I have previously compiled my Top 100 lists of 2000-2019 in benji2's threads, 20 years worth. So I recently turned my eyes to the 90s to add this decade to the list and do so in its own thread!
For me it was a strange decade of music as the early 90s was perhaps the most engaged period of listening to current music of my life, with the rise and fall of Shoegaze, Grunge and Madchester. By the mid-late 90s it seemed that all music was Tool and Rancid (who were ace) and a thousand bands who were trying to sound like Tool and Rancid. I also spent most of the back end of the 90s travelling and away from Australia so didn't hear much Aussie music in this time so that is possibly an unfair characterisation, we'll see.
I'll kick things off with my fave tunes from 1999 in the pm of 24th May and see what delights the 90s bring. Last edited:
1999 found me traipsing across Europe, with a slight detour to Cuba so my opportunities to actually listen to much current music was limited bar the occasional hit of BBC Radio One. Not sure I heard any Australian music at all this year. So much of what will follow are songs that I discovered after the fact, with a few key songs I managed to get across at the time.
I actually listened to live all the Triple J Hottest 100s from 2000-2019 (with the exception of 2018) but only ever listened to one before this (1995), so a big source of the songs that make up my 2000 onwards lists is missing for 1999, although I did pick up the CD at some stage.
As with all of these lists, there have to be the unlucky few who just miss out, for 1999 this was
110
She's In Fashion - Suede
109
Prove My Hypothesis - Death Cab For Cutie
108
Northern Lites - Super Furry Animals
107
Blue Moon Rising - Gomez
106
Muscle Museum - Muse
105
The Big Three Killed My Baby - White Stripes, The
104
Asleep In Perfection - Augie March
103
Instant Messenger - Muse
102
Exerciser - Rhubarb
101
Round The Bend - Beta Band, The
So to see what actually resonated with me in 1999 read onwards....
100. Theophilus Thistler (An Exercise In Vowels) - Sonic Animation
This is one I found on the Hottest 100 CD. It's certainly a bouncy little tune but I dare you to try and say the title of the song ten times quickly!
If you've ever seen the video clip, the Telly-Tubby type characters in it were a part of Sonic Animation's live show (well at least they were the one time I saw them).
As an aside, Sonic Animation become the 14th artist to only have one entry in my yearly countdowns at #100 (Sun Kil Moon, Oh Mercy, Future, Danny Brown, Art Vs. Science, Anderson .Paak, Bloody Beetroots, The Holy Soul, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Even, Mansun, Even and Tones and I are the others if you were wondering).
99. Waltz #2 (XO) - Elliot Smith
Past entries:
2004
Memory Lane
70
2000
Son Of Sam
96
This song certainly comes with a big wrap and while it is a good song (hence it made this list) I must admit I don't quite get all the fuss (hence it isn't any higher). Certainly knowing his story and tragic end make his legacy viewed somewhat differently (see Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis as well for this) for better or worse
98. Bigger Than Tina - Fauves, The
Past Entries:
2000
Celebrate The Failure
90
From the film of the same name about someone who is obsessed with Tina Arena. The Fauves are a mid 90s favourite of mine. It seemed every couple of months they would be playing at The Annandale Hotel in Sydney with Underground Lovers and I was always there. They were quite a chaotic live act and the tension in the band did spill over a couple of times and plenty of choice language was exchanged between the members at times. I particular like Andrew Cox's voice and his amusing lyrics.
97. Blue Moon - Endorphin
A band that I didn't really know too much about, apart from their #100 Hottest 100 song Sex and Violence, which I didn't really get into. This is very different to that and I have to thank benji2 for introducing me to this one. It is quite an uptempo song and the percussion is great, no idea what they are shouting in the background though but who cares right?
96. Charlie Big Potato - Skunk Anansie
A band I associate from the mid 90s, I wasn't aware of this one at the time (thanks to benji2 again). I wasn't really a fan of their earlier work but this is a very different sound, a little bit more industrial/electronic than the straight up rock I remember. I saw them at a Reading Festival in 97 or 98 and while I didn't really enjoy the music, Skin was an excellent front-person, very charismatic, a great performer and you couldn't take your eyes off her.
