21 hours ago, Bror said:

Super behind with commenting on this thread oops but belated thoughts on the 90s picks:

I know I always meme about the Susan Boyle version of 'Enjoy The Silence' but genuinely don't think I'd ever heard the song prior to hearing her singing it on Children In Need in 2011 haha - I remember being a bit slow to get into the song when it was first properly introduced to me via this site but I have grown to really like it now so a fine choice of #1 (even though it does still feel more like an 80s song than a 90s one). I think my favourite from Depeche Mode would probably be 'Personal Jesus' but they are very consistently quality, another act I've been enjoying hearing more songs from through the 80s SyncTube sessions.

I knew 'Frozen' first through my mum's playlists and I remember being quite shocked when I discovered that A) it was Madonna (as it is so stylistically different from everything I knew from her at the time) and B) it was such a massive hit, but for the better ofc as it is wonderful and definitely would be up there with my favourite 90s songs as well <3 'Right Here, Right Now', 'Unfinished Sympathy' and especially 'Born Slippy .NUXX' are also ones that'd definitely be in the mix for a list of my own as well as I've loved them for as long as I can remember, I also don't drink or do drugs etc. but I can't imagine how insane the latter sounds under the influence when it slaps so hard while entirely sober x

For a long time I only knew Radiohead for 'Creep' and it was kind of a revelation when I discovered they had such a large and beloved discography - honestly I still think 'Creep' is my favourite song by them although I know that's a very unpopular opinion among their actual fanbase, 'No Surprises' is gorgeous though. I joined a listenthrough on here for 'OK Computer' and it is a very good album, from what I know of 'Kid A' I feel that might appeal to me even more but as ever I'm terrible at getting around to listening to old albums x Also joined the listenthrough on here for 'Moon Safari', 'Sexy Boy' was quite a surprising inclusion on this list, I didn't remember being massively keen on it but was a bit better than I remembered when I relistened (I looked up my post on here about the album and I didn't really highly rate most of the singles but I said 'Sexy Boy' was good but would be better as an instrumental which I still agree with now).

'Live Forever' and 'Viva Forever' being next to each other on the list is iconic x Both also classics and great picks, I might have to be even more basic and say my fave from Oasis would be either 'Wonderwall' or 'Don't Look Back In Anger' - they are overplayed but for a good reason! While 'Viva Forever' is very easily also my favourite from Spice Girls, their music is mostly not really my thing but this song is a standout in kind of a similar way that 'Frozen' is for Madonna (although I know Madonna does have more songs in that style). The video is nightmare fuel though x

Never really been much of a fan of 'Your Woman', the best part of it is the instrumental which is a sample anyway oops - I do think it's an interesting song and it's cool that something so lo-fi was a #1 hit but I still don't particularly enjoy listening to it unfortunately! I do actually prefer the Naughty Boy/Wiley/Emeli Sandé version

Could go on for a long time again about the songs that didn't make the list but obviously the biggest omission for me would be The Prodigy who would definitely have more than one of my top 10 90s songs - I'm not actually sure I know what your favourite song by them is, I wanna say it might be 'No Good (Start The Dance)' but may be making that up. Crazy to see so many other big electronic acts in your commiseration list not making it in too (as well as Nirvana and The Cure)! Much love for 'A Design For Life' too <3

Will catch up with and post separately about the 00s and 10s picks, I will try my best to be caught up before you finish the 20s x

Hello Bré, great to see you here again, did think the thread wouldn't be complete without some SuBo musings and your 'Luna' music video anecdote, so hooray for one of those things arriving for now forever obsessed with the fact you knew her version before the original. I do remember you previously saying you weren't too hot on 'Enjoy the Silence' so I'm delighted to hear it's grown on you more now! I get what you mean about it feeling more like an '80s song, especially when it was technically recorded in 1989. 'Personal Jesus' is brilliant as well <3 the whole Violator album is so good. Your mum has great taste with the inclusion of 'Frozen' in her playlist! Mine was a big Madonna fan in general, she saw her live at Wembley Stadium on The Girlie Show tour during the '90s and bought all of her albums up to about Hard Candy. 'Unfinished Sympathy' might just be the most universally beloved song in this thread, as it deserves 🤩

'Creep' makes sense as a first Radiohead song, I think it would've been the second one I came across after 'Pyramid Song'. I can see why the inclusion of 'Sexy Boy' was a surprise, I guess it's one of those songs that has quietly been a slow burner for me. Glad you appreciate 'Live Forever' and 'Viva Forever' falling next to each other here, that was quite satisfying

Poor brave 'Your Woman', shall have to accept that one just doesn't hit for you then, even if you appreciate the fact it was an unorthodox chart topper.

Yeah some of those electronic cuts were cruel :'( I suspect if I made a 'best albums of each decade' list then The Prodigy would certainly make it with The Fat of the Land. However, my overall favourite of theirs is actually 'Out of Space'. 'No Good (Start the Dance)' is still right up there too though, in addition to those classic The Fat of the Land singles. Similarly with The Cure, Disintegration is a contender for my favourite '80s album, but I didn't have room for any individual songs in the end.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the other decades too

19 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

As you’ve covered each decade, I think I’ve noticed everyone’s favourites diverging more with time. And I suppose that will especially increase more for the 20s with the use of streaming and vastly expanded choice. You’re much more organised than me, I’m nowhere near having a decade best list so far, though I do have yearly lists.

Now time for a confession. I may have been holding back some of my more obscure favourites from the last couple of decades, perhaps for use in a contest at some stage. So maybe you’ll see those in the near future, if the criteria ever allow! The 2020s would probably have the more of these songs, than any other decade.

I’ve dabbled a bit in both of these first two artists and liked what I’ve heard. I obviously had to listen to Doomscroller after seeing it mentioned so much across the forum, and I really enjoy it. It’s certainly an epic ride as you described so well and the lyrics are great. The favourite I’ve heard from them would be the wonderful Human League-like synth banger ‘Cascades’, but that’s from a bit earlier in their career, in 2015.

I really love what I’ve heard from Heartworms so far. Retributions Of An Awful Life sounds great, I love that goth vibe, there’s not enough of that around at the moment imo. That’s definitely another epic that you’ve chosen here. ‘Smugglers Adventure’, from the debut album of last year that you mentioned, made it into my top twenty of last year. Again it’s dramatic and has an unusual structure, a really great song. They’re showing great promise so far!

