#THETENX5
PARADE - DAY 1
2010 (5/?)
1.5 (5/240)
THE NATIONAL
'BLOODBUZZ OHIO'
USA
1 x 11
6 HMs
The first song to return from Ye Olde #FearofMu21C, where it finished 181st for the century.
It also scraped into the original #Uncool500 back in 2022.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfyS...
Absolutely "loving" how #1C000LEST is coming full circle, with C21's percentage of total points converging on the exact percentage of C21 songs in the original (Twitter-only) 500...
Currently - 19.43% (down from 20.15% two weeks ago)
In the #Uncool500 - 19.2% (96 songs)
Sleeve art for A LITTLE RESPECT by Erasure, no. 67 in the #UncoolTwo50.
#UncoolTwo50
Yes, Erasure were completely shut out of the entire #Uncool500 in 2022, so good on 'em for getting (the obvious) one in here.
Also, no early Depeche Mode, no Yazoo, no Assembly and no 'WFL', so hello goodbye to Vince Clarke.
I shall "refrain" from comparisons to lower PSBs singles.
#UNCOOLTWO50
🎶 178 🎶
SHE BANGS THE DRUMS
by
THE STONE ROSES (1/1)
UK 1989
Points: 70
Top rank: 12
Unseeded
UK 97/130
1989: 6/8
1980s: 90/126
Surprised how convincingly this beat 'Fools Gold'.
(Made of Stone and I Wanna Be Adored also made the OG #Uncool500)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6P...
Sleeve art for FREAK SCENE by Dinoasaur Jr., no. 204 in the #UncoolTwo50.
#UncoolTwo50
Now, the song immediately below it in the original #Uncool500 ('Firestarter') didn't make the cut at all, so small mercies and all that.
Still, a striking contrast with the original electorate, with another major one still to come today.
#UncoolTwo50 Countdown Top 10
#2
MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH YOU
by
STARDUST
1998
The Acclaimed Music #1 for 1998, BUT a curious Twitter poll underperformer.
Three runs in PPP, never made the last eight.
311th in the #Uncool500.
.
(and never no.1 due to Boyzone)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQlA...
We must not forget that they had 5 singles in the original #Uncool500 (four in the top 250) and that this was more than Prince and Michael Jackson combined.
And that 'Pale Shelter' made the final #33Thirds list.
#UncoolTwo50
#ALT50
"DAY 32"
1991
THE FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON
'PAPUA NEW GUINEA'
UK
UK #22 (UK Dance Singles #1)
Number #387 in the #Uncool500.
So, it'll have its work cut out, but would easily be in my top 250.
Next up today: three singles from 1992.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfWM...
#UncoolTwo50
#ALT50
"DAY 24"
1987
THE SUGARCUBES
'BIRTHDAY'
Iceland
UK #65 (UK Indie #1 & Festive 50 winner)
Given the tastes of the original electorate, possibly the most inexplicable omission from the 2022 #Uncool500.
(I *am* picking the lead singer, obvs 😄)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFQP...
#UncoolTwo50
#ALT50
"DAY 11"
1981
THE HUMAN LEAGUE
'OPEN YOUR HEART'
UK (Sheffield!)
UK #6
Couldn't leave 81 without 'em.
In contrast to Kim Wilde, this is a plea not to make it "the obvious one or nothing".
The #Uncool500 included 'Don't You Want Me' only.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=laEA...
#LET5D0IT
The last exit before the 100-point barrier...
...and it's due to JWC.
83.
SEX PISTOLS (1/1)
ANARCHY IN THE UK
UK 1976
UK 15/58
1976 5/20
1970s 34/97
Points: 98
(101 including 1 x 11, minus 3)
Cost: 8 places.
Glad it's here after missing #Uncool500.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBoj...
#Let5D0It
A couple of neutral observations from both ends of the challenge era.
- None of Elvis's 1950s singles are in a position to qualify at present.
- 'Go Your Own Way' was the only '76 track in #Uncool500. It is eligible for this challenge, not the next one. It has 10pts only.
Good lord I've just reminded myself where this finished in #Uncool500.
I wish I hadn't.
A sub-plot that may be of interest to the #FearofMu21C host only...
My knack for runner-up finishes:
- 3 times with noms in People's Pop Poll finals (and I vote for the RU 75% of the time)
- Once in a Golden Beat final
- My 12-pointer in #Uncool500
Is it going to happen AGAIN with my FoM 12...?
'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' also defends its title from #Uncool500, of the 21st century's best UK No.1 single.
