Juranamo

Same feelings here on first listen. I think it'll be a grower like 'BALENCIAGA COVERED EYES' was. 'MILK' and 'EGO' hit me instantly! I wanted to order the vinyl last night but it doesn't look like it's being distributed here and shipping works out like 25 quid. Mega gutted about that as I can't justify 50ish quid for the album. 😭😭

We must be prematurely in the BJSC nostalgia era! Trends have 20 year cycles, and all that... Thanks for this! I remember those one big final contests (I don't remember the songs I sent at all, so at least something stuck haha). I have my entry ready to go, so I shall try to confirm as soon as possible! I'm sure my, honestly, FLAWLESS logic there was that Muse wasn't Buzzjack's cup of tea, so therefore wouldn't have been heard by many (which obviously excused my desire to get a cheap hit)... I definitely forgot to account for the fact that Muse weren't Buzzjack's cup of tea. Tho thx for the 4 points, it deserved to smash. 😅 Yeah, I'm pretty sure the existing big hit era had mostly ended within the first 5 or 6 contests! Even my first entry came under scrutiny (not for being Maroon 5, brer...), despite ending up being a minor UK hit, at best! 🤣

A yes, I thought it was the other way around! ('Love Ya' Top 20 > 'What Are We Fighting For?' not Top 40 > dropped...) My gut tells me their label were hoping to build on 'Love Ya' with a Top 10 hit, which obviously didn't work out. 😔 Though I'm now remembering they tried with 'Stereo' (which didn't chart at all) after those, before the plug was pulled! From my recollection, cheap songs could be entered but we're usually subject to (warranted) criticism - some worldwide hits that hadn't been released here seemed to do well (I guess that's why the veto framework was made idk?), but certainly by the time I started competing well-established UK smash hits generally flopped! I think I just wasn't aware of quite how well remembered 'A Thousand Miles' was: in my head it was a mostly forgotten, blink-and-you'll-miss-it, Top 10 hit! 🙈

I own: Albums 15 - Lady Gaga - MAYHEM [Opaque Hot Pink 12"] 16 - Chappell Roan - The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess [My Kink Is Coral 12"] Singles 04 - Chappell Roan - The Giver [Construction Worker Orange 7"] 05 - Chappell Roan - The Subway [Copper 7"] (I plan to order it after work, anyway) 06 - RAYE - WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! [Pink Marble 7"] 09 - Kylie Minogue - XMAS [Zoetrope 12"] 32 - Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe! [Red 7"]

Looking back, 'A Thousand Miles' was definitely insanely cheap! It had already been a massive hit, but I guess 20 year old me thought it was some forgotten gem. 🤣 Hindsight would inform me that 'Shake It' never stood a chance with Buzzjack's crowd back then and I'm still mourning 'What Am I Fighting For?' in every respect... I was baffled that missed the Top 40 (and I guess Unklejam's label were too, as they seemed to vanish after that), and I was then convinced I could belatedly find its audience here but it wasn't to be! 😂

I was, and I didn't do well! (I can't even recall that song, I actually have no recollection of 7 of my entries aside from their song title oops) BJSC 007 | 011 Maroon 5 ft Rihanna : If I Never See Your Face Again BJSC 009 | 024 The Script : Fall For Anything BJSC 010 | dnq CSS : Jager Yoga BJSC 011 | dnq Metro Station : Shake It BJSC 012 | 027 Feeder : Sweet 16 BJSC 014 | dnq Remi Nicole : Rock N Roll BJSC 017 | 029 Ash : Return Of White Rabbit BJSC 018 | 027 Girls Aloud : Miss You Bow Wow [QOD Radio Edit] BJSC 019 | dnq Muse : Uprising BJSC 020 | 007 Agnes : Love Love Love BJSC 021 | 028 Remi Nicole : Go Mr. Sunshine BJSC 022 | dnq Vanessa Carlton : A Thousand Miles BJSC 024 | dnq Unklejam : What Am I Fighting For? BJSC 026 | 036 Lifehouse : Halfway Gone BJSC 027 | 043 Tiffany Page : On Your Head BJSC 032 | 027 LaVive : No Time For Sleeping BJSC 035 | dnq Black Gold : Breakdown BJSC 036 | dnq Kill Hannah : Crazy Angel BJSC 037 | dnq Ash : Lose Control BJSC 038 | 005 Same Difference ft Alcazar : Karma Karma BJSC 041 | dnq The 2 Bears : Work BJSC 042 | 016 The Disco Boys : Around The World BJSC 051 | 016 Booty Luv : Black Widow BJSC 052 | 009 MKTO : Thank You BJSC 053 | 016 Sonny J : Handsfree (If You Hold My Hand) BJSC 054 | dnq Fake Blood : All In The Blink BJSC 055 | 014 Stromae : Papaoutai BJSC 056 | dnq Tiger Lilly : Affair BJSC 065 | dnq Little Dragon : Klapp Klapp BJSC 181 | ??? TBC : TBC 000 | WON 000 | TOP 03 001 | TOP 05 003 | TOP 10 008 | TOP 20 014 | TOP 31 029 | TOTAL Likewise! I'm looking forward to being back and hopefully not just for the one contest! It's been a long time (115 contests have happened since I last entered 11 and a half years ago!), so it'll be interesting to see how everything's changed!

