jimwatts

Thanks all for responding - apologies Bré/Chez/Jade but the skips have it this time. We'll resume with the next session on Sunday 31 May at 16:00. I'll keep the poll open until then - the tiebreak is currently tied!

Didn't think I'd be double posting, but I have now voted!

I really wouldn't put much stock in these predictions - like the listenthroughs themselves, those who make them aren't really representative of the voter base as a whole, so there's a lot of guesswork involved. I've had 4 actual DNQs that had 100% Q predictions, so didn't even have the opportunity for people to jump to their defence on being predicted to DNQ in these threads.

@danG @Jade @King Rollo @Suedehead2 and anyone else, please confirm if you can attend on Sunday?

Fair placings for the last three. 'California Gurls' is pretty tacky in comparison to Katy's later singles from Teenage Dream, although I'm not that keen on the title track either and it's one where I find her singing voice alternates between a bit whiny and a bit shouty, however the four singles which followed I'm on board with as a good run. 'Dirtee Disco' felt like Dizzee on autopilot, but I remember the sample and "disco, disco, disco, disco!" lyric, and might agree it's preferable to 'Holiday' (aside from Calvin's switch-up in the final minute of that). Can't say any of B.o.B's rap on 'Nothin' On You' sticks in the mind aside from his interjections on the chorus, though Bruno's turn on it is very pleasant and along with 'Billionaire' seems like it was tailor made to set up his Doo-Wops & Hooligans era.

Oh that's my top 3 out now - I gave it 9.5 but kinda wish it'd been 10 so it wouldn't have lost its tiebreak. After the R&B of her first album and 'Get The Party Started', this felt like P!nk's first single where she put her own stamp on the song and lyrics. Had to chuckle at the scenario of this being compared to a Britney Spears song in this very rate too!

It's been a while since I've had to do this for the Reshuffle, but for any songs I haven't heard and know I won't like, I give them a quick listen on the Thursday so at least their streams won't be counted. Needless to add, Drake will be taking my -3, -4 & -5. This also reminds me, are we expecting a shortened chart show, or no show at all and just a rundown tomorrow?

I've often thought about this, but there isn't really an outlet for semi final commiserations. Unless people mention them after they've DNQed, or possibly after the final which I've never seen anyone do. The semi final voting process is generally nondescript compared to the final.

Next BJSC should be songs everyone owns in physical form tbh

It's hard to be the favourite among such a strong bunch of songs, but that doesn't mean it isn't popular! The bigger surprise to me is that 'Go' has so few votes, but then I counted it in the top half for 10 people in this thread (including myself) who put something else top - for me it was really close behind 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' and it's certainly the one I've been more keen to listen to in the last 10 years.

The recent weeks at #1 alone don't tell much of a story. 'Messy' and 'Pink Pony Club' were 2 of the 3 biggest songs in the UK last year, and the list doesn't include #2s, but 'Good Luck, Babe!' and 'BIRDS OF A FEATHER' were both in the top 10 of 2024 and top 15 of 2025.

'Better The Devil You Know' is an odd inclusion due to being so much older than everything else, but it's fine, I just don't feel it stands out as much sonically from SAW's previous productions for Kylie as its legendary status suggests it should.

We had pencilled in this Sunday for the next session, however: It's a Bank Holiday weekend so people might have other plans The temperature will be 30C in London and other areas It's the final day of the Premier League season We're running slightly behind with reviews I'm happy to keep the session in as planned, but only if we have guaranteed sufficient numbers. Please respond: ❤️ if you can definitely attend this Sunday (24th) 🙏 if you'd rather we skip a week If I get at least five ❤️ reactions by Friday I'll go ahead on Sunday as planned, otherwise I'll skip and resume next Sunday (31st).