That makes a lot of sense. Consider me intrigued by your potential song contest teasing by the way 😮 👀

I will endeavour to check out all of the songs people have mentioned in this thread once I've completed it, but decided to fast-track to 'Cascades', as you had me at Human League-like synth banger! That is sounding very good too so I clearly need to fill in some more gaps with them.

Happy to hear you are a fan of 'Retributions Of An Awful Life' I mostly remember thinking the debut album was a lot less harsh sounding than her earlier work, minus 'Jacked', so maybe I need to give it another go now I know what to expect sonically.

2020s

#08 FKA twigs - 'Eusexua' (2024)

#07 SZA - 'Good Days' (2020)

I first came across FKA twigs through the sensational 'Two Weeks' from her debut album LP1. I kept an eye on her over the years but my appreciation ascended to a new level in the 2020s, thanks to Ray of Light-esque project Eusexua and sister album Eusexua Afterglow. My 2025 EOY top 100 countdown was littered with songs by her!

'Eusexua' spent an impressive 9 weeks atop my personal chart but its run wasn't reflected that well in my EOY chart, as I go by a points based system and it came out late in the year. So it had a split run across both 2024 and 2025. Now top 10 of the entire decade is what she deserves.

'Eusexua' was a brand new term coined by Twigs to express a feeling of joy so intense that it was previously indescribable. She cites an example as being in a club at 1am and having such a great time that it's 8am before you know it. I don't think I ever stayed out clubbing later than 5am when I used to go, so that'll have to do.

This song, the lead single from its titular album, starts off in a lonely place but morphs into a reassuring direction, with lyrics such as "you're not alone".

Her vocal performance sounds revitalised and the music video feels equally transformative, as Twigs starts proceedings in an office, but transports into a completely different world. The video boasts captivating choreography throughout. The lengthy visuals also include the song 'Drums of Death' before launching into 'Eusexua'.

The production, helmed by amazing names like Koreless, Twigs herself, Eartheater, Sasha, Bapari and Two Shell, is a stunning exploration of trance and techno sounds, as this talented array of producers nailed the build-up of the instrumental.

This song did not dent the top 40 but the accompanying album managed an impressive peak of #3, her highest in the U.K. to date by far!

...

'Good Days' initially featured as a snippet in the music video for fellow SZA song 'Hit Different' during the summer of 2020 but was later surprise dropped in full, on Christmas Day.

I remember enjoying 'Good Days' to some extent straight away, as it swiftly entered my personal chart at #16, but it was an almighty grower and experienced a slow burn run until it became a multi-week #1 for me. As for the official chart, this song felt like a turning point for her commercial prospects and what a moment to do it with.

I was really attracted to the words of 'Good Days' and I think if I ever got a lyric tattoo then it'd probably be "all the while, I'll await my armoured fate with a smile" as it really speaks to me and the composition of the poetic, double rhyme also scratches an itch in my brain. The song is a unifying acknowledgement that we're all in the same dichotomous existence. SZA says it's all about the possibility that one day can be better than the last and to hold on to slivers of hope during hard times. The opening lines depict SZA initially having a good day but this mood quickly turns when she remembers the existence of an ex-lover, who she believes stripped away some of her best qualities. She acknowledges her fluctuating moods and strives to release her burdens. This song generally feels like a comfort blanket, particularly the line "half of us chasing fountains of youth and it's in the present", which might be the most reassuring lyric about age I've ever heard. I remember really clinging on to this song during the pandemic, as lockdowns still weren't over yet, but its appeal has so far proven enduring in the years since.

Away from the lyrics, the vocals and production both add to the appeal of this song to me. SZA provides a soothing, dreamy lead vocal with plenty of soft passion, while an uncredited Jacob Collier also perfectly compliments her delivery, with his equally serene contributions. The production makes me swoon with its ethereal, ambient alt-R&B meets alt-pop sound. The floating guitar loop and slow drum grooves are gorgeous.

The music video is also beautiful, but I decided to embed the audio just because the visuals jarringly cut out Jacob Collier's outro part!

SZA had achieved U.K. top 40 hits as part of features, alongside the likes of Maroon 5 and Kendrick Lamar, but 'Good Days' was her first solo top 40 when it made #13 during early 2021. The release of her album SOS, which 'Good Days' was eventually included on, would send her career stratospheric a couple of years later.

Wow, two more excellent songs from two great artists, you’re really spoiling us!

I love Eusexua’s innovative electronic/dance music, I’ve not noticed it before but the Ray Of Light comparison you make, definitely makes sense.

Twigs is fantastic in general, I hope you don’t mind me adding some personal favourites again too?! Two Weeks, as you mentioned, is great, but Cellophane (which I think I put in my 2010s list here, but was definitely my number one of 2019) would be tops. Absolutely brilliant song, and the ‘pole dancing’ video is utterly gorgeous, completely subverting the possibly associated seedy connotations. Wonderful spine tingling stuff!

Good Days is also a fantastic choice, SZA certainly knows how to handle those Christmas drops, SOS included! It’s definitely one of the best on that great sprawling opus. Love how you highlight those great lyrics too.

May be a bit obvious but Kill Bill is still my favourite from that album, such a sweet sounding song but with darkly comical lyrics, should have been a number one imo!

Earlier in her career I love Supermodel from her debut ‘Ctrl’, and even earlier, that collaboration with Rihanna on the wonderful Consideration which opens ‘ANTI’.

19 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Wow, two more excellent songs from two great artists, you’re really spoiling us!

I love Eusexua’s innovative electronic/dance music, I’ve not noticed it before but the Ray Of Light comparison you make, definitely makes sense.

Twigs is fantastic in general, I hope you don’t mind me adding some personal favourites again too?! Two Weeks, as you mentioned, is great, but Cellophane (which I think I put in my 2010s list here, but was definitely my number one of 2019) would be tops. Absolutely brilliant song, and the ‘pole dancing’ video is utterly gorgeous, completely subverting the possibly associated seedy connotations. Wonderful spine tingling stuff!

Good Days is also a fantastic choice, SZA certainly knows how to handle those Christmas drops, SOS included! It’s definitely one of the best on that great sprawling opus. Love how you highlight those great lyrics too.

