dandy*

Well done DaTilt - always great to see a first time winner and it was with a song I liked too. I thought it sounded like something that would do really well (partly because it was more pop than I would normally like but I still liked it!) so I'm chuffed for you that it did so well. Ah so Wasia Project didn't manage anywhere near my hoped 23rd then! 😂 I knew they were being overpredicted so not at all sad though, I imagine it was a song that most people liked but not many people actually loved. I liked the feel of it more than anything else, it just had a sort of sombre elegance to it. Great to see my 18 make the top 10, well done Terra Avium. And, of course, great to see Ennea getting top 10 with their first qualifier!

Kinda surprised at how decent the FLJ odds as this was one of those sporadic entries I choose to aim at finally getting the elusive 23rd spot. I’m not sure what I expect to win this month, there doesn’t seem to be an obvious choice to me so I’m expecting it to be a tight contest.

Hmmm. I've watched both episodes so far and I'm not sure I'm on board with it. It has flashes of potential but for me it has constantly grim undertones to it. My thoughts but does contain a couple of spoilers so... It's 2026 and I'm not sure I'm here for a drama about LGBTQ+ characters being subservient to straight thugs. Each episode has a 'shocking' moment that sort of comes pretty much out of nowhere and at the moment I feel it's just style over substance with things shoehorned in. The sex scene in episode one was just grim and incredibly uncomfortable to watch. But it's the attack at the end of the second episode that has really irritated me, introducing a self assured gay character just to have him beaten to a pulp seemingly just to further a plot dynamic between two other characters can f*ck right off. It wasn't even a scene to highlight the types of attacks that gay people had to endure, it was an attack all about the character attacking him.

It’s essentially the Facebook model of verification, ie just making more money. I’m not sure people definitely have to pay on Spotify at the moment but it does seem as though the world is heading that way.

Hmm I was at a conference not that long ago where they were saying the tech world believes the future for people in the arts world was to pay for a premium badge to prove they are real - and it would be like AI is seen as the supermarket basic range whilst artists would pay to be viewed as an authentic and better brand. This feels a little bit like that path. If they can verify real artists then they in theory can just instead remove AI slop from their platform. It made me feel a bit sick and I got quite annoyed with them. It’s just tech people inventing money yet again.

My first reaction is also too many comedians - they’re not individually bad choices but they’re all standard go to panel show guests so don’t really feel like unique attractions. Still lots of interesting names outside of those though, particularly love the idea of Miranda (comedian I know but not the same as the others), Michael, James (both to be fair), Richard, Julie, Amol and Joanne

I really want to be as on board as everyone else seems to be for this but I’m currently just finding it merely okay. I think the production is better than the song. I’ll see if it grows more but I can’t see me returning to this much at the moment

I absolutely LOVE that!! Loving her choice of collaborators for the remixes on this project so far as well, all so on point

Yeah the single is unfortunately instantly forgettable 😢

Sounds like COADF2 is going to be quite house music inspired then from the first couple of tracks - will wait and see what the full thing is like but immediate thoughts are it needs a hook somewhere, feels more progressive in tone than the peak 90s era house hits with strong vocals and tunes

Ooooo… now I’m not sure what is still to come but I really liked the Fear and I’d imagine I’d put it top 5

Apologies everyone but I won't be voting in the semis - messaged Phil about it last night to let him know but Mr D* managed to break his ankle and leg yesterday so we've been in hospital until this afternoon and I haven't had chance to listen to everything properly - and am far too knackered to rush listen now before the deadline. Seems fairer to me not to vote in either than to rush votes that won't be well considered. Sorry everyone - will definitely vote properly in the final

I always thought it was 48 hours so that people left with the same travel issues as the time they arrived? Could be wrong though

Oh wow, not on board with all the Harrison dislike in this thread. He and his sister are our favourites! I don't think he's really that miserable either, it's almost like a persona and he clearly smirks at some of the things he says and does, plus I just find them a wonderfully contrasting set of siblings that still clearly have a lot of love for each other really.

Well played Julian! I've been quite vocal over the course of the contest that I'm not the biggest fan of ABBA, but you played it almost perfectly and in the final you definitely had the best songs - and I really liked The Day Before You Came, even if it did almost get you knocked out!!

TEAM, er, JABBA?

The winner may get a £20 Amazon voucher but they will still never have enjoyed the sweet feeling of owning the Rebecca Ferguson Lobster.

Oh hold on, just checked the schedules and Wasia Project also have their own prime time ITV An Audience With show this Saturday night, joining Adele and Kylie as the only ones to be graced one this decade.

I'm actually kinda mortified! I had no idea they were even vaguely popular enough to make a playlist here. I feel like I have to have some sort of mini drama every contest just lately 😂

That Elton John song is underrated, it’s from one of his best albums and was a strong single. I think Ashanti is my least favourite at this stage

Lots of great tracks featuring recently - and lots we share! We're definitely into the era where people's tastes were heavily influenced by a core group of us on the site, but the music we all liked has generally held up really well imo. I'll highlight the shared ones when we get to the end of the year but there's nothing I dislike at all.

Fight For This Love is the first to feature that I’d have put substantially higher, I think it’s a really strong single.

I really didn't like that track from George Michael and Queen. I liked pretty much every other track in the top 10 at the time so was gutted that something I disliked so much went straight to the top. I wasn't really a big fan of charity tracks either and felt that people only really bought this one again to buy into being sad about Freddie Mercury's passing.

10 | You Oughta Know 08 | Hand In My Pocket 10 | You Learn 08 | Ironic 10 | Head Over Feet 07 | All I Really Want 10 | Uninvited 10 | Thank U 09 | Joining You 07 | So Pure 07 | Unsent 11 | Hands Clean 09 | Precious Illusions 07 | Everything 08 | Out Is Through 07 | Eight Easy Steps 09 | Crazy (Seal cover) 10 | Underneath 08 | Not As We 05 | In Praise of the Vulnerable Man 04 | Guardian 04 | Lens 07 | Receive 08 | Reasons I Drink 06 | Smiling 06 | Diagnosis 06 | Reckoning 07 | Ablaze Never managed to get into Havoc and Bright Lights and hearing the singles on their own isn't doing anything for me either sadly, it's by far my least favourite album of hers. Hands Clean gets my 11 just because it has a lot of special memories attached to it, fun times... but it could easily have gone to Underneath, You Oughta Know or Thank U. Other faves: That I Would Be Good Torch Versions Of Violence Her Nemesis 21 Things I Want In A Lover That Particular Time Utopia Front Row Not The Doctor Mary Jane