Liamski689

Blast, @gasman449 thanks for pointing out. Please can Madonna be given 18 points and have everything else moved up by 1 respectively i.e. . . +20 Editors – Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors +19 The Cardigans - Erase/Rewind +18 Madonna - Get Together +17 Gossip – Standing In The Way of Control . .

+50 Queen – Another One Bites The Dust +49 Al Green – Let’s Stay Together +48 Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music +47 The Beach Boys – I Get Around +46 Kirsty MacColl – A New England +45 Dolly Parton – Jolene +44 Green Day – Basket Case +43 The Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow +42 Yello – The Race +41 R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts +40 Sugababes – Stronger / Angels with Dirty Faces +39 t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us +38 The Ones – Flawless +37 The Verve – Lucky Man +36 Jade - Angel Of My Dreams +35 Chic - Le Freak +34 Swedish House Mafia featuring Pharrell – One (Your Name) +33 Pulp – Disco 2000 +32 Kelly Clarkson – Because Of You +31 The Doors – Light My Fire +30 Avril Lavigne - I'm With You +29 LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live +28 Daft Punk - Da Funk / Musique +27 Britney Spears – Stronger +26 Amy Winehouse – Rehab +25 The Supremes – Stop! In The Name Of Love +24 ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me +23 Radiohead - Creep +22 Dr. Dre featuring Eminem – Forgot About Dre +21 Grandmaster and Melle Mel - White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) +20 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit +19 Editors – Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors +18 The Cardigans - Erase/Rewind +17 Gossip – Standing In The Way of Control +16 Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing +15 Lady Gaga - Alejandro +14 Alan Walker - Faded +13 Klaxons – Golden Skans +12 U2 – One +11 The Bravery - An Honest Mistake +10 The Kooks – She Moves in Her Own Way +9 Evanescence – My Immortal +8 The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army +7 Aqualung – Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell On You) +6 Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet +5 Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire +4 Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) +3 The Cure - The Love Cats +2 Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight +1 Oasis - Cigarettes And Alcohol

+25 Ram Jam – Black Betty +24 Madness – One Step Beyond +23 Dolly Parton – Jolene +22 Green Day – Basket Case +21 Yello – The Race +20 Roy Orbison – I Drove All Night +19 R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts +18 Sugababes – Stronger / Angels With Dirty Faces +17 t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us +16 The Ones – Flawless +15 MIKA – Happy Ending +14 Blancmange – Living On The Ceiling +13 Pulp – Disco 2000 +12 Crowded House – Weather With You +11 Kelly Clarkson – Because Of You +10 Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Mixed Up World +9 Madonna – Rain +8 The Doors – Light My Fire +7 Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better +6 LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live +5 Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman +4 Britney Spears – Stronger +3 Amy Winehouse – Rehab +2 The Supremes – Stop! In The Name Of Love +1 Robert Miles – Fable

+25 Queen – Another One Bites The Dust +24 Cyndi Lauper – I Drove All Night +23 Al Green – Let’s Stay Together +22 Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music +21 The Beach Boys – I Get Around +20 Kirsty MacColl – A New England +19 The Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow +18 Shakespears Sister – I Don't Care +17 Enya – Anywhere Is +16 The Verve – Lucky Man +15 Love Inc. – You’re A Superstar +14 Jade - Angel Of My Dreams +13 Chic - Le Freak +12 Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop - Lose Control +11 Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton – Islands In The Stream +10 Swedish House Mafia featuring Pharrell – One (Your Name) +9 Rik Mayall - Noble England +8 Avril Lavigne - I'm With You +7 Daft Punk - Da Funk / Musique +6 Martin Garrix and Jay Hardway – Wizard +5 ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me +4 Soul Asylum - Runaway Train +3 Radiohead - Creep +2 Dr. Dre featuring Eminem – Forgot About Dre +1 Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart

