Duty calls for another online poll. This time the challenge is to name the best albums of the 1990s and order them by their relative quality.
The polling is weighted. One hundred points can be distributed among your top 10, with a maximum of 30 points for any one entry. A more savvy voter might have made his weighting decisions based upon political intent, perhaps by throwing more points behind an album judged to have a better shot of finding a consensus and topping the ultimate listing. But, playing this one by the book, I just tried to quantify my opinion in an orderly fashion.
So, yes, I guess that means I think Different Class is seven times better than Elastica. Which, now that i think about it, is pretty crazy. That album’s awesome.
Anyway, as usual, let me know what I’m an idiot for forgetting. And feel free to post your list in the comments. That would be cool.
30. Super Furry Animals - Guerrilla (2)
29. Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk (2)
28. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (2)
27. Paul Westerberg - 14 Songs (2)
26. The KLF - White Room (2)
25. Pete Rock and CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother (2)
24. Fugazi - In on the Kill Taker (2)
23. The Coup - Steal This Album (2)
22. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt (2)
21. Pet Shop Boys - Very (2)
20. Rawkus Presents - Soundbombing, Vol. II (3)
19. Boards of Canada - Music has the Right to Children (3)
18. Yo La Tengo - Electr-O-Pura (3)
17. Oasis - Definetely Maybe (3)
16. Outkast - Aquemini (3)
15. Daft Punk - Homework (3)
14. Pulp - This is Hardcore (3)
13. Blur - Parklife (3)
12. Flaming Lips - Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (3)
11. Depeche Mode - Violater (3)
10. Elastica - Elastica (3)
9. Primal Scream - Screamadelica (3)
8. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers (3)
7. Pet Shop Boys - Behavior (4)
6. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay (8)
5. Fugazi - Repeater (9)
4. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (10)
3. Belle and Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister (19)
2. Nas - Illmatic (20)
1. Pulp - Different Class (21)
I assembled a list of my favorite pop songs from 1995-2004 for an online poll. Along the way I made a conscious effort to avoid selecting the typical critical favorities like Radiohead, Wilco and The Strokes because they’ll be getting enough love from other people. What you’ll find here is a heavy bias toward club friendly hip-hop, anthemic UK-style pop and the different strains of Continental electronic music. And Pulp. Lots of Pulp.
I’m in the process of ripping everything here from my CD collection. It should make a decent iTunes playlist, so if you want a copy let me know. If not, at least tell me what I’m an idiot for forgetting.
100. Art Brut - Formed a Band
99. Goldfrapp - Pilots
98. Schneider TM - The Light 3000
97. Phoenix - Everything is Everything
96. Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger
95. Kelly Clarkson - Since You Been Gone
94. Massive Attack - Protection
93. Ce’Cile - Hot Like We
92. Dizzee Rascal - I Luv U
91. De La Soul - Stakes is High
90. Girls Aloud - Sound of the Underground
89. Pulp - A Little Soul
88. Mylo - Drop the Pressure
87. Bloc Party - Helicopter
86. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
85. Turbonegro - Denim Demon / (I Fucked) Betty Page
84. Scarface - My Block
83. Go Home Productions - Jet Lady Joe
82. Frou Frou - Let Go
81. Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
80. Basement Jaxx - Where’s Your Head At
79. Jurgen Paape - So Weit Wie Noch
78. Juan MacClean, The - Give Me Every Little Thing
77. Trick Daddy - Dro in Da Wind
76. Vybz Kartel - Sweet to the Belly
75. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Murder on the Dancefloor
74. Super Furry Animals - Juxtaposed With U
73. Pulp - F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
72. Ted Leo - Me and Mia
71. Primal Scream - Swastika Eyes
70. My Chemical Romance - I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
69. Cam’ron - Hey Ma
68. Roll Deep Crew - Let It Out
67. Plan B f. Wonder - Cap Back
66. Non-Prophets, the - Damage
65. Sage Francis - Makeshift Patriot
64. Felix Da Housecat - Ready 2 Wear
63. Kelis f. Andre 3000 - Millionaire
62. Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You
61. Covenant - Bullet
60. Basement Jaxx - Romeo
59. Nelly - Hot in Here
58. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Mixed Up World
57. Saint Etienne - Heart Failed (In the Back of a Taxi)
56. Wire - Read & Burn 2
55. Wire - Read & Burn 1
54. Tatu - Not Gonna Get Us
53. Turbonegro - I Got Erection
52. Rapture, The - House of Jealous Lovers
51. R. Kelly - Step in the Name of Love (Remix)
50. Ce’Cile - Rude Bwoy Thug Life
49. Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb
48. Raekwon - Rainy Days / Remix
47. Super Furry Animals - Something 4 the Weekend
46. Saint Etienne - He’s on the Phone
45. Oasis - Don’t Go Away
44. Rebirth Brass Band - Rebirth Melody / Casanova
43. Pulp - Misshapes / Sorted for E’s & Wizz
42. Phoenix - Too Young
41. Lil Jon and the East Side Boys - Get Low
40. Girls Aloud - Love Machine
39. Alex Gopher - Party People / [Remix]
38. Pulp - This is Hardcore
37. Knife, The - Heartbeats
36. Annie - Heartbeat
35. Girls on Top - I Wanna Dance with Numbers
34. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
33. Coldplay - Clocks / Royksopp Remix
32. Coup, The - Me and Jesus the Pimp in a ‘79 Granada Last Night
31. Common - The 6th Sense
30. Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
29. Streets, The - Weak Become Heroes / Royksopp Remix
28. New Radicals, The - Mother, We Just Can’t Get Enough
27. Lightning Seeds - Three Lions
26. Nas f. Jadakiss, Ludacris - Made You Look (Remix)
25. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On
24. Meanwhile, Back in Communist Russia - Blind Spot / Invisible Bend
23. Tatu - All The Things She Said
22. Basement Jaxx - Good Luck
21. Outkast - Hey Ya!
20. Heiko Voss - I Think About You
19. Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For / Jacques Lu Cont Remix
18. Girls Aloud - The Show
17. !!! - Me and Guiliani Down by the Schoolyard (A True Story)
16. Missy Elliott - For My People [Basement Jaxx Remix]
15. Go Home Productions - Shannon Stone
14. Nelly - Ride With Me
13. Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out of My Head
12. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With you
11. Jay-Z - Girls, Girls, Girls
10. New Radicals, The - You Get What You Give
9. Saint Etienne - Action / Mr. Joshua Edit
8. Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
7. Daft Punk - Digital Love
6. Usher f. Little Jon & Ludacris - Yeah!
5. Pulp - Disco 2000
4. Kylie Minogue - Love at First Sight
3. Jay-Z - Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
2. Yo La Tengo - Tom Courtenay
1. Pulp - Common People