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 standard deviations
- 3.9 T.A.T.U. - "All The Things She Said" 7 (8th February 2003)
- 3.29 SAINT ETIENNE - "Popular" 10 ()
- 3.18 R. KELLY - "Ignition (Remix)" 0 (17th May 2003)
- 2.88 FATMAN SCOOP ft CROOKLYN CLAN - "Be Faithful" 7 (1st November 2003)
- 2.75 CHRISTINA AGUILERA - "Beautiful" 6 (8th March 2003)
- 2.75 LIEUTENANT PIGEON - "Mouldy Old Dough" 9 (14th October 1972)
- 2.69 THE SEEKERS - "The Carnival Is Over" 4 (27th November 1965)
- 2.67 CHARLENE - "I've Never Been To Me" 7 (26th June 1982)
- 2.65 THE BLACK EYED PEAS ft JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - "Where Is The Love?" 7 (13th September 2003)
- 2.63 JULIE COVINGTON - "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" 8 (12th February 1977)
- 2.6 JOHN LENNON - "Imagine" 2 (10th January 1981)
- 2.59 PETULA CLARK - "This Is My Song" 1 (18th February 1967)
- 2.59 THE RUBETTES - "Sugar Baby Love" 8 (18th May 1974)
- 2.57 BAND AID - "Do They Know It's Christmas" 6 (15th December 1984)
- 2.57 SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - "Bridge Over Troubled Water" 5 (28th March 1970)
- 2.56 DAVID WHITFIELD - "Cara Mia" 2 (2nd July 1954)
- 2.56 2 UNLIMITED - "No Limit" 7 (13th February 1993)
- 2.56 GUY MITCHELL – 'She Wears Red Feathers' 2 (13th March 1953)
- 2.56 DAVID CASSIDY - "How Can I Be Sure?" 6 (30th September 1972)
- 2.55 DREAMWEAVERS - "It's Almost Tomorrow" 7 (16th March 1956)
- 2.55 BONNIE TYLER - "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" 8 (12th March 1983)
- 2.54 JOHN TRAVOLTA AND OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN - "Summer Nights" 6 (30th September 1978)
- 2.53 WIZZARD - "See My Baby Jive" 6 (19th May 1973)
- 2.52 DON McLEAN - "Vincent" 1 (17th June 1972)
- 2.52 DANIEL BEDINGFIELD - "If You're Not The One" 4 (7th December 2002)
- 2.52 THE BOOMTOWN RATS - "I Don't Like Mondays" 2 (28th July 1979)
- 2.5 MIDDLE OF THE ROAD - "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" 4 (19th June 1971)
- 2.49 BAZ LUHRMANN - "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" 1 (12th June 1999)
- 2.48 THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - "Voodoo Chile" 6 (21 November 1970)
- 2.48 CHARLES AZNAVOUR - "She" 3 (29th June 1974)
- 2.48 GARY PUCKETT AND THE UNION GAP - "Young Girl" 5 (25th May 1968)
- 2.48 MICHAEL JACKSON - "One Day In Your Life" 5 (27th June 1981)
- 2.46 THE SEX PISTOLS - "God Save The Queen" X (7th June 1977)
- 2.46 PINK FLOYD - "Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)" 5 (15th December 1979)
- 2.46 FRANKIE LAINE - "I Believe" 3 (24th April 1953)
- 2.46 BARBRA STREISAND - "Woman In Love" 5 (25th October 1980)
- 2.45 THE STARGAZERS - "I See The Moon" 1 (12th March 1954)
- 2.44 GERI HALLIWELL - "Bag It Up" 4 (25th March 2000)
- 2.44 CILLA BLACK - "You're My World" 3 (30th May 1964)
- 2.44 SINEAD O'CONNOR - "Nothing Compares 2 U" 10 (3rd February 1990)
- 2.43 SO SOLID CREW - "21 Seconds" 9 (18th August 2001)
- 2.43 CHICAGO - "If You Leave Me Now" 5 (13th November 1976)
- 2.42 THE ARCHIES - "Sugar, Sugar" 8 (25th October 1969)
- 2.42 WIZZARD - "Angel Fingers" 7 (22nd September 1973)
- 2.42 BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES - "Do You Love Me?" 6 (12th October 1963)
- 2.42 FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD - "Two Tribes" 10 (16th June 1984)
- 2.41 DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - "Come On Eileen" 10 (7th August 1982)
- 2.41 JACKIE TRENT - "Where Are You Now (My Love)?" 3 (22nd May 1965)
- 2.4 EVANESCENCE - "Bring Me To Life" 6 (14th June 2003)
