoming dark times are uplifting too - with "we'll carry on" being a particularly euphoric call to arms. The "give a cheer for all the broken, listen here, because it's who we are" also stands out to me as a great message of strength.

After the introductory piano, the production continues to build tension well, as the drums during the first verse make it feel like an actual marching band is passing. Gerard Way's vocals become more passionate and striking too. 'Welcome to the Black Parade' then launches into a towering instrumental portion that shifts the energy of the song into another place. Those pounding drums and guitars are electrifying. The chorus feels genuinely anthemic while the breakdown later on is an intense ride, with "I don't care!" a powerful and defiant rounding off ahead of that final, exhilarating chorus. "We'll carry on" is the perfect note to end on, doubling in meaning as the human spirit continuing to triumph against darkness but also, conceptually, continuing in life after death. Gerard's final elongated note, taking us into the marching instrumental outro, is the cherry on top of a standout vocal performance. 'Welcome to the Black Parade' never commits to one lane and I find this constant shapeshifting a treat to listen to. I applaud their ambition here and am delighted that they were eventually able to complete the song so effectively after shelving it for quite a few years.

I do have one additional thought since originally brainstorming for that commentary as it's relevant to this thread. Like 'West End Girls' referencing 'Heart of Glass', 'Welcome to the Black Parade' potentially mentions an earlier song from the countdown as well. This time it's 'Paint It, Black' by The Rolling Stones, with the "so paint it black and take it back" line.

Two great number ones. Loneliness is one the best of the early 2000s dance singles. Quite sparse with, sort of, detached vocals and that techno vibe.

…Black Parade is epic, definitely my favourite MCR single. Multifaceted, emo but with prog rock elements, it could almost be from a Broadway show.

Hoppipolla is fantastic. I wanted to enter Ara Batur by Sigur Ros in the One Hit Wonder themed Bop Idol contest but saw that it had already been sent to BJSC 10 by Jester's Kingdom. Loneliness is also a great choice.

I did a bit of an Alizée dive for Bop Idol 1. I went with her 2nd most streamed song, “J’en Ai Marre”, which I think was the right choice as it was specifically a pop contest, and it came 3rd. However I find some other interesting tracks in the process, of which my favourites are “Gourmandises” and “À Contre Courant”. “Moi…Lolita” is the best though.

13 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Two great number ones. Loneliness is one the best of the early 2000s dance singles. Quite sparse with, sort of, detached vocals and that techno vibe.

…Black Parade is epic, definitely my favourite MCR single. Multifaceted, emo but with prog rock elements, it could almost be from a Broadway show.

I was intrigued to hear your thoughts on the MCR song as I don't think you were around for my 2006 #1s countdown at the time, so I'm happy to hear you're a fan too and agree on it being their best single. I think my top 3 MCR singles would be that, 'Famous Last Words' and 'Helena'! ❤️

12 hours ago, King Rollo said:

Hoppipolla is fantastic. I wanted to enter Ara Batur by Sigur Ros in the One Hit Wonder themed Bop Idol contest but saw that it had already been sent to BJSC 10 by Jester's Kingdom. Loneliness is also a great choice.

Oh Sigur Rós somehow didn't cross my mind for that contest but they would've been a brilliant choice! What a shame that Jester's Kingdom entry DNQed back in the day, although this was the same kind of era that failed 'Unfinished Sympathy' too before rules were more strict, so taste on here clearly could not be trusted back in the day

Glad you like 'Loneliness' too!

9 hours ago, Julian_ said:

I did a bit of an Alizée dive for Bop Idol 1. I went with her 2nd most streamed song, “J’en Ai Marre”, which I think was the right choice as it was specifically a pop contest, and it came 3rd. However I find some other interesting tracks in the process, of which my favourites are “Gourmandises” and “À Contre Courant”. “Moi…Lolita” is the best though.

Ooh thanks for that, I'll need to give those other songs a go as I don't know too much of her catalogue despite being such a fan of 'Moi...Lolita'!

---

Thanks all for commenting <3 2000s #6 and #5 coming this evening. Today marks a month since I posted this thread so time is flying!

Oh my goodness, how have I missed all of this? Lots to catch up on!!

1 hour ago, Jade said:

I was intrigued to hear your thoughts on the MCR song as I don't think you were around for my 2006 #1s countdown at the time, so I'm happy to hear you're a fan too and agree on it being their best single. I think my top 3 MCR singles would be that, 'Famous Last Words' and 'Helena'! ❤️

No I wasn’t around at the time sadly😔, at least not as a member (I was probably lurking somewhere😆!) Love those other recommendations too!

I find it a bit sad that I can’t imagine a song like that, with that ambition, could reach the top 40, never mind number one these days. But it will change again I’m sure, because it always has. I see green shoots forming already……

9 hours ago, dandy* said:

Oh my goodness, how have I missed all of this? Lots to catch up on!!

Oops, although better late than never! Great to have you here now, Dandy 🤩

This is particularly good timing as the 2000s #6 song I'm about to post is one I know both you and Bré are fond of too...

2000s

#06 The Bravery - 'An Honest Mistake' (2005)

#05 Britney Spears - 'Toxic' (2003)

It turns out the Now That's What I Call Music! 60 song I teased in my opening spiel is 'An Honest Mistake' by The Bravery! I clearly remember discovering this on that compilation and enjoyed it at the time, but have only become more fond of it over the years, as my taste developed.

