Triple J - Hottest 100

The Australian radio station Triple J (also known as JJJ) celebrated it´s vote of the hottest 100 songs of all time recently. As the entire blogging world no doubt knows, Angus commented on the result, suggesting that the listeners of said station were out of touch with popular culture (while simultaneously suggesting Stevie Wonder as his second favourite artist of all time!)

It was actually a very good post, you should go and check it out here.

I have to agree with his general view on things, a lot of the songs (or at least the artists) on that list are ones I enjoy, but certainly not ones that I listen to regularly. Nirvana, Queen and the Foofighters are definitely in this category.

So I´ve been thinking about it and about my favourite songs and I´ve come up with some lists of my own. The following are all artists I listen to regularly and really love their music, not just the songs listed, but these are probably my favourites. Listed in no particular order(and I could easily list a dozen for each artist)...

Blackalicious - Feel the way

Johny Cash - Four Strong Winds

Van Morrison - Moondance

Hilltop Hoods - Nosebleed Section

Eminem - Lose Yourself

Nick Cave - Ship Song

If I had nothing but the music of thes 6 artists for the rest of my life I could deal with that. Special mention must go to

Sir Mix-a-lot - Baby got back

Try and find a (youngish) person who doesn´t like this song! Also, one of all my all time favourites, even though I don´t know any of their other songs, is

the Choirboys - Run to Paradise

I love that song, and have done for a long time.

The following are songs and artists which would definitely fit into my top 100 (no problem at all). Some have many great songs, some only have one song worth listening to (Funky Cold Medina anyone?)

Kanye West - Golddigger
Guns and Roses - Cold november rain
Bon Jovi - Blaze of Glory
Fujees - Killing me softly
Roxette - Listen to your heart
Grandmaster Flash - The Message
Bob Marley - Buffalo Soldiers
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Tone Loc - Funky Cold Medina
Michael Jackson - Billy Jean
Foofighters - All my life
Grinspoon - Bad Funk Stripe
Public Enemy - Fight the Power
Lupe Fiasco - Kick Push
Bliss n Esso - Up jumped the boogie
Greenday - Time of your life

Special mention must go to the last song. Yes it´s cheesy and massively overused, but it´s actually a fantastic song and very effective at getting people emotional at graduations and similar events.

And the following three songs should be on every Australians top ten list of all time, at least in my personal opinion. They sum up Australia in music. The only possible addition is Tenterfield Saddler, by Peter Allen, but I´ve very rarely heard it.

Icehouse - Great Southern Land
Gangajang - Sounds of Then (that´s the one with the lyrics - out on the patio we sit...)
Men at Work - Land Downunder

So that´s some of the music that I like and that I think has stood the test of time.

I can´t really comment on the rest of the Australian public. I think there´s a still a general dislike or antipathy towards rap music in Australia, especially because many people still automatically associate it with ¨gangsta rap¨and all the negative connotations that brings up. The Hilltop Hoods (and to a lesser extent Eminem) are probably the real breakthrough artists for rap in Australia, they definitely were for me, no doubt at all.

And Angus listed ¨The Boxer¨by Simon and Garfunkel. I haven´t heard that song in years and years, I used to really love it. If I had it on my MP3 player I think it might have made my list as well.

And since my non-existent readers are probably singing to themselves ¨when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face....¨here´s some music for you!

cheers

Harry



ps not much posting lately because of travel and crappy internet cafes. Definitely lots to share though.