Tag Archives: Best Songs

The Hottest 80 So Far, and what’s next?

I have been LOVING the Hottest 100 this week.

Everyday at 10am and 4pm we get drip-fed 10 songs at a time from 100 to 21.

Best week of radio. EVER.

Here is the list so far:

100 Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
99 TV On The Radio – Wolf Like Me
98 Led Zeppelin – Kashmir
97 Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning
96 Daft Punk – One More Time
95 Stevie Wonder – Superstition
94 Modest Mouse – Float On
93 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
92 Bon Iver – Skinny Love
91 AC/DC – Back in Black
90 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
89 Rage Against The Machine – Bulls on Parade
88 The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter
87 Coldplay – Yellow
86 The Beatles – Come Together
85 The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You
84 Bob Marley and The Wailers – No Woman, No Cry
83 Placebo – Every You, Every Me
82 System of a Down – Chop Suey
81 Pulp – Common People
80 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
79 David Bowie – Life on Mars?
78 Smashing Pumpkins – Today
77 Gotye – Heart’s A Mess
76 Stone Roses – Fools Gold
75 Green Day – Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
74 Nirvana – Lithium
73 The Clash – London Calling
72 The Shins – New Slang
71 The Smiths – How Soon is Now?
70 The Prodigy – Breathe
69 Jeff Buckley – Grace
68 Blink 182 – Dammit
67 Ben Folds Five – Brick
66 Elton John – Tiny Dancer
65 Underworld – Born Slippy
64 Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
63 AC/DC – Thunderstruck
62 Nine Inch Nails – Closer
61 Blur – Song 2
60 Johnny Cash – Hurt
59 Augie March – One Crowded Hour
58 Daft Punk – Around The World
57 Tool – Forty Six & 2
56 Jeff Buckley – Lover, You Should Have Come Over
55 Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
54 The Cure – Close To Me
53 Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
52 You Am I – Berlin Chair
51 Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings
50 Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
49 Guns n’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
48 Beastie Boys – Sabotage
47 John Butler Trio – Betterman
46 Faith No More – Epic
45 Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
44 The Beatles – Hey Jude
43 The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
42 Bloc Party – Banquet
41 Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
40 Nirvana – Come As You Are
39 Pearl Jam – Better Man
38 The Killers – Mr Brightside
37 Tool – Stinkfist
36 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms
35 Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
34 Living End – Prisoner Of Society
33 Silverchair – Tomorrow
32 New Order – Blue Monday
31 Metallica – Enter Sandman
30 Jimi Hendrix – All Along The Watchtower
29 Pixies – Where is My Mind?
28 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
27 Powderfinger – My Happiness
26 Michael Jackson – Thriller
25 Pearl Jam – Alive
24 The Beatles – A Day in the Life
23 Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
22 Massive Attack – Teardrop
21 Powderfinger – These Days

My obervations?

Well, there are a couple of very interesting things that have happened this year. For the first time ever, a number of BIG artists that usually don’t make the non-mainstream Hottest 100 have made it in. Artists like AC/DC, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder have made their way in for the first time.

The second thing. Some of the biggest names have come sliding down the list from previous countdowns. We’ve seen the runner up from 1989, 1990 and 1998, Hunters & Collectors only make it in at #23. Blue Monday from New Order, which previously was a consistant Top 10 entry, only made #32 this time around.

So what’s going to replace these former Top 10 stalwarts?

That’s the exciting part. We don’t get to hear the Top 20 until late on Sunday afternoon, but it gives us all a chance to guess what the Top 20 might be.

Lawrie Zion, the originator of the Hottest 100 back in 1989 has had a crack at the Top 20.

Apparently the breakdown of the Top 20 through the decades will be:

We had advance info regarding the spread of decades and now know the remaining 20 are distributed thus.

2000s-3
1990s-11
1980s-2
1970s-4
1960s-0

So, it’s my turn.

70’s:

Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven – 1971
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – 1975
Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart – 1979
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry – 1979

80’s:

Metallica – One – 1988
The Cure – Just Like Heaven – 1987

90’s:

Radiohead – Paranoid Android – 1997
Radiohead – Creep – 1992
Radiohead – Karma Police – 1997
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge – 1992
Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye – 1994
U2 – One – 1991
Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony – 1997
Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name – 1992
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit – 1991
Oasis – Wonderwall – 1995
Foo Fighters – Everlong – 1997

00’s:

Muse – Knights of Cydonia – 2006
White Stripes – Seven Nation Army – 2003
Muse – Stockholm Syndrome – 2003

That would be 20, but some roughies are:

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah – 1994
John Lennon – Imagine – 1971
Pearl Jam – Black – 1991
Wolfmother – Mind’s Eye – 2005
Muse – Super Massive Black Hole – 2006
Weezer – Buddy Holly – 1993
MGMT – Electric Feel – 2008
The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary – 1985
Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun – 1994
The Presets – My People – 2008

Here is my guess at how the Top 20 will shape up.