If you were wondering, Charlie Big Potato is a London East End expression for a "Hot Shot". You're welcome...
95. Six - Mansun
Past Entries:
2000
I Can Only Dissapoint U
100
And then there were 13!
Mansun were a band that I very much liked in the late 90s. I heard them on the BBC in 1997 I think and in the couple of years following. I liked the broody nature of their songs and were a little bit different than the similar English indie-pop bands of the time.
They got a bit of a bad rap in the music press in England as a bit of a generic Brit Pop band but they hit the right notes for me!
94. Easter Theatre - XTC
Past Entries:
2000
Stupidly Happy
99
Bizarrely, 2000's #100 artist is followed by the #99 artist (and 4 artists from the 90s are in this years 90s as well!). Hijinx won't be happy if he reads this as this was his #1 but at least it gets a guernsey.
XTC are a fantastic band with a really strong output spanning the 70s, 80s and 90s and are definately the most famous band to come out of Swindon. They returned in 1999 after a gap of 7 years with their 13th album and it is a good one at that. There is a strong Beatles feel to this song (and the album was recorded in Abbey Road). The orchestration is top notch and really lifts the song. Andy Patridge considers this one of the few perfect songs he wrote in his career.
93. The Free Design - Stereolab
The first appearance in my lists for the last band I saw before the Covid-19 lockdown!
Stereolab just ooze cool and the French connections (Latitia Sadier the lead singer is French) shine through in their avant-pop songs. When I first saw them live in the mid 90s, she had a galss of red wine in one hand and a cigarette (in holder) in the other and while I don't condone smoking, how cool is that?
This is definitely representative of their late 90s output, very pop oriented with a repetitive beat. They were one of the first ever bands to be labelled post-rock, a label they will share with quite a few other bands to grace this list.
92. Spit On A Stranger - Pavement
Another first appearance from one of my other favourite 90s acts, Pavement. In fact the first single from their last album Terror Twilight. It got a bit of negative press from the band and fans alike when it came out but on reflection is a pretty good album. They were trying I think to produce a more poppier or lighter record than their previous slacker rock albums and this song does reflect this, while still definitely sounding like Pavement.
91. Photograph - Something For Kate
Past Entries:
2003
Déjà Vu
77
2001
Monsters
17
2001
Jerry, Stand Up
39
2000
Beautiful Sharks
9
No strangers here to these countdowns is the wonderful Something For Kate. I first heard them while listening to the 2000 Hottest 100 and their awesome song Beautiful Sharks. This is from the same album and is a really beautiful slower song, I like the tempo and subtle keyboards in the background, that give it a slight shimmery sound and it is a great choice for the last song of the album. But that voice.... just sublime
Paul Dempsey is another great lead singer, really draws your attention in their live shows. Last edited:
The Tindersticks were a thing in the 90s. In my mind a symbol of the rivalry between Melody Maker (who loved them) and NME (not as much). Also Nick Cave's favourite band of the period and you can hear his influence on their sound, especially the vocals (that deep voice). This is actually a pretty uptempo number by their standards, with hints of soul and jazz but it is great, I especially like the female backing vocals.
89. Bodyrock - Moby
Past Entries:
2000
Porcelain
12
I remember this one from 1999. This album was everywhere at the time. It is peculiar because nothing Moby has done previously or since really stacks up, just this one album. Coming on the back of Fatboy Slim's release of the year before, it was a real change of approach to dance music, with the inclusion of really fast paced guitar music fused in, as well as many other samples throughout the history of music. Bodyrock is probably the rockiest example to be found on the album.
88. If Everyone Looked The Same - Groove Armada
Past Entries:
2007
Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)
79
2002
Purple Haze
15
2001
Superstylin'
6
Interestingly the longest tenured band so far, reaching back to 2007. I'm actually surprised that they have only 3 songs before this as they always seem to get something on my shortlist. I heard their new song on Double J recently and it's another good effort.
As with all good Groove Armada songs, this one has a fantastic, well, groove to it. Great interchanging male and female vocals as well. Dare I say banger!!
