Why hello there. Back again with another show I am. Don't know why I'm writing like Yoda. Anyways, this show is a Christmas Special. It's a mixture of Rock and Christmas themed songs, then Metal and Christmas themed songs. Any feedback is appreciated if you listen to the show, the link is below!
The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show Christmas 2013 Special: 20/12/13 Track listing: The Rock Show Proper Crimbo - Bo Selecta No Particular Place to Go - Chuck Berry Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie Train in Vain - The Clash Power of Love - Frankie Goes to Hollywood Supersonic - Oasis 2000 Miles - The Pretenders Breed - Nirvana Christmas Day - She and Him Lucky You - The Lightning Seeds I Don't Care - Fall Out Boy Fairytale in New York - The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl The Metal Hour Paradise City - Guns 'n' Roses Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) = The Darkness I Was Made for Lovin' You - KISS Highway to Hell - AC/DC Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit Everywhere I Go - Hollywood Undead Santa Claws is Coming to Town - Alice Cooper The Biggest and the Best - Clawfinger Kidnap the Sandy Claws - KoRn Sucked In - Jerk Redneck - Lamb of God Walking Corpse - Brutal Truth X-M@$ - Corey Taylor Merry Christmas everyone! Other entries you might want to read: The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show (14/12/13) - DJ Show Download Festival Special Show - DJ Show The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show (30/11/13) - DJ Show
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Let's continue this daily listing, from #70 to #61!
To view part 1, click here. To view part 2, click here. To view part 3, click here.
#70. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" - Jet Released: 25/8/03 Album: Get Born Accolades: APRA's Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Award Listings: Top 100 Favourite Songs of the Decade Chart Positions: UK - #16, US - #29 (#3 in Alternative Songs), Best Elsewhere - Australia - #20 What happened to Jet recently? Doing a little research brings me to the conclusion that they're striving as a band in Australia but overseas, they haven't really been relevant since their first album. Which of course, this was the debut single from. This song was a sleeper hit here, where as it strived in America. Jet re-released the song and it then climbed the charts better on its rerun. But you can't deny the catchiness of the track. You can't deny the Motown beat resurrected into an indie track, wasn't a successful merge. This song was fucking awesome when it was released. It's still played sometimes now, especially in clubs as it's just a proper toe-tapper. Jet really paid homage to 60s and 70s rock 'n' roll with this track and it was brilliant. It was a good highlight in the decade.
#69. "Cochise" - Audioslave Released: 14/10/02 Album: Audioslave Appearances: Guitar Hero (video game), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (movie), The Simpsons (TV series), Super Bowl XLII (American football game montage), Iron Man (movie trailer) Chart Positions: UK - #29, US - #69 (#2 in Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart) In terms of successful supergroups of the Naughties, two bands really stand out, the first was Velvet Revolver, but Audioslave were incrimentally more successful. They were a better supergroup as well, in my opinion. "Cochise" was their debut track, and it was their biggest hit in the UK (although they had better success with other singles in the US). "Cochise" had the great innovative riff by Tom Morello, and combined with Chris Cornell's easily recognisable vocals, we had a hit on our hands. This was another hard rock great from the decade, and on a personal note, it's a great song to play on the original Guitar Hero!
#68. "Feeling This" - Blink-182 Released: 2/10/03 Album: Blink-182 Appearances: Madden NFL 2004 (video game) Chart Positions: UK - #15, US - #102 (#2 in Alternative Songs Chart), Best Elsewhere - Australia - #20 Wow, a song about sex getting high up in the charts? Who would have thought! Of course I'm being sarcastic but you can't deny that this song was catchy, and it was a successful transition for the band, who had clocked that there was a transition in music preferences (from the poppy punk songs of the early decade, to the alternative emo sound that was rising around this time) and changed their style slightly. The change was a success, as this charted very well. "I Miss You" charted higher mind, but this song has had more airplay since of the two tracks. "Feeling This" was a soft punk track that appealed to both old and new Blink audiences, and that's why it appears at #68.