'Temptation' is a classic - Heaven 17 were formed from two of the original Human League members, and they wouldn't top this. Speaking of which, I feel like '(Keep Feeling) Fascination' is where The Human League started to drop off a bit post-Dare. 'Buffalo Soldier' is my favourite of the next batch, like most of the tracks from Legend it feels woven into the fabric of "sunny" reggae music, but beyond that it has a story to tell. I have a few favourites in the next batch, but 'Nobody's Diary' tops them, a really soulful vocal backed up by the yearning synth lines. 'Shipbuilding' is a stunning 1982 take on both going to war and a local economy in a fractious state at the same time. 'Every Breath You Take' is a classic, even if it's not only still in heavy rotation but an uncomfortable subject matter that makes it difficult to absolutely love. Of the most recent batch, 'Flashdance...' is easily my favourite, it's just so resplendent and joyful.

That's the order of the Drake songs decided once #2 & #3 swap. Soon to have 50 Top 10 hits, anyone want to make a poll?

Both are good songs but 'Misfit' deserves its flowers here.

Not sure when (or if?) a song has entered at #1 before, but Olivia Rodrigo was within 10 points of doing so! It's her 9th top 10 hit in any case, with those being her only top 40s to date. Taylor Swift also achieves an umpteenth new top 10 hit! Olivia Rodrigo: 2021 01 drivers license 2021 03 deja vu 2021 02 good 4 u 2021 41 brutal 2021 59 traitor 2023 01 vampire 2023 01 bad idea right? 2023 06 get him back! 2023 43 all-american bitch 2023 50 love is embarrassing 2023 53 ballad of a homeschooled girl 2023 56 pretty isn't pretty 2023 71 logical 2023 05 Can't Catch Me Now 2024 48 so american 2024 06 obsessed 2026 02 drop dead

I'd started to think I might get through this rate without any bottom 2 appearances, but forgot this was still to come. I could say the backing vocals were apt ("Waste of time!") but that's a bit harsh - maybe this was a case of too much, too early for Jojo?

Voted Mystery Jets, a few of the others were OK but didn't grab me as much as I hoped.

Switching to A1 - we didn't need another Westlife in 2000. Fortunately their material improved (a bit) as they went on.

Drake's top tracks are now: #2 Janice STFU #4 National Treasures #7 Ran To Atlanta #10 Whisper My Name 'Make Them Cry' is now his 7th highest at #16. Such was its early lead that it should still be in his top 3 for the week come Friday, but will be gone next week. Assuming 'Janice STFU' replaces 'Whisper My Name' as one of the 3 charting songs, the expected 3 are now in the opposite order on Spotify to yesterday's mids, and could be in any order at the end of the week. (All of which I'm finding of more interest than actually listening to the songs )

That's a lot more 10s than I remembered seeing for 'Crazy In Love', so my fears of it missing the top 10 didn't come to pass. I've said before that songs become overplayed for a reason, and I might agree that in the past it has been a little overrated in some quarters (Buzzjack not so much), but it's still by some distance the best song here for me, as well as Beyoncé's best song (much better than 'Halo' which has more Spotify streams worldwide). How well it fits into this particular compilation is another matter, but it's one of the songs that shifted the boundaries of pop, so it's valid to be considered part of such a genre.

It's a shame, albeit expected by now, that LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER didn't even make the midweek top 100. Not sure if this has happened for any UK entry since the OCC started publishing a midweek top 100 in late 2014 - even Michael Rice in 2019 made #100 in the Monday mids.

Ironically one of the records it might have broken is most separate runs at #1 within a single chart run, had Drake replaced it for a week and it returned the week after - doesn't look like that'll happen now!

'Billie Jean' still at #3 (it overtook 'Man I Need' for one day only) but within 15k of #1. Drake's top tracks are now: #4 National Treasures #6 Janice STFU #13 Whisper My Name #14 Make Them Cry I think the first two plus 'Make Them Cry' (because of its first day lead) will be his 3 charting songs - 'Dust' was #4 in First Look and #2 on its first day on Spotify but has dropped to #25 (and his 8th highest) now.