87. Good Witch/Bad Witch - Charlatans, The
Past Entries:
2008
Bird/Reprise
60
2001
You're So Pretty - We're So Pretty
73
And just like that, we have a new longest tenured band, back to 2008.
Definitely a band associated with the earlier years of the decade and the Madchester movement. They never broke up and are still making music to the present day. Tim Burgess (the lead singer) is actually doing Twitter deep dives into their and his muso mates albums every Monday during lockdown.
As to this song it is an interesting one. Broody and pulsating, quite different than what you might think if you are familiar with their other works (poppy and melodic).
On a side note, I have a mate who absolutely detests the use of non-alphabet characters (think -/!# etc) in song titles (as well as all capitals) and all their songs to previously make my lists contain them. What he'll make of their new song $#^&*(( I have no idea.
86. Demetrius - Sufjan Stevens
Past Entries:
2019
Love Yourself
15
2015
Fourth Of July
1
2015
Should Have Known Better
9
2015
John My Beloved
25
2015
All Of Me Wants All Of You
53
2010
Too Much
89
2009
You Are The Blood
81
2005
Chicago
37
2004
He Woke Me Up Again
48
And a new leader, going all the way to the present 2019 and the first artist to previously be #1. And looking back I can't believe I only had Chicago at #37 in 2005, should been higher.
As you might gather, I really love Sufjan Stevens. His creativity and unique approach to music is a joy to me. All of his albums are different and trying new things. Sometimes they come off and sometimes not but they are always different.
This is the same, it starts off more like Sonic Youth than anything else and then halfway in the pan pipes kick in and it kinda sorta works and then it goes middle eastern and still kinda sorta works. Its really interesting to see so many divergent ideas try to come together in one song. The whole album (A Sun Came!) is like this. Later on, some of the songs were reworked and probably sound more coherent but some of the bizarre magic is lost along the way.
85. I Know What I'm Here For - James
Past Entries:
2001
Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)
13
Another song I remember hearing a lot back in 1999. James are probably more well known for their early 90s output but they consistently put out some good work all through the 90s. This marked a change in direction for them, moving to a more electronic sound than their folk/rock origins. Not sure about the cowboy hat in the video clip though...
84. Glockenpop - Spiderbait
Past Entries:
2004
F***kin Awesome
68
2002
Arse Huggin Pants
56
2001
Four On The Floor
71
The first of a few songs that I'm shocked didn't make the Hottest 100 of the year. Spiderbait had 3 songs but not this one???
All Spiderbait songs can be (IMHO) put into two category. Kram bangers and Janet pop songs. This definitely comes in the later category. It is an absolutely spankingly sparkling pop song.
83. Billie - Pavement
Past Entries:
1999
Spit On A Stranger
92
And just like that, our first repeat performers of 1999.
I freely admit that this one makes the list because it most reminds me of their earlier work,a great slacker rock song. The way the singing shifts around the line "Sue the fortune teller" is particularly great and the slow down in tempo halfway through the song as well.
On a side note, I saw Pavement in 1993 and the support act was Magic Dirt, playing their first ever Sydney show. They were both great!!
82. Get Up - Sleeter-Kinney
Past Entries:
2019
Hurry On Home
12
2015
A New Wave
69
Another act that stretches from 1999-2019 is Washington State's Sleeter Kinney. I first came across them in 2000 when I read they worked on the comeback Go Betweens album. I checked out their back catalogue and this song stuck with me in particular.
It's sad to think so in the present day but it was still unusual to have an all female rock band in 1999 and earlier and Sleeter Kinney were part of the riot grrrl movement that tried to correct that.
This song hits me because of the intricate guitar interplaying as well as the unusual semi-shouting vocal delivery. It all adds up to a great rock song.
81. Else - Built To Spill
Past Entries:
2006
Going Against Your Mind
39
2006
Conventional Wisdom
61
2001
Strange
72
Built To Spill are one of indie rocks greatest bands and Keep It Like A Secret is one of indie rocks greatest albums. They are definitely an album band and the consistency of the songs on the albums are one of their major qualities but it does make it hard to differentiate when making lists like this as honestly any song could have made it.