- 2.4 TOMCRAFT - "Loneliness" 7 (10th May 2003)
- 2.4 GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS - "You'll Never Walk Alone" 3 (2nd November 1963)
- 2.4 LORD ROCKINGHAM'S XI – 'Hoots Mon' 9 (28th November 1958)
- 2.39 OXIDE AND NEUTRINO - "Bound 4 Da Reload (Casualty)" 8 (6th May 2000)
- 2.38 DAVID SOUL - "Silver Lady" 6 (8th October 1977)
- 2.38 THE VENGABOYS - "Boom Boom Boom Boom" 4 (26th June 1999)
- 2.37 DJ PIED PIPER AND THE MASTER OF CEREMONY - "Do You Really Like It?" 7 (2nd June 2001)
- 2.36 AFROMAN - "Because I Got High" 4 (27th October 2001)
- 2.36 GLORIA GAYNOR - "I Will Survive" 7 (17th March 1979)
- 2.35 GEORGE MICHAEL - "Jesus To A Child" 9 (20th January 1996)
- 2.34 TAKE THAT - "Never Forget" 6 (5th August 1995)
- 2.34 THE FIRM - "Star Trekkin" 1 (20th June 1987)
- 2.33 GEORGE MICHAEL - "A Different Corner" 8 (19th April 1986)
- 2.33 TAMMY WYNETTE - "Stand By Your Man" 6 (3rd May 1975)
- 2.33 JO STAFFORD - "You Belong To Me" 6 (16th January 1953)
- 2.32 EUROPE - "The Final Countdown" 7 (6th December 1986)
- 2.32 THE PIPES AND DRUMS AND MILITARY BAND OF THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS - "Amazing Grace" 5 (15th April 1972)
- 2.31 THE BEATLES - "Hey Jude" 4 (14th September 1968)
- 2.31 THE ROLLING STONES - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 9 (11th September 1965)
- 2.31 GARY GLITTER - "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)" 4 (28 July 1973)
- 2.3 EIFFEL 65 - "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" 6 (25th September 1999)
- 2.3 BABY D - "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" 8 (26th November 1994)
- 2.3 LEANN RIMES - "Can't Fight The Moonlight" 5 (24th November 2000)
- 2.29 SHAKIN' STEVENS - "Merry Christmas Everyone" 2 (28th December 1985)
- 2.29 THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS - "Setting Sun" 9 (12th October 1996)
- 2.28 DOOP - "Doop" 7 (19th March 1994)
- 2.28 BADDIEL AND SKINNER AND THE LIGHTNING SEEDS - "Three Lions" 6 (1st June 1996)
- 2.27 JOHN LENNON - "Woman" 2 (7th February 1981)
- 2.27 DESTINYS CHILD - "Survivor" 9 (28th April 2001)
- 2.27 THE FLYING PICKETS - "Only You" 5 (10th December 1983)
- 2.27 NEW EDITION - "Candy Girl" 6 (28th May 1983)
- 2.27 ALL SAINTS - "Bootie Call" 4 (12th September 1998)
- 2.26 BILLY JOEL - "Uptown Girl" 6 (5th November 1983)
- 2.26 10cc - "I'm Not In Love" 8 (28th June 1975)
- 2.26 THE NEW SEEKERS - "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" 5 (19th January 1974)
- 2.25 STILTSKIN - "Inside" 3 (14th May 1994)
- 2.25 NILSSON - "Without You" 6 (11th March 1972)
- 2.25 CULTURE BEAT - "Mr Vain" 7 (28th August 1993)
- 2.25 BENNY HILL - "Ernie, The Fastest Milkman In The West" 6 (11th December 1971)
- 2.24 ELVIS PRESLEY – 'A Fool Such As I' 6 (15th May 1959)
- 2.24 CHER - "Believe" 8 (31st October 1998)
- 2.24 AQUA - "Barbie Girl" 6 (1st November 1997)
- 2.24 OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN AND JOHN TRAVOLTA - "You're The One That I Want" 6 (17th June 1978)
- 2.24 DANNY WILLIAMS - "Moon River" 9 (30th December 1961)
- 2.24 ELVIS PRESLEY - "Crying In The Chapel" 2 (19th June 1965)
- 2.24 THE TIMELORDS - "Doctorin The Tardis" 9 (18th June 1988)
- 2.23 WHITNEY HOUSTON - "I Will Always Love You" 5 (5th December 1992)
- 2.23 WHITNEY HOUSTON - "One Moment In Time" 2 (15th October 1988)
- 2.23 CILLA BLACK - "Anyone Who Had A Heart" 4 (29th February 1964)
- 2.23 LONNIE DONEGAN - "Cumberland Gap" 8 (12th April 1957)
- 2.22 BLUR - "Beetlebum" 5 (1st February 1997)
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