May be a bit obvious but Kill Bill is still my favourite from that album, such a sweet sounding song but with darkly comical lyrics, should have been a number one imo!

Earlier in her career I love Supermodel from her debut ‘Ctrl’, and even earlier, that collaboration with Rihanna on the wonderful Consideration which opens ‘ANTI’.

🥰 pleased you have a lot of love for these 2020s artists so far as well.

I think the song 'Girl Feels Good' particularly planted that Ray of Light seed in my head. Haha yes feel free to share your personal favourites! I re-listened to 'cellophane' just yesterday when putting together my ROTD 2019 votes, great song and I agree the video is breath-taking as well.

Happy to hear you're a fan of 'Good Days' too. <3 'Kill Bill' was a bit of a slow burner for me but I agree it's one of the best from the era, was amazing to watch that become such a big hit. I really need to revisit Ctrl but did go back to her Z EP not too long ago, 'Julia' from that was a hit in BJSC back in the day - albeit before my time in the contest!

2020s

#06 Addison Rae - 'Headphones On' (2025)

#05 The Weeknd & Ariana Grande - 'Save Your Tears (Remix)' (2021)

I don't think I could have predicted that social media star turned singer Addison Rae would command a spot in my top 10 songs of the 2020s (so far) just a couple of years ago, but the musical direction of her debut album Addison has been a pleasant surprise. I initially dismissed lead single 'Diet Pepsi' as a Lana Del Rey pastiche, but it was a grower. I then fell head over heels for follow-up single 'Aquamarine'. This song proved her talented all-female production team, Luka Klose and Elvira Anderfjärd, had some electronic tricks up their sleeve. That was also demonstrated on the follow-up single 'High Fashion', which had a left-field James Blake quality to its synths. I was slowly becoming a fan and this admiration reached fever pitch with fourth single, 'Headphones On'.

I thought 'Headphones On' was a leap forward in terms of emotional depth. This song touches on some of Addison's struggles such as identity and her parents' divorce. But it's an escapism anthem, as she accepts she can't "fix what is already broken", but can still look to the future and also temporarily make herself feel better with some of life's simple pleasures. I personally do not use cigarettes as a vice, but can certainly relate to her cathartic release of shutting off the world while putting headphones on.

Aside from the lyrical themes, the production from Addison's team is also once again incredibly up my street. 'Headphones On' adopts a soothing trip-hop sound that channels some of her idols, such as Madonna's ambient periods in the '90s, or Britney's relevant foray in the 2000s, such as Moby produced album track 'Early Mornin' on In The Zone.

Addison makes the best of her vocal range and turns in a breathy and intimate performance, with a real maturity to it at the same time.

The visuals are a stunning addition to her videography, also. It is shot in Reykjavík and Addison is first spotted daydreaming during a shift at none other than... Iceland! She is a blonde during these shots, but opts for neon pink hair in ethereal scenes of her riding a white horse in the countryside. The video begins with a then-unknown track which turned out to be the interlude 'Life's No Fun Through Clear Waters', which leads into Addison closing track 'Headphones On'.

I unexpectedly got to hear this song live last year which has only increased my love for it! I purchased tickets to see Lana Del Rey at Wembley Stadium, as mentioned in my commentary for 'Ride', but Addison was later announced as the support act for my date. I wasn't sure how she'd fare in a setting as large as Wembley Stadium, especially with limited experience as a live performer, but I thought she handled it really well in the end.

'Headphones On' became Addison's second U.K. top 40 hit, following 'Diet Pepsi', when it charted at #24 last year.

...

I have generally stuck to a one song per artist rule, so it's a bit cheeky that Ariana is here twice, but I figured 'Save Your Tears' is primarily a song by The Weeknd.

This song has such a rich history in my personal chart! I initially charted 'Save Your Tears' as a standout album track from The Weeknd's fourth record, After Hours. It later returned to my chart as a #1 hit when it was pushed as a single. Finally, it became a chart topper for me in another version when the hit Ariana Grande remix was released! So I already loved the song in its original form, but I'd say I go back to the remix version even more, so that is my iteration of choice. They nailed it.

I enjoy the dark, emotional lyrics of 'Save Your Tears' as The Weeknd walks us through his failed relationship. He appears to have been emotionally unavailable but regrets this ("I don't know why I run away") and wants this girl back, but has also accepted she deserves someone better. I already appreciated his solo performance here, with a melancholic style that contrasts the upbeat production, but I think adding Ariana into the mix as the female perspective was genius.

The two had previously collaborated twice, on Ariana's 'Love Me Harder' and 'off the table', with reliable chemistry that once again shines here as she returns the favour. Ari's introductory line "met you once under a Pisces moon" could refer to the release date of the 'Love Me Harder' music video, their very first team-up. This female perspective turns The Weeknd's apology into a two way street, as Ari mutually admits to self-destructive, avoidant behaviours too. I feel invested in their story and appreciate that Ariana's vocal contributions are substantial for a remix, rather than just a quick, effortless appearance. She shows off an impressive ability, including both her lower register to fit the mood of the song and some minimal, effectively deployed acrobatics. Her adlibs now feel embedded into the experience for me and I also think the two of them harmonise wonderfully. I'd highly recommend this magical live performance that almost has as many views as the studio version:

A huge part of the appeal of 'Save Your Tears' is of course the synth-pop production, with a rock edge, that has a timeless '80s sound but is brought up to date with modern techniques. A team including the legendary Max Martin, Oscar Holter and The Weeknd himself worked together to create this sleek, shimmering soundscape.

'Save Your Tears' originally peaked at #11 in the U.K. but was propelled into long-running #2 status thanks to the Ariana remix. It was even more successful in the U.S. and was the second best-selling hit of 2021 there, sandwiched between Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' and The Weeknd's own 'Blinding Lights', in a glorious time for modern synth-pop.

Addison’s album was certainly surprisingly great, I really like all the singles from it. Headphones On is excellent but Diet Pepsi would still be my favourite. Interested to see where she goes next.

The Weeknd are obviously fabulous, there’d be loads of possible choices to put in a top ten favourite for me. The synth pop songs are generally fantastic, Save Your Tears especially, and the Ariana guest elevated it further I agree.