The guitar playing on this song is just flat out fantastic, the bit at around 3 minutes in just soars, just perfect.
Another act I'm surprised by the lack of previous entries as I always seem to like their songs (except The Salmon Dance, pants).
This is actually a pretty simple song with just a few elements repeating throughout the song but the way they all come together over and over is great. They always have good videos as well and this is no different.
79. Major Leagues - Pavement
Past Entries:
1999
Billie
83
1999
Spit On A Stranger
92
It's turning into a Pavement party!
Their last ever release. It is certainly more melodic than some of their previous efforts but still retains that downtempo sound. Last time I saw them was in 2009 or 2010 and they still sounded fantastic. Would be interesting to see what they could come up with if they decided to go around once more...
78. Lucky Denver Mint - Jimmy Eat World
Past Entries:
2019
All The Way (Stay)
99
2005
Over
63
2005
Disintegration
79
2002
A Praise Chorus
34
2002
Sweetness
100
2001
Bleed American
28
Another band to stretch over the last 20 years! Also I must have been smoking something illegal when I did my 2005 list because Disintegration should be much higher #justiceforchicagoanddisintegration
If there is something that absolutely draws me into liking a band is earnestness and Jimmy Eat World have it in spades (see also The Smith Street Band). I really get drawn into the songs and lyrics. This is a more poppier sound than their later efforts but still contains all the Jimmy Eat World ingredients.
Side note if you've ever seen the video clip. Yes, ultimate frisbee was absolutely a thing in the 90s and I took part. Sigh.
77. Spider In The Snow - Dismemberment Plan, The
I have Hijinx to thank for this one as his 1999 list prodded me to check this album out as I have always seen it on various best of lists but probably got put off by the band name. Sounds like an insurance plan for Leatherface and in my mind it was a heavy rock sound, which isn't really my thing.
But it's not that at all, it's just another fantastic indie rock album that also doesn't really sound like anything else I've ever heard. I like this song in particular because of the orchestral parts and vocal harmonies and the unusual bass/drum patterns, which as a old bass player myself really appeal.
76. Sexx Laws - Beck
Past Entries:
2015
Dreams
24
2009
Heaven Can Wait (with Charlotte Gainsbourg)
75
2006
Think I'm In Love
72
2005
Girl
47
2002
The Golden Age
21
2002
Guess I'm Doing Fine
55
2002
Already Dead
65
2000
Mixed Bizness
74
The musical chameleon that is Beck! Another artist that seems to deliberately change styles every couple of albums, really successfully. Midnite Vultures (spelling Beck please) probably combines well with Mutations released the year before in exploring a more funk oriented sound.
My favourite random Beck fact that he is in the video clip for "The Hardest Button To Button" presenting "a box with something in it"
75. Falling Down - Muse
Past Entries:
2007
Knights Of Cydonia
77
2006
Starlight
46
2003
Stockholm Syndrome
12
2003
Hysteria
32
2003
Time Is Running Out
80
2001
Plug In Baby
30
2000
Sunburn
39
Back to the very first Muse album (Showbiz). This one wasn't a single just an album track but it appeals to me. I like the vocal delivery (did someone mention earnest before!!), it makes for a really beautiful song, not the rockers you normally associate with them.
74. Hallways - Something For Kate
Past Entries:
2003
Déjà Vu
77
2001
Monsters
17
2001
Jerry, Stand Up
39
2000
Beautiful Sharks
9
1999
Photograph
91
A much rockier offering than Photograph at #91. There is no one thing in particular that stands out about this one, just a rock song done really professionally (not a bad thing). Did I mention that voice....
73. Nice Guys Finish Last - Green Day
Past Entries:
2005
Jesus of Surburbia
15
2001
Maria
99
2000
Warning
62
2000
Waiting
73
I'm a sucker for a sharp pop-punk song and Green Day do it better than most. It was a sound that (in part) defined the 90s.
Lots of energy and momentum driving this one along (great bass playing as well) and a degree of self-aware silliness to cap it all off.
72. The Day The World Went Away - Nine Inch Nails
This starts very slow and quiet and then ramps it up very quickly, only to slow down again in time for the start of the vocals, rinse and repeat. The last minute is particularly great.