20 U2 – One – 1991
19 The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry – 1980
18 Foo Fighters – Everlong – 1997
17 Muse – Knights of Cydonia – 2006
16 The Cure – Just Like Heaven – 1987
15 Oasis – Wonderwall – 1995
14 Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven – 1971
13 Metallica – One – 1988
12 White Stripes – Seven Nation Army – 2003
11 Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name – 1992
10 Muse – Stockholm Syndrome – 2003
9 Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – 1975
8 Radiohead – Creep – 1992
7 Radiohead – Karma Police – 1997
6 Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony – 1997
5 Radiohead – Paranoid Android – 1997
4 Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye – 1994
3 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge – 1992
2 Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart – 1980
1 Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit – 1991

A total guess, but I would be very surprised if any other songs made it that I haven’t mentioned here.

Any more guesses out there?


The Hottest 100 Votes I didn’t get to…

Ok, so, I didn’t quite get to finishing my 10 votes for the Hottest 100, and then Michael Jackson died and then I went to Melbourne and then everything is about to change…but I will get to that.

Where did I get up to?

Oh yes, I have 3 more songs to reveal, which if you’d seen my facebook you’ve already found out.

Song 8 – Lovesong – The Cure

Out of all the dozens of Cure songs it is hard to pick a favourite. I love the ‘Wish’ album, but of course ‘Disintegration’ is amazing, which is where this song comes from.

It has achingly beautiful lyrics, a mad bass line and a soulful melody. Just the perfect Cure song.

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
You make me feel like I am whole again
You make me feel like I am young again
You make me feel like I am fun again

However far away
However long I stay
Whatever words I say
I will always love you

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
You make me feel like I am clean again

I will always love you

Song 9 – One – Metallica

Metallica are a band that I didn’t quite ‘get’ until the ‘Black ‘ album in 1991. You could call me one of those ‘mainstream’ fans that only jumped onto the bandwagon once they became popular. The only thing is that instead of following Metallica forwards, I went backwards. I listened to ‘…and Justice For All’, ‘Master of Puppets’, right back to ‘Kill ’em All’ and loved them all.

Then they went and brought out ‘Load’, ‘Reload’ and they turned to shit. I’m sorry, but the 3 albums after the ‘Black’ album were pretty much crap. Last years ‘Death Magnetic’ was a slight return to form but honestly nothing beats the ‘Master of Puppets’ album for pure Metallica gold.

Ironically this song doesn’t come off my favourite album, but instead off the epic ‘…and Justice For All’ album.

This song is like a novel. It starts out slowly, introducing the guitar and lyrics, slowly building up to a slowish drum beat. Then it starts to get heavy. The whaling guitar of Kirk Hammett together with Lars’ pelting drum beat build up to the blazing triplet beat of double-kick and guitars.

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please god,wake me
Now the world is gone Im just one
Oh god,help me hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God help me

The finishing guitar solo with the underlying rhythms of Jason and Lars are just amazing to hear. Seriously, this song is like an aural orgasm to me. My heart races. I get sweaty. It just DOES it for me.

Now, combine the amazing song with the scary, yet captivating film clip and you have the complete package.

Listen to the song, but then watch the video clip. You will learn to love it. Trust me

Just the song

The Video Clip.

Song 10 – Wicked Game – Chris Isaak

Now to something completely different. You can’t change styles much more than from Metallica to Chris Isaak, but I think that this proves that I enjoy a wide range of musical genres.

This song is almost a gimme. I mean, who doesn’t love the deep, sexy melancholy of Isaak’s voice along with the sexiness of how he looks. I mean seriously, he was damn hot back in the day.

Throw a topless Helena Christensen into the film clip and you have a complete song that just screams SEX.

I have loudly sung along to this song many many times in the car (or at karaoke!) and I just the pitch change in the chorus. “No…I…iiiiiiii….don’t wanna fall in love”.

Watch and try not to squirm….

———————

So that’s it. My Top 10 songs that I voted for in the Hottest 100 Of All Time

It was not easy, and it seriously took me a month to work out.

So many good songs missed out, but I feel pretty confident that I have picked a great representation of my favourite songs.

Songs that nearly made it:

AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long
Air – All I Need
Alice in Chains – Rooster
Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal
Audioslave – Cochise
Beastie Boys – Sabotage
Ben Harper – Faded
Billy Idol – Hot In The City
Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry
Bomb The Bass – Bug Powder Dust
Bon Jovi – Bad Medicine
Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
The Doors – Light My Fire
Faith No More – Epic
Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
Green Day – Welcome To Paradise
Guns n’ Roses – November Rain
Hoodoo Gurus – Thousand Miles Away
Icehouse – Man of Colours
Jamiroquai – When You Gonna Learn
John Butler Trio – Betterman
John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Road
Josh Pyke – Lines on Palms
Lenny Kravitz – Always On The Run
Living Colour – Cult of Personality
Midnight Oil – Power & The Passion
Muse – Stockholm Syndrome
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Nick Cave & Bad Seeds – Ship Song
Nirvana – Lounge Act
Outkast – Hey Ya!
PJ Harvey – This Mess We’re In
Placebo – Special K
The Police – Message In A Bottle
Prince – Sign O’ The Times
R.E.M. – Drive
Ratcat – Don’t Go Now
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Suck My Kiss
Redgum – I Was Only 19
The Screaming Jets – Better
The Shins – New Slang
Skunkhour – Sunstone
Smashing Pumpkins – Soma
Soundgarden – Jesus Christ Pose
Stevie Ray Vaughn – Little Wing
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Sting – Fields of Gold
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
System Of A Down – BYOB
They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse In Your Soul
Tool – 46 and 2
Tricky – Black Steel
U2 – Pride (in the Name of Love)
Urge Overkill  – Sister Havana
Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby (really!)
Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
Wolfmother – Joker and the Thief
Young MC – Bust a Move