I still have a soft spot for ‘early’ Weeknd too, especially those first three albums that were initially free to download in 2011, when the artist behind them was mysteriously anonymous. I love the dark vibes of those songs, both musically and lyrically.

12 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Addison’s album was certainly surprisingly great, I really like all the singles from it. Headphones On is excellent but Diet Pepsi would still be my favourite. Interested to see where she goes next.

The Weeknd are obviously fabulous, there’d be loads of possible choices to put in a top ten favourite for me. The synth pop songs are generally fantastic, Save Your Tears especially, and the Ariana guest elevated it further I agree.

I still have a soft spot for ‘early’ Weeknd too, especially those first three albums that were initially free to download in 2011, when the artist behind them was mysteriously anonymous. I love the dark vibes of those songs, both musically and lyrically.

Yeah what a singles run <3 felt like a proper old school rollout with all of them having music videos too. It was quite special to hear Lana and Addison duetting 'Diet Pepsi' together (and an unreleased Lana song called '57.5') when I went to the former's concert last year! I cannot wait to see where she goes next too.

I'm a sucker for the synth pop sound (with 'Blinding Lights' and lost classic 'Less Than Zero' also particularly standing out, the disco-pop stuff with Daft Punk was great too) but he indeed had some amazing pre-breakthrough music, I'd be tempted to say 'House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls' is my second favourite song of his overall 🤩

2020s

#04 Dua Lipa - 'Physical' (2020)

#03 Wolf Alice - 'The Last Man On Earth' (2021)

I expected to place 'Physical' top 2 minimum, as it spent an eye-watering 12 weeks at the top of my personal chart, but #4 felt about right after revisiting everything. This position for the entire decade (so far) is still nothing to be sniffed at, of course!

I was quickly drawn to Dua with early material like 'Be the One' and 'Last Dance'. The former might even be my second favourite song by her these days. That self-titled debut era spawned multiple hits, including U.K. #1 single 'New Rules', so all eyes were on Dua to stick the landing with a follow-up record too. She thankfully avoided the sophomore slump and elevated her career to the next level, with the brilliant Future Nostalgia. Lead single 'Don't Start Now' was an instant smash and peaked at #2 in my chart, much like the official one. However, I was even more fond of the next single, 'Physical'.

'Don't Start Now' demonstrated a nu-disco pivot for Dua's sound. 'Physical' promised to continue this retro feel but took it in a more power pop direction. This song feels like a love letter to the '80s with its nod to Olivia Newton-John's hit of the same name, Flashdance inspiration, throwback synth production and through some of the language choices in the lyrics. Dua even put out a Jane Fonda style workout video for the song in addition to its very colourful official visuals.

'Physical' embodies the ecstasy of a relationship during its honeymoon period. I enjoy the playfulness of the lyrics, including the 'physical' double entendre and the way she dips into retro phrasing like "diamond rich". Dua delivers the words with such a confidence, as she experiments with spoken word and belting styles, in addition to the "let's get physical" chanting.

The production of 'Physical' naturally appeals to me a lot as a great lover of '80s synths. I adore the chugging bassline and flutes in particular.

I mostly associate this single and era in general with the Covid pandemic as it was a real pick-me-up at the time. The thrilling, relentless energy of 'Physical' made for perfect escapism and it's still great fun now. I eventually got to watch Dua at the Future Nostalgia tour in 2022 and can confirm this song is just as electric to experience live <3

'Physical' was another U.K. top 3 success for Dua when it peaked at #3 for her. This was also the 19th best seller of the year here.

...

English rock band Wolf Alice have built up a brilliant discography so far. I love their first two albums My Love Is Cool and Visions of a Life but it was third record Blue Weekend that produced my absolute favourite song from them so far, 'The Last Man On Earth'.

Lead singer Ellie Rowsell was inspired to write this song, along with the rest of the band, after she had read satirical '60s novel Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. She came away from it feeling perplexed, especially by the line: "peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from god", as she wondered why everything had to mean something more. This sentiment is quickly on display in the first verse of the song, when Rowsell flips the perspective and sings: "who were you to ask for anything more? do you wait for your dancing lessons to be sent from God?"

'The Last Man On Earth' is an exploration of the ego. The lyricism is sometimes cutting and follows a self-centred protagonist, who feels disconnected from the world around them and is waiting for validation from above. There is a sad loneliness in the character's lack of tangible support. Perhaps the song is suggesting that real help is found through humility.

Ellie Rowsell brings this story to life with a breath-taking, nuanced vocal performance. She begins with a restrained delivery while a gentle Bowie-esque piano can be heard backing her, in a spacious arrangement. Rowsell continues with a controlled performance and takes flight from the bridge onwards, as the instrumental similarly heightens. I adore the contrast of this cinematic second half, where the vocals develop a hymn-like quality and the hard-hitting psychedelic guitars kick in, on top of bass and drums. There are also gorgeous sweeping strings in this layered instrumental.

The song has quite an existential feel to it but ends on a more hopeful note, as the light finally shines on the protagonist.

What an epic moment in their high quality catalogue.

This song sadly did not make the top 100 but 'How Can I Make It OK?' and 'Smile' from the same era charted at #93 and #88 respectively. A top 40 hit for Wolf Alice feels overdue! At least they have a 100% hit rate of top 2 albums, including two #1s with Blue Weekend and The Clearing.

Dua is another who never seems to miss with her singles. I love those early songs you mention especially Be The One, but the Future Nostalgia era is fantastic throughout. Physical is ace with its 80s influences and great lyrics which you describe so well, and a lovely nod to Olivia NJ! Don’t Stop Now just edges it for me (another ‘should’ve been a number one’), perhaps with that behemoth of the US charts in ‘21, Levitating!

I’m in agreement with The Last Man On Earth being my favourite Wolf Alice song. Epic beautiful work, a middle eight that I think has echoes of the Beatles, building to that fantastic ending, and of course I’m a sucker for the strings! As you say, they’ve been a brilliant innovative band over many years now, never resting on their laurels. May it long continue!

Really intrigued as to what your top two will be!

For Dua its more about 'Be The One' for me, and that's in my experience the song of her's played by radio most {until the recent 'Training Season' revival}.

It's got that vibe of being a fast song but one thats more reflective and you shouldn't dance to!

For Addison I preferred 'Fame Is A Gun' with its early 80s style production.

