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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 23, 2017 23:06:10 GMT 1
52. MEAT LOAF
Out with: Song Of Madness
My Top Ten: 1. Bat Out Of Hell 2. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer's Night) 3. Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad 4. Paradise By The Dashboard Light 5. Dead Ringer For Love 6. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) 7. Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through 8. Modern Girl 9. All Revved Up With No Place To Go 10. Objects In the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
Mr. Loaf falls just short of the top 50, but the original 'Bat Out Of Hell' album remains one of the most successful albums ever made - and deservedly so.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2017 15:48:50 GMT 1
51. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
Out with: Seven Devils
My Top Ten: 1. Dog Days Are Over 2. Queen Of Peace 3. Ship To Wreck 4. You've Got The Love 5. Cosmic Love 6. Spectrum (Say My Name) 7. Shake It Out 8. Blinding 9. Delilah 10. Sweet Nothing
An amazing performance from who were looking to be the newest act in the top 50. Sadly Florence falls one place short but it is still a spectacular achievement by an act who only have 8 years of material.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2017 17:27:18 GMT 1
HALF-TIME INTERLUDE
I was just going through the 50 acts that are left and I thought I'd throw in a few stats about them just for fun.
Firsty, these are the years in which the 50 remaining acts released their first single or album (whichever came first):
1954 - 1 act 1961 - 1 act 1962 - 1 act 1963 - 1 act 1964 - 2 acts 1965 - 1 act 1967 - 1 act 1968 - 3 acts 1970 - 1 act 1971 - 1 act 1972 - 2 acts 1973 - 1 act 1974 - 1 act 1976 - 1 act 1977 - 1 act 1978 - 2 acts 1979 - 2 acts 1980 - 1 act 1981 - 5 acts 1982 - 1 act 1983 - 2 acts 1984 - 5 acts 1985 - 2 acts 1986 - 2 acts 1987 - 2 acts 1988 - 1 act 1989 - 1 act 1990 - 1 act 1992 - 1 act 1994 - 1 act 2000 - 1 act 2007 - 1 act
Of the acts left there are 21 solo female artists, 10 solo male artists, 12 all-male bands and 7 bands featuring both male and female artists (of those 7, 2 of them only have a female lead vocalist - the other 5 have shared male and female vocals).
12 of the remaining acts are either dead or have prominent band members who are dead.
A massive 36 of them have had at least 1 UK #1 single. Of the remaining 14, 7 have had a #2, 3 have got as high as #3, 1 got to #5, 1 to #6, with only 2 yet to have a top ten hit: 1 of them reaching #12 and the other only managing a #16 hit at best.
5 artists yet to feature have already appeared in some form between the positions of 100-51. There are 3 solo artists left to feature who are also left to feature as part of a band.
2 of the artists remaining have won the Eurovision Song Contest.
Finally, of the artists left I have seen 14 of them live, and am going to see another of them soon.
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Post by rubcale on Feb 25, 2017 17:46:59 GMT 1
Hmmm.....I wonder if the 1970 act was formerly a lead singer in a group!
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Post by rubcale on Feb 25, 2017 17:48:20 GMT 1
I actually prefer the listing of your top 10 on each artist.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2017 20:01:02 GMT 1
Hmmm.....I wonder if the 1970 act was formerly a lead singer in a group! You could be right. All will be revealed. One more stat before I continue: 12 of the acts have at least one album in this week's top 100 album chart.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 26, 2017 14:06:47 GMT 1
50. P!NK
Out with: Glitter In The Air
My Top Ten: 1. Please Don't Leave Me 2. U + UR Hand 3. Who Knew 4. Just Like A Pill 5. Just Give Me A Reason 6. Family Portrait 7. Don't Let Me Get Me 8. Family Portrait 9. So What 10. Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)
Date of debut: 2000
Essential Album: Funhouse
...although it's hard to pick a favourite album as they all feature quite a few classic tracks....
