Chez VampireBat

Sorry, did a search and couldn't find it, must have had the accent on the wrong e! 😄 Anyway it needs a bump as I love this one. To repost, I've quite enjoyed some of her songs so far, but this one is instantly more standout, her dreamy vocals go amazingly with the dark production <3 (and yes sorry to inadvertantly screw over anyone that wanted send this to the next BJSC x)

The Belgian singer, very big in her native, perhaps best known over here for working with Dua Lipa and performing with Kavinsky at the 2024 Olympics Closing Ceremony, has teamed up with iconic French duo Justice for this new single. Heard this this morning and simply had to share it - I've quite enjoyed some of her songs so far, but this one is instantly more standout, her dreamy vocals go amazingly with the dark production <3 (Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, feel free to move it as it's a bit hard to class, but Apple Music lists it as Pop and her last songs have been pop sooo x also sorry if I've inadvertantly added to it's veto points if you were planning to send it to the next BJSC xx)

I think Darth Vader's Father line is the biggest for me, I still sometimes misremember it and I've seen it multiple times Some others: Wizard of Oz - 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore' is actually 'I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore' Jaws - 'We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat' is actually 'You're' Morbius also never says 'What if I told you...' in The Matrix 'Do you feel lucky punk', 'Play It Again, Sam' and 'Houston, we have a problem' are other famous quotes not actually said in that way. I've never seen it but 'Beam Me Up, Scotty' is apparently never said to that effect ever in all of Star Trek!

I have honestly always found Closer and Ne-Yo quite overrated, I do get the appeal, it just doesn't excite me that much. I hold a lot of good memories with Sex on Fire, I do get how people cannot stand it, but I have soft spot for it, I didn't like it as much as their other songs at first but it definitely clicked with me a lot. Was a bit of a surprise number 1 at the time for me, I didn't think they were quite at that level yet given they were only scraping the top 20 before, but this one definitely got them a bigger fanbase if just for an album and a bit. Now You're Gone was a really random number 1, definitely taking advantage of that January lull, but the cheesy europop was quite a fun novelty, it definitely got old after more than one single though. There's two in the top 10 that are by far my favourites so I'll be hoping they're as high as possible!

Excellent top 2, Are 'Friends' Electric still feels quite harrowing as a subject matter and its themes still relevant to this day, the menacing synth line (sampled brilliantly in Freak Like Me which was my introduction to it) is wonderful and Numan's vocals add a great sense of urgency. Heart of Glass is an easy favourite from Blondie, her vocals and the addictive guitar hook are amazing, the outro where the instrumental really flourishes is a highlight. I Will Survive is definitely a singalong classic too. Great stuff D*, I think my own ranking would be very similar albeit Pink Floyd would definitely be in my top 3 x

A shame for the 1975, they had a lot of great ones that weren't sent yet, but a random, fairly standard remix was a bit of a strange choice.

01; ROSALÍA - Divinize (Really must get round to this album, this is the one I've already heard) 02; FKA twigs - Kicks 03; Lily Allen - Tennis (Better when listened with the album than on it's own, but nice to see two songs I'm familiar with here x) 04; Nelly Furtado - Wait For You 05; Chappell Roan - Picture You 06; Delta Goodrem - Electric Storm 07; LiSA - TA, I, SE, TSU Pile up (た、い、せ、つ Pile up) 08; Kelly Clarkson - Judas 09; Toni Braxton - Sex & Cigarettes 10; Kesha - Cannibal Nelly's being done a bit dirty here x

01; Erasure - Sono Luminus (supporting the long songs across all the groups x) 02; Florence + the Machine - Howl 03; Blondie - Shayla 04; The Chicks - Lullaby 05; Scissor Sisters - Skin Tight 06; Atomic Kitten - Walking on the Water 07; HAIM - Days Are Gone 08; The Corrs - Hideaway 09; ABBA - Keep an Eye on Dan 10; The 1975 - Pressure (Artful Remix) I enjoyed the Chicks and Kitten songs unexpectedly, the bottom 2 don't feel like they deserve that but it's just such a tough category.

01; David Bowie - Warszawa (oh wow I didn't know he had instrumentals in his back catalogue! Beautiful <3) 02; George Michael - Precious Box 03; Troye Sivan - IN A DREAM 04; Nik Kershaw - You Might 05; Conan Gray - Miss You 06; Fred again.. - Sabrina (i am a party) 07; Eric Saade - It’s Gonna Rain 08; The Weeknd - Nothing Compares 09; Ruel - SITTING IN TRAFFIC 10; Shawn Mendes - Where Were You in the Morning? Best choices yet from George, Troye and Nick as well x

33 please!