I like Nine Inch Nails alot, I've always thought Trent Reznor was a really clever musician, always lots going on and each of their albums move the sound along just enough to be identifiable but different.
71. Bad Light - Built To Spill
Past Entries:
2006
Going Against Your Mind
39
2006
Conventional Wisdom
61
2001
Strange
72
1999
Else
81
Hello again!
This one is more a fast/slow number. Again defined by fantastic guitar work.
One of the reasons that this album is so good is that it is a more polished/produced album and really highlighted the technical prowess of the musicianship and made it easier to hear this aspect of the band. Last edited:
Post rock is the genre that probably dominates this list (not giving anything away). But why does that matter when musing this delicate indie pop/folk offering of Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy? Well he took the photo that appears on the cover of the 1991 Spiderland album by Slint, considered the first post rock album (and copied by The Shins in their video for New Slang).
Also, Angel Olsen an absolute favourite of mine was one of his backing singers earlier in her career.
He's pretty good as well, if a bit grim sometimes.
69. The Next Movement - Roots, The
Past Entries:
2003
The Seed (2.0)
37
So Hip Hop as a genre often leaves me a bit cold. It is more something that I say I respect rather than enjoy. Having said that, there are a few bands that manage to break that down for me. Usually the more melodic offerings are what I'm attracted to (see Outkast, Jurassic 5, Thundamentals etc) and The Roots certainly qualify on this front.
This is a really funky offering. Really like the vocal delivery (the hot hot music, the hot music!)
68. Rendez-vu - Basement Jaxx
Past Entries:
2009
Raindrops
68
2006
Take Me Back To Your House
81
2003
Good Luck
57
2002
Get Me Off
46
2001
Romeo
10
2001
Where's Your Head At
59
Another banger alert and a song I remember being all over the radio at the time.
Basement Jaxx have a pretty strong catalogue. I look at all the songs that have previously made my lists as well as this one and can't really draw a common thread between them, they are all different. Just really strong pop songs really.
67. Devil Will Ride - Gomez
Past Entries:
2002
Shot Shot
59
2000
We Haven't Turned Around
4
2000
Machismo
29
So I reckon this was actually the only album I bought in 1999, Liquid Skin by Gomez! It is a fantastic blues album by a fantastic band at the peak of their powers, following on from their 1998 debut. They are a really versatile band, with 3 of the members taking lead vocals at different times (sometimes in the same song) and a variety of instruments being played and they are one of the most fun bands to see. They seem to be having a blast and that rubs off on the audience.
Anyway, this song is a great mix of the dirty blues guitars at times and then the strings, horns and vocoded vocals all coming together very nicely indeed.
66. The Plan - Built To Spill
Past Entries:
2006
Going Against Your Mind
39
2006
Conventional Wisdom
61
2001
Strange
72
1999
Bad Light
71
1999
Else
81
And Built To Spill equal Pavement with 3 songs in so far. Well done sirs.
This is probably the rockiest song on the album (and in reflection of the countdown so far), really rocking out before coming down towards the end of the song. I said about all the other Built To Spill songs but the guitar playing is exemplary.
I also just realised that it the song I've least played on the album, according to iTunes and Else the most. I wonder what that means (well, nothing)
65. Pumping On Your Stereo - Supergrass
Past Entries:
2000
Mary
44
Another band I associate with the middle of the decade (and having very retro hair). I reckon they have two types of songs, the indie rock ones (like Mary or Caught By The Fuzz) and the indie pop ones like this (or Alright). It is a really good pop song, accompanied by a great video made with the Henson Studios.
I have very fuzzy memories of dancing to this in a bar in Sydney in the early 2000s with Burke from Gerling at an ungodly hour in the morning. Good times indeed.
64. Already Gone - Powderfinger
Past Entries:
2009
All Of The Dreamers
91
2003
Sunsets
13
2003
Love Your Way
64
2003
Stumblin
75
2003
Rockin'Rocks
86
2000
The Metre
79
There hasn't been much Australian music as yet so here's a good one by the recently emerged from isolation (literally) Powderfinger.
