The official Top 40 Singles Chart - reviewed.

[taliac]

So.

I love music, always have.

But somewhere in the 90's I decided I was too cool (indie) for the charts, so I stopped listening to them. And TOTP went crap, and then went altogether, and R1 became too young, and I had kids, and somehow I lost touch with what the young people were listening to.

Which is a bit crap really for someone who has always said that genre doesn't matter, its the music that counts.

So for the rest of the day I'm planning to listen to the official top 40 singles chart here and report back..

Feel free to join in, post opinions or even derisory comments on my taste..

[taliac]

At 40, Nickelback, Rockstar.

Okay, I quite like this. Are they a rock band doing a radio crossover record? Its pretty funny.

At 39, Scooter.

God this is appalling. This sort of music is why I stopped listening to Radio One ages ago.

Lots of chat. More when they stop wittering.

[taliac]

Right we seem to have skipped straight over 38 and 37 to Black Kids at number 36 with Hurricane Jane.

Yes this is more my cup of tea. Are these the ones Bernard Butler produced?

Yes they are, I googled it. Very nice.

Feeling like I should go and listen to Chris Brown (38) and Pendulum (37) or else I'm somehow cheating..

[Teuch]

I love the Scooter one - is it jumping all over the world? Hilarious!!

DS (2) always stops what he is doing to dance...as do we!!

Musically, obviously it is shocking, but hey...

[taliac]

Yes "jumping all over the world"! Urgggghh well maybe just not my taste.

At 35, Courteeners. "No You didn't No you don't."

Well on this listening, sounds like a bog standard Northern jangly guitar band. Heard it too many times before. Next!

[UnquietDad]

Anyone read James' Masterson's weekly chart blog? It's always very informed. I've been reading it since it was on Dotmusic. here

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Pendulum are good! listen!

[taliac]

Just had a quick look, will bookmark that one, thanks UD! Much more educated and erudite than me, and I'm almost tempted to give this up and just read about the music... But thats not the point and this will be good for me.

34 - Freemasons ft Katherine Ellis - sort of washing over me really without going in.

I got very good at tuning out house music when I dated a guy who DJed at weekend. You'd have to go along to be supportive, but it was never my musical cup of tea..

33 - Oh its Weezer! I really liked them back in the day. Buddy Holly etc..

This is fine, but more of the same really - rock music with beach boys harmonies.

[taliac]

DWP - you are right, I shall go and listen to Chris Brown and Pendulum on napster otherwise I'm not doing it properly..

[taliac]

Okay backtracking to Chris Brown at 38. Not what I expected, rather lovely actually. Sweet lyrics and nice use of strings.

Pendulum at 37 - oh I've heard this but had no idea who it was! I like it. Great intro and fun synth riff.

I'm going to get to 30 and then stop for a bit to do some real work..

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

At this rate you'll still be here next week, and the charts will have changed. lol.

[taliac]

DWP - I know that has occured to me! I have to stop at 6, cos, y'know, the children.

32 Duffy, Mercy.

This is a great track, and I like her voice, but she was arse live when I saw her. And I do not get the Dusty comparisons. Dusty could really. really sing and Duffy is not on the same level.

Should I admit that when I first heard people talking about Duffy I thought "oh good, Stephen Duffy has finally stopped pissing about with Robbie Williams and has finally done another record of his own.."

31 - MGMT, Electric Feel.

Was very interested to hear this as my friend LOVES them. Well, I like it fine but maybe I have to go listen to the album or something because on one play I don't get why they are the new best thing..

[taliac]

speeding through now..

30 - Mariah Carey.

I quite liked "We Belong Together" but this is arse. "I wish that you could see me back at number one". Yes, its all about you Mariah.

29 - Alphabeat 10,000 nights

Pleasant indieish pop.

28 - Flo Rida feat T-Pain.

Not my cup of tea but I'm amused that his album is called Mail on Sunday.

27 - Fall Out Boy feat John Mayer - "Beat It"

I like John Mayer, and I like the original, so I suppose I have no objection to this. But it doesn't really add anything new does it?

26 - Nickelback - "Photograph"

One of the things that I've got to get used to with the advent of downloads is how much the charts have changed. Songs go up the charts like in the olden days. Bands have more than one song in the top 40. Its all very different. This is a bit dull, I preferred the other one.

