Populist
I’m marking each of the singles out of 10. Marks will vary according to my mood and circumstances as well as by the quality of the record. No consistency is intended and none should be assumed – take them as seriously as you like. If you’re registered and logged in, you can give your OWN mark out of 10 to each record, and the aggregate shows up on the FT Readers Top 100 view.
Showing highest reader averages
- 9.31 DONNA SUMMER - "I Feel Love" 9 (23rd July 1977)
- 9.06 MARVIN GAYE - "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" 9 (29th March 1969)
- 9 THE BEACH BOYS - "Good Vibrations" 9 (19th November 1966)
- 9 WILL YOUNG - "Leave Right Now" 7 (6th December 2003)
- 9 THE SPECIALS - "Ghost Town" 10 (11th July 1981)
- 8.98 KATE BUSH - "Wuthering Heights" 10 (11th March 1978)
- 8.98 THE FOUR TOPS - "Reach Out I'll Be There" 9 (29th October 1966)
- 8.88 PET SHOP BOYS - "West End Girls" 9 (11th January 1986)
- 8.79 ABBA - "Dancing Queen" 10 (4th September 1976)
- 8.77 BLONDIE - "Heart Of Glass" 9 (3rd February 1979)
- 8.71 THE BEATLES - "Eleanor Rigby"/"Yellow Submarine" 10 (20th August 1966)
- 8.69 MICHAEL JACKSON - "Billie Jean" 9 (5th March 1983)
- 8.68 THE TORNADOS - "Telstar" 9 (6th October 1962)
- 8.67 GIRLS ALOUD - "Sound Of The Underground" 9 (28th December 2002)
- 8.61 THE KINKS - "You Really Got Me" 7 (12th September 1964)
- 8.6 THE BEATLES - "She Loves You" 8 (14th September 1963)
- 8.6 MADONNA - "Like A Prayer" 10 (25th March 1989)
- 8.58 THE ROLLING STONES - "Paint It, Black" 9 (28 May 1966)
- 8.56 DAVID BOWIE - "Ashes To Ashes" 9 (23rd August 1980)
- 8.55 BLONDIE - "Atomic" 10 (1st March 1980)
- 8.52 ABBA - "The Winner Takes It All" 10 (9th August 1980)
- 8.52 THE HUMAN LEAGUE - "Don't You Want Me" 9 (12th December 1981)
- 8.51 JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES - "Shaking All Over" 8 (6th August 1960)
- 8.51 DEL SHANNON - "Runaway" 7 (1st July 1961)
- 8.51 SOFT CELL - "Tainted Love" 9 (5th September 1981)
- 8.5 EMINEM - “Lose Yourself” 8 (14th December 2002)
- 8.44 MADONNA - "Into The Groove" 9 (3rd August 1985)
- 8.43 DESMOND DEKKER AND THE ACES - "Israelites" 10 (19th April 1969)
- 8.43 SUGABABES - "Freak Like Me" 10 (4th May 2002)
- 8.42 DAVID BOWIE - "Space Oddity" 8 (8th November 1975)
- 8.39 TUBEWAY ARMY - "Are 'Friends' Electric?" 7 (30th June 1979)
- 8.38 THE BEATLES - "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out" 7 (18th December 1965)
- 8.37 KRAFTWERK - "The Model"/"Computer Love" 8 (6th February 1982)
- 8.33 BEYONCÉ - "Crazy In Love" 9 (12th July 2003)
- 8.33 THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS - "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" 8 (6th February 1965)
- 8.31 A-HA - "The Sun Always Shines On TV" 8 (25th January 1986)
- 8.31 ROY ORBISON - "It's Over" 9 (27th June 1964)
- 8.3 ALTHEA AND DONNA - "Uptown Top Ranking" 9 (4th February 1978)
- 8.3 THE BEATLES - "Ticket To Ride" 8 (24th April 1965)
- 8.28 THE WALKER BROTHERS - "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" 8 (19th March 1966)
- 8.26 THE ROLLING STONES - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 9 (22nd June 1968)
- 8.25 SUGABABES - "Hole In The Head" 8 (25th October 2003)
- 8.23 T REX - "Get It On" 8 (24th July 1971)
- 8.23 THE ROLLING STONES - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 9 (11th September 1965)
- 8.22 THE JAM - "Going Underground"/"Dreams Of Children" 9 (22nd March 1980)
- 8.2 SOUL II SOUL ft CARON WHEELER - "Back To Life (How Ever Do You Want Me)" 8 (24th June 1989)
- 8.2 PET SHOP BOYS - "Always On My Mind" 10 (19th December 1987)
- 8.19 THE KINKS - "Sunny Afternoon" 8 (9th July 1966)
- 8.19 S'EXPRESS - "Theme From S'Express" 9 (30th April 1988)
