house.martin

Got me wondering if there are other foreign language versions seeing that video. Is that Bob Geldof in the background, I think it is. For a moment, I thought a member of Status Quo was there too.

I think it runs a bit deeper than just Christmas songs. How many novelty songs do you see in the charts these days? Well, maybe a one week wonder in the top 5, Xmas week, following some online campaign or other, but that's about it! Have we lost the once famous British sense of humour? As for 21st century Xmas songs, I can only think of one that I really like. George Michael with December Song, which, despite his X Factor appearance, didn't reach the top 10. That to me was a big surprise. Even in the past, not everyone did Xmas songs. I can't think of a Madonna or Beatles Xmas song?

Before reading this list, I was half expecting to see Paul McCartney's Pipes Of Peace. Not that I've heard anything, but it's just that the video is set on the Front Line on Christmas Day, in 1914, so... There are some interesting songs there.

There seems to be quite a storm brewing up about the rights and wrongs about: the songs lyrics, the performers, the non performers, donations, etc., etc. If the Ebola virus ever spread out of Africa to the UK etc., concern over the pro's and cons of "Do They Know It's Christmas" will be the least of our worries! And speaking of Ebola, I downloaded this morning from the I-tunes top songs chart the "Africa Stop Ebola" single. It's at #97 as I type.

It'll be interesting to see what it sales are like the week the physical single gets released and the following week, when presumably it'll be up against the X-Factor for the Xmas #1

There's a song called "Africa Stop Ebola" by Collectif Africa Stop Ebola. The song is sung in a mix of French and some other languages, to raise awareness of Ebola. I quite like the tune!

I was pleasantly surprised by this version. For me, this is my favourite of the re-worked versions. There's only one little part in it, I'm not keen on. But that's to do with the style of singing that I personally find irritating, but I'm sure others will really like.

Folk saying 17 Nov is a bit early for a Xmas release, but surely the main point here is, the sooner it gets released, the sooner the extra help from it will help towards battling against the Ebola virus. 13,000 or more infected, I heard the other day. It's a hemorrhagic fever. You can bleed from every orifice and other places.

In my perfect world, lol "Real Love" would climb to #1 this Sunday, followed by Band Aid next Sunday. The only shame is perhaps, it doesn't look likely we'll have 2 concurrent #1's with the same song title, but of different songs.

Now we're in the age of the download, it'll be interesting to see how all the Band Aid songs will do on the charts. Of the previous versions, I'd be surprised if the original didn't go at least top 30 this year, maybe even top 10!!! Of the other 2, it would be nice to see them chart well too.

Looks like this is going to happen. I wonder what day it'll be released? Xmas#1, hope so!

I'm sure there be loads, but where do I start, anyway for what it's worth, here's some of my favourites that come to mind: Anime: Howl's Moving Castle Gay themed: The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert Horror: Night Of The Demon Xmas: Bad Santa

For me I still hear good new music, but as I've grown older, it's shifted away from being top 40 hits to being chill out and world music, etc. I'm of the opinion that way back when, in a time long long ago, before videos, lol, a hit principally become one by having a good tune. I think these days, some other factors can influence what becomes a hit.

I wonder how Xmas songs will fair on a chart that now includes streaming? A bit early to ask? Maybe. lol

Mull of Kintyre by Wings, one time UK's biggest ever hit (before Band Aid) I believe missed the US top 40, possibly even missing the top 100 Wasn't 99 Red Balloons by Nena originally released in the UK in German, and didn't reach the top 40, until an English version was released? Off topic???

I've often thought that if they'd published the singles and album charts on different days (thus different chart start days as well) that would be quite interesting. I think the album chart gets a little overshadowed coming out at the same time as the singles chart. Wouldn't it be more fun, if say the album chart came out on a Friday for example.

10/10 Pharrell Williams 'Happy' - Quite simply a modern classic 7/10 Route 94 feat. Jess Glynne 'My Love' - Great tune, but quickly got bored of it, so maybe not so great 6/10 Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne 'Rather Be' - It's ok, but doesn't do much for me 2/10 Sam Smith 'Money On My Mind' - I find this irritating and it burrows into my head The others: Either I haven't heard them, or I can't remember how they sounded.

If I remember rightly, downloads were originally only allowed to count in the singles chart on the proviso that there was a physical single available too. So I wondered if something similar would apply now, with streaming. On here there's been a lot of talk about download releases being held back to try and give a new release a big initial push. So I wondered if songs are available to stream ahead of a download release and basically, would they chart, ahead of jumping to number 1 for a week; for example.

Just had a thought, if the trend is toward streaming and away from downloading, then in the future I can imagine some folk downloading, purely to propel their favourite Act's latest release to try and push it to number one. After all, 1 download is worth 100 streams! Assuming the X Factor is still with us in let's say 5 years time and still releasing the winner's song just before Xmas, then I think this would make it even harder for another song to compete for the Xmas #1 spot.

2 things: Is the streaming data calculated from this Sunday the 29th for the Sunday 6th chart, or from the 6th, for Sunday the 13th chart? Are there songs available on stream that aren't available to download, and would they chart?

Interesting seeing the top 148 million sellers. I wonder if Band Aid will ever overtake Elton John and regain the top spot? Don't ask how many Christmases that might take :D

Take That, now what was that album called? The one with "Shine" on it. Wishing I'd just downloaded "Shine" instead. I don't think it's a bad album, it's just not my cup of tea really.

For some reason, I thought the wonderful Quantum Jump song was banned by the BBC, like Relax was a few years later.

Is there a reason why pre-orders don't chart in the weekly chart?

The Common Linnets anyone? OK, maybe I live in a parallel universe, lol, but I can dream. The spectre of week on week new entry no.1's, is what really put me off the charts a decade and more ago.