Over the New Year period, Channel 4 decided to broadcast the twenty best songs of the last decade. All I can say is that I really hope whoever voted has been living in a cave for the past ten years, because if this is the best music that they've heard in that amount of time then I pity them greatly. For those of you who didn't watch it, here's the rundown...
20: Leave Right Now - Will Young
19: Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
18: Valerie - Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse
17: Viva La Vida - Coldplay
16: Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
15: Mercy - Duffy
14: Patience - Take That
13: Stan - Eminem
12: I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters
11: Hey Ya! - Outkast
10: You're Beautiful - James Blunt
9: Can't Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie Minogue
8: Crazy in Love - Beyonce
7: Rule The World - Take That
6: Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
5: Rehab - Amy Winehouse
4: Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
3: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
2: Mr Brightside - The Killers
1: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Many would argue that this list is tailored to Channel 4 viewers tastes, which is why the list is entirely comprised of 'mainstream' songs. Fine, but call your programme 'Channel Four viewers' songs of the decade' instead to clarify this.
I'm not saying I disagree with the entire thing. Gnarls Barkley certainly deserve to be on the list; not only is Crazy a ridiculously catchy song, but it represented a milestone for digital media in the music industry as it was the first track to reach number one in the singles chart on download sales alone. Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand's releases heralded the resurrection of the indie era in British music and Can't Get You Out Of My Head proved that pop can be classy as well as catchy. Even though I may not be a fan it is fact, like it or not, that Eminem's emergence in the charts paved the way for rap music to become more generally accepted in popular culture.
It is undeniable that Ruby is a ridiculously catchy song. But one of the best written, both lyrically and musically, over the past ten years? No way. Lead singer Ricky Wilson himself admitted that the entire song is based on about three notes. Combine that with the ridiculously repetitive lyrics and you may have a hit single, but not a well written track.
It is a similar situation for the Snow Patrol track, though at least Ruby came towards the bottom of the list. Chasing Cars is a good song. The harmonies and lyrics are meaningful and thought out, and it's popularity has increased after it's increased usage on tv shows and adverts. Yet we all know that just because lots of people buy it, it's still not necessarily an outstanding song. Bob the Builder was one of the biggest selling songs of the last decade for crying out loud. When I think of the last ten years, this song wouldn't even register in my head as a possible contender, let alone winner.
Whereas now we can look back and say that the Beatles' 'She Loves You', 'Son of a Preacher Man' by Dusty Springfield or 'I Got You Babe' by Sonny and Cher were stand-out songs of the 60s, I don't believe that half of these tracks listed will be considered in the same high esteem as these older tracks are when we look back at the noughties in forty years time. I don't think this is because there were not enough memorable and incredibly produced songs over the last ten years, far from it. It's just perhaps the general music buying public has become far too content in their acceptance of mediocre lyrics and music.
Showing posts with label Take That. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Take That. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Relighting My Fire
If having Take That reunite wasn't enough to cause me vivd flashbacks of my childhood, then walking into WHSmith this morning and seeing a Smash Hits magazine sat on the shelf was.
As a kid I read Smash Hits religiously and even did several stints of work experience there as a teenager; both helped in reaffirming the fact I definitely wanted to be a writer. Obviously distraught when it finished a few years back at the fact I'd never get the chance to write for it properly, you can only imagine my glee when I saw the bold red typo of the title beaming out at me earlier. Unfortunately, it is not returning on a permanent basis but just for a Take That special - which, let's be honest, is still good enough for me.
Stashed in my cupboard as a kid were folders full of Take That clippings; literally every single picture I could find was ripped out and put into the collection. An archive of incredibly dubious hair cuts and even more dubious jelly-filled music video images, after their demise I felt no need for such alarming photos to be kept anywhere near my peripheral vision, so promptly disposed of the lot. Needless to say, when their comeback was announced, my urge to re-look at my (somewhat hilarious) childhood collection was swiftly quashed.
As if sensing my anxieties, some clever bod has decided to release this special edition Smash Hits and I couldn't be happier. Displayed before me again are pictures of the boys from in the early nineties, with haircuts and clothing choices that were only forgivable back then. Filled with pictures both past and present as well as a detailed timeline and archived articles from original Smash Hits interviews, this is perfect for anyone wanting to recreate what they once lost, or simply to laugh at what they never got to experience the first time around.
Smash Hits: Take That edition is on national sale until 31st December 2009.
As a kid I read Smash Hits religiously and even did several stints of work experience there as a teenager; both helped in reaffirming the fact I definitely wanted to be a writer. Obviously distraught when it finished a few years back at the fact I'd never get the chance to write for it properly, you can only imagine my glee when I saw the bold red typo of the title beaming out at me earlier. Unfortunately, it is not returning on a permanent basis but just for a Take That special - which, let's be honest, is still good enough for me.
