Julian_

Could always just reveal the top 10 from the last round or something? Thanks for the amazingly hard work on these write ups by the way Calum! 🙏 Still amazed at the Lisa artist deflection from Iz - incredible work there!

Oh wow I had seven down as Haim! Some re-thinking to do then.

Wow! I thought the sheer weight of familiar songs might be too much for Conan but it was absolutely a brilliant song. Sad for the others though - especially the retro greats George and Blondie. And The Weeknd can’t have been far off.

Hopefully “Berghain” becomes a modern classic - what a song.

Well done Lily - “The Fear” has very widespread appeal across voters so fully expected her to make it.

I love “Maybe” - might also be my favourite solo Spice track (though some of Mel C’s run it close), and she had some other good throwback style singles from that album too.

No doubt about the top pick here: both sides are brilliant and incredible that will be another decade before “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” becomes the smash it obviously should be. “Do Ya Wanna Funk” really crept up on me with repeat plays though and I have a huge soft spot for “Zoom”. Nothing below par in this group at all! 9 The Clash Should I Stay Or Should I Go/Straight To Hell The 1st side will be the 661st #1 in 1991 and the 2nd will be sampled in a great 2008 song: a brilliant punk rock double A 8 Sylvester With Patrick Cowley Do Ya Wanna Funk Both these artists died young and it's Sylvester's last Top 40: it's an excellent disco track with interesting production 8 Fat Larry's Band Zoom By far the biggest hit for this US R&B group: I find this a remarkably lovely and gently soulful track with sweet imagery 8 Culture Club Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? 509th #1: 1st hit for this UK group that caught fire after their striking TOTP appearance: it's a lovely heartbreak ballad 7 Ultravox Reap The Wild Wind The lead from their new album and only US hit: another great single that creates the feeling of wind and motion well 7 Adam Ant Friend Or Foe The title track of his debut solo album and another pulsating galloping track with the Burundi beat: works very well again 7 Roxy Music Take A Chance With Me Their last new hit: I love the twangy intrumental intro and the track has a brooding and introspective yet warm feel to it 6 Jennifer Holliday And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going Only hit for this US singer and actress from "Dreamgirls: it's an impressive vocal performance with real emotional power 6 The Jam The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) Another huge hit from them, which doesn't quite pop like some of their others for me but still has very good storytelling 6 Dexys Midnight Runners Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile) A cover of a Van Morrison song from a decade before: it's a very good catchy number and a well made energetic version 5 Chicago Hard To Say I'm Sorry Their 1st Top 40 hit for 6 years: it's certainly not groundbreaking but I do enjoy the big, warm rock ballad sound of this 5 Mari Wilson Just What I Always Wanted 1st and biggest Top 40 for this UK singer with a cute, catchy and poppy track: a fun listen but without any great depth 5 Musical Youth Pass The Dutchie 508th #1: 1st hit for this UK schoolboy reggae band interpolating other songs; it's quite good but does feel very young 4 Dollar Give Me Some Kinda Magic This is quite a jolly little number but has arecycled 5th single feel to it and is missing the Trevor Horn production magic 4 The Pinkees Danger Games Only hit for this Essex group whose stalling and then leaping to #8 led to chart hyping suspicions: not a bad retro track 4 Imagination In The Heat Of The Night Their 1st non Top 20 hit and they won't get back there: it's not bad but very similar to their usual sound and nothing new 1982 Group 17: #874 02/10/1982 The Kids From 'Fame' Starmaker 3 38-14-4-{3}-3-4-7-19-36-53->10 #875 25/09/1982 Hot Chocolate Chances 32 65-39-{32}-42-61->5 #876 02/10/1982 Spandau Ballet Lifeline 7 57-28-10-{7}-7-9-18-48-61->9 #877 02/10/1982 The Pretenders Back On The Chain Gang 17 62-33-30-22-24-{17}-22-30-39->9 #878 02/10/1982 Sharon Redd Never Give You Up 20 66-37-32-27-25-24-{20}-25-31->9 #879 09/10/1982 Kid Creole And The Coconuts Annie I'm Not Your Daddy 2 39-15-9-{2}-6-12-23-45->8 #880 02/10/1982 The Who Athena 40 54-{40}-53-60->4 16/10/1982 The Beatles Love Me Do {1982} 4 14-5-{4}-7-15-29-64->7 #881 09/10/1982 Bauhaus Ziggy Stardust 15 42-22-18-{15}-19-26-42->7 #882 09/10/1982 Japan Life In Tokyo 28 54-34-{28}-37-45-66->6 #883 16/10/1982 Barry Manilow I Wanna Do It With You 8 36-13-10-{8}-8-16-23-49->8 #884 09/10/1982 Melba Moore Love's Comin' At Ya 15 58-37-26-21-{15}-16-26-33->8 #885 02/10/1982 Tears For Fears Mad World 3 65-47-38-16-6-{3}-3-3-6-15-23-38-47-47-45-57->16 #886 09/10/1982 Toyah Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) 30 57-39-35-{30}-36-53-75->7 #887 09/10/1982 Julio Iglesias Amor 32 52-40-33-34-{32}-40-65->7 #888 16/10/1982 Shakin' Stevens I'll Be Satisfied 10 44-20-19-{10}-13-22-30-61->8

OK maybe Dan is The Weeknd 😅

1 2 3 get it out in round 3

“Gladiators” is a big childhood memory of me and they always used to play “We Are Family” as the female gladiators entered and “The Boys Are Back In Town” as the male gladiators entered. So it’s quite iconic to see them both here, although neither song is a favourite of mine.

I respect Leona’s version of “Run” more than I love it, but I do think she brought something different to the record and that’s what a cover should do. Ting Tings for the win but really like both..

My latest guesses: Fred again… - CowTzy Toni Braxton - vibe Eric Saade - RobBot Conan Gray - Mangø Ace of Base - Addy George Michael - DaTilt The 1975 - AllStarBySmashMouth ? Girlicious - ? Kesha - Jack The Weeknd - Electroboy Nadia Oh - awardinary The Chicks - Herbs FKA twigs - pavi Guitarricadelafuente - Ansel Markus Riva - uhsting ? Erasure - dandy* Ruel - HarryGarfield LiSA - Iz Nik Kershaw - King Rollo Blondie - Jade ROSALÍA - Bror Shawn Mendes - Calum Lily Allen - elgornio

The Stacie Orrico song isn’t one I’ve heard many times over the years but it’s actually rather lovely, as is “Stuck”. The first out that I scored as high as 7.

“So What” is a little bratty but I’m glad it gave Pink another chart topper, and I really like the other singles from that album. “American Boy” though has held up so well: still sounds really classy and timeless and effortless. I have a clear order of preference in the Top 3.

It’s definitely not a 2020s song 😝

That New Religion thing is an absolute shocker sorry.

Yeah it was bugging me that “Rein Me In” hadn’t been the true #1 yet so hopefully it’s done that - but otherwise it really can go.

I do really like Sienna’s voice and style but feel it could be diminishing returns if she doesn’t switch it up at some point.

#14 is great for “Dracula”! Enjoying “Babydoll” too.

Harry’s accent gets weirder and weirder.

Where are the random Coldplay resets when you need them?

It’s always been a millennial weighted poll to an extent I guess which is fine. There’s never been a winner from before 1985 or after 2005 and I doubt that will change this time!

Career sunk by Sheryl Crowbar! 😔

Shocked and blue at the brilliant “Venus” being out before the not so brilliant one!

“So What” and “Run” are my least favourites left though they’re pretty good.