25 - Madonna "Give it 2 Me"

Oh Madonna. Numbers instead of words, how very txtspk. She's about to turn 50 you know. Not very keen on this tbh.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

pmsl at your Madonna comment.

I rather liked 'beat it' when I first heard it, but meh after a couple of plays.

[taliac]

24 - Ting Tings "Shut Up and Let Me Go"

I like the Ting Tings although it does remind me of being 6 and liking Hey Mickey etc.

23 - Estelle Feat Kanye West

This is fab, plus I think Kanye is great so all in all a thumbs up

22 - Usher "Love in this Club"

I don't really get the immense popularity of Usher. So I shall move on to..

21 - Coldplay - Violet Hill

I know, I know, its Coldplay. But I like it, although not as much as the other one.

20 - Flo Rida ft Timbaland

Yep, still amused by the album title. No real opinion on this though.

[taliac]

Yes thats the thing about rock covers of very well known originals.

Its just the original, but, erm, played rockily. Wow how clever. But people still buy it!

Hey, check me, I am able to have an opinion about this stuff because I have LISTENED TO IT.

I might even tune in on Sunday DWP.

[taliac]

19 - September "Cry for You"

Oh its the one with the Bronski Beat sample. I've heard this loads, but had no idea who did it until now.

18 - Wiley "Wearing my Rolex"

I love this. It just sounds very cool and I like the female vocals underneath Wylie blathering on about his rolex.

17 - Mint Royale - "Singin in the Rain"

Yes even I know about this one. Gene Kelly, advert, X Factor, Number 1.

So moving on,

16 - Glasvegas

I'd heard of them, the NME are going on about them a lot. But the track is actually rather underwhelming

15 - Will I Am ft Cheryl Cole

Again, I'd heard this without knowing who it was. I'm still no wiser, although isn't she that one out of that band whose married to that footballer?

It doesn't matter, she's hardly on it anyway.

[taliac]

14 - Madonna, 4 minutes

Oh I like this one. Great hook.

13 - Jonas Brothers

I was expecting this to be arse because they look a bit like they are going to be Hanson or something. But its not too bad.

12 - Sam Sparro

This is pretty good isn't it. Never heard of him, may have to go listen to the album.

11 - Ironik

Can I admit to really liking this?? Its soo sweeeeet... Plus I like his earnest insistence on his audience listening to his lyrics. You tell them, young man!

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

I'm excited, will you mange the countdown before 6pm, will something so awful throw you of track and leave you huffing about 'the music of today'

Will you comment on my friends band? Oh the suspense.

[taliac]

10 Busta Rhymes ft Linkin Park

Ah the old rap rock crossover, first popularised by Run DMC and Aerosmith back in the mists of time.

This is a decent example of the genre.

9 - Duffy Warwick Avenue

Yes lovely, very nice, lots of other faint praise.

8 - The Ting Tings, Thats Not My Name

Great fun, ace to dance to, but really what is she going on about?????

7 - Gabriella Cilmi - Sweet about Me.

Oh thats who this is. I like her voice, and the songs pretty decent too. Maybe I'll check out the album.

6 - Sara Bareilles - Love Song

Oh this is good too. I'm a sucker for those power pop piano intros. Fab I'm getting a really good list of things to go listen to from doing this..

5 - Rihanna Take A Bow

Well I like it but its not Umbrella ella ella.

[taliac]

DWP - I think I'm going to make it...

Hang on, the baby needs feeding. Arrgh, feed the baby or finish the countdown. Oh the quandry

Who is your friend's band?

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

The Futureheads. I just realised they are not even in the top 40 anymore, oh dear, short lived success I guess.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

You can do it, feed the baby, and finish the countdown at the same time.

[taliac]

I can't because lovely MIL has just dished up dinner for me as well as the DDs...

Oh no, so near and yet so far...

[UnquietDad]

Does anyone else think the hook on the Madge track sounds like Gene Pitney's "Something's gotten hold of my heart"?

[UnquietDad]

Gabriell Cilmi is majorly PHWOOARGH. But she is about 17! I feel like Humbert Humbert!