I will live up to my promise this time. Back for BJSC 181! I see I promised to be back the month after, icr if I was or not... 🤣 (I can't imagine I did well, either way)

Ah, I remembered there being a waiting list or something when I last entered (but that's well over 10 years ago now haha) Thanks! I shall keep my eyes peeled for the next contest's submission form!

2026 prophecies, I hear you say? A Juranabaijan return with a smash hit... Not that I'm sure how I'd return oops (or who the mods are these days to ask!)

Thanks for commenting, @isanka It's chart run was pretty similar for me, up until this week! I find the song quite charming! It's really just taken the space of 'Run This Town' for me: I imagine that will be back next week! 🤣

Thanks for commenting, @Sergej 'Zoo' has really went up in my estimations since seeing the film! 'Christmas Magic' would have made Top 10 two years running if I'd compiled them last year, it's a great Christmas song! I have a feeling 'Dream As One' will climb further this week, so more to see on that one!

Hey @JSG, thanks for the comment! 'XMAS' is such a joyous song: I'm sad it's probably gonna be my first 01-xx song. 🤣 'Church' has been waiting patiently, I'm sure it'll manage it this week unless I REALLY take to something else! It's unlucky that I've been in an unusually Christmassy mood this year! It was the obvious choice of second single and would have probably made as good a lead single as 'The Fate Of Ophelia' tbh. I'm glad it's getting it's moment to shine with airplay!