Well this isn't going too well, Violet Hill, Star Guitar and Song 4 Mutya all deserved to be in </3

Fantastic news to wake up to this morning! It definitely seemed to take better advantage of the urban, liberal areas dissatisfied with Labour which won't necessarily be the same for other Reform seats, but great for the Greens either way and it not being even close when it was forecase to be is even better. I guess it's less disastrous for Labour than if Reform had won, but still disastrous, I agree I can't see how Starmer lasts beyond the inevitable local election Labour wipeout. Y'know, maybe if he stopped trying to cater to a faction that will slate him in any case and to please everyone and pleasing no one... Lol at Farage claiming 'family voting', poor thing was really hoping for those headlines x

Seyetana was a lovely piece of quirky indie so a shame to lose that, although it did better than I thought and I did enjoy Wholune's too I guess I'm pleased I still have 6/10 of my votes and my top 3 are still here, but still, that felt particularly brutal...Semi 2 better be good x

Oh Jesus, Cumulonimbia as well?! :/ I can't remember a semi result this bleak

Ah shoot x I did see it coming though, just not a good semi for this at all and tbh, even in the listenthrough, a lot of those I was hoping to stan it weren't quite as enthusiastic which led me to think I've not quite got it right. It was admittedly quite a last minute, risky find as well. I suppose I'm overdue a final on the sidelines so I'll take it given I beat my previous consecutive Q record, so close to a full year though </3 maybe it's never meant to be x (although not quite as heartbreaking as some streaks breaking! Commiserations after that epic run to Greenfroze x) Still a few of my favourites still to come, already quite a brutal round for my votes.

:’( think we need an #endbronzilracism movement, am excellent entry.

I would’ve been a bit more into Skall’s but it was over far too quickly! Didn’t deserve last place though.

Great to see my two pre-contest favourites, Pagasa and Scotland 2 , through hopefully good things await in the final

I definitely don't feel as safe as the predictions have me believe, hope the Grace of God can save me from the pop semi x

Great to see this finally run, I've been really wanting to see how it works since Leww suggested it! I think at least a category for a song from each continent (and ideally excluding big markets like US, UK etc.)

Supernature is a wonderful song, agree that it's very ahead of it's time and I'm glad it seems to have developed a cult following over the years.

Both of those last two are fantastic - 1979 definitely seemed the year of technological anxiety with both Video Killed the Radio Star and another number 1 still to come (as well as Kraftwerk making waves) and I loved it. This one still sounds so unique and standout, and indeed was a lovely touch of MTV to come full circle with it. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick is wonderful, the bassline is amazing and the vocal performance has gotta be one of the most distinctive on a number 1. It's always worked really well as a whole, I can't say I've ever heard much detraction for it, I assumed it's one of those universally liked songs. Enjoy all of 6-10 as well, I have great Guitar Hero memories of Message in a Bottle.

That is a surprise to see Ace of Base out, definitely the victim of a very competitive category. Admittedly was a strange choice though going with a cover when they've have had a lot more original material that fits, sad Life is a Flower never got the chance to shine! (Unless they come back ofc. x) Guitarradelafuente did feel inevitable at some point and admittedly I didn't rank this one very high, but I did like his two other entries and admire the risky and distinct approach. Nadia Oh definitely went out on a high, maybe not intentionally so but that chorus, rhyming London with London, that random 'Biatch' before that DIY production, an iconic song to exit on!

25; Visage - Fade To Grey 24; Oasis - Live Forever 23; Linkin Park - In The End 22; XTM & DJ Chucky presents Annia - Fly On The Wings Of Love 21; Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends 20; Robyn - Dancing On My Own 19; Coldplay - Violet Hill 18; Cerrone - Supernature 17; Groove Armada featuring Mutya Buena - Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control) 16; Amy Winehouse - Back To Black 15; The Veronicas - Untouched 14; Muse - Time Is Running Out 13; Eagles - Hotel California 12; Katrina and the Waves - Walking On Sunshine 11; The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar 10; Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again 09; Evanescence - Going Under 08; Bananarama - Venus 07; Natalie Imbruglia - Shiver 06; Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 05; The Smiths - This Charming Man 04; Bob Marley and the Wailers - No Woman, No Cry (Live) 03; Wilkinson featuring Becky Hill - Afterglow 02; The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On 01; Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? Much stronger of the two heats, had a few more I could've voted for

Thanks so much to everyone who pointed The Presets! I first discovered this through my 1001 songs to hear before you die book, despite the rousing chorus and club sounds, it's quite a dark song about asylum seekers to Australia being locked up in detention centres and it was intended to show solidarity with them hence 'locked up with my people' (this was back in 2007 so sadly some things never change throughout the world...), the production itself sounds very heavy and dark which adds to the vibe. It's become quite well known in Australia over the years, but not so much anywhere else. Very pleased it connected with enough of you for a top 10 (and great to see a 12 swap with Julian <3), and obviously fantastic to see my 10 pointer win as well, French Affair was also a great song and Lucky Twice was lodged in my head even if I didn't vote for it so a good top 3. My 12 was a wonderful discovery from Kaskade, I always enjoy them when I still hear their stuff and The White Stripes/Faithless were reliably good as well so good to see them do solidly. Thanks Rich for the wonderful hosting, gonna have a bit of a hangover from this party now x