#8 Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (1988)

 

 

Taken from the third and final of the trilogy of albums he made with producer Quincy Jones. This track has become rather more popular since its release due to the great video taken from the Moonwalker film he made; the superb cover by US Rockers Alien Ant Farm; and the song lyrics and title seem ironic to certain allegations made against the self proclaimed "King Of Pop" in the 1990s "Who's Bad indeed...". Remember him this way ..........

 

Other famous #8's:

 

Shocking Blue / Bananarama - Venus (1970 / 1986)

Beatles - Yesterday (1976)

Bee Gees - Words (1968)

Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman No Cry (1975)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary (1969)

Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline (1971)

Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell (Reissue) (1993)

Prince - Purple Rain (1984)

Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town (1976)

#7 Elton John - Your Song (1971)

 

 

Another artist who over time has become less about his songwriting and actual talent, and more about his larger than life Diva behaviour & collaborating with everything from boybands, to dead US rappers to drag artists. This was the song that started it off for the former owner of Watford Football Club Reginald Dwight, who dominated the charts in the USA between 1971 and 1976.

 

Other famous #7's:

 

Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman (1969)

Mariah Carey - Hero (1993)

Genesis - Follow You Follow Me (1978)

Kool & the Gang - Celebration (1980)

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)

Elvis Presley - Burning Love (1972)

Radiohead - Creep (1993)

REM - Everybody Hurts (1993)

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) (1985)

 

 

 

#6 Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (1990)

 

 

London's early 1980s synth pop also rans, defied the usual laws of popular music, and became a bigger act the darker and less commercial their music got in the late 1980s. With the dawn of a new decade, and the popularity of dance music at the beginning of the decade, they suddenly found that they were the musical zeitgeists in the world (with their Violator (1990) album) in the short period between Acid House & Grunge.

 

Other famous #6's:

 

Abba - S.O.S. (1975)

Cure - Friday I'm In Love (1992)

Duran Duran - Ordinary World (1993)

ELO - Mr Blue Sky (1978)

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (1989)

Carole King - It's Too Late (1971)

Pink Floyd - See Emily Play (1967)

Prince - Kiss (1986)

Spandau Ballet - Through The Barricades (1986)

 

#5 Frank Sinatra - My Way (1969)

 

 

Francis Albert Sinatra was to many unquestionably the greatest voice of the first half of the 20th Century (who pipped Elvis Presley into 2nd place in a Radio 2 poll for the voice of the 20th Century in 1999). This song penned by Paul Anka became one of his last big hits, and ultimately became his (if not the Anthem of the United States of America) a bit like the UK equivalent chosen for the #4 selection.

 

Altogether now: "And now the end is nearrrrrr....."

 

20 Other famous #5's:

 

Bee Gees - Jive Talkin' 1975

Blondie - Rapture 1980

Bread - Make It With You 1970

Chic - Good Times 1979

Eric Clapton - Tears In Heaven 1992

Duran Duran - Girls On Film 1981

Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies 1987

Happy Mondays - Step On 1990

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop To You Get Enough 1979

Elton John - Crocodile Rock 1972

Johnny Hates Jazz - Shattered Dreams 1987

John Lennon - Instant Karma 1970

Madness - Our House 1982

Bette Midler - Wind Beneath My Wings 1989

New Radicals - You Get What You Give 1999

Shalamar - A Night To Remember 1982

Style Council - You're The Best Thing 1984

Supremes - Reflections 1967

Tears For Fears - Sowing The Seeds Of Love 1989

Mary Wells - My Guy 1964

#4 Robbie Williams - Angels (1997)

 

 

A song so overplayed, and performed up and down the land by pub & Karaoke singers alike, that it has almost become difficult to love this song & the performer himself with this song that was his & the nations zeitgeist a few months after the death of Princess Diana. In short this is the UK's equivalent of My Way.

 

Altogether now: "And through it alllllllllllllllllll....."

 

20 Other famous #4's:

 

Aerosmith - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing 1998

Beatles - Something / Come Together 1969

Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive 1978

Derek & the Dominos - Layla 1982

Erasure - A Little Respect 1988

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer 1986

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing 1982

Elton John - I'm Still Standing 1983

Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good 1984

Madness - It Must Be Love 1981

Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices 1988

Prince - When Doves Cry 1984

Prodigy - No Good (Start The Dance) 1994

Roxy Music - Virginia Plain 1972

Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson 1968

TLC - Waterfalls 1995

U2 - With Or Without You 1987

Wham! - Club Tropicana 1983

The Who - Pinball Wizard 1969

Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour 1969

 

#3 Queen - I Want To Break Free (1984)

 

 

The video that killed their career in America, before "a big disease with a little name" killed Freddie Mercury, and then after Waynes World the legend was reborn. American's have never been fans of blokes dressing up in drag, and they completely failed to see the funny side of this tribute to that other British institution Coronation Street, with all the members of the band dressing up as Female Street characters. Personally I love this song from the much maligned "The Works" album, especially as it became an anthem in the late 1980s amonst the Eastern Bloc, and more surprisingly (considering Queen played Sun City) Nelson Mandela & the ANC in their battle against apartheid.