+30 Queen – Another One Bites The Dust +29 Cyndi Lauper – I Drove All Night +28 Al Green – Let’s Stay Together +27 Ram Jam – Black Betty +26 Madness – One Step Beyond +25 Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music +24 The Beach Boys – I Get Around +23 Kirsty MacColl – A New England +22 Dolly Parton – Jolene +21 The Carpenters – Only Yesterday +20 Faithless – Mass Destruction +19 Green Day – Basket Case +18 The Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow +17 Queen – One Vision +16 Yello – The Race +15 Shakespears Sister – I Don't Care +14 Roy Orbison – I Drove All Night +13 Tina Turner – I Don't Wanna Fight +12 Enya – Anywhere Is +11 North & South – I'm a Man Not a Boy +10 R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts +9 Sugababes – Stronger / Angels with Dirty Faces +8 t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us +7 The Ones – Flawless +6 Joe feat. Mystikal – Stutter +5 Republica – Drop Dead Gorgeous +4 Lolly – Viva La Radio +3 The Verve – Lucky Man +2 Wet Wet Wet – Don't Want to Forgive Me Now +1 Whistle – (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’

I'll go for Lena Fiagbe's 'You Come From Earth'. Despite being playlisted on Radio One and a high billing on Now 25 (suggesting at least a spot in the Top 20), the song stalled at #69.

+50 Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – Still D.R.E. +49 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song +48 Guns n' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine +47 They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in Your Soul +46 Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills +45 Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time +44 The Cure - Friday I'm In Love +43 Felix – Don’t You Want Me +42 Dua Lipa - Break My Heart +41 Sugababes – Overload +40 Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence +39 Chicane feat. Maire Brennan – Saltwater +38 Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road +37 ABBA - SOS +36 John Farnham - You're The Voice +35 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky +34 Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten +33 Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory +32 Emma Bunton - Maybe +31 Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance +30 Roxette - Listen To Your Heart / Dangerous +29 Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories - Stay (I Missed You) +28 Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank +27 Alphabeat - Fascination +26 Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life +25 Anastacia - I'm Outta Love +24 Metallica - Nothing Else Matters +23 Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha +22 Prince and The Revolution - Kiss +21 Robin S. – Show Me Love +20 Madonna - The Power Of Goodbye / Little Star +19 The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition +18 U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For +17 Duran Duran – Ordinary World +16 Kaiser Chiefs – Oh My God +15 Prince and The Revolution – Purple Rain +14 Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight +13 Madonna - Deeper And Deeper +12 Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles +11 Grace - Not Over Yet +10 Little Boots - Remedy +9 Tove Lo featuring Hippie Sabotage - Stay High +8 Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor +7 Pink – Don't Let Me Get Me +6 Rihanna - Where Have You Been +5 Laura Branigan - Gloria +4 R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People +3 Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars +2 Macy Gray - I Try +1 Sia – Chandelier

+25 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song +24 Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine +23 Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills +22 The RAH Band - Clouds Across The Moon +21 Felix - Don't You Want Me +20 Sugababes - Overload +19 Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road +18 Abba - SOS +17 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky +16 Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten +15 Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory +14 Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance +13 Roxette - Listen To Your Heart / Dangerous +12 Kendrick Lamar - Humble +11 Safri Duo - Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song) +10 The Knack - My Sharona +9 TLC - Unpretty +8 Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories - Stay (I Missed You) +7 Wilson Phillips - Hold On +6 Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank +5 Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere +4 Sade - Your Love Is King +3 Kyu Sakamoto - Sukiyaki +2 Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha +1 Tina Arena - Chains

+25 Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This +24 Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – Still D.R.E. +23 The Pointer Sisters - Jump (For My Love) +22 They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul +21 Kylie Minogue - What Do I Have to Do? +20 Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone +19 Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time +18 The Cure - Friday I'm In Love +17 Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough +16 Dua Lipa - Break My Heart +15 Doves - Black And White Town +14 George Michael - Praying For Time +13 Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood +12 Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence +11 Chicane featuring Máire Brennan - Saltwater +10 Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack +9 John Farnham - You're The Voice +8 Emma Bunton - Maybe +7 Gorillaz - 19-2000 +6 Alphabeat - Fascination +5 Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life +4 Carole King - It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move +3 Fergie featuring Ludacris - Glamorous +2 Anastacia - I'm Outta Love +1 Metallica - Nothing Else Matters

Well, after narrowing it down to a shortlist of 79 (!) records, here's my selection: +30 Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This +29 Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – Still D.R.E. +28 JX – Son of a Gun +27 Kim Wilde and Junior - Another Step (Closer To You) +26 The Pointer Sisters - Jump (For My Love) +25 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song +24 Guns n' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine +23 They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in Your Soul +22 Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills +21 Kylie Minogue – What Do I Have to Do? +20 Marillion – Incommunicado +19 Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone +18 Electric Light Orchestra - Wild West Hero +17 The RAH Band - Clouds Across The Moon +16 Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time +15 The Cure – Friday I'm In Love +14 Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven +13 Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough +12 Felix – Don't You Want Me +11 Dua Lipa - Break My Heart +10 Doves – Black and White Town +9 Sugababes – Overload +8 George Michael – Praying for Time +7 Tom Robinson - War Baby +6 Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood +5 Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence +4 Celine Dion – All by Myself +3 Chicane feat. Maire Brennan – Saltwater +2 Lily Allen – LDN +1 Doctor Spin – Tetris

Hope Green Day win it but will be happy with either of the two doing so. All four songs in the line up are amazing in their own ways.

