Paul JH

None of those girl group songs would ever make it in the US. Pop music hasn't been featured on US radio since maybe 1973. Duffy's album sold fairly well, but she didn't have any big hits: again she was too pop. Adele did better because she won the grammy for best new artist and she comes across as an acoustic singer-songwriter. I can't see Tinchy Stryder being popular at all; his arrangements are pop sounding and don't sound like American hip hop. Coldplay and Keane are popular because they fit in with lite-rock formats. It bothers me greatly that most Americans have never heard such superb songs as About You Now, Rule The World, and Angels. These three songs are already standards (everywhere but the US) and rank up there with the best songs ever written. I'm sure there will more great British songs in the future that never make it to American shores.

5 pts Black Or White 4 pts You Are Not Alone 3 pts Release Me 2 pts Beat It 1 pt Bad

I thought we could include everything. Almost all my favourites are from the Jackson 5 or the Jacksons eras. By "This Place Hotel", are you referring to Heartbreak Hotel? It's a great track and I had forgotten that song, because in the US you hear the same MJ big hits over and over again. I don't want to hear Bad, Beat It, Black or White, or You Are Not Alone ever again.

I enjoy reading your commentary every week. I like the strong opinions and agree with most -- especially Keri Wilson, The Gossip, and Michael Jackson. I have no interest in buying any of his music now than I have over the past 40 years -- with the exception that I hope Jackson 5's I Am Love will finally be released on CD. Thank you for the positive review of Rabbit Heart. I was excited about getting the album until I heard her terrible performance on Jo Whiley's Live Lounge. I would guess that the engineers must have put in extra hours during the recording of the album.

Thanks Shoat for writing exactly what I'm feeling. I really cannot forget the rest of it, the controversy. On the Cascada issue, I heard Jo Whiley play Evacuate the Dancefloor recently and it wasn't all that awful. Certainly better than Everytime We Touch and What Hurts The Most.

1. Maybe Tomorrow 2. The Love You Save 3. Got To Be There 4. The Lady In My Life 5. One Day In Your Life 6. I Want You Back 7. Blame It On The Boogie 8 I Am Love 9. I Wanna Be Where You Are 10. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

5 pts Black And White - Michael Jackson 4 pts You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson 3 pts Release Me - Agnes 2 pts Beat It - Michael Jackson 1 pt Bad - Michael Jackson

Very interesting to see the Michael Jackson chart run. That must explain why Human Nature is not appearing on this official chart or iTunes chart. In the US, it has received more airplay over the years than any other MJ song. I guess it had no impact in the UK -- kind of like One Day In Your Life and Earth Song went unnoticed in the US. I wish there was more of this separate UK-US hits/promotion today. On another note, the Billboard Hot 100 and Top 200 albums charts have many ridiculous rules. Basically the music has to be currently promoted to be eligible. They see their charts as strictly for people in the music business, radio, and retail -- and not for the fans or history books.

5 pts Release Me 4 pts Takin' Back My Love 3 pts When Love Takes Over 2 pts Waking Up In Vegas 1 pt Battlefield

I am shocked that Michael Jackson isn't #1 yet. That means Bulletproof (far superior than Man in the Mirror) will be the official #1 on Sunday -- unless he sells huge amounts on Saturday. Also surprised that Jackson 5's Maybe Tomorrow isn't on the chart. It's one of their best.

One Day In Your Life is the only one of those songs I could listen to. It's beautiful. The rest are simply terrible. Everything he recorded after Billie Jean was awful in my opinion (except Earth Song, which I liked).

I don't think Doctor Doctor was ever released. The album has been pushed back from April to June to July and now the release date is 24 August 2009. Good that I'm a patient person ... I've been waiting many months to get Embers (my top tune of 2009) on CD! Very happy that the Noisettes are continuing to climb. Great old-fashioned soul music.

Bulletproof is more 'radio-friendly' than In For The Kill. I think it will be #1 next week. Plus there's heavy promotion of La Roux's album. It looks like WLTO's has lost a few bars in its lead (or one can hope), so its sales should be declining each day to make room for Bulletproof to take the iTunes #1 next Monday and the official chart #1 the following Sunday.