#67. "Sugar, We're Going Down" - Fall Out Boy Released: 26/8/05 Album: From Under the Cork Tree Accolades: #4 in Blender's "The Top 100 Songs of 2005", #3 in About.com's "Top 100 Pop Songs of 2005 Appearances: Lips (video game), Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol (video game), Band Hero (video game) Chart Positions: UK - #8, US - #8 (#1 in Hot Digital Tracks Chart), Best Elsewhere - Ireland - #33 "Sugar, We're Goin Down", like many songs in this list, is important because it was the song that raised the profile of Fall Out Boy, for better or worse. With its poppy emo sound, many teenagers loved listening to this track and the video was inventive enough to get it good airplay. The song went up and down the American charts for many weeks, but the constant promotion and the online community raised the song and the bands status to new heights, heights that would stay at a similar level for many a year with "Dance, Dance" and "This 'aint a Scene..." and the horrifically titled "Thnks fr th Mmrs". Fall Out Boy were here to stay.
#66. "Foundations" - Kate Nash Released: 18/6/07 Album: Made of Bricks Accolades: #17 in Slant Magazine's Top 25 Singles to be Released in the US, Chart Positions: UK - #2, US - #16 (in the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Charts), Best Elsewhere - Canada - #7 Kate Nash's 2007 hit "Foundations" hasn't actually been topped by the Lily Allen-esque indie pop chapess. It was a surprisingly big hit in a lot of countries, more so critically than commercially, everyone loved this song when it came out. I have no idea what's happened to Nash since, she has gone off the rader. But there was no denying that this song was popular upon its release. It's light hearted and easy to relate to lyrics to romance and breaking up was definitely a factor that many people considered. It's not my cup of tea, but this listing isn't bout my cup of tea, it's about what I perceive to be the big and important songs of the decade.
#65. "King and Queens" - 30 Seconds to Mars Released: 13/10/09 Album: This is War Accolades: #7 on AOL's Top Alternative Songs of 2009, #1 in Virgin Radio Italia's Top Songs of 2009, Rock Sound's Top in Rock Award, Best Single of 2009 according to Rock Sound, #30 in Alternative Addiction's Top 50 Songs of 2009, Chart Positions: UK - #28, US - #82 (#1 in Alternative Songs Chart), Best Elsewhere - Portugal - #9 After a four year break, 30 Seconds to Mars returned stronger than ever in 2009 with their hit album "This is War" and the even bigger hit single "Kings and Queens". The songs almost stadium rock approach, howling and inventive video gave it critical and commercial acclaim worldwide. It got very high in the charts in many countries, as you can see Portugal and Italy love it, but also New Zealand, Belgium, Austria, Holland, Germany and Norway found the song entering their Top 40's. If Jared Leto was under any illusions his aspirations for being a singer and an actor was failing, then looking at the success this song had should change his mind. The video got many awards too, but I'm not going through those as it's the songs I'm reviewing here. But yeah, the video is worth checking out below if you haven't before.
#64. "We Are All Made of Stars" - Moby Released: 29/4/02 Album: 18 Chart Positions: UK - #11, US - #13 (in the Hot Dance Club Play Charts), Best Elsewhere - Italy - #4 It's funny, this song hasn't won any major accolades, or been featured in anything worthwhile. It also wasn't that big a hit in the states. Yet this song is one of those songs that you tend to forget about, and then like a lightbulb, you remember it and feel ashamed to have forgotten about it in the first place! It's arguably Moby's finest moment, the lyrics, the video (which did win some awards), and just the general feeling about it was all good. Critics and European sales were fantastic, I still can't believe this got to #4 in Italy! It's good though, it's frustrating that it's not recognised more often, but when people play it they have that "who sung this again" moment. Good stuff.
#63. "Gay Bar" - Electric Six Released: 2/6/03 Album: Fire Appearances: Rock Band (video game) Listings: Best Videos Chart Positions: UK - #5 Gay Bar is one of those songs that will be played for a long time as it's just too simple, too silly to forget. The good thing about modern day life is the fact that we are open to homosexuality and that we frown on homophobes. So this song being played today, so openly is fantastic. And it's just taking the piss from start to finish. It's a catchy track, with a hilarious (yet slightly hard to watch video) that just plays on homosexuality. Kudos have to go to the appropriately named (at least for this song) lead singer Dick Valentine for the fact that he's more than open to doing this silly stuff for our entertainment.