Top 40 Tracks: 26/12/2025 01 [01] Kylie Minogue - XMAS [12-12-08-01-01] (5 weeks / #1 peak) 02 [02] JADE - Church [02-02-02] (3 weeks / #2 peak) 03 [05] Olly Murs x The Ordinary Boys - Christmas Starts Tonight [12-05-03] (3 weeks / #3 peak) 04 [NE] Gwen Stefani - Shake The Snow Globe [04] (1 week / #4 peak) 05 [21] Ava Max - 1 Wish [38-xx-28-21-05] (4 weeks / #5 peak) 06 [03] Annalisa - Esibizionista [09-04-03-06] (4 weeks / #3 peak) 07 [08] The Pretty Reckless - Where Are You Christmas? [17-20-08-07] (4 weeks / #7 peak) 08 [23] Shakira - Zoo [29-25-34-xx-25-23-08] (6 weeks / #8 peak) 09 [15] Perrie - Christmas Magic [13-13-15-15-09] (5 weeks / #9 peak) 10 [06] Charli xcx - Chains of Love [22-10-07-14-06-10] (6 weeks / #6 peak) 11 [13] South Arcade - Drive Myself Home [24-13-11] (3 weeks / #11 peak) 12 [04] JADE - Use Me [01-04-12] (3 weeks / #1 peak) 13 [16] RAYE - WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! [14-03-03-02-06-10-10-13-06-04-03-16-16-13] (14 weeks / #2 peak) 14 [07] JADE - This Is What We Dance For [03-07-14] (3 weeks / #3 peak) 15 [19] The All-American Rejects - Get This [19-15] (2 weeks / #15 peak) 16 [NE] Kylie Minogue - Hot In December [16] (1 week / #16 peak) 17 [17] Cynthia Eviro & Ariana Grande - For Good [05-06-26-17-17] (5 weeks / #5 peak) 18 [09] Chloe Qisha - So Sad So Hot [37-18-07-02-02-01-01-07-09-18] (10 weeks / #1 peak) 19 [10] JADE - If My Heart Was A House [05-10-19] (3 weeks / #5 peak) 20 [11] Annalisa - Maschio [11-11-20] (3 weeks / #11 peak) 21 [20] Agnes - EGO [03-02-12-14-16-23-31-38-40-xx-34-32-16-17-20-21] (15 weeks / #2 peak) 22 [24] Cher - Christmas Is Here [38-24-22] (3 weeks / #22 peak) 23 [NE] Valencia Grace - Lucky You’re A Star [23] (1 week / #23 peak) 24 [12] JADE - Dreamcheater [09-12-24] (3 weeks / #9 peak) 25 [NE] Meghan Trainor - Gifts For Me [25] (1 week / #25 peak) 26 [14] Robyn - Dopamine [30-08-07-02-10-14-26] (7 weeks / #2 peak) 27 [32] Alessi Rose - Get Around [17-10-11-14-30-32-27] (7 weeks / #10 peak) 28 [18] JADE - Frozen [04-07-10-20-23-36-xx-06-18-28] (9 weeks / #4 peak) 29 [NE] Sophie Ellis-Bextor - (Christmas) Time [29] (1 week / #29 peak) 30 [NE] Miley Cyrus - Dream As One [30] (1 week / #30 peak) 31 [31] Girls Aloud - Not Tonight Santa [31-31] (2 weeks / #31 peak) 32 [35] Hayley Williams - Good Ol’ Days [06-05-08-03-06-08-23-35-32] (9 weeks / #3 peak) 33 [25] Tate McRae - NOBODY’S GIRL [25-33] (2 weeks / #25 peak) 34 [34] Ash - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [34-34] (2 weeks / #34 peak) 35 [RE] Taylor Swift - Opalite [7-12-25-40-xx-35] (5 weeks / #7 peak) 36 [33] MIKA - Modern Times [25-21-23-28-30-27-33-36] (8 weeks / #21 peak) 37 [30] The Hoosiers - Man From The Magazine [30-37] (2 weeks / #30 peak) 38 [28] The Enemy - Trouble [31-28-38] (3 weeks / #28 peak) 39 [27] The Last Dinner Party - The Scythe [03-01-01-02-04-22-27-39] (8 weeks / #1 peak) 40 [38] Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD - Wild Woman [38-40] (2 weeks / #38 peak) Goodbye xx [22] JADE - Best You Could [13-22-xx] (2 weeks / #13 peak) xx [26] As December Falls - Flametide [16-05-03-05-18-26-xx] (6 weeks / #3 peak) xx [29] Olly Murs - Guilty [21-29-xx] (2 weeks / #21 peak) xx [36] Lily Allen - Pussy Palace [03-04-12-21-26-11-29-36-xx] (8 weeks / #3 peak) xx [37] Reneé Rapp - Lucky [09-07-09-15-32-37-xx] (6 weeks / #7 peak) xx [39] Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia [01-04-09-12-15-23-29-27-27-33-39-xx] (11 weeks / #1 peak) xx [40] Melanie C - Sweat [19-20-18-07-12-15-20-37-40-xx] (9 weeks / #7 peak)