'An Honest Mistake' appears to be about complicated dynamics with an ex-partner. This includes awkward slips of the tongue, as explored on the chorus, plus the "I forget I'm still awake" part could be interpreted as the protagonist forgetting their relationship is actually over now. Lead singer and songwriter Sam Endicott delivers the anxious, clumsy words in a way that really appeals to me. I love his cold, detached style during the verses and the impressive falsetto notes he hits in the storming chorus.

I think this song generally appeals to me so much because it sounds like a 2000s interpretation of my beloved 1980s new wave music. It's like New Order and Duran Duran had a more modern dance-rock love child. The track opens with snappy drum kicks and a driving synth loop, before introducing a sparkling electric guitar sound that enhances the post-punk revival feel. The band builds the energy and tension well throughout, including a more raw and reckless deviation during the instrumental break.

The music video is wonderful too! We see The Bravery performing while a chain of dominoes, in addition to other objects, unravel. They were inspired by watching Domino Championships on TV while in Amsterdam, then got a seasoned champion to fly over and set up all the dominoes for them. Drummer Anthony Burulcich said Jay-Z once called it the "best white boy video" he's ever seen...!

The Bravery experienced a promising start, as 'An Honest Mistake' reached #7 in the U.K. chart and they won the BBC 'Sound of...' 2005 poll, but they would not achieve any other top 40 hits. My favourite fact related to the band is that lead singer Sam Endicott was one of the composers for 'She Wolf' by Shakira!

...

Britney Spears' 'Toxic' is another song I've already written about recently as it was the winner of my Pop Princesses 3 rate on BuzzJack just two months ago, with a decisive 9.61 average! Therefore, I can pinch and expand on some of my own previous contextual words. So, without further ado...

Spears' fourth album In The Zone was launched with Madonna collaboration 'Me Against the Music'. This song reached #2 here in the U.K. but could only make #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. On paper, this first single made sense, as a superstar collaboration. But the true smash of the era was waiting in the wings. This strategy feels reminiscent of the single choices for Thriller, when big name collaboration 'The Girl Is Mine' featuring Paul McCartney was pushed first, before launching 'Billie Jean' to the world next. Britney Jean's secret weapon instead came in the form of 'Toxic'...

I vividly remember the release of 'Toxic' as a single in 2004 and had to dance to it at school that same year. I instantly fell in love with this song and it's one of those childhood favourites I've never got bored of even slightly. It remains one of the best 'main pop girl' songs ever created for me and its accompanying album In The Zone is my favourite Britney record too.

'Toxic' was written by a team including British singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis plus Swedish talents Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg and Henrik Jonback. Winneberg and Jonback are more commonly known as Bloodshy & Avant, who also produced the track. The song was originally written with Janet Jackson in mind but was instead offered to Kylie Minogue, who previously worked with Cathy Dennis on her biggest ever hit 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head'. However, Minogue turned the song down after hearing a snippet of it. In more recent interviews, she said she was unsure about recording a song called 'Toxic'. Kylie was a good sport and said she was not angry when it became a big hit for Spears.

Britney recorded the song in Murlyn Studios, Sweden and Record Plant in Los Angeles. She seductively delivers the lyrics, which act as a metaphor for a lover who is like a dangerous, addictive drug. Kylie may not have recorded this track in the end but it still contains a lyric that talks of "spinning round and round", much like one of her biggest hits.

'Toxic' has an infectious dance-pop sound that also fuses elements of South Asian music. It contains a string sample from 'Tere Mere Beech Mein' by Laxmikant–Pyarelal, a Bollywood song from 1981. This instrumental hook lifts the production to the next level for me as it adds an interesting layer of menacing danger, much like the addictive yet toxic lover in the lyrics.

The distorted middle 8 part particularly stands out to me as well for launching into that final chorus in dramatic fashion.

The music video for 'Toxic' is one of her most iconic and my personal favourite visual of her career. This was shot by Joseph Kahn who had previously worked with Britney for her 'Stronger' video. She plays a member of cabin crew in a memorable blue ensemble. Britney's other standout look as a blonde is donning a flesh coloured outfit that is covered in diamonds. Elsewhere, she becomes a redhead and also rocks jet black hair.

The visuals are influenced by a few other pieces of media. The birds at the very start are a reference to the works of Hong Kong director John Woo. The scene of Spears, as a redhead, standing in a futuristic Paris is a nod to Blade Runner. This look, with the red hair and catsuit, is inspired by Jennifer Garner's character Sydney Bristow in the TV show Alias. Finally, Brit took cues from the Marilyn Monroe film The Seven Year Itch when the draft from a motorbike lifts up her dress in the music video. The choreography throughout was handled by Spears and Brian Friedman; the latter very briefly replaced Louis Walsh as a judge in the 2007 series of the X Factor U.K. The elaborate dance moves in the video include a back handspring when Spears is trying to dodge a Mission Impossible style laser trap.

'Toxic' was Britney's fourth U.K. #1 single and the course correction needed for this era in the U.S., when it peaked at #9 over there.

An Honest Mistake is great, that driving propulsive rhythm and synths definitely take me back to that particular era. Bloc Party are another band that I love from then. I agree about the new wave influence, it could almost be a Blondie song from the early 80s.

Toxic is a classic of course, it may be my favourite Britney song. Sounded way ahead of its time. The strings are fantastic too!

I don't know much about 00s post-punk/new wave revival (I really should though) but 'An Honest Mistake' is good.

I know a bit more about The Editors because my dad is a fan.

As for 'Toxic' I didn't like it much I prefered Kylie's 'Red Blooded Woman' which was out the same week.