12 March 2010
People in the Popular comments boxes are talking about “the canon”. I’m always quite curious as to which bits of the canon have ‘taken’ with a broadly pop-positive audience such as we have here. So here’s a poll, very easy to fill in, just say which of the Top 50 albums OF ALL TIME EVER you love. You can interpret how strong an attachment you want “love” to be, of course.
The list of albums is from Acclaimed Music, a kind of ‘metacanon’ which lists the top 3000 albums.
To make it more interesting, answer these questions in the comments box:
1. What’s the WORST record on this list?
2. Which of the records you ticked did you love first?
3. Which of them did you start to love most recently?
Poll below the cut. more »
Tom in FT • 210 Comments
5 March 2010
The last of our 32 teams take the field of pop: Spain open their campaign against Switzerland. Spain’s Alberto is new to pop management at this level: his opposite number in the Swiss dugout is Greg Fanoe. Good luck to them both!
Voting for this match closes at midnight on the 11th March. more »
Tom in FT • 27 Comments
Shiny Shiny is an Pitchfork column by me about a fictional “CD Revival”, consisting of interviews with four of the movers and shakers in said revival and some editorial around that. Fictional because the column supposedly dates from 2022. Go and read it first!
This blog entry is an explanation of some of the references and underlying assumptions behind my little bit of sci-fi journalism. If the piece doesn’t make sense without it, I’ve failed, but it will hopefully be of interest to anyone who did enjoy the column. more »
Tom in FT • 8 Comments
4 March 2010
Group H begins with an intriguing clash between the relatively unfancied Chile and the relatively even more unfancied Honduras. Points on the board important here – both sides have experienced pop managers: Chile has turned to Jel, whereas Honduras have hired veteran gaffer Carsmile Steve.
This match ends at midnight on the 10th March – please listen and vote! more »
Tom in FT • 23 Comments
2 March 2010
Group G’s second game sees Brazil take on North Korea. Brazil are the most successful side ever in the football World Cup – in pop competition they are more of a sleeping giant, and it’s down to Chris Ambrose to revive their fortunes. As for North Korea, it’s been more than 40 years since anyone in the West has even seen them play: Mark Sinker is the spokesperson for their management team.
Despite formal protests from the DPRK’s representatives we will still be using the concept of “voting” to decide the outcome of this match. You have until midnight on the 8th March. more »
Tom in FT • 28 Comments
1. We know that even before the BBC’s strategy document recommended 6Music’s closure, the BBC Trust had asked for changes to the station. The Trust felt it should be playing less new music (down from 50% to 30%) and should be attracting a more diverse audience – older people, more women, more ethnic minorities. Perhaps mindful of the fact that previous attempts to diversify – the George Lamb affair – had led to accusations of 6 losing its identity, the Trust suggested changing the remit of the station to one celebrating “the alternative spirit in popular music since the 1960s”. (Previously there was no mention of ‘alternative’.) more »
Tom in FT • 23 Comments
1 March 2010
With the defending Pop World Cup champions Czech Republic failing to qualify for this year’s tournament, Portugal are the most successful 2006 team represented here. Managed by Job de Wit, they open Group G with a game against the Ivory Coast, in whose dugout sits Wichita Lineman of Popular comments crew fame.
Let’s vote! You have until midnight on March 7th to pick a winner here. more »
Tom in FT • 20 Comments
26 February 2010
The second group F game sees New Zealand and Slovakia go head to head – two Pop World Cup unknowns making their debut on the biggest stage. Both have gone for experienced managers, Steve Mannion in the Kiwis’ dugout while Julio de Souza slips on his sheepskin coat for the Slovaks.
This match will end at midnight on March 4th – for now, get voting. more »
Tom in FT • 24 Comments
25 February 2010
Group F’s opener sees Paraguay, managed by Talia, take on Marna’s Italy side. Both these teams came bottom of their groups at the last Pop World Cup – while it’s probably fair to say pop minnows Paraguay will be looking to enjoy the experience, surely Italy won’t be about to repeat their 2006 collapse?
Vote in the poll below the cut – you have until midnight on the 3rd March to pick your favourite. more »
Tom in FT • 30 Comments
23 February 2010
It’s been a good tournament for the African sides so far: but Cameroon’s Weston Debevec has a very tough opening game against pop sleeping giant Japan, managed by Dasal Abayaratne.
You have until midnight on the 1st March to vote in this one. more »
Tom in FT • 27 Comments
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