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TOPIC: National Album Day
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National Album Day 3 Weeks ago
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Is there actually a spike in album sales when National Album Day comes around?
How the hell does this list not include two the biggest British bands of the glam rock era who between them rocked up TEN No1 singles and a string of No2's and also sold albums galore at No1 too - I'm talking about Slade and T.Rex
Today to mark the day Radio 2 did a countdown of the nation's favourite British groups of all time. No surprise that the Beatles were the No1, it can only ever really be them for eternity can't it. Here is the top thirty voted on in recent weeks, apparently from a set list of 54 bands that were on the list as judged by what they called Radio 2's expert panel quote;
"A star-studded panel, including Radio 2 presenters, Jo Whiley, Sara Cox, OJ Borg, Vernon Kay, Scott Mills, Trevor Nelson, DJ Spoony, and Owain Wyn Evans voted from a long list of nearly 100 bands to produce a final list of 54, which spans the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s. The list was compiled from the timeless melodic music that is played on Radio 2 and the Most Successful British Groups on the Official Albums Chart. A British group is any band of 2+ members that is made-up wholly or the majority are people who were born, live or hold British citizenship. The chairman of the selection panel is Radio 2 and 6 Music’s Head of Music, Jeff Smith, who is also the chairman of the Mercury Prize judging panel."
The chart is:
1. The Beatles
2. Queen
3. The Rolling Stones
4. Pink Floyd
5. Fleetwood Mac
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Take That
8. Coldplay
9. Oasis
10. Electric Light Orchestra
11. The Who
12. Depeche Mode
13. The Jam
14. Radiohead
15. The Smiths
16. Genesis
17. Pet Shop Boys
18. The Cure
19. Duran Duran
20. Madness
21. Girls Aloud
22. The Beautiful South
23. The Kinks
24. Bee Gees
25. Wham!
26. The Clash
27. Blur
28. Spice Girls
29. The Police
30. Manic Street Preachers
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Re:National Album Day 3 Weeks ago
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I can't believe that Genesis are above Duran Duran, The Cure, and Madness. Also Oasis in the top 10. Is this just because they are in the news so much recently? I don't think that Radiohead or Coldplay belong in the top 10. Who can name more than 1 member of Coldplay or more than 2 Radiohead songs? As for T-rex and Slade, I agree, they should be in the top 30. Unfortunately apart from Merry Christmas Everyone, Slade are rarely played on the radio, and T-Rex are just as a name for Marc Bolan, rather than been a proper band. I think Take That do deserve their place. They have had hits throughout the decades and maintained a high quality throughout. I'm surprised that ELO are in the top 10. I think they were great, but they have been a little bit forgotten. Also the Police should be top 10, and 10CC should be in the list. Altogether I enjoyed the countdown
I was just about to post on this Ultimate British Band list myself, so thank you Rich.
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Re:National Album Day 3 Weeks ago
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robbiex wrote:
I can't believe that Genesis are above Duran Duran, The Cure, and Madness. Also Oasis in the top 10. Is this just because they are in the news so much recently? I don't think that Radiohead or Coldplay belong in the top 10. Who can name more than 1 member of Coldplay or more than 2 Radiohead songs? As for T-rex and Slade, I agree, they should be in the top 30. Unfortunately apart from Merry Christmas Everyone, Slade are rarely played on the radio, and T-Rex are just as a name for Marc Bolan, rather than been a proper band. I think Take That do deserve their place. They have had hits throughout the decades and maintained a high quality throughout. I'm surprised that ELO are in the top 10. I think they were great, but they have been a little bit forgotten. Also the Police should be top 10, and 10CC should be in the list. Altogether I enjoyed the countdown
I was just about to post on this Ultimate British Band list myself, so thank you Rich.
I was surprised nobody had got in before me, but cheers for the nod there anyway Robbie.
Your take seems similar to mine a bit here. I was quite surprised to see ELO so high up, despite the fact I like them and they had loads of great memorable hits, but making top ten seemed genuinely surprising and rather interesting too.
The Beautiful South though? How did they make this list and come above such classic stalwarts as The Police and Bee Gees who you'd expect to be far higher. That feels weird to me, and even above Wham! who with George Michael you'd have imagined to be far higher.
Another thing I'd say is why on earth did they have to play some of the most obvious and overheard tracks by these artists. Did we really have to hear Bohemian Rhapsody yet again, or Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. This type of show should be used as an opportunity on a dedicated music day in thhe year to maybe showcase something else less predictable about such artists. For instance, when it got to Rolling Stones I had never heard that song, called Angry, and imagined it must have been from their recent new album, which it was, and thought the track was absolutely brilliant quality and will now check out the rest of the album which I haven't yet heard. I played it about 4 times on BBC Sounds after hearing it.
Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, both groups in the top six positions yet released very few singles.
Fleetwood Mac felt a bit fraudulent to me as I think of them from a very Amercian perspective with Lindsay Buckingham, Christime McVie and Stevie Nicks from their massive album selling days, plus again quite a surprising top five place.
I'd also suggest that anyone who thinks Slade are virtually one hit wonders with the Christmas hit of theirs gets educated. I bet there are many who think like that and have no idea just how many enormous singles they have actually had, and not all in the 70s either. The first Slade single I remember first hand was My Oh My, the Christmas No2 in 1983. I can still feel the disappointment I felt that Christmas when it failed to be No1 ten years after their 6th and last with Merry Christmas in 1973. Atrocious they were not in the list.