 

 

20 Other famous #3's:

 

Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian 1986

Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love 1977

David Bowie - Life On Mars 1973

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 1985

Cameo - Word Up 1986

EMF - Unbelievable 1990

Everything But The Girl - Missing 1995

Hollies - Carrie Anne 1967

Buddy Holly & Crickets - Oh Boy 1958

Iron Maiden - Can I Play With Madness 1988

Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 1984

Madness - Baggy Trousers 1980

Madonna - Like A Virgin 1985

Radiohead - Paranoid Android 1997

Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street 1978

Rolling Stones - Let's Spend The Night.. / Ruby Tuesday 1967

Small Faces - Itchycoo Park 1967

Status Quo - Rockin' All Over The World 1977

T Rex - 20th Century Boy 1973

TLC - No Scrubs 1999

#2 The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (1967)

 

 

 

41 years on it is still hard to fathom how these two non album new songs from the Sgt Peppers' sessions broke the Beatles run of number 1 hit singles. If this had not been stopped by a truly atrocious Engelbert Humperdinck easy listening (Please Release Me) track, then the Beatles would have had 18 consecutive UK#1 hit singles in their career. The irony is that most music critics regards the two sides combined to be their greatest ever single.

 

20 Other famous #2's:

 

A-ha - Take On Me 1985

Beach Boys - God Only Knows / Wouldn't It Be Nice 1966

Elvis Costello & Attractions - Oliver's Army 1979

Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart 1990

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) 1983

Jackson5 - I Want You Back 1970

Kinks - Waterloo Sunset 1967

KLF - Justified & Ancient 1992

Madonna - Holiday 1984

Don McLean - American Pie 1972

Oasis - Wonderwall 1995

Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel 1956

Prince - 1999 / Little Red Corvette 1985

Pulp - Common People 1995

Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen 1977

Stranglers - Golden Brown 1982

Ultravox - Vienna 1981

Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony 1997

Wham! - Everything She Wants / Last Christmas 1985

The Who - My Generation 1965

#1 Elvis Presley - All Shook Up (1957)

 

 

All hail the King of Rock'roll. ("Before Elvis there was nothing" © John Lennon). Much of his career may have been spent on dodgy movies, recording substandard music, but before he went in the Army, his music was nothing short of brilliant. This performance is perfect evidence as to why he was so popular, as he captured the hearts of the world's teenagers. Get past the "Fat Las Vegas Elvis", the blatant reissue packages and merchandising, the dreadful movies, a Best of every other year, and get to the force of nature & sex god 50 years ago to see the origins of why Rock'n'Roll music is still loved today.

 

Other Famous #1's:

 

Come on I think you could all come up with too many classics to mention. :D

What a great listing TIP, enjoyed looking at the vids, brought back some happy memories :) These are my favourites, quite a few

 

 

#1 Elvis Presley - All Shook Up (1957)....Lots of good songs to choose from but this is a classic

#2 The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (1967).....What can I say :yahoo:

#3 Queen - I Want To Break Free (1984).....One of their best songs and video's :cheer:

#4 Robbie Williams - Angels (1997)

#5 Frank Sinatra - My Way (1969)

#6 Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (1990)... :)

#7 Elton John - Your Song (1971).... :)

#9 Cliff Richard - Devil Woman (1976)....guilty pleasure, lol

#10 Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967)....60's classic

#11 The Clash - London's Calling (1980)...... :cheer:

#12 Kinks - Days (1968), Kirsty MacColl - Days (1989)

#13 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)....Excellent song

#15 The Jam - Down In A Tube Station At Midnight (1978) :)

#17 Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness (1992)....One of my 10 best tracks of the 90's

#18 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)...50's classic

#19 REM - Losing My Religion (1991)..... :cheer:

#20 Adventures - Broken Land (1988)......Like this one

#21 Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (1997) :)

#22 Doors - Riders On The Storm (1971) :)

#23 Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' (1969)....Sheer class

#24 David Bowie - Heroes (1977)......Brilliant :cheer:

#25 Kate Bush - This Woman's Work (1989) :)

#26 The Smiths - Big Mouth Strikes Again (1986) :)

#27 Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over (1987)...one of my favourite tracks

#30 Eurythmics - When Tomorrow Never Comes (1986)

#31 Undertones - Teenage Kicks (1978)..........Like this a lot :yahoo:

#33 Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK (1992)

#34 ELO - Can't Get It Our Of My Head (1978).............superb song :cheer:

#41 The Who - The Kids Are Alright (1966)

#46 Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness (1967)

#49 Suede - The Drowners (1992)

#51 Devo - Whip It (1980) :lol:

#52 Julian Cope - The Greatness & Perfection Of Love (1984)

#53 Kraftwerk - Neon Lights (1978)

#55 U2 - Gloria (1981)

#56 New Order Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

#57 Ash - Kung Fu (1995)

#59 Talk Talk - Give It Up (1986) :)

#70 Aztec Camera - The Crying Scene (1990)

#71 XTC - The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead (1992)

#72 Alison Moyet - Wishing You Were Here (1991) :)

#73 Squeeze - Some Fantastic Place (1993)...............Excellent

#74 Prefab Sprout - Faron Young (1985).......................Great song by an overlooked band :dance:

 

thanks for this thread richard.. excellant material, think ill move it to resources.