Jade

So pleased about this strong start for Land of DW so far ❤️ Thanks Wardy, I still need to tick off 33rd, 38th and 39th in the top 40 so here's hoping for one of those if I'm not budging from this zone...

Finally someone who loved my entry enough for double figure points! Thank you Chez ❤️

Great to be included in the host votes so thanks Iz! Not had any double figure points so far but here's hoping some big fans are out there at some point. Aeroche 39th at the moment is wild

Off the top of my head, I gave both Nora En Pure - 'Wetlands' and Keys N Krates - 'Double Dutch' an 18 as well but they must've been at least 5 years ago so it's still been a while *.* this was right up my street with the dark guitar lines and Spanish vocals 🖤 --- Thank James for the points, you can stay <3 justice for Thunder Bae! Edit: thanks Sabrewulf too

pavi briefly rescuing me from that drought <3 thank youuuuu!! 🤩

Thanks Julian for quickly getting me off 0 ❤️

Glad 'Love Me Land' wasn't quite Zara's 'Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)' moment this series then, underrated song from her x Tove's song wasn't bad but didn't really stand out in the field at all. Shame she didn't get to send 'No One Dies From Love' amongst others, although maybe could come back.

The combined '80s synth excellence of that post 🖤

This month is definitely a no expectations one, just happy to be here! intrigued to see if Popsephonia have pulled off a win

Thankfully no Gary Oldman confusion though despite being the designated "old man" of the series x

Here's how Nadia Oh can still win

1990s #06 White Town - 'Your Woman' (1996) #05 Massive Attack - 'Unfinished Sympathy' (1991) Turns out 'Sexy Boy' isn't the only gender bending song to make my top 10! 'Your Woman' originally existed on a 1996 EP called Abort, Retry, Fail?_, a title inspired by Jyoti Mishra's (the sole member of White Town) computer issues while working on the project. The EP was sent to various U.K. DJs and soon picked up by Radio 1's Mark Radcliffe, on his late night show. However, the song did not catch the attention of major labels until Radcliffe once again played it while standing in on Radio 1's Breakfast show, a timeslot that garners a much wider audience. This airplay lead to a re-release of 'Your Woman' in January 1997 by Chrysalis, Brilliant! and EMI Records. This song feels so layered from every angle. Firstly, it's difficult to box into any single genre, as it's arguably alt-pop or indietronica but has clear influences of funk and hip-hop too. The track's catchy instrumental hook is built around a trumpet sample taken from the 1932 song 'My Woman', performed by Lew Stone but written by Bing Crosby. White Town's Jyoti Mishra had discovered it on the soundtrack for Dennis Potter's 1981 film Pennies from Heaven. The music video similarly has a retro feel with its silent film style direction. That sample is fantastic but I also enjoy the atmosphere created by the beats and guitar licks throughout. 'Your Woman' has quite a lo-fi feel as it was produced on an Atari ST computer in Mishra's bedroom. Mishra delivers the fluid lyrics in quite a soft, charming way. He interestingly subverts gender expectations with the chorus line "I could never be your woman". His own personal, dead on arrival crush was towards a lesbian when he was younger, so it can be interpreted that way. But it's vague enough to be shaped in other forms, like a gay man crushing on a straight man, or a man singing from the perspective of a female Marxist character ("so much for your highbrow Marxist ways"). It is a captivating tale of lust and hypocrisy from whatever angle. The song has catchy components, but is also pretty eerie and unusual, so it is perhaps one of the most left-field U.K. chart-toppers of the 1990s, if not all-time. It spent one week at the top and experienced a satisfying 1-2-3 descent during its first few weeks of charting. 'Your Woman' has since been covered by artists such as Tyler James and Princess Chelsea, while the idea to sample 'My Woman' has also been recycled, most notably in Dua Lipa's 'Love Again' from her huge Future Nostalgia era. ... 'Unfinished Sympathy' was released as the second single from Massive Attack's debut album Blue Lines, albeit at a time when they were instead billed as Massive, to avoid a radio blacklist during the Gulf War. My mum once told me she used to own this album on cassette so her often good taste was on full display there! That was long thrown out so my introduction to Massive Attack was actually through school instead. I vividly recall watching the music video for 'Teadrop' in a Humanities lesson on abortion. I also discovered 'Paradise Circus' in the same environment as it soundtracked a video we watched about Chernobyl in a science lesson! I long considered 'Teardrop' my favourite Massive Attack song and still think it's excellent, but 'Unfinished Sympathy' has usurped it over time. The featured vocalist Shara Nelson had been working on a song called 'Kiss and Tell'. Massive Attack's members overheard Nelson singing the melody to herself while they were working on Blue Lines in Bristol's Coach House studio. They and producer Jonny Dollar saw potential and encouraged her to develop it. So they all came together in a jam session and this song turned into 'Unfinished Sympathy'. This title, a pun based on Schubert's 'Unfinished Symphony', was originally suggested as a joke but stuck, as they felt it suited the song perfectly. Massive Attack, much like White Town, also borrowed from elsewhere to create this masterpiece. There is a percussion break sample taken from JJ Johnson's 1974 song 'Parade Strut'. Elsewhere, some vocal parts, including the effective, pleading "hey, hey, hey, heeeeey", are taken from another seventies song - this time 'Planetary Citizen' by Mahavishnu Orchestra. The swelling, live string arrangement (which the group had not budgeted for, so sold their car to pay for it) is my favourite element of the production. But, as a huge fan of trip-hop music, there's a lot to love in the instrumental - from the beats to the piano stabs - and this song was a landmark moment for the genre. That chilled yet intense soundscape is wonderful on its own but is taken to another level with the deeply emotive vocals of Shara Nelson. She soulfully yearns for someone who has hurt her in return. I particularly love the evocative "like a soul without a mind..." third verse which highlights the dangers of falling so hard for someone, to the point of losing yourself. She's an absolute star and also the face of the iconic music video which was shot in one continuous take. Much like 'Sexy Boy', 'Unfinished Sympathy' is another '90s electronic favourite that peaked at #13 in the U.K., the first of six top 20 hits for Massive (Attack).