Oh FKA and SZA further up the page are good too my faves from them are 'Two Weeks' and 'All The Stars' respectively

On 11/10/2026 at 10:51, Jade said:

I suspect if I made a 'best albums of each decade' list then The Prodigy would certainly make it with The Fat of the Land. However, my overall favourite of theirs is actually 'Out of Space'.

Ahh that does ring a bell now you say it, also a great choice ofc x

00s thoughts ~

Am of course well acquainted with your thoughts on 'Another Chance' and it's a beautifully articulate commentary, it is another song that I have definitely got into a lot more with the context of your connection to it (I have always liked it though) <3 'Feel Good Inc.' is an excellent runner up, I was a bit late to getting into that one as the aesthetics of their music videos used to really creep me out (and I don't think the maniacal laughter helped ), I particularly remember once opening an edition of Guinness World Records on a random page and it having a large print of a still from the music video and literally slamming the book shut from the jumpscare but I am quite over that now and the song is a brilliant blend of genres and vibes, at least I got to fully appreciate it for its more recent extended run in the top 40 (and I guess the Aitch song that sampled it too although that's obviously not quite as good xo)

'Pure Shores' is definitely my favourite All Saints song and another fab William Orbit production, and I do like 'Bad Romance' a lot too (it is one I got a little bit bored of from overplay though not to the extent of the 2 #1s from the original 'The Fame', although all three of those songs had at least somewhat of a rebound in my affections after seeing them live at the Chromatica Ball with you), but then the 5th-9th section is absolutely stacked with major favourites for me! I'm not a massive fan of Britney in general but 'Toxic' is a well deserved pop classic (and indeed with an equally iconic music video). The Bravery may not have had much staying power but they hit it out of the park as much as I could ever ask with their one hit which I've long considered to be the absolute peak of landfill indie, actually I've never really considered it sounding like an update of 80s new wave but I can totally see that now you mention it. 'Welcome To The Black Parade' as I probably already said in your 2006 #1s ranking thread is one of my all time favourite #1 hits and certainly one of the most unique, I can only hope to ever see another #1 hit that's as ambitious (I've liked some of this year's #1s but as has recently been a point of discussion in the chart forum they're pretty much all safe to a fault) - there's been a notable reappraisal of their music in recent years on RateYourMusic which I guess is coming from the userbase being increasingly people who are nostalgic for them from their youth, great to see anyway. 'Loneliness' has always been a big fave for me as a sucker for melancholy bangers, I remember being shocked at it never even being certified so hooray for Saltburn giving it such a strong second life even if not quite enough to actually return it to the chart. And I remember discovering Sigur Rós from nighttime Radio 1 so I was well acquainted with 'Hoppípolla' before the Chicane version (which is also great, could easily have ruined the song but it was a very respectful reimagining of it), my peak of appreciation for their music is the back-to-back glory of the 'Valtari' and 'Kveikur' albums but they both work best as full pieces rather than having any one particular standout song so 'Hoppípolla' would probably still be my favourite individual song from them as well. I'd say it's a shame they didn't have more chart hits but even having one top 40 hit is nothing to sniff at for an Icelandic post-rock band of course xx 'Moi... Lolita' is less of a favourite for me but was still a good one to relisten to, I forget how much I enjoy the production on it and the vocals sound quite nice on it which is often the thing holding me back from enjoying French language songs.

Tons of great songs just missing out for you and more mentioned by others once again, 'Move Your Feet' stands out as the most surprising top 10 snub I think, pure joy in audio form and sad to not get to read commentary from you about the squirrel </3 lovely to see 'Archangel' getting a mention as well *.* and a big yes to Jaz placing 'Ready For The Floor' in his 00s top 3.

Not quite finished catching up ahead of the conclusion to this tomorrow (/today) oop but getting there x

11 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Dua is another who never seems to miss with her singles. I love those early songs you mention especially Be The One, but the Future Nostalgia era is fantastic throughout. Physical is ace with its 80s influences and great lyrics which you describe so well, and a lovely nod to Olivia NJ! Don’t Stop Now just edges it for me (another ‘should’ve been a number one’), perhaps with that behemoth of the US charts in ‘21, Levitating!

I’m in agreement with The Last Man On Earth being my favourite Wolf Alice song. Epic beautiful work, a middle eight that I think has echoes of the Beatles, building to that fantastic ending, and of course I’m a sucker for the strings! As you say, they’ve been a brilliant innovative band over many years now, never resting on their laurels. May it long continue!

Really intrigued as to what your top two will be!

I agree Dua rarely misses with her singles! Like the Addison era, it was great that Future Nostalgia also had an old-school pop rollout with lots of singles and videos, even with the challenges around Covid. That was going to be a tough project to follow and indeed Radical Optimism was a step down (although again with great singles, love that 'Training Season' is experiencing a chart revival at the moment) but I look forward to whatever her next era brings.

Love that 'The Last Man On Earth' is your favourite Wolf Alice song too! I wasn't sure if that would be the case with so many great moments to choose from in their catalogue. Ooh yes I see what you mean with that Beatles comparison.

Looking forward to sharing them this evening <3 so close to the finish line now 😮

9 hours ago, TheSnake said:

For Dua its more about 'Be The One' for me, and that's in my experience the song of her's played by radio most {until the recent 'Training Season' revival}.

It's got that vibe of being a fast song but one thats more reflective and you shouldn't dance to!

For Addison I preferred 'Fame Is A Gun' with its early 80s style production.

9 hours ago, TheSnake said:

Oh FKA and SZA further up the page are good too my faves from them are 'Two Weeks' and 'All The Stars' respectively.

I remember being more of a fan of 'Last Dance' from her debut for years (which is still great) but 'Be The One' has really endured, absolutely love it too.

'Fame is a Gun' is another great Addison single of course! I felt the production had a bit of a chiptune influence to it as well, very interesting. A distorted breakdown was added to the song when I saw her live and that was also really cool.

I've warmed to 'All The Stars' more and more over the years <3 I think this year is the highest it's ever been in my ROTD votes.