Top 40 Tracks: 26/12/2025 01 [01] Kylie Minogue - XMAS [12-12-08-01-01] (5 weeks / #1 peak) 02 [02] JADE - Church [02-02-02] (3 weeks / #2 peak) 03 [05] Olly Murs x The Ordinary Boys - Christmas Starts Tonight [12-05-03] (3 weeks / #3 peak) 04 [NE] Gwen Stefani - Shake The Snow Globe [04] (1 week / #4 peak) 05 [21] Ava Max - 1 Wish [38-xx-28-21-05] (4 weeks / #5 peak) 06 [03] Annalisa - Esibizionista [09-04-03-06] (4 weeks / #3 peak) 07 [08] The Pretty Reckless - Where Are You Christmas? [17-20-08-07] (4 weeks / #7 peak) 08 [23] Shakira - Zoo [29-25-34-xx-25-23-08] (6 weeks / #8 peak) 09 [15] Perrie - Christmas Magic [13-13-15-15-09] (5 weeks / #9 peak) 10 [06] Charli xcx - Chains of Love [22-10-07-14-06-10] (6 weeks / #6 peak) 11 [13] South Arcade - Drive Myself Home [24-13-11] (3 weeks / #11 peak) 12 [04] JADE - Use Me [01-04-12] (3 weeks / #1 peak) 13 [16] RAYE - WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! [14-03-03-02-06-10-10-13-06-04-03-16-16-13] (14 weeks / #2 peak) 14 [07] JADE - This Is What We Dance For [03-07-14] (3 weeks / #3 peak) 15 [19] The All-American Rejects - Get This [19-15] (2 weeks / #15 peak) 16 [NE] Kylie Minogue - Hot In December [16] (1 week / #16 peak) 17 [17] Cynthia Eviro & Ariana Grande - For Good [05-06-26-17-17] (5 weeks / #5 peak) 18 [09] Chloe Qisha - So Sad So Hot [37-18-07-02-02-01-01-07-09-18] (10 weeks / #1 peak) 19 [10] JADE - If My Heart Was A House [05-10-19] (3 weeks / #5 peak) 20 [11] Annalisa - Maschio [11-11-20] (3 weeks / #11 peak) 21 [20] Agnes - EGO [03-02-12-14-16-23-31-38-40-xx-34-32-16-17-20-21] (15 weeks / #2 peak) 22 [24] Cher - Christmas Is Here [38-24-22] (3 weeks / #22 peak) 23 [NE] Valencia Grace - Lucky You’re A Star [23] (1 week / #23 peak) 24 [12] JADE - Dreamcheater [09-12-24] (3 weeks / #9 peak) 25 [NE] Meghan Trainor - Gifts For Me [25] (1 week / #25 peak) 26 [14] Robyn - Dopamine [30-08-07-02-10-14-26] (7 weeks / #2 peak) 27 [32] Alessi Rose - Get Around [17-10-11-14-30-32-27] (7 weeks / #10 peak) 28 [18] JADE - Frozen [04-07-10-20-23-36-xx-06-18-28] (9 weeks / #4 peak) 29 [NE] Sophie Ellis-Bextor - (Christmas) Time [29] (1 week / #29 peak) 30 [NE] Miley Cyrus - Dream As One [30] (1 week / #30 peak) 31 [31] Girls Aloud - Not Tonight Santa [31-31] (2 weeks / #31 peak) 32 [35] Hayley Williams - Good Ol’ Days [06-05-08-03-06-08-23-35-32] (9 weeks / #3 peak) 33 [25] Tate McRae - NOBODY’S GIRL [25-33] (2 weeks / #25 peak) 34 [34] Ash - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [34-34] (2 weeks / #34 peak) 35 [RE] Taylor Swift - Opalite [7-12-25-40-xx-35] (5 weeks / #7 peak) 36 [33] MIKA - Modern Times [25-21-23-28-30-27-33-36] (8 weeks / #21 peak) 37 [30] The Hoosiers - Man From The Magazine [30-37] (2 weeks / #30 peak) 38 [28] The Enemy - Trouble [31-28-38] (3 weeks / #28 peak) 39 [27] The Last Dinner Party - The Scythe [03-01-01-02-04-22-27-39] (8 weeks / #1 peak) 40 [38] Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD - Wild Woman [38-40] (2 weeks / #38 peak) Goodbye xx [22] JADE - Best You Could [13-22-xx] (2 weeks / #13 peak) xx [26] As December Falls - Flametide [16-05-03-05-18-26-xx] (6 weeks / #3 peak) xx [29] Olly Murs - Guilty [21-29-xx] (2 weeks / #21 peak) xx [36] Lily Allen - Pussy Palace [03-04-12-21-26-11-29-36-xx] (8 weeks / #3 peak) xx [37] Reneé Rapp - Lucky [09-07-09-15-32-37-xx] (6 weeks / #7 peak) xx [39] Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia [01-04-09-12-15-23-29-27-27-33-39-xx] (11 weeks / #1 peak) xx [40] Melanie C - Sweat [19-20-18-07-12-15-20-37-40-xx] (9 weeks / #7 peak)