Stashed in my cupboard as a kid were folders full of Take That clippings; literally every single picture I could find was ripped out and put into the collection. An archive of incredibly dubious hair cuts and even more dubious jelly-filled music video images, after their demise I felt no need for such alarming photos to be kept anywhere near my peripheral vision, so promptly disposed of the lot. Needless to say, when their comeback was announced, my urge to re-look at my (somewhat hilarious) childhood collection was swiftly quashed.
As if sensing my anxieties, some clever bod has decided to release this special edition Smash Hits and I couldn't be happier. Displayed before me again are pictures of the boys from in the early nineties, with haircuts and clothing choices that were only forgivable back then. Filled with pictures both past and present as well as a detailed timeline and archived articles from original Smash Hits interviews, this is perfect for anyone wanting to recreate what they once lost, or simply to laugh at what they never got to experience the first time around.
Smash Hits: Take That edition is on national sale until 31st December 2009.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Back For Good? I bloody hope not.
Reports of an alarming nature reached me today: Robbie Williams is holed up in a studio in New York once again with Take That. I know many Take That fans who were upset when he left the band nearly 15 years ago, and I know that many of them will now be hoping that anything will happen to stop him returning.
Despite his protestations, the only thing that pushed Robbie out of Take That was his ego. He believed he was better than the other members, and whilst Robbie loved the Angels and Take That became another mere memory in the history of boy bands, his commercial success perhaps proved his theory right for a few years. But nobody expected Take That to make the comeback they did and Williams felt it hardest. The band have undeniably moved on leaps and bounds since the days where their videos saw them writhing around in waterfalls on tropical islands, and Gary Barlow's undeniable writing talent combined with the other three lads' charisma and vocal ability has won them new fans and drawn back their old. With multi-date sell out shows at Wembley Stadium this summer and three other sell out tours under their belts since their 2005 comeback, Robbie will have had no choice but to question his decision all those years ago.
In comparison, Williams' last album Rudebox was critically panned and even his long serving fans couldn't get behind the record. His last tour ended as Take That kicked off their reunion and he has since been hidden away in the depths of Los Angeles. So should he be allowed back into the group who he has, in the past, so publicly spurned? In my opinion, the answer is no. Take That have proved they can survive without him and sustain their position as credible musicians. Would Robbie be trying to fit back in with them if his own solo career wasn't flopping about the bottom of the charts like a dying fish? Most likely not. The Take That: For The Record documentary that bought about the band's reunion in the first place saw Robbie snub the opportunity to meet with his former co-members and his attitude towards a couple of the band suggested he would rather have Gary Barlow's face tattooed on his chest than ever rejoin the group. Nothing has changed in this period apart from a role reversal in stakes of money and success. It was Robbie's perpetual desire to be as famous as possible that lead to him leaving the band and it is this that once again drives his attempts to rejoin it. I'm sure that the success of Williams' comeback album later this month will ultimately determine whether his efforts to mend his broken bridges with Barlow will be followed through, but whatever the outcome is, the band would be fools to even consider taking him back.
Despite his protestations, the only thing that pushed Robbie out of Take That was his ego. He believed he was better than the other members, and whilst Robbie loved the Angels and Take That became another mere memory in the history of boy bands, his commercial success perhaps proved his theory right for a few years. But nobody expected Take That to make the comeback they did and Williams felt it hardest. The band have undeniably moved on leaps and bounds since the days where their videos saw them writhing around in waterfalls on tropical islands, and Gary Barlow's undeniable writing talent combined with the other three lads' charisma and vocal ability has won them new fans and drawn back their old. With multi-date sell out shows at Wembley Stadium this summer and three other sell out tours under their belts since their 2005 comeback, Robbie will have had no choice but to question his decision all those years ago.
In comparison, Williams' last album Rudebox was critically panned and even his long serving fans couldn't get behind the record. His last tour ended as Take That kicked off their reunion and he has since been hidden away in the depths of Los Angeles. So should he be allowed back into the group who he has, in the past, so publicly spurned? In my opinion, the answer is no. Take That have proved they can survive without him and sustain their position as credible musicians. Would Robbie be trying to fit back in with them if his own solo career wasn't flopping about the bottom of the charts like a dying fish? Most likely not. The Take That: For The Record documentary that bought about the band's reunion in the first place saw Robbie snub the opportunity to meet with his former co-members and his attitude towards a couple of the band suggested he would rather have Gary Barlow's face tattooed on his chest than ever rejoin the group. Nothing has changed in this period apart from a role reversal in stakes of money and success. It was Robbie's perpetual desire to be as famous as possible that lead to him leaving the band and it is this that once again drives his attempts to rejoin it. I'm sure that the success of Williams' comeback album later this month will ultimately determine whether his efforts to mend his broken bridges with Barlow will be followed through, but whatever the outcome is, the band would be fools to even consider taking him back.
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