3 hours ago, Bror said:

Ahh that does ring a bell now you say it, also a great choice ofc x

00s thoughts ~

Am of course well acquainted with your thoughts on 'Another Chance' and it's a beautifully articulate commentary, it is another song that I have definitely got into a lot more with the context of your connection to it (I have always liked it though) <3 'Feel Good Inc.' is an excellent runner up, I was a bit late to getting into that one as the aesthetics of their music videos used to really creep me out (and I don't think the maniacal laughter helped ), I particularly remember once opening an edition of Guinness World Records on a random page and it having a large print of a still from the music video and literally slamming the book shut from the jumpscare but I am quite over that now and the song is a brilliant blend of genres and vibes, at least I got to fully appreciate it for its more recent extended run in the top 40 (and I guess the Aitch song that sampled it too although that's obviously not quite as good xo)

'Pure Shores' is definitely my favourite All Saints song and another fab William Orbit production, and I do like 'Bad Romance' a lot too (it is one I got a little bit bored of from overplay though not to the extent of the 2 #1s from the original 'The Fame', although all three of those songs had at least somewhat of a rebound in my affections after seeing them live at the Chromatica Ball with you), but then the 5th-9th section is absolutely stacked with major favourites for me! I'm not a massive fan of Britney in general but 'Toxic' is a well deserved pop classic (and indeed with an equally iconic music video). The Bravery may not have had much staying power but they hit it out of the park as much as I could ever ask with their one hit which I've long considered to be the absolute peak of landfill indie, actually I've never really considered it sounding like an update of 80s new wave but I can totally see that now you mention it. 'Welcome To The Black Parade' as I probably already said in your 2006 #1s ranking thread is one of my all time favourite #1 hits and certainly one of the most unique, I can only hope to ever see another #1 hit that's as ambitious (I've liked some of this year's #1s but as has recently been a point of discussion in the chart forum they're pretty much all safe to a fault) - there's been a notable reappraisal of their music in recent years on RateYourMusic which I guess is coming from the userbase being increasingly people who are nostalgic for them from their youth, great to see anyway. 'Loneliness' has always been a big fave for me as a sucker for melancholy bangers, I remember being shocked at it never even being certified so hooray for Saltburn giving it such a strong second life even if not quite enough to actually return it to the chart. And I remember discovering Sigur Rós from nighttime Radio 1 so I was well acquainted with 'Hoppípolla' before the Chicane version (which is also great, could easily have ruined the song but it was a very respectful reimagining of it), my peak of appreciation for their music is the back-to-back glory of the 'Valtari' and 'Kveikur' albums but they both work best as full pieces rather than having any one particular standout song so 'Hoppípolla' would probably still be my favourite individual song from them as well. I'd say it's a shame they didn't have more chart hits but even having one top 40 hit is nothing to sniff at for an Icelandic post-rock band of course xx 'Moi... Lolita' is less of a favourite for me but was still a good one to relisten to, I forget how much I enjoy the production on it and the vocals sound quite nice on it which is often the thing holding me back from enjoying French language songs.

Tons of great songs just missing out for you and more mentioned by others once again, 'Move Your Feet' stands out as the most surprising top 10 snub I think, pure joy in audio form and sad to not get to read commentary from you about the squirrel </3 lovely to see 'Archangel' getting a mention as well *.* and a big yes to Jaz placing 'Ready For The Floor' in his 00s top 3.

Not quite finished catching up ahead of the conclusion to this tomorrow (/today) oop but getting there x

Thanks for sharing your belated 2000s thoughts, Brer! What a lovely thing to say about my 'Another Chance' commentary, that made me smile. I'm glad you're a fan of 'Feel Good Inc.' too despite the visuals spooking you back in the day. I grew up in a Guinness World Records household too but thankfully I think I escaped any trauma from them I'd already forgotten about that Aitch thing lol *_* but the Kidz Bop version is burnt into my brain.

Happy to hear we share the same favourite All Saints song! I did think that was the case but wasn't entirely sure. Great that you approve of the #5-#9 section so much *.* my fellow 'An Honest Mistake' stan. I agree this year has been pretty pedestrian for chart toppers so would be great for someone to disrupt that flow soon. I wasn't aware that MCR's music had a recent reappraisal on RYM but that's fab to hear. Hopefully they'll stop leaving us hanging post-'The Foundations of Decay' soon!

I had forgotten / didn't realise how much of a 'Loneliness' fan you were too so that's wonderful to read, indeed nails the sad banger sound. I agree a dance reworking of 'Hoppípolla' could've been a mess in the wrong hands but Chicane thankfully stuck the landing, tasteful stuff for sure. I'll take that pretty positive review of 'Moi... Lolita' considering your general reputation around French songs *.*

Apologies for the lack of squirrel musings in the main countdown. I hope this GIF will somewhat fill the void:

2020s

#02 Caroline Polachek - 'Billions' (2022)

#01 Working Men's Club - 'Widow' (2022)

I've come a long way with my runner-up of the decade so far! 'Billions' was released as the second single from Caroline Polachek's Desire, I Want to Turn Into You album. Shockingly, this song went over my head at first. But I decided to revisit it after falling in love with a later single from the same campaign, 'Welcome to My Island'. This time, aided by the music video, it suddenly clicked and has blossomed into a song I truly adore now. I can't believe I ever felt underwhelmed by it, not sure what past me was thinking.

I first discovered Caroline as part of the group Chairlift when their song 'Bruises' was used in an iPod advert. I remember them also cropping up in BJSC during my early days of competing, with 'Moth To The Flame'. Pang, the first album released under Caroline's own name, arrived in 2019 and was also represented in BJSC, via 'Ocean Of Tears'. In time, 'So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings' from that album has become one of her very best songs for me. However, follow-up record Desire, I Want to Turn Into You caught my attention even more, to the point of classing it AOTY for 2023. I might have needed a bit of time with 'Billions' but it has endured as my crème de la crème from a pretty flawless track list.

'Billions' is very much my thing on paper with its trip-hop production. I couldn't resist Danny L Harle's magic touch in the end.

Caroline effectively illustrates thoughts about the "overabundance in the world" through the lens of Greco-Roman mythology. The lyrics are delightfully quirky and a thrill throughout, from "sexting sonnets under the table" to "twisted, manic, Cornucopeiac" - so her. Polachek's ever distinctive vocal delivery is also a huge selling point. I use this phrase a lot, but the shift to her lower register complete with elongated note during "...but it's dead on arrival, ohhhhh" truly scratches an itch in my brain. The choral finish is a beautiful touch too.