I assume Bladee and Dead Or Alive will be out as I didn't see them getting much love but can't call the female category!

Oops missed a couple of rounds but 'Be Cool' for me at this point too

I initially dismissed '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' but it's grown on me over the years. I actually prefer it to all of the songs it blocked from the top now! It doesn't really seem like something I would enjoy on paper but I agree the instrumental really lifts it. Perhaps it helps that I wasn't around to experience that colossal run in real time too. 'Sadeness Part I' is a gorgeous start to the top 5 and a definite contender for my own #1 this year the Iron Maiden -> Engima transition at the top may have been the sonic whiplash I was referring to earlier what a unique #1 with its new age sound. 'Crazy' is an amazing #2 as well.

I remember being shocked to find out that 'Rivers of Babylon' had been so big at the time when I first got into best sellers lists, as it didn't feel that familiar to me from a 21st century POV. But fair play to them! My favourite from Boney M is probably 'Ma Baker' now I am more well acquainted with their catalogue. Love 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'You're The One That I Want' even if I agree with others that I'm not in a rush to seek out the former, since it's so ubiquitous. Thanks for doing this, Gezza! Always love these threads but the 1970s was particularly refreshing.

Round 1: 39 Round 2: 27 (didn't get: Steely Dan, The Rubettes) 3-in-10: 3 (The Best, What's Love Got to Do With It, Steamy Windows)

+05 Olivia Rodrigo - the cure +04 Dua Lipa - Training Season +03 Sam Fender & Olivia Dean - Rein Me In +02 Olivia Dean - Man I Need +01 Ashe - Stop The Wedding! -01 Sienna Spiro - Great Expectation -02 Ella Langley - Choosin’ Texas -03 Sienna Spiro - Die On This Hill -04 Stella Lefty - Boston -05 HUGEL, Imael Angel & Ultra Naté - Movin’ To The Sun

I co-hosted BJSC 89 with Brer and made recap videos so remember 'With You' pretty well and was shocked it performed so poorly, justice for that! Speaking of shocks, I totted up the results for the final and 'Relax' was such an unexpected winner, nobody had called it. Perhaps it flew under the radar a bit as it was an AQ. So that was exciting to be able to reveal! 'Vlasy' was an amazing 18 pick and got high points from me too ❤️ I was reminded it of quite recently, when thinking of Slovak artists in general, now ADÉLA has achieved a mainstream break through.