Top 40 Tracks: 26/12/2025 01 - Kylie Minogue - XMAS 02 - JADE - Church 03 - Olly Murs x The Ordinary Boys - Christmas Starts Tonight 04 - Gwen Stefani - Shake The Snow Globe 05 - Ava Max - 1 Wish 06 - Annalisa - Esibizionista 07 - The Pretty Reckless - Where Are You Christmas? 08 - Shakira - Zoo 09 - Perrie - Christmas Magic 10 - Charli xcx - Chains of Love 11 - South Arcade - Drive Myself Home 12 - JADE - Use Me 13 - RAYE - WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! 14 - JADE - This Is What We Dance For 15 - The All-American Rejects - Get This 16 - Kylie Minogue - Hot In December 17 - Cynthia Eviro & Ariana Grande - For Good 18 - Chloe Qisha - So Sad So Hot 19 - JADE - If My Heart Was A House 20 - Annalisa - Maschio 21 - Agnes - EGO 22 - Cher - Christmas Is Here 23 - Valencia Grace - Lucky You're A Star 24 - JADE - Dreamcheater 25 - Meghan Trainor - Gifts For Me 26 - Robyn - Dopamine 27 - Alessi Rose - Get Around 28 - JADE - Frozen 29 - Sophie Ellis-Bextor - (Christmas) Time 30 - Miley Cyrus - Dream As One 31 - Girls Aloud - Not Tonight Santa 32 - Hayley Williams - Good Ol' Days 33 - Tate McRae - NOBODY'S GIRL 34 - Ash - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 35 - Taylor Swift - Opalite 36 - MIKA - Modern Times 37 - The Hoosiers - Man From The Magazine 38 - The Enemy - Trouble 39 - The Last Dinner Party - The Scythe 40 - Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD - Wild Woman

I'm not sure I see the point in these songs being on the "sleigh list" if they're not even matching the number of spins Leona etc are getting, let alone Wham/Mariah. Lol Other Christmas songs that barely made a splash seem to be getting as many plays as them. I feel sleigh list songs should really be getting A List treatment...

I would say it is: at this point 'Last Christmas' making the Top 40 year in, year out, is inevitable - and that's even with a hindrance. The fact it's given such favourable playlisting position over stuff that is fresh (Christmas songs, or otherwise) means that other songs don't get much of a look in. By continually counting the streams of everyone that's listening to these songs, purely because they happen to be at the top of a playlist, regardless of how many times those people have listened to it before, other songs may be blocked from media exposure (such as a Top 40 radio play) as it looks like noone cares about them, when more may well get a look in/playlisting if people get a chance to hear them. So yes, I consider it a free pass! This doesn't just apply to Christmas songs, it applys all through the year. Once a song is big, it almost always stays massive because nothing else can get the exposure it needs for playlist compilers etc to have faith in it... @Dircadirca has raised some interesting points! Though I'm convinced that a popular new song ('Birds Of A Feather') picking up so many scrobbles per listener (on average) vs half that many scrobbles on average for a much older song ('Mr Brightside') kinda highlights that a song in its prime could rack up a complete sale per person fairly quickly (if there were a cap) where the older ever-present song might not be able to combat the onslaught of new songs having a quick moment before dipping into relative neglegence. This is all just something that will probably bug my brain forever 🤣 Ultimately, it doesn't really matter - I think if that model worked in the way I believe it would, it would probably be the ideal model for chart fans, but it's never gonna happen so we shall all stay used to our artificially skewed ACR chart with our familiar classics keeping us company!