I was unaware of Powderfinger in the 90s and got caught up on my return to Australia in 2000 and checking out the Hottest 100 CDs but they were absolutely killing it at that stage in terms of their popularity. Not sure how strong their albums are but the singles were pretty much all excellent like this one. It really reminds me of the Aussie "Pub Rock" tradition of the 80s, which is no bad thing.
63. Praise You - Fatboy Slim
Past Entries:
2001
Weapon Of Choice
44
Fatboy Slim was absolutely all over the radio in England in 1998/1999 and was actually married to the breakfast presenter of Radio One (Zoe Ball) so I'm very familiar with his work. Like Moby, mentioned before it was a different style of music pulled together from a multitude of samples and when done well like in this song, it is great, really radio friendly. It is a slower number than the other big singles.
Have to mention the video though, what a classic! Academy Award winner Spike Jonze really pulls out all the stops here in a truly bizarre video. The Torrance Community Dance Group rulez!
62. Lucky Star - Alex Lloyd
Past Entries:
2003
Coming Home
89
Triple J Hottest 100 #1s don't have a great record of resonating with me and I must admit that as Amazing was the first Alex Lloyd song I heard and didn't like, I had him marked down. Then I heard this song. It is really different. I love the way it is produced. Like Amazing it is based around an acoustic guitar riff but very different backing tracks, almost a dub mix sound with different filters worked on the vocals at stages as well.
61. Stop The Rock - Apollo 440
Past Entries:
2001
Say What (with 28 Days)
50
2000
Charlie's Angels 2000
91
Another stable of English radio of the late 90s. Did you know that their name comes from the pitch note that concert orchestra tune their instruments to, An A note at 440Hz. Well you did now!
All of their songs have really high energy electronic big beat sounds. The (very distorted) vocals on this one were performed by Ian Hoxley of Gay Bikers On Acid. Last edited:
I only came across this a few years ago (2016 I think), when they released their second album and it referenced the 1999 debut as one of the most influential emo records and being somewhat a fan gave it a whirl and was most impressed. It is more like the raw emo of Brand New or Modern Baseball rather than the pomp and pageantry of AFI or My Chemical Romance. This is just a really heartfelt song
"So, let's just pretend Everything and anything Between you and me Was never meant"
Just a minute, I've got something in my eye
59. Touched - V.A.S.T.
And now it is benji2's turn to be either disappointed or impressed as this was his #1 and I only recently heard this after checking out his list. It is quite a tune. On first listen it was really quite surprising the musical twists and turns. Starts quite simply and then explodes into all sorts of different sounds and has a bit of a middle eastern twist.
In reflection of the list so far there are quite a few artists represented that are trying to push the boundaries of their music, whether from breaking away from Hardcore into new directions (American Football and The Dismemberment Plan) or trying to redefine electronic music (Moby and Fatboy Slim). Very interesting indeed.
58. All The Small Things - Blink 182
Past entries:
2016
Bored To Death
45
2003
I Miss You
50
2003
Feeling This
85
2000
Man Overboard
89
To be honest, I really want to hate this song but I just can't, it is just too infectious. The perfect example of the merging of pop and punk in my mind.
And the video clip just cracks me up every time.
57. The City - Dismemberment Plan, The
Past entries:
1999
Spider In The Snow - Dismemberment Plan, The
77
Another track from the excellent Emergency & I album. Like I mentioned with Moby earlier, nothing the band had done previously or would go on to do approached the heights of this album and (according to interviews I've read) apparently the band could sense this as the album took shape.
Anyway, this song has a great synth intro over the top of the guitar and the vocals are in a semi-spoken delivery and the whole feeling it generates is a nervous energy and a sense of regret at the way things are. It actually sums up life in isolation really well.
"The parks lay empty like my unmade bed The streets are silent like my lifeless telephone And this is where I live, but I've never felt less at home"
56. Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Past entries:
2002
Can't Stop
58
2002
The Zephyr Song
77
Take 2 on songs I couldn't believe weren't in the Triple J Hottest 100 (also see Can't Stop in 2002). I think maybe the voting list (which I've never seen) were more restrictive as there were some odd omissions in the 90s (Everlong and Disarm are 2 that come to mind).