The aforementioned music video, that helped the song properly pop for me, is a visual feast with the mystical presence of grape-crusher Polachek.

Caroline is yet to achieve any top 40 hits but the accompanying album managed a #23 peak.

...

Rounding off my 2020s (so far) countdown is an act who are currently #1 in my weekly personal chart with an entirely different song ('Devout') so they're clearly having a brilliant decade so far! This is Working Men's Club, who released a wonderful self-titled debut album back in 2020 ('Valleys' from it was sent to BJSC), then followed it with a sophomore record that had me in a chokehold during 2022.

'Widow' was released as the lead single from that album, Fear Fear. This song initially debuted at #9 in my weekly personal chart, but swiftly turned into a juggernaut and spent an eye-watering 11 non-consecutive weeks at #1 there. It also claimed an emphatic victory in my 2022 EOY countdown. My love for 'Widow' has evidently not waned one bit!

I was attracted to this song as it sounded like a modern update on the likes of Depeche Mode or Gary Numan, a dark synth sound that is always up my street.

A song with a title like 'Widow' is naturally about grief, as lead singer Syd Minsky-Sargeant was inspired to write it after a random encounter with a stranger who had lost their partner. It is also about isolation in general, which felt particularly relevant at the time, while the Covid pandemic was a not-so-distant memory. Four years have passed since the release of 'Widow' but the subject matter continues to hit nevertheless. I appreciate how dark the lyrics can be, e.g. "look into my eyes, hollow dead inside", yet the pulsating '80s synth pop backing is so upbeat, complete with infectious keyboard line. The "lust was easy, until you died, now I f*** inside my head and not outside" chorus lines particularly stick out as shockingly ingenious and ever so hooky.

Syd Minsky-Sargeant has such a captivating, deadpan vocal style that feels wise beyond his years. I still can't get over that he was only about 17 on their debut album, so maybe 19 here?!

Sadly this song was left off the group's Glastonbury set, when they performed in 2023, but it was still great and introduced me to Syd's quirky dance moves.

'Widow' wasn't a hit but the accompanying album did manage a #11 peak. Bring on a top 10 result for album #3 whenever that materialises!

So... the gold medal hall of fame is complete. Congrats to: The Ronettes, Kraftwerk, Visage, Depeche Mode, Roger Sanchez, Frank Ocean + Working Men's Club. 🥇

2020s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Working Men's Club - 'Widow' (2022)

#02 Caroline Polachek - 'Billions' (2022)

#03 Wolf Alice - 'The Last Man On Earth' (2021)

#04 Dua Lipa - 'Physical' (2020)

#05 The Weeknd & Ariana Grande - 'Save Your Tears (Remix)' (2021)

#06 Addison Rae - 'Headphones On' (2025)

#07 SZA - 'Good Days' (2020)

#08 FKA twigs - 'Eusexua' (2024)

#09 Heartworms - 'Retributions Of An Awful Life' (2023)

#10 Metric - 'Doomscroller' (2022)

Honourable mentions: Taylor Swift & Bon Iver - exile, ROSALÍA - Dolerme (she feels like such a notable omission and would undoubtably smash an albums equivalent), Miley Cyrus - Midnight Sky, Måneskin - ZITTI E BUONI, Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker, Shygirl - Cleo, Little Simz - Introvert, Dave - In The Fire (another artist who would be right up there for a 2020s albums list), Peggy Gou - I Go, Gabe Gurnsey - Push, Röyksopp - Oh, Lover (feat. Susanne Sundfør), Vandal Moon - Queen of the Night, Temples - Cicada, Men I Trust - Ring of Past, Confidence Man x Daniel Avery - On & On (Again), bar italia - Nurse!, Yves Tumor - God Is A Circle, Charli xcx - Sympathy is a Knife, Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe!, Vampire Weekend - Capricorn, Magdalena Bay - Cry for Me, Fontaines D.C. - Starburster (another particular notable omission... this came close), The Horrors - The Silence That Remains, Everything Everything - Cold Reactor, Twin Tribes - Monolith, Ethel Cain - Nettles (the very last song I cut... a strong second favourite of 2025), Ela Minus - QQQQ, Oklou - choke enough & PinkPantheress - Stateside amongst others... <3

ALL of the top 10 lists in one place...

1960s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 The Ronettes - 'Be My Baby' (1963)

#02 The Beatles - 'Tomorrow Never Knows' (1966)

#03 The Mamas & The Papas - 'California Dreamin’ (1965)

#04 The Animals - 'The House of the Rising Sun' (1964)

#05 Ben E. King - 'Stand By Me' (1961)

#06 Procol Harum - 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' (1967)

#07 The Rolling Stones - 'Paint It, Black' (1966)

#08 The Beach Boys - 'God Only Knows' (1966)

#09 The Doors - 'Light My Fire' (1967)

#10 The Velvet Underground & Nico - 'Venus In Furs' (1967)

1970s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Kraftwerk - 'The Model' (1978)

#02 Tubeway Army - 'Are ‘Friends’ Electric?' (1979)

#03 Donna Summer - 'I Feel Love' (1977)

#04 David Bowie - 'Life on Mars?' (1971)

#05 Derek & The Dominos - 'Layla' (1970)

#06 Kate Bush - 'Wuthering Heights' (1978)

#07 Blondie - 'Heart of Glass' (1978)

#08 Pink Floyd - 'Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2' (1979)

#09 Serge Gainsbourg - 'Cargo culte' (1971)

#10 Blue Öyster Cult - '(Don’t Fear) The Reaper' (1976)

1980s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Visage - 'Fade to Grey' (1980)

#02 Joy Division - 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (1980)

#03 New Order - 'Blue Monday' (1983)

#04 Ultravox - 'Vienna' (1980)

#05 The Jam - 'Going Underground' (1980)

#06 Prince and the Revolution - 'When Doves Cry' (1984)

#07 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - 'Two Tribes' (1984)

#08 Pet Shop Boys - 'West End Girls' (1985)

#09 The Primitives - 'Crash' (1988)

#10 ABBA - 'Lay All Your Love On Me' (1980)

1990s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Depeche Mode - 'Enjoy the Silence' (1990)

#02 Madonna - 'Frozen' (1998)