- 8.18 JOHN LEYTON - "Johnny Remember Me" 9 (2nd September 1961)
- 8.16 THE BEATLES - "Paperback Writer" 9 (25th June 1966)
- 8.16 THE BEATLES - "A Hard Day's Night" 8 (25th July 1964)
- 8.15 THE SEX PISTOLS - "God Save The Queen" X (7th June 1977)
- 8.15 M/A/R/R/S - "Pump Up The Volume"/"Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" 10 (3rd October 1987)
- 8.13 ADAMSKI - "Killer" 8 (12th May 1990)
- 8.13 10cc - "I'm Not In Love" 8 (28th June 1975)
- 8.12 CORNERSHOP - "Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix)" 9 (28th February 1998)
- 8.11 GEORGE McCRAE - "Rock Your Baby" 8 (27th July 1974)
- 8.11 GARY NUMAN - "Cars" 8 (22nd September 1979)
- 8.11 ADAM AND THE ANTS - "Stand And Deliver" 9 (9th May 1981)
- 8.09 SINEAD O'CONNOR - "Nothing Compares 2 U" 10 (3rd February 1990)
- 8.09 ABBA - "Knowing Me Knowing You" 8 (2nd April 1977)
- 8.07 SLADE - "Cvm On Feel The Noize" 8 (4th March 1973)
- 8.06 TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD - "Sixteen Tons" 9 (20th January 1956)
- 8.05 ABBA - "The Name Of The Game" 7 (5th November 1977)
- 8.05 T REX - "Hot Love" 10 (20th March 1971)
- 8.04 ALL SAINTS - "Black Coffee" 9 (14th October 2000)
- 8.04 IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS - "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" 9 (27th January 1979)
- 8.03 THE SHADOWS - "Apache" 7 (27th August 1960)
- 8 NANCY SINATRA - "These Boots Were Made For Walking" 10 (19th February 1966)
- 8 KYLIE MINOGUE - "Slow" 7 (15th November 2003)
- 7.97 KYLIE MINOGUE - "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" 9 (29th September 2001)
- 7.96 PET SHOP BOYS - "It's A Sin" 8 (4th July 1987)
- 7.95 THE SWEET - "Block Buster" 9 (27th January 1973)
- 7.95 CHAKA KHAN - "I Feel For You" 9 (10th November 1984)
- 7.93 THE MONKEES - "I'm A Believer" 7 (21st January 1967)
- 7.91 THE KLF ft THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION - "3AM Eternal" 8 (2nd February 1991)
- 7.91 KEN DODD - "Tears" / THE ROLLING STONES - "Get Off Of My Cloud" 2/9 (2nd October 1965)
- 7.9 DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - "Come On Eileen" 10 (7th August 1982)
- 7.88 SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES - "Tears Of A Clown" 8 (12th September 1970)
- 7.88 THE BEATLES - "I Want To Hold Your Hand" 7 (14th December 1963)
- 7.88 MADONNA - "Papa Don't Preach" 9 (12th July 1986)
- 7.87 JERRY LEE LEWIS - "Great Balls Of Fire" 8 (10th January 1958)
- 7.87 SUGABABES - "Round Round" 8 (24th August 2002)
- 7.86 QUEEN - "Bohemian Rhapsody" 8 (29th November 1975)
- 7.86 AALIYAH - "More Than A Woman" 9 (19th January 2002)
- 7.83 ELVIS PRESLEY - "Jailhouse Rock" 7 (24th January 1958)
- 7.83 THE ANIMALS - "House Of The Rising Sun" 6 (11th July 1964)
- 7.83 BRITNEY SPEARS - "...Baby One More Time" 9 (21st February 1999)
- 7.8 BLACK BOX - "Ride On Time" 7 (9th September 1989)
- 7.8 T.A.T.U. - "All The Things She Said" 7 (8th February 2003)
- 7.79 SPILLER - "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" 9 (26th August 2000)
- 7.79 T REX - "Metal Guru" 8 (20th May 1972)
- 7.79 ALL SAINTS - "Pure Shores" 8 (26th February 2000)
- 7.78 THE BEATLES - "Help!" 7 (7th August 1965)
- 7.77 COOLIO ft LV - "Gangsta's Paradise" 9 (28th October 1995)
- 7.77 MADONNA - "Vogue" 9 (14th April 1990)
- 7.76 THE MARCELS - "Blue Moon" 9 (6th May 1961)
- 7.74 WHITE TOWN - "Your Woman" 7 (25th January 1997)
- 7.73 THE BYRDS - "Mr. Tambourine Man" 8 (24th July 1965)
Hello all – I’ve been reading Popular for the last 3 years (came in around the time of Earth Song) and it has fast become my favourite music site, particularly after reading Mr Lineman’s wonderful hostory of pop, Yeah Yeah Yeah.