————————

The countdown starts tomorrow!

From 10am tomorrow and then at 4pm all weekend songs from 100 to 21 will be counted down.

Then on Saturday 100 – 51 from midday and then 50 – 1 on Sunday from midday.

I can’t wait to find out who makes it and intend to have the radio blasting all weekend!

My tips?

Smells Like Teen Spirit will win.

Love Will Tear Us Apart will be up there, along with Boys Don’t Cry and Throw Your Arms Around Me.

Alive, One and Stairway to Heaven will probably make it. I think a roughie might be Muse or Kings of Leon.


Love Rears Your Songs. (Part 6 & 7)

When asked who my favourite band is, I am pretty quick to answer.

Although I have dozens of ‘favourites’, when it comes down to it, there are 2 bands that have always  had a massive effect on me.

Back in high school, I joined the school band. Sure, I was playing the dorky trumpet, and then tuba, but the point was that music was a constant in my life. Even way back to primary school when my mum encouraged us (me and my sister)to play piano, music has always been around me. And although those piano lessons didn’t get me much further than the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, it did teach me to read music and appreciate that music comes in many forms.

In the school band I was surrounded by young, but talented musicians. Through them I discovered music that I probably would not have otherwise. One album that fell into my lap in 1989 was from a relatively unknown band called Living Colour. The first song on that album was a little gem called ‘Cult of Personality’. What stood out for me initially was the musicianship in this song. You see, I don’t hear lyrics generally, I hear the music behind them. If someone asked me to recite the lyrics to a song I’d heard a dozen times I’d probably struggle, but get me to hum a few bars and I’d be fine.

Vernon Reid on Guitar, Will Calhoun on Drums, Muzz Skillings on Bass and the enigmatic Corey Glover on vocals. They are all massively talented, including Doug Wimbish, who replaced Skillings from the Stain album. Each album they’ve released has progressed on from what they were on the previous. I love listening to soulful songs on their first album, Vivid, and then banging the head to ‘Go Away’ on Stain. They are anything but predictable.

It’s one of their more chilled and probably most popular songs from their 2nd album, Time’s Up, that always does it for me. Love Rears Its Ugly Head ranks as one of my favourite songs, from my favourite band of all time. Now, please don’t confuse the original version of this song with the ‘Soul Power Remix’. I actually dislike the remix version. It does not do the song justice at all.

If you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favour right now.

Check out the original film clip (can’t embed) or the live version below.

The 2nd part of the answer to my favourite band, is this band. My favourite Australian band. Regurgitator.

Again, it may be an unusual choice, but bear with me. I have a lot of bands I enjoy listening to, but it’s those bands that continue to re-invent, evolve and release material that isn’t necessarily in your Top 40 that really leave their mark with me. Regurgitator have evolved from being a thrashy rock outfit from Brisbane to a newage/electro/funk/rock/pop band. How did that happen? And which category do they fit in?

Me & Quan

Me & Quan from The Gurge

The biggest thing to happen to Regurgitator was the making of their 2nd album, Unit. This album should be remembered as one of the best Aussie albums of all time. Not only did it define the direction that Regurgitator were going, it went on to show what was possible for Aussie bands in using a mixture of electronics, rock and funk. And it’s so goddamn fun.

I really don’t know how to describe my love for Regurgitator, but it grew even more after their ‘Band in a Bubble‘ concept which saw them locked inside a glass house in the middle of Melbourne for 3 weeks. I addictively watched that shit on Channel 802 of Fox as much as I could. Quan, Ben and Pete are just so damn real. Not rock star, not ego-maniacs and not fussed at their own fame, or lack of. They just do what they do and they love it.

So, which song of theirs did I pick? It was not an easy job.  I was going to go for the first big hit, Blubber Boy, I was thinking about Everyday Formula. Even their thrasy Track 1 was a contender for pure bouncing rocky goodness.

But, no I went with a song that really has no name other than ! or The Song Formally Known As. It’s the song that epitomises Regurgitator. Quan’s quirky lyrics. Modded Bass Lines from Ben. Synthesised Poppy Rocky Perfection.

So, that’s 7 down. Only 3 to go, and only a few days to vote.

I think I’m gonna make it!