4 of my top 10 still in tact and my lowest ranked song that's left still got a respectable 34 points so can't complain with how it's turned out.

14 to go and 5 of my top 10 are still in the running with only one song (albeit my least favourite) of my bottom 10 remaining. Favourite of these was 'Blind Faith' which was my final cut from the initial list.

Ouch! Two of my top 10 including my favourite gone today (Not Fair and Naïve) but still 6 candidates in the top 10 left in tact which is double that of my bottom 10. Amazing how close it has all been so far. Also 'Strong Enough' shocked me finishing last.

+50 Lily Allen – Not Fair +49 Green Day – Boulevard Of Broken Dreams +48 Cher – Strong Enough +47 En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (Love) +46 Pink – Who Knew +45 Kylie Minogue – Wow +44 Dua Lipa – Levitating +43 The Kooks – Naïve +42 Snow Patrol – Run +41 The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You +40 Chase and Status featuring Liam Bailey – Blind Faith +39 The Prodigy – Out Of Space +38 Warren G & Nate Dogg – Regulate +37 Girls Aloud – Sexy! No No No… +36 Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending +35 Aaliyah – Try Again +34 Daft Punk – Around The World +33 Nelly Furtado – I’m Like A Bird +32 Metallica – Enter Sandman +31 Texas – Summer Son +30 Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out) +29 Moby – Porcelain +28 Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky +27 Tina Turner – The Best +26 Whitney Houston – How Will I Know +25 Tears For Fears – Sowing The Seeds Of Love +24 Katy B – Katy On A Mission +23 Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf +22 Panjabi MC - Mundian To Bach Ke +21 Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone +20 Kelis – Acapella +19 Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent +18 Fleetwood Mac – Little Lies +17 Nirvana – Heart-Shaped Box +16 Britney Spears – (You Drive Me) Crazy +15 David Gray – Babylon +14 Katy B – Crying For No Reason +13 Laura Branigan – Self Control +12 Madonna – You’ll See +11 Kate Bush – Babooshka +10 The Monkees – Daydream Believer +9 Will Young – Jealousy +8 Blondie – Rapture +7 Blur – The Universal +6 Blur – Girls & Boys +5 Jennifer Lopez – Waiting For Tonight +4 September – Cry For You +3 The Saturdays – Up +2 The Bucketheads – The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) +1 New Radicals – You Get What You Give

Shame 'Joan Of Arc' has gone so early. Probably my second favourite OMD record behind 'Walking On The Milky Way'. Somewhat annoying that the other 'Joan Of Arc' record overshadowed this (the lack of a music video probably didn't help) but there you go.

+25 Lily Allen – Not Fair +24 Green Day – Boulevard Of Broken Dreams +23 En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (Love) +22 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Joan Of Arc +21 Madness – Our House +20 Bruno Mars – 24K Magic +19 Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy +18 Kylie Minogue – Wow +17 Dua Lipa – Levitating +16 The Kooks – Naïve +15 Snow Patrol – Run +14 The Prodigy – Out Of Space +13 Warren G & Nate Dogg – Regulate +12 The KLF – What Time Is Love? +11 Madonna – Dear Jessie +10 Texas – Summer Son +9 Blondie – Hanging On The Telephone +8 Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out) +7 Moby – Porcelain +6 Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky +5 Ace Of Base – Life Is A Flower +4 Beastie Boys – Intergalactic +3 Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman – I Like To Move It +2 The Cure – Lullaby +1 Tina Turner – The Best