🥇Kylie Minogue, 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' 4
🥈Beyoncé ft Jay-Z, 'Crazy In Love' 6
🥉Rihanna ft Jay-Z, 'Umbrella' 10
4 Freak Like Me
5 Bad Romance
6 The #FearofMu21C
Yeah, but that first day alone >>>>> all of #Uncool500 for diversity.
'Allo Darlin were a total shock to me - never heard of them.
Can't say the same for any of the other indie bands really. Certainly not as someone accustomed to how much sway they have on Music Twitter.
Goodness knows what you would have made of #Uncool500, because this line-up is more varied!
It's the one I've liked most, but I have no grounding in all this lore, so *shrugs*
I remember it being next to 'Tender' in #Uncool500 and being able to say "well, at least one of these songs justifies its length..."
#FearofMu21C
'Toxic' is the highest-placed song not to receive a bonus point.
In #Uncool500, the equivalent was 'Are "Friends" Electric?' by Tubeway Army, which finished all the way up at #3.
The only remaining song with a points total ending in 0 is one that received 10 in bonuses.
Groove Armada ft Mutya Buena, 'Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control)'
#FEAROFMU21C
100-point singles in #Uncool500: 20.
100-point singles here:
41
GROOVE ARMADA ft MUTYA BUENA (1/1, er, sort of... 😄)
SONG 4 MUTYA (OUT OF CONTROL)
UK 16/104
2007 4/15
2000s 32/152
Points: 100!!
🟪Tier 1
SVQ: 30 (Groove Armada; 181 Mutya with... you know)
I like a happy ending.
Perhaps I can explain further.
The song that finished 44th best for the century in #Uncool500 ('Oblivion') ended up at #329.
'Make Me Feel' was at #98. For the whole period 1976-2022.
This is NOT par.
#FearofMu21C
I'll be posting #51 around 10pm, but just to set the scene.
In #Uncool500, no.51 was the first song with 72 points. Several were tied, one had to lose out.
Here, no.51 will be the first song with 90 points. Again, several are tied, and this has to lose because the others are seeded.
David Bowie, 'Where Are We Now?'
#FEAROFMU21C
55
DAVID BOWIE (2/3)
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
UK 20/103
2013 2/11🥈
2010s 12/81
Points: 82 (1 x 12)
12: @jonesjonesph.bsky.social
SVQ: 114 (rank 2 = 57)
Might I remind you that it wasn't just New Order who had 8 songs in #Uncool500...
(ok, Bowie didn't have a three-quarter alt on top!)
Tomorrow on #FearofMu21C:
- 8 (EIGHT) different countries!
- The first seed to improve its position!
- Then another one!
- THREE more annual gold medallists!
- TWO of my picks!
- Only ONE song that isn't the artist's top-ranked!
And we reach the top 80-pointer (in #Uncool500 that was no.38).
No, and I'm almost certain it damaged some artists in #Uncool500.
La Roux, 'Bulletproof'
#FEAROFMU21C
92
LA ROUX (1/2)
BULLETPROOF
UK 35/104
2009 3/13🥉
2000s 61/152
Points: 61
SVQ: 41
Hit no.1 in the UK three days after Michael Jackson's death.
La Roux has more songs in this 250 than Michael Jackson had in #Uncool500.
She was the most successful solo female artist in #Uncool500 after Madonna and Kate Bush, though...
(she had three to Bjork's two)
The top one is 🟪(seeded).
Which means it was one of the 21st-century songs that made the #Uncool500 last year, so it's performance is in line with *my* expectations :)
That was a poll for 1976-2022, which was so lopsided in favour of the 70s and 80s that I decided to run a C21-only poll this year.
Taylor Swift, 'Shake It Off'
#FEAROFMU21C
She appeared at the halfway point in #Uncool500, and guess what...
125
TAYLOR SWIFT (3/3)
SHAKE IT OFF
USA 61/113
2014 4/6
2010s 34/81
Points: 51
🟪Tier 3
SVQ: 200! (rank 3 = 66.67)
Is there literally nothing Taylor Alison Swift, "Person of the Year 2023", can't do?
Super Furry Animals, 'Slow Life' (EP)
#FEAROFMU21C
148
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS (1/1)
SLOW LIFE (EP)
UK (Wal) 63/104
2004 11/18
2000s 96/152
Points: 50
SVQ: 30
SFA also placed an EP (Ice Hockey Hair) in #Uncool500, though not in the top 250.
Let alone the top 150.
Could they benefit from #UncoolTwo50 next year?