#62. "Fat Lip" - Sum 41 Released: 3/7/01 Album: All Killer No Filler Appearances: NHL 2002 (video game), American Pie 2 (movie), Guitar Hero (video game), GuitarFreaks V4 (video game), DrumMania V4 (video game), Guitar Hero 5 (video game), Smallville (TV series), Chart Positions: UK - #8, US - #66 (#1 in the Alternative Songs Chart), Best Elsewhere - Austria - #21 Fat Lip has always been Sum 41's most popular song. It's also arguably their best. They mix a good level of modern punk with modern rap to make a song that sounds really cool. It's also got lyrics that really appeal to a general teenage audience, just about hanging out, having fun, getting drunk and maybe causing a bit of trouble. The video is very lively as well, it's a very popular video. My favourite part definitely has to be the "Pain for Pleasure" segment featuring fake metal band Satan's Sluts (a mock of Iron Maiden), it's really good stuff.
#61. "Time to Pretend" - MGMT Released: 3/3/08 Album: Oracular Spectacular Accolades: #8 in Time's Songs of 2008, #3 in Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2008, #4 in NME's Best Singles of 2008, #18 in Triple J's Hottest 100 in 2008, #3 in Bringgoodstuffbout's Best Songs of the 2000s, #12 in Rolling Stone's Best Songs of the 2000s, #493 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, #2 in NME's Best Songs of the 2000s Appearances: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7 (boxing programme), Gossip Girl (TV series), Skins (TV series), 90210 (TV series), Sex Drive (movie), How to Lose Friends and Alienative People (movie), 21 (movie), Eagle Eye (movie), Alice in Wonderland (movie trailer), Warrior (movie), Exitosos Pells (TV series), Total Football (radio show theme), Ferrero SpA (chocolate advertisement), Shaun White Snowboarding (video game), NHL 2K10 (video game), LittleBigPlanet (video game), Champions League (live football coverage) Chart Positions: UK - #35, US - #109 (#23 in the Hot Modern Rock Tracks Chart), Best Elsewhere - Latvia - #17 Wow it's been a long time since we've had a song produce so many accolades and appearances on this listing. Just in case you didn't know I made this listing before I saw any accolades or appearances on the songs, they're there to justify why they appear on this list. But man, totals like the above do make me contemplate jigging the listing around. But sometimes I wonder why, I mean "Time to Pretend" is a decent track, I like it, and it has a unique sound to it, like many MGMT songs, but I just sometimes think... will this song be remembered in 10 years time? That's what drives this list. The songs at the top are songs I'm convinced will be. But this song might, it's unique electronic sounds are memorable, and it's used on TV very very often. It's definitely a possibility, and I think with that being said, it's going to stay at #62 for the time being. Agree or disagree? Let me know!
To view part 5, click here. To view part 6, click here. To view part 7, click here. To view part 8, click here. To view part 9, click here. To view part 10, click here. To view the winner, click here. To view my methods and explanations, click here. To view a full archived stats index of the songs listed, click here.
Welcome to Part 9 of 22 of the Noughtie series. This, for me anyway, is a slightly embarassing listing as I'm going to reveal 10 songs by 10 artists I really don't like. Some of these artists were featured in my Least Favourite Artists article, yet I can't help but like some of these songs. Let's get to't.
10. "Gives You Hell" by The All-American Rejects
I don't hate this band, I'm quite non-committal about them, that's why they're #10. They're a slightly dislikable emo band, yet this song got quite popular, it definitely got played a lot. The more I listened to it the more I tolerated it, and eventually started to like it. The video, if in the right mood, is quite good to watch too.
9. "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi
Man, I can't stand Bon Jovi. My fiancee and her family love him and play him often when we travel by car, while I sulk in the corner. Well this song is an exeption. I don't even know why, I just can tolerate it. I find myself singing it when it comes on the radio or whatever.