P!nk is one of only 2 artists to have made it into the top 50 whose debut came after the last millennium. 'Who knew' that when she burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced, pink-haired white R'n'B star in the year 2000 that she would become one of the biggest pop/rock stars in the world!... I've yet to see her live but she is definitely on my wish list.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 26, 2017 17:05:52 GMT 1
49. SIMPLY RED
Out with: Shine On
My Top Ten: 1. Stars 2. Holding Back The Years 3. Something Got Me Started 4. For Your Babies 5. Fairground 6. Your Mirror 7. If You Don't Know Me By Now 8. Money's Too Tight (To Mention) 9. The Right Thing 10. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
Year of debut: 1985
Essential album: Stars
There's not really any doubt as to what is my favourite album by these, 'Stars' is a masterpiece and this is the reason for it remaining in the top 20 best sellers of all-time.... 'A New Flame' I would also class as essential though.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 26, 2017 20:44:04 GMT 1
48. BEE GEES
Out with: E.S.P.
My Top Ten: 1. To Love Somebody 2. Masachusetts 3. For Whom The Bell Tolls 4. How Deep Is Your Love 5. You Win Again 6. Words 7. I've Gotta Get A Message To You 8. Words 9. New York Mining Disaster 1941 10. Spicks And Specks
Year of debut: 1963
Essential album: Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track
OK so not strictly a Bee Gees album, but they did write most of it and I have to admit to not owning any of their studio albums - which makes it incredible that they have got this far on singles alone. There's not just their own songs they are responsible for though - they have written songs and albums for countless other artists, including Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion and Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton. Artists such as Take That, Boyzone and Steps have also got to #1 with covers of their songs. Surely they must be up there with the greatest songwriting teams of all-time.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 1, 2017 19:35:19 GMT 1
47. T.REX
Out with: Rip Off
My Top Ten: 1. 20th Century Boy 2. Hot Love 3. Children Of The Revolution 4. Ride A White Swan 5. Laser Love 6. Solid Gold Easy Action 7. Get It On 8. I Love To Boogie 9. Metal Guru 10. Dandy In The Underworld
Year of debut: 1968
Essential Album: Electric Warrior
You've got a picture already.. you don't need another one . In 1968 they were called Tyrannosaurus Rex, but they later shortened it to T.Rex.. which is how they are better known today. I've included the one Marc Bolan solo track I had (plus a couple of duets with Gloria Jones - original 'Tainted Love' singer plus his girlfriend, who was famously driving the car which crashed and killed him, just a month after the death of Elvis). He was just a few days off being 30... what a waste of a magnificent talent.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 2, 2017 21:01:30 GMT 1
46. OASIS
Out with: Stay Young
My Top Ten: 1. Wonderwall 2. Don't Look Back In Anger 3. Half The World Away 4. Champagne Supernova 5. Some Might Say 6. Live Forever 7. Cast No Shadow 8. She's Electric 9. Morning Glory 10. Whatever
Year of debut: 1994
Essential album: (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
Kings of Britpop, Oasis really were top of their game for a while.. with some of their album tracks being equally as great and as well-known as their biggest hits. The song 'Half The World Away', which was later used as the theme to The Royle Family, surely has to be one of the finest B-sides of all-time. (Not that kids these days remember B-sides - I've been asked recently what one was when I've been talking about them!)
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 4, 2017 10:18:50 GMT 1
45. MARY J. BLIGE
Out with: Take Me As I Am
My Top Ten: 1. Family Affair 2. Mary Jane (All Night Long) 3. As 4. One 5. I'm Going Down 6. No More Drama 7. I Am 8. MJB Da MVP 9. (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman 10. Be Without You
Year of debut: 1992
Essential album: The London Sessions
It's hard to believe that Mary J. Blige, the queen of hip-hop soul, has been releasing music for a quarter of a century now. 'My Life' is probably the critics choice for best album, but I think 'the London Sessions' is the album which is the most consistently good throughout.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 4, 2017 11:24:16 GMT 1
44. T'PAU
Out with: Imagine It Yourself
My Top Ten: 1. China In Your Hand 2. Heart And Soul 3. Valentine 4. I Will Be With You 5. Only The Lonely 6. Road To Our Dream 7. Sex Talk 8. Whenever You Need Me 9. Bridge Of Spies 10. Heaven
Year of debut: 1987
Essential album: Bridge Of Spies
There are a lot of haters out there, but I think Carol Decker's band are seriously underrated. 30 years old this very year, 'Bridge Of Spies' remains one of my favourite albums ever! They made a comeback 2 years ago with the brilliant 'Pleasure & Pain' album, but sadly their chart days were long over.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 5, 2017 15:39:15 GMT 1