Californication marked the return of John Frusciante to the fold after leaving after Blood Sugar Sex Magik and it does seem to mark a return to form for the band. I've always thought that one of the main strengths of the band was how tight the musicianship is, one element doesn't dominate over the others and that they have a very distinctive sound as well. Otherside is a great example of both of these. Slapping bass and drum lines, understated but intricate guitar playing, great vocals delivery and it just sounds like a Chili Peppers song.
55. Rhythm and Blues Alibi - Gomez
Past entries:
2002
Shot Shot
59
2000
We Haven't Turned Around
4
2000
Machismo
29
1999
Devil Will Ride
67
Another great track from Gomez. I mentioned the multiple lead singers but Ben Ottewell is my favourite of them. He has a really amazing voice, it is so deep and gravelly and a perfect blues voice and his lines in this are what does it for me.
54. Electricity - Something For Kate
Past entries:
2003
Déjà Vu
77
2001
Monsters
17
2001
Jerry, Stand Up
39
2000
Beautiful Sharks
9
1999
Hallways
74
1999
Photograph
91
Another band to clock up 3 entries!
This one flat out just rocks, very different to the other two songs to appear so far. It just never lets up through the whole song. Great song to hear live.
53. Harvest Festival - XTC
Past entries:
2000
Stupidly Happy
99
1999
Easter Theatre
94
I actually woke this morning and had this song swirling around in my head. It is an ear worm. It really evokes the Beatles or Beach Boys at their best and is has lyrics about reflection of events from the path (and pagan festivals of course).
52. It's Not Too Beautiful - Beta Band, The
Can you talk about The Beta Band without mentioning the movie High Fidelity. Let's see...
After their early EPs, the buzz around The Beta Band was huge and their debut album dropping in 1999 had massive expectations. The end result was, well, not so much. The band themselves described it as "f*cking awful" It's actually not really all that bad (well they did come in here and #101 as well) but it is a bit of an incoherent mess. The sounds of a band possibly biting off more than they could chew. I say good on them for having a go.
This is a long one (8 minutes), with a feedback loop repeating throughout and the guitars and drums placed on top with all sorts of other accompanying sounds. It's a relaxing listen
I was introduced to the band through that memorable scene from High Fidelity in 2000......damn!
51. Burn Girl Prom Queen - Mogwai
Past entries:
2017
Party In The Dark
55
2014
The Lord Is Out Of Control
67
2014
Teenage Exorcists
77
2014
Hexon Bogon
95
2013
Remurdered
76
2012
Wizard Motor
91
2011
Drunk and Crazy
20
2011
How To Be A Werewolf
60
2011
Hasenheide
77
2010
Rano Pano
71
2008
Batcat
29
2008
I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead
45
2006
We're No Here
10
2006
Travel Is Dangerous
26
2006
Friend Of The Night
38
2003
Hunted By A Freak
18
2003
I Know You Are But What Am I?
52
2001
My Father My King
5
2001
D To E
47
2001
Take Me Somewhere Nice
53
2001
2 Wrongs Make 1 Right
64
Just missing the top 50 is (as you can see above) one of my favourite bands Mogwai. In my Top 100 lists 1999-2019, they have the 3rd most songs included (behind Radiohead and Interpol). They are a very prolific band and all of their albums are great.
This song came on an EP (imaginatively titled EP) a couple of months after their second album, Come On Die Young and it (to me) marks a change of direction for the band. It is the first "softer" song that is reliant on keyboards to create the atmosphere, rather than just the guitars. As usual for Mogwai (and all post rock really), the song builds up slowly and then fades away just as slowly. It really is quite beautiful. Last edited:
Madonna had a really surprising resurgence in the late 90s (The William Orbit years shall we say), after being a bit pants in the early 90s (IMHO) and this was a highlight. She is another musical chameleon, always seeming to adapt to what the current style is or move pop music itself in a new direction. Not many people can claim to have done that over such a long period of time.
Simply a great pop song.
49. Testify - Rage Against The Machine
Past entries:
2000
Sleep Now In The Fire
3
2000
Renegades of Funk