Jaz13music

Prince - When Doves Cry Echo And The Bunnymen - Seven Seas George Michael - Careless Whisper The Smiths - William, It Was Really Nothing Malcolm McLaren - Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo)

I’m afraid I’m going to be away for the 9th and 16th of August sessions too, so I guess I’ll be joining you all again in ‘85? Anyway just to say thanks for all your hard work in running this and the listen throughs. I’ve been really enjoying it since I got involved, with some lovely nostalgia and some new discoveries thrown in there too!

I agree I’d have How We Do as the middle of the three Rita Ora number ones in 2012, not unpleasant but not memorable either, though having her first 3 singles reaching number one is certainly good going. As you say, some of her later singles were better (I always maintain that Anywhere would have made a great Christmas number one). I find Little Things a bit boring I’m afraid, I much prefer 1Ds uptempo songs. I listened to it earlier today and still can’t recall how it goes now. Hope you have a great time at your festival @RabbitFurCoat, which one are you going to?

Slightly less to love here, topped by ‘Dancing…’ which is fantastic, definitely one of Ultravox’s best. Love Wars is lovely soulful music Break Machine with another rap song ahead of its time, if not quite as good as Street Dance. I have a soft spot for Let’s Hear It For the Boy’s upbeat pop.

I really can’t find anything much to like in Let Me Love You, it just seems to blend in with loads of songs from that era. I guess your ranking of it will be about the same as mine in the end.

My brother has gone into Nottingham to get a copy for me. Thanks so much @dandy*!

Domino is nice enough and uplifting, if a little overplayed at the time

Brilliant, thanks! I’ll give them a call

Incredible that Rein Me In will already be the birthday number one of 2026 for a third of us all, and there’s more to come! At this rate it could even be a half before it’s finished, there’s no end in sight yet!?

I couldn’t really remember Young, but on listening again it’s actually okay. A bit ‘of it’s time’ and doesn’t stand out much, but it’s energetic and I quite like Tulisa’s vocals

Hard to argue with One Love’s great message. Pearly Dewdrop’s Drop might be my favourite of these, gorgeous! The Reflex is one of the best DD songs, especially the intro I absolutely love, maybe the rest of the song doesn’t live up to it but it has a chaotic charm Footloose has lots of energy. Thieves Like Us is excellent, like pretty much every early New Order single I have a real soft spot for Automatic’s exuberant pop. Hand In Glove is good but not quite as good as the Smith’s original debut single. And ‘Weird Al’ is a genius in my eyes!

R.I.P. isn’t great, another pop-rap combination that was certainly wearing thin by this stage. Not memorable at all, after listening through this morning, I’ve forgotten it again!

Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes Grandmaster And Melle Mel - White Lines (Don't Do It) Lloyd Cole And The Commotions - Perfect Skin

This Is Love is a bit EDM by numbers really, nothing memorable except for the annoying shout outs.

I realise it might be a bit too short notice for today Jim, but sad to see the news that Jennifer Finch bassist/vocalist from the band Los Angeles band L7 has died aged 59. 😢

Some superb stuff here, topped off by The Caterpillar, an absolutely unique song. One of my favourites from the Cure and that’s definitely saying something. I Want To Break Free, one of later day Queen’s best. Dr Mabuse is fantastically dark, they have another later single (next year I think) which is one of my absolute favourites of the 80s. They were very underrated. Against All Odds is beautiful/emotional. The Psychedelic Furs were an excellent band, another that were under appreciated, Heaven is lovely. Just Be Good To Me is great but I agree the later version is just fantastic. NIk Kershaw and OMD both continue their incredibly consistent output, if not their absolute best

Of course Toxic is undeniable, hard to argue with that outcome really. Thanks again for your great work Jade, I really enjoyed following along!

I’m not really a fan of Maroon 5 anyway but Payphone is particularly bad, obviously successful off the back of their biggest hit. Very forgettable

Impossible is okay. One of the better winner’s songs I suppose, but the bar is admittedly very low

What You Waiting For? is another excellent song. A worthy top 4!

Biology is still an extraordinary song isn’t it!

Brown is a despicable character and Turn Up The Music does nothing to redeem him. A very poor song.

The song of the decade, utterly brilliant!

Yeah 1 Thing is certainly my favourite, brilliantly percussion driven and ahead of its time, it’s absolutely fantastic! Really enjoying your thread and commentary too Jade, great work!