I love the original 'Somewhere Only We Know' but haven't warmed to the Lily version despite being a fan of her in general. I did appreciate the advert though. 'Wrecking Ball' was the highlight of Miley's Bangerz era for me too, a mature and vulnerable follow-up. The music video was such a talking point at the time and much parodied! I re-listened to Macklemore's top 40 hits (and 'HIND'S HALL') the other day (a topical time for him to come up here indeed!) and decided my favourite is still 'Downtown'. But 'Thrift Shop' is fun - firstly, that is a errrr rather bold opening line!! like you say, he blends comedy well with a subject that wasn't really trendy at the time, but I felt seen as a charity shop enthusiast Shame Charli's True Romance era didn't produce any top 40 hits (love that gothic sound) but 'I Love It' was pretty storming. I remember several fake versions of it charting in the top 100 - just double checked and there was: Loreen Harris, Venus Palermo, Remix Junkies, Remix Chix and New Music Masters cashing in on it so an anticipated release for sure.

+30 The xx – On Hold +29 Paradis - Toi Et Moi +28 Charli xcx - Vroom Vroom +27 Blossoms - Charlemagne +26 The 1975 - Somebody Else +25 Röyksopp - Never Ever (feat. Susanne Sundfør) +24 Christine And The Queens - Saint Claude +23 Dua Lipa - Hotter Than Hell +22 The Weeknd - Starboy (feat. Daft Punk) +21 Ariana Grande - Touch It +20 Christine And The Queens - Tilted / Christine +19 Jorja Smith - Blue Lights +18 Tove Lo - True Disaster +17 The Weeknd - I Feel It Coming (feat. Daft Punk) +16 Imany - Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix) +15 Ariana Grande - Into You +14 Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out +13 The Chainsmokers - Roses (feat. ROZES) +12 Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman +11 Bon Iver - 8 Circle +10 Beyoncé - Formation +09 Childish Gambino - Redbone +08 Danny L Harle - Super Natural (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen) +07 Twenty One Pilots - Heathens +06 Anna Meredith - Nautilus +05 Ariana Grande - Greedy +04 Rihanna - Kiss It Better +03 Bruno Mars - 24k Magic +02 Clean Bandit - Tears (feat. Louisa Johnson) +01 Rae Sremmurd - Black Beatles (feat. Gucci Mane)

❤️ I remembered you were a fan of 'Viva Forever' too but wasn't sure about your opinion on 'Live Forever', so hooray for both going down well. Happy to hear that 'Live Forever' clicked for you with the TOTP repeats! I've consistently watched them weekly since the start of the 1990s re-runs (catching the odd older episode now and again too) and loved watching Oasis' career play out during the decade, amongst other acts. 'Spice Up Your Life' is my second favourite of their singles so I agree they had some strong upbeat moments too! That is so sweet regarding your daughter! I've really grown to appreciate '2 Become 1' more over the years, definitely my favourite of their Christmas #1s. Thank you for sharing those anecdotes, how amazing to have witnessed the first live outing of 'Common People' and the debut of 'Don't Look Back In Anger' as well, two classics 😍 I don't have such a special connection to 'Some Might Say' but do love it nevertheless, a fab one to become their first #1. I gave 10,000 Hz Legend a fresh listen yesterday and do admire it, but will have to stick with the more predictable opinion of preferring Moon Safari. can definitely see why that album would be up your street with the prog influences. Hooray for a snap Spice favourite and couldn't agree more that 'Born Slippy' is one to turn up loud! --- Thanks all for the comments! 1990s #6 and #5 coming tonight ❤️

Hi Sergej! Yay, Slayyyter is the gift that keeps on giving this year. thank you for commenting <3 Hi James, I'm doing well thank you, hope you're good! Yeah nice and stable for Fontaines so far <3 the impending ROSALÍA collab has multi-week #1 written all over it for me if it lives up to those names I'm still not even slightly bored of 'Brand new chanel$' yet 🥰 and similarly 'crank 2' hit me from that second listen onwards too, now I know what to expect! thank you for commenting <3 Hi DaTilt Yay, couldn't agree more - it was love at first listen <3 that Hemlocke song was on my Release Radar and was sounding great too! thank you for commenting <3 Hi Piran Indeed a pretty busy week! I wasn't sure what to think of 'crank 2' at first, as I was expecting more of a flip on the original, but it soon clicked. Yay <3 here's hoping Chappell gives us something new in the not too distant future! thank you for commenting <3

Hi Piran, hope you're good Love how 'the cure' has had similarly long runs for us! I'm pretty sure that is my favourite top 40 hit of the year.

Hi DaTilt, hope you're good Loving that high new entry for Sophia Stel this week! The Thunder Bae song is great too so it's a shame she didn't qualify in BJSC.