8. "Losing Grip" by Avril Lavigne
If you aren't a huge fan of Avril chances are this song passed you by. It was the fourth single off her debut album (after the horrendous songs like Sk8er Boi and such), and rarely got played on TV or Radio. But I actually don't mind it, I saw it on Kerrang! way back when it came out and decided to listen to it, I dunno why, and actually thought it sounded okay. It shows that she has slightly more talent than I thought she did beforehand.
7. Lonely at the Top - The Ordinary Boys
Another band I can't stand really, but this song is yet another exception. I find it quite catchy. I heard it quite regularly on the radio when it came out and thought it was a decent track. Then they followed it up with the horrendous "I Luv U" and I started hating them again.
6. Figured You Out - Nickelback
First mention of Nickleback in the series and unfortunately it won't be the last. Like them or hate them, they have had a great success in the last decade. More about that in other listings though. I hate this band, but they have done a couple of songs I don't mind, this one being one of them. I think it sounds okay. It's another one of those singles that unless you're an avid Nickleback fan, may not have heard. It's okay. That's my opinion anyway.
5. Teenagers - My Chemical Romance
Man, I hate this band so much. I fucking, hate, this, band. And I hid feelings about this song for sometime. I tried to hate it I really did. But it's really catchy. It's got a fantastic chorus, and Gerard Way's vocals aren't as frustrating to listen to as normal. I still hate that man. Why does one of the hottest women in metal have to go to him? Sigh...
4. God Put a Smile Upon Your Face - Coldplay
You can add the album "A Rush of Blood to the Head" as an album that is okay, by a band I don't like. I was in a very happy period of my life when this album came out and a good friend had a copy and played it often. This was my favourite song on it definitely, I think it's possibily their best song. It's a good little track.
3. This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy
The only song by the band I actually think it quite good. I do also like the self-parody video, it gives the band some character, and that the band is not all about Pete Wenz after all. Seth Green being in the video is a huge plus of course. But yeah, the song is quite catchy, I like the beat in the first verse and the chorus is quite good too.
2. Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5
I heard this song before they got really big. If you haven't heard it, check it out because it's actually quite cool. This was their debut single, which didn't get anywhere because mainstream pop don't care about cool songs, then they released "This Love" afterwards and got huge. Everyone then forgot about this really cool song and not many people have looked for it since. I heard this, thought the band was quite cool, then heard everything else afterwards that they released and hated them. Oh well.
1. Superman - Stereophonics
I don't like the Stereophonics. I don't hate them, but I don't like them. This is the only song by the band I like. But I don't like it, I love it. It really kicks ass. It just sounds so cool, it's not your typical Stereophonics song which is probably why it's that good. If you haven't heard it before, check it out:
So there's my Top 10 songs that I consider are guilty pleasures. As a rule, I really don't like those bands, even hate some of them. Yet those songs are good tracks, that show that you can like songs even if you don't like the bands. I shall be back on Sunday, with the best of 2004.
Part 3 of my Noughtie series brings our second listing to the front of the queue. For the most part, I've been a very positive guy on this site (The GameFAQs rant probably the only negative thing I've done) but I'm going to rant a bit today. I'm counting down the 10 artists that really get under my skin that have come out in the last decade. I'm not going to delay this any further, let's name and shame my least favourite artists of the decade.
10. Fall Out Boy
I'm doing a list of "Guilty Pleasures" as part of the Noughtie series later on, and there is a song by this artist that features. That's the only highlight though. I really can't stand this band, my apologies to a good friend who loves them. The reasoning is very similar for a lot of the bands on the list, it's the newish emo genre that got ridiculously popular in the middle of the decade. FOB don't impress me much at all, most particularly Pete Wenz who seems to care more about himself than the band. The one thing that really grinds my gears about this band? Their stupid song titles. Like, "Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued", "I've Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)", "I Slept with Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me", "Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)" and "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)". I mean, what's the point? It's pathetic.