At least with countdowns and surveys like this they stir plenty of debate but such countdowns are always going to face flaws of some kind I feel. A similar survey for just American or non-British groups would also be fascinating. Abba would be the shoe in at No1 like the Beatles wouldn't they?
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Re:National Album Day 2 Weeks, 6 Days ago
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It seems the list is made by people who don't know much about the British music scene Rich.
Fleetwood Mac, they were great as a raw heavy blues band with Peter Green. When they went commercial and radio friendly I turned them off.
I doubt many people can name a Slade album apart from the soundtrack Slade In Flame, their b-sides were superb. I never liked ELO but people have a thing for Mr Blue Sky which annoys me, I think it's overproduced and overplayed.
I do like Hackney Diamonds, I went off the Rolling Stones in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Beautiful South they were hit and miss.
How many normies can name T-Rex and Tyrannosaurus Rex albums without researching them apart from Electric Warrior and Slider?
I am amazed Wishbone Ash was not on the list. I love the Kinks but again most people only know the singles, not the albums Word Of Mouth is criminally underrated a bit like State Of Confusion.
How many people have taken notice of Pink Floyd a part from Dark Side Of The Moon, The Wall and the 2 compilations Echoes and Relics?
Jethro Tull, ELP, Yes and Barclay James Harvest knocked Led Zep for six IMHO. Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog and NO Stairway To Heaven are what casual fans people know about them.
How could they forget Dire Straits and Moody Blues?
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is one album that people must listen to.
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Re:National Album Day 2 Weeks, 6 Days ago
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Rich wrote:
robbiex wrote:
I can't believe that Genesis are above Duran Duran, The Cure, and Madness. Also Oasis in the top 10. Is this just because they are in the news so much recently? I don't think that Radiohead or Coldplay belong in the top 10. Who can name more than 1 member of Coldplay or more than 2 Radiohead songs? As for T-rex and Slade, I agree, they should be in the top 30. Unfortunately apart from Merry Christmas Everyone, Slade are rarely played on the radio, and T-Rex are just as a name for Marc Bolan, rather than been a proper band. I think Take That do deserve their place. They have had hits throughout the decades and maintained a high quality throughout. I'm surprised that ELO are in the top 10. I think they were great, but they have been a little bit forgotten. Also the Police should be top 10, and 10CC should be in the list. Altogether I enjoyed the countdown
I was just about to post on this Ultimate British Band list myself, so thank you Rich.
I was surprised nobody had got in before me, but cheers for the nod there anyway Robbie.
Your take seems similar to mine a bit here. I was quite surprised to see ELO so high up, despite the fact I like them and they had loads of great memorable hits, but making top ten seemed genuinely surprising and rather interesting too.
The Beautiful South though? How did they make this list and come above such classic stalwarts as The Police and Bee Gees who you'd expect to be far higher. That feels weird to me, and even above Wham! who with George Michael you'd have imagined to be far higher.
Another thing I'd say is why on earth did they have to play some of the most obvious and overheard tracks by these artists. Did we really have to hear Bohemian Rhapsody yet again, or Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. This type of show should be used as an opportunity on a dedicated music day in thhe year to maybe showcase something else less predictable about such artists. For instance, when it got to Rolling Stones I had never heard that song, called Angry, and imagined it must have been from their recent new album, which it was, and thought the track was absolutely brilliant quality and will now check out the rest of the album which I haven't yet heard. I played it about 4 times on BBC Sounds after hearing it.
Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, both groups in the top six positions yet released very few singles.
Fleetwood Mac felt a bit fraudulent to me as I think of them from a very Amercian perspective with Lindsay Buckingham, Christime McVie and Stevie Nicks from their massive album selling days, plus again quite a surprising top five place.
I'd also suggest that anyone who thinks Slade are virtually one hit wonders with the Christmas hit of theirs gets educated. I bet there are many who think like that and have no idea just how many enormous singles they have actually had, and not all in the 70s either. The first Slade single I remember first hand was My Oh My, the Christmas No2 in 1983. I can still feel the disappointment I felt that Christmas when it failed to be No1 ten years after their 6th and last with Merry Christmas in 1973. Atrocious they were not in the list.
At least with countdowns and surveys like this they stir plenty of debate but such countdowns are always going to face flaws of some kind I feel. A similar survey for just American or non-British groups would also be fascinating. Abba would be the shoe in at No1 like the Beatles wouldn't they?
I think Slade's "My Oh My" was 1983. I remember it vying for the christmast no. 1 in 1983 against The Flying Pickets awfull "Only You". Yes I think that groups like the Police didn't feature higher is because they haven't been active for 40 years. They did a brief re-union tour about 10 years ago, but it passed without much fanfare. Hyping hadn't reached such fever pitch in those days. I think that Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are always seen as very worthy bands by certain middle-aged men who must make the a large percentage of the radio 2 listenership.u2 are of course irish, although 2 out of 4 were born in the England. Adam Clayton moved to Ireland at 5 years old, but the band were formed in Dublin and are considered an Irish band. I think the criteria was that they must have at least 2 british members. Christine McVie is British, along with Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green, so Fleetwood Mac count as British. I thihk a lot of it is about who is in the public consciousness. Spandau Ballet and the Human League haven't had any projects in the media for years so people aren't thinking about them. Bands like RAdiohead and Coldplay are frequently played on radio 2 and seen as cool worthy groups to like by some people.
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