I was really taken aback by my own anticipation levels for an upcoming bunny this Easter (one that I Find Hard To Expunge From My Mind), and it got me thinking about the whole Popular enterprise, and how much it’s enriched my appreciation of music.
Over the years I’ve generally relied on my memory of these songs while reading Popular, playing them back in my mind rather than actually listening to them. Thar changed recently when I discovered the option to list the entries by score – I put all the 9s and 10s on a playlist, LOVED it, added the 8s and 7s, in quick succession, and suddenly I had 10 hours of wonderful pop music spanning 50 years!
As someone who listens mainly to albums, hearing these hits back-to-back has been a revelation. No filler tracks to grimly push through – every song sparkles with vitality, and the range of styles is astonishing, even in a single year. I’ve rediscovered many songs I thought my Uni disco had ruined forever (ABBA, The Buggles) and songs that my teenage indie self would have dismissed out of hand (Backstreet Boys and, unbelievably, Livin’ Joy), as well as digging some old favourites out for the first time in far too long.
I’ve now cut the list down even further to my own selection of the 100 best, and it’s just terrific. I’m going to get so much fun out of these songs – soundtracks to exercise, making my siblings mix CDs that they’ll actually play, and (most importantly) introducing my baby daughter to the wonder of pop music.
So thankyou Tom and all you marvellous comments people – you’ve reminded me how amazing pop music can be!
Thankyou Neil! I missed this comment when you posted it!
Early days of course but we currently have a new 00s number one. I can see it holding that position too.
Very cool toy here – http://polygraph.cool/history/ – which lets you play through a visualised rundown of the US top 5 from 1956-2016, not sure where to put it but sure a lot of people on here might spend an evening playing with it. Hope we can get one for the UK top 5 too.
is so good
[…] by Tom Ewing’s “Popular” (which traces the history of UK #1 singles) and Tom Breihan’s “The Number Ones” (which […]
[…] by Tom Ewing’s “Popular” (which traces the history of UK #1 singles) and Tom Breihan’s “The Number Ones” (which […]
[…] by Tom Ewing’s “Popular” (which traces the history of UK #1 singles) and Tom Breihan’s “The Number Ones” (which […]
[…] by Tom Ewing’s “Popular” (which traces the history of UK #1 singles) and Tom Breihan’s “The Number Ones” (which […]
[…] by Tom Ewing’s “Popular” (which traces the history of UK #1 singles) and Tom Breihan’s “The Number Ones” (which […]
Is something awry with the readers’ scores? I note that Dirrty has the third (!) highest score whilst pretty much everything else posted of late is tied in last place with a score of zero. I always rather liked seeing what the Popular community rated and the extent to which that correlated with Tom’s score. Is nobody scoring tracks anymore (other then whoever gave Christina a 9) or is there something up with the system?
I suspect it’s because so many of us are locked out by the filtering system and can no longer log on to vote. Meanwhile the filtering system seems to let an assortment of bots to post