9. Avril Lavigne
I don't know what gets on my nerves about her more, the fact that she was an annoying punk wannabe or that she was a mainstream seeking punk wannabe after her first two albums. She's a pretty lady though, I wouldn't say no if I were single and she was interested, but her music still sucks. Once again there is one guilty pleasure of hers that I like, that you will find out about in that listing. Her worst moment for me? Probably her cover version of Chop Suey! Not heard it? Here you go, click here. Don't thank me.
8. My Chemical Romance
It's difficult, the past three artists on this list all have a place in my listing for my Guilty Pleasures. So if I like one song by these artists, is it hypocritical that they are in this list? Possibly. Anyway, I hate My Chemical Romance, they are just one of those bands that make me cringe when they're on. Gerard Way of course, pisses me off. Not only because I want to bang his wife, but because he doesn't deserve to (I kid, they look very happy together so I'm happy for them really). My Chemical Romance is just a really frustrating emo band, I just don't get what's the big deal about them. How did they get to #1 in the UK? I can't really put into words why I hate them, I just do.
7. The Ting Tings
Finally, a band that isn't considered emo! This band have disappeared recently (thank god). Crap, I might have woke them up. Let's hope not. My least favourite two-piece band are just to personal taste really, you can make a case that their songs are catchy, I just find them annoying. Each to their own, I can't really say more than that.
6. Kate Nash
Another one of these pop rock breeds that are becoming a bit of a regular thing recently. The main thing I don't like is her vocals, not so much the style but her voice. There are many people to "talk" in their songs, Nick Cave is the best of them all, but Kate Nash's annoying Cockney accent that does it. It's just frustrating, and arguably talentless.
5. The Used
The Uses are dificult because I hadn't heard of them for ages, but then all of a sudden they were everywhere and everyone who liked the type of bands were like "ooh my god the Used are amazing!". They're very similar to My Chemical Romance in style, apart from they talk about self harm a lot more, which is one of my least favourite musical topics to listen to. Self harm lyrics are fine if you're trying to avoid kids doing it, but the amount of bands that do talk about it kinda has the opposite effect, and almost encourage it (not on purpose of course).
4. The Darkness
Man, I hated this band so much when they were around. Thank fuck they're not around anymore, although there is persistent rumours around that they might reunite. I hated this band with a passion when they got popular, it of course was Justin Hawkins' over-dramatic vocals, the very repetitive guitar riffs. More than anything though was the ego, Justin had too big an ego, too big that I predicted the lack of interest in their second album and their commercial flop, back in 2004. I'm happy about that, they were a one album band because their gimmick flopped immensely. Let's hope those rumours are wrong and that they stay away from the charts.
I like Jared Leto as an actor, he's good as a supporting actor. However I can't stand this band. The thing that gets on my nerves about him in this band? He's 39 years old, yet his music appeals to 13 year old kids who wear skinny jeans all the time. He knows this too. Why? At least the majority of emo bands or bands that appeal to emo kids are usually in their mid-twenties or younger. They sing about the problems they faced as teenagers, and these problems are the same as the problems teenagers face today. Yet this is a guy who's teenage life left him a good 20 years ago. I just don't get it. Trying to take a positive out of a negative here, I do however recommend you watch this video, for their song "A Beautiful Lie". I don't like the song at all, but this is a phenomenal video, and the cause that the video and single is for is a great one. Check it out.
1. Paramore
Here we are at #1, based on the theme of the listing it can't be much of a surprise. Paramore just piss me off because their music is just awful, Hayley Williams pisses me off just because she doesn't actually do anything interesting at all. But she has red hair! And? I can't say anything complimentary about her as a person or a singer whatsoever. The band is splitting apparently because she's getting a lot of attention but for what? Some people just aren't worth their weight in salt. I actually can't think of a single positive thing to say about this band so that's more than a good enough reason for it to be my #1.
Well that's my pessimistic listing over. I've got to be honest I didn't really enjoy writing this. I'd rather write about artists I do like and respect. But this gives you a taste about what I don't like in music I suppose. I like being positive and saying good things. Also, if you like any of these bands, that's cool, each to their own I suppose. I'll be back on Tuesday with something that interests me much more, quite possibly my favourite year of the decade, the best of the year 2001. Thanks for reading.