Very sad that Paloma isn't headed to the top 10. The problem is there's too many quality female vocalists this year (Pixie, Little Boots, Paloma, Lenka, La Roux, Florence) and some are getting lost in the shuffle -- while last year there was just Duffy and Adele. Perhaps Paloma Faith will resurge and hopefully Florence & The Machine do well next week.

Stone Cold Sober (with the infectious piano part) gets better with each listen. Seems it's struggling to make the top 10. Frustrating as it's better than anything in the top 10.

5 pts Release Me - Agnes 4 pts When Love Takes Over - David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland 3 pts Waking Up In Vegas - Katy Perry 2 pts Takin' Back My Love - Enrique Iglesias feat. Ciara 1 pt I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson Please make sure that my 4 pts go to the real WLTO and not the fake version. Thank you.

Why not? Many of us have stressful lifes, so it's nice to come here and discuss music. It's all in fun anyway.

I'm happy that When Love Takes Over is released today. Then it will never stand a chance at #1 -- especially with Mama Do's increasing strength at #1, and La Roux and Paloma Faith coming up. Using the Clocks sample is disturbing, but even worse is the tonight tonight tonight tonight tonight. Also pleased to see Battlefield stalling in the teens.

5 pts Release Me 4 pts I Do Not Hook Up 3 pts Waking Up In Vegas 2 pts Takin' Back My Love 1 pt Heavy Cross

Therefore you don't own Gabrielle's Always album. So you can't judge her most recent music. It's mostly the yeah yeahs that reminded me of Gabrielle. But enough of that. I'm tired proving my point. In the future, I'll post when all of you are sleeping and no one will notice. :D No comment on Love Story (vs. Finally)? Isn't it the greatest dance track of the past decade? Of course, Lola's Theme ranks up there too.

Jester: Robyn's With Every Heartbeat is not a proper dance song either. I can't get the excitement over that song: same line repeated over and over. And, did you even listen to Gabrielle's last record Always? Lots of great songs on there in many styles. Please let's not criticise if we haven't listened the music. And Gabrielle is still relevant to her many fans, who attend her concerts and are highly entertained. Still the best show I've ever seen. All I'm saying is the "yeah yeah" reminds me of something she would record. Now that you've all confirmed Guetta legally used the Coldplay sample + the fact that Gabrielle loves using samples >>> Clearly I have proved my point. Here is a proper dance song and the best in the past years: Love Story vs Finally by Layo & Bushwacka.

Stunning voice? I can hear that voice in any church in America. Not one thing distinctive about it, except that it's loud. She will have to find many more dance producers to have the track record (and influence) of Gabrielle. Go to one of Gabrielle's live shows and you will know what I'm talking about. But back to the charts, Pixie is a lock at #1 for many weeks until Paloma Faith, so Kelly Rowland doesn't have a chance. I for one am loving the many British #1s this year. May they long continue!

I don't give someone as unoriginal as Jordin Sparks any thought. So I would NEVER compare her to the great Gabrielle. Unfortunately I had to endure 4 painful minutes of Battlefield while watching American Idol. But I will bypass it whenever it's played on the radio.

Are you talking about the version of When Love Takes Over that completely rips off Coldplay's Clocks? I hope Chris Martin sues them. That version doesn't seem danceable to me. The hook that goes "When Love Takes Over, yeah yeah" sounds like something Gabrielle would write and include as an album track. But it's certainly inferior to the impeccable stylings of Gabrielle.

I feel that Pixie Lott could have an Umbrella/Crazy length at #1. I think it will continue to sell and appeal to a wider audience. But that may not be possible anymore with unavailability of physical copies in much of the UK. I am fine with Paloma Faith being the next #1, but definitely not Lady Gaga, The Gossip, Jordin Sparks, or When Love Takes Over, which sounds like a Gabrielle B side to me (except that her B sides were far superior).