I wonder if that would be outweighed by newer music having more people contributing their 0.1 sale for each listen (which would usually see a much quicker tail off of than someone discovering an old song). That sounds like really interesting data! I guess you'll always have some lingerers, but my assumption will always be that that sort of model would help newer songs to have their time to shine in a more "natural" way (i.e. With every song having their new streamers contribute streams in the same way - no "this song is lower because it's been in the chart for 10 weeks and had its streams halved, but this other song has been in the chart for 15 weeks and is still having it's streams counted in full, despite there being no real meaningful reason for it to be penalised other than having a rough few weeks...") until I see otherwise haha

Ah, yeah, that's why I said I doubt instrumentals etc would make any meaningful lasting impact as any sales (if any) would be one-offs. Sorry, misunderstood you!

OCC no doubt have the data, I'd be very interested to see what (if any) difference it makes! Surely most people have listened to Mr Brightside at least 10 times by now and it would be mostly charting very lowly from new discoveries, if at all... 🤣 No idea on the figures, but you'd hope the number of people unable to contribute 0.1 sale (or contributing their final chunk of a sale) to Wham would be outweighed by the number of people who would have contributed 0.5 sales this week to The Pretty Reckless' new single (just plucking one out lol). Though I know my listening habits are probably different to the average person haha

I don't think sales would drop, I think they'd increase for singles at the top of the chart. I think what we'd see is songs lifetime sales become representative of when they were discovered and first enjoyed (when it was first released, went viral, or promoted) rather than lingering around and accumulating substantial "sales" forever. Artists might release remixes/instrumentals/physicals etc to gain boosts (as they do now), but they wouldn't be able to sustain those forever. Anyway, I'm gonna shut up now because I think I'm pulling this more off topic than I thought! 😂

Not sure what this is contributing 🤣 FWIW, I have nothing against American classics being in the chart. Just that their streaming playlisting, and limitless cap to streams, gives them a free pass to hog the Top 100 each year. I don't think someone listening to a song for the 100th time because it's eternally top of their chosen Christmas playlist should count towards the chart if it's at the detriment of new Christmas hits (or any hit) getting their chance to chart (and therefore get the media attention that will give it a chance to solidify itself).

There will always be ways that the chart can be manipulated. In the grand scheme of things, not enough people are going to be downloading or streaming an instrumental of a song for it to be of any notable difference in the long term. For all the speak of Kylie's number one being 'organic', it was absolutely manipulated... (I love the song for what it's worth, and have a copy on vinyl) However, each of those manipulated sales will only happen once, and I'd say using a streaming cap model it would potentially still have been #1 with other older songs in the distance. Who knows, maybe there would be an actual race for #1 more often? Without all the classics cluttering the chart (and deadwood the rest of the year too), maybe it would clear some room to give other songs their chance to be noticed - I don't think many people would complain if 'XMAS' didn't have to work so hard to go Top 40 next year (and therefore, some actual extended exposure...) because 'Last Christmas' and the rest don't get their free pass to the top of the charts again...

Oops, didn't see that! In which case, yes, I agree! I definitely think Wham has caught up to those two in the public consciousness: but I wouldn't be surprised if alot of that was influenced by Last Christmas being so ubiquitous in its playlisting! Though, as mentioned above, who knows what would be top dog? iTunes no longer has much relevance, and streaming has made Wham and the coroners surge in popularity, that may have just happened anyway... We'll never know! 😂

Before streaming, Brenda was absolutely not the number 1 challenger to Mariah. It was usually Mariah and Pogues tussling for #1 Christmas classic in the download era, with Wham a distant 3rd. I'd say it would probably be similar if American-influenced playlists didn't exist (FONY does very well considering it's treatment relative to AIWFC, Wham and Brenda), but we're not living in a world where that's the case. On top of that, there's no realistic way of determining which of these songs is actually more popular currently - we can't base it on the download era, because even then Wizzard was making relative gains each year and Slade was slowly slipping in the rankings each year, so popularity doesn't stay stagnant. For this reason, I'm (again) very convinced a very low lifetime stream cap (10 or so streams) is the only meaningful solution to the phenomenon of the classics clogging up the Top 100 each December (and songs lingering around forever in general) - people that shove on a playlist each December won't have the same songs clogging up the chart for eternity, they already proved they loved the song 10 years ago lol - but that's never going to happen now we're so deep in the current streaming calculation model!