+25 Cher - Strong Enough +24 Pink - Who Knew +23 Madonna - Dress You Up +22 Feeder - Buck Rogers +21 Shania Twain - Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You) +20 The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You +19 Ms. Dynamite - Dy-Na-Mi-Tee +18 Chase and Status featuring Liam Bailey - Blind Faith +17 Girls Aloud - Sexy! No No No... +16 Annie Lennox - Why +15 Dario G - Carnaval De Paris +14 Avril Lavigne - My Happy Ending +13 Aaliyah - Try Again +12 Daft Punk - Around The World +11 Nelly Furtado - I'm Like A Bird +10 Blur - On Your Own +9 The Patti Smith Group - Because The Night +8 Metallica - Enter Sandman +7 Whitney Houston - How Will I Know +6 Tears For Fears - Sowing The Seeds Of Love +5 Katy B - Katy On A Mission +4 Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf +3 Texas - Black Eyed Boy +2 Måneskin - I Wanna Be Your Slave +1 Planet Funk - Chase The Sun

+30 Lily Allen - Not Fair +29 Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams +28 Cher - Strong Enough +27 En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love) +26 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Joan Of Arc +25 Madness - Our House +24 Pink - Who Knew +23 Sky - Toccata +22 Public Domain - Operation Blade (Bass In The Place) +21 Sybil - When I'm Good And Ready +20 Bruno Mars - 24K Magic +19 The Woolpackers - Hillbilly Rock Hillbilly Roll (I may be the only person to give this one any points but screw it, I love it!) +18 Gary Moore & Phil Lynott - Out In The Fields +17 Madonna - Dress You Up +16 Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy +15 Vengaboys - Shalala Lala +14 Feeder - Buck Rogers +13 Kylie Minogue - Wow +12 Dua Lipa - Levitating +11 Wet Wet Wet - Sweet Little Mystery +10 The Hoosiers – Worried About Ray +9 The Kooks – Naïve +8 Snow Patrol – Run +7 Shania Twain – Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You) +6 The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You +5 Turin Brakes - Pain Killer +4 David Jordan - Sun Goes Down +3 Ms. Dynamite – Dy-na-mi-tee +2 Katie Melua – Nine Million Bicycles +1 Michael Bublé – Haven't Met You Yet

Well, can't be too disappointed with my 39 pointer gaining top. What an abomination! Helps keep perspective regarding the idea of the British having witty dry humour yet having many "novelty" records display anything but! Sausage Rolls For Everyone I gave 36 to and LHLFL got 38 so am happy 3 of my bottom 5 took home the medals alongside seeing my most embarrassing guilty pleasure of a song (Save Your Love) failing to break the Top 30 so that's another plus(?) Many thanks to Julian and Ed for organising and offering their insight throughout. Really enjoyed seeing everyone else's opinions as well.

Being 28 and male, I obviously wasn't alive when this song (Grandma) was released and am not the target demographic for this song. I also was not aware of the initial context behind the song as a tribute to the (then) Queen Mother and, on a surface level, it's a primary school choir singing a saccharine but earnest song in honour of an often overlooked family member. Having said all that, this song topped my personal opinion of worst UK number one with only one other record in the list that has yet to appear coming close to incurring my anger. I loathe this song with a passion. I want to make it clear, the choir themselves deserve no scorn (their children, I'm not a heartless monster. Blame is directed at all other parties involved.) so the worst I'll say here is I wish they'd found a lead vocal that wasn't quite so nails-on-a-chalkboard grating. The main issue I take is how grandma is portrayed with so little personality to speak of beyond a basic crib note description that the record may as well be about a vacuum cleaner and nothing would need to be changed. I get the need to generalise but there should at least be something that makes her stand out from other family members and not a mere stereotype who visits occasionally and exists with perfunctory purpose. I am fortunate enough to still have a grandma alive but hope she would have given me a clip round the ear had I been alive then and by giving this made her feel like I valued her as little more than an object. The production is hideous; so maudlin and trite, as if every flourish and note are being used to tug at the heartstrings. My head canon is advertisers to this day use this song as inspiration to create similar dirges that convince overly sentimental saps to purchase their produce, especially around Christmas to match when this song topped the charts. Speaking of Christmas, I feel sorry for grandmothers that received this as a present ahead of one they may actually have liked. It is my least favourite Number One as there is nothing to be gained from listening to it. Every other record has something that justifies its existence, even if I may not appreciate them. There are no salvageable qualities, it is offensively twee and, even with other appallingly bad records that have topped the charts, sticks out as an affront to good taste. I will wrap and conclude with the only "positive"; it could have been much worse (*cough* My Mummy Is One In A Million *cough*)