#03 Fatboy Slim - 'Right Here, Right Now' (1998)

#04 Radiohead - 'No Surprises' (1997)

#05 Massive Attack - 'Unfinished Sympathy' (1991)

#06 White Town - 'Your Woman' (1996)

#07 Oasis - 'Live Forever' (1994)

#08 Spice Girls - 'Viva Forever' (1997)

#09 Underworld - 'Born Slippy .NUXX' (1995)

#10 Air - 'Sexy Boy' (1998)

2000s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Roger Sanchez - 'Another Chance' (2001)

#02 Gorillaz - 'Feel Good Inc.' (2005)

#03 All Saints - 'Pure Shores' (2000)

#04 Lady Gaga - 'Bad Romance' (2009)

#05 Britney Spears - 'Toxic' (2003)

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

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

#08 Tomcraft - 'Loneliness' (2002)

#09 Sigur Rós - 'Hoppípolla' (2005)

#10 Alizée - 'Moi… Lolita' (2000)

2010s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Frank Ocean - 'Pyramids' (2012)

#02 Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Luna' (2014)

#03 Gotye - 'Somebody That I Used To Know' (feat. Kimbra) (2011)

#04 Lana Del Rey - 'Ride' (2012)

#05 Lorde - 'Ribs' (2013)

#06 Hozier - 'Take Me To Church' (2013)

#07 Vitalic feat. David Shaw and The Beat - 'Waiting For The Stars' (2016)

#08 Billie Eilish - 'when the party’s over' (2018)

#09 Ariana Grande - 'no tears left to cry' (2018)

#10 Drab Majesty - 'Ellipsis' (2019)

2020s

TOP 10 RECAP

#01 Working Men's Club - 'Widow' (2022)

#02 Caroline Polachek - 'Billions' (2022)

#03 Wolf Alice - 'The Last Man On Earth' (2021)

#04 Dua Lipa - 'Physical' (2020)

#05 The Weeknd & Ariana Grande - 'Save Your Tears (Remix)' (2021)

#06 Addison Rae - 'Headphones On' (2025)

#07 SZA - 'Good Days' (2020)

#08 FKA twigs - 'Eusexua' (2024)

#09 Heartworms - 'Retributions Of An Awful Life' (2023)

#10 Metric - 'Doomscroller' (2022)

and finally... a couple of extras!!

I created a recap video with 20 second clips of every song in my countdown if you want to travel through time for 20 mins:

and here's a Spotify playlist of all the songs (hopefully can be imported to other platforms too):

Phew! All that's left to say is thank youuuu so much to everyone who commented along, reacted to my posts or just admired from afar - it's all so appreciated. 🥰 revisiting these songs and crafting essays about them was an enjoyable challenge, plus great escapism. It was fun interacting with you all too. I'm so chuffed I actually managed to complete this and to the timeline I set out as well. Yay for having a definitive playlist of my all-time favourites now.

Hope you've enjoyed. ❤️

And an excellent top two to finish!

I love the Desire… album too and Billions is also my favourite from it. Brilliantly sung with unique production and that excellent hip hop rhythm. Chairlift were also great I agree.

I came across Working Men’s Club with the self titled debut album you mentioned, though that was a bit more abrasive at times, sort of industrial sounding synth music, Valleys was a definite highlight. I lost track of them a bit until this year, but Devout is excellent. So it’s great you finished on a song that’s a new discovery. I’m really enjoying Widow, it still has that dark synth vibe I like but maybe a bit more melodic than their early stuff. It’s great!

Too many excellent honourable mentions to highlight them all, but some personal favourites would include Introvert, Cry For Me, Capricorn, Ring Of Past, Starburster and choke enough.

Congratulations on finishing your opus then! I’ve really enjoyed following along and adding (hopefully not too much) comments as you worked through them. It’s been really insightful, informative and engaging, with lots of lovely personal touches. For me there was some nostalgia, some reminders and some new discoveries, so thank you. And I love the overall playlist too, I’ll definitely be saving it!

11 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

And an excellent top two to finish!

I love the Desire… album too and Billions is also my favourite from it. Brilliantly sung with unique production and that excellent hip hop rhythm. Chairlift were also great I agree.

I came across Working Men’s Club with the self titled debut album you mentioned, though that was a bit more abrasive at times, sort of industrial sounding synth music, Valleys was a definite highlight. I lost track of them a bit until this year, but Devout is excellent. So it’s great you finished on a song that’s a new discovery. I’m really enjoying Widow, it still has that dark synth vibe I like but maybe a bit more melodic than their early stuff. It’s great!

Too many excellent honourable mentions to highlight them all, but some personal favourites would include Introvert, Cry For Me, Capricorn, Ring Of Past, Starburster and choke enough.

Congratulations on finishing your opus then! I’ve really enjoyed following along and adding (hopefully not too much) comments as you worked through them. It’s been really insightful, informative and engaging, with lots of lovely personal touches. For me there was some nostalgia, some reminders and some new discoveries, so thank you. And I love the overall playlist too, I’ll definitely be saving it!

Happy to have ended on a high for you! I've just reminded myself of the Desire... track list and wow, it's stacked. I've just remembered the existence of the deluxe as well and I also loved 'Spring Is Coming With A Strawberry In The Mouth' and 'Coma' from that in particular. I did a Chairlift deep dive and one thing that stuck with me was them having a song called 'Le Flying Saucer Hat', what a title

Oh I'm thrilled to hear that 'Widow' was a good discovery for you!! 🥰 I'd highly recommend the accompanying album Fear Fear, I remember trying to put together a list of favourite albums from the year at the time and had that second only behind ROSALÍA's MOTOMAMI.

Good to hear you like plenty of the honourable mentions too <3 quite a few of those have song contest connections for me: I sent 'Cry For Me' to the Pop Forum Song Contest's 'Best of the Year' type contest, where the rules are more relaxed (and got to hear it live last year as Mag Bay supported Billie Eilish on my tour date 🤩), Men I Trust's 'Lauren' was my first Nuggets entry back in the day (and a debut win, I won twice in a row and then never again since ) and finally, 'choke enough' was my first BJSC entry of last year and finished 10th, not too shabby.

I really appreciated you commenting each time I posted a new section so thank you for keeping me company in here and for the kind words <3 delighted you enjoyed following so much.