43. AMY MACDONALD
Out with: Human Spirit
My Top Ten: 1. Mr Rock & Roll 2. This Is The Life 3. Poison Prince 4. Run 5. The Game 6. L.A. 7. Love Love 8. Life In A Beautiful Light 9. Barrowland Ballroom 10. The Furthest Star
Year of debut: 2007
Essential Album: This Is The Life
It may seem a bit unbelievable that she is this high, but I really do think her songs are that strong - yet she still hasn't achieved the success that her talent deserves. Of course, it helped her immensely that she released her excellent new album 'Under Stars' after I had started doing this. Amy finishing here also means that there is nobody higher than her who released their debut later than 1990.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 8, 2017 21:23:49 GMT 1
42. U2
Out with: Summer Rain
My Top Ten: 1. New Year's Day 2. Sunday Bloody Sunday 3. I Still Haven't Found What i'm Looking For 4. With Or Without You 5. Where The Streets Have No Name 6. All I Want Is you 7. Pride (In The Name Of Love) 8. One 9. Sweetest Thing 10. I Will Follow
Year of debut: 1979
Essential album: Under A Blood Red Sky
I hope this doesn't tempt fate where the Haven Factor is concerned, but U2 have done quite well considering I'm much more a fan of their 80's material than of what came later. That's not to say they haven't had moments of greatness since then though. 'The Joshua Tree' is their most highly regarded album, but I think 'Under A Blood Red Sky' is probably the best live album ever released.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 10, 2017 9:02:49 GMT 1
41. R.E.M.
Out with: I Remember California
My Top Ten: 1. Losing My Religion 2. Man On The Moon 3. The One I Love 4. Drive 5. Everybody Hurts 6. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite 7. Orange Crush 8. Imitation Of Life 9. The Great Beyond 10. It's The End Of The World As We Know It
Year of debut: 1981
Essential album: Out Of Time
Hmm, I think 'Out Of Time' just edges the critics choice 'Automatic For The People' for me - although they are both great albums. It's hard to believe they were going since 1981 as you tend to think of them as a nineties band... not quite fitting into the indie category, but far from being your average rock band either.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 12, 2017 18:07:52 GMT 1
40. UB40
Out with: I Won't Close My Eyes
My Top Ten: 1. Kingston Town 2. (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You 3. I Got You Babe 4. Red Red Wine 5. If It Happens Again 6. Higher Ground 7. Sing Our Own Song 8. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight 9. One In Ten 10. Don't Break My Heart
Year Of Debut: 1980
Essential Album: Labour Of Love II
Everybody talks about 'Labour Of Love' but I actually prefer the second volume, which was released in 1989. Much of their material, over the 37 years they have been going, consists of cover versions.. but I always say if you can do them well then it's no problem (and they definitely aren't the highest act on this countdown that are guilty of that!)
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Post by rubcale on Mar 12, 2017 18:59:06 GMT 1
UB40 a much underrated group.
I never consciously regarded as a favourite but I usually enjoyed their singles and even listening to them now they retain a freshness.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 13, 2017 19:06:29 GMT 1
39. BLONDIE
Out with: Fan Mail
My Top Ten: 1. Atomic 2. The Tide Is High 3. One Way Or Another 4. Sunday Girl 5. Picture This 6. Maria 7. Hanging On The Telephone 8. Heart Of Glass 9. Call Me 10. Dreaming
Year Of Debut: 1976
Essential album: Parallel Lines
Looking at that top ten it's all wrong... 'Dreaming' should be #2 at least. Anyway, Blondie are a band that I didn't know much beyond the singles and a couple of albums until this contest, where I've learned a lot of great tracks. There's probably a load more that I haven't discovered, and that doesn't include the solo stuff which is also great.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 13, 2017 23:05:44 GMT 1
Hmmm.....I wonder if the 1970 act was formerly a lead singer in a group! Well guessed! 38. DIANA ROSS
Out with: Touch By Touch
My Top Ten: 1. I'm Coming Out 2. I'm Still Waiting 3. Chain Reaction 4. When You Tell Me That You Love Me 5. Ain't No Mountain High Enough 6. Remember Me 7. The Boss 8. Touch Me In the Morning 9. One Shining Moment 10. Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)
Year Of Debut: 1970
Essential Album: The Force Behind The Power
It's easy to forget just how many hits Diana Ross had... but, aside from her massive success as lead singer with the Supremes in the 60's, she has had massive top ten hits in the UK alone in the 70's, the 80's and the 90's, reviving her career time and time again until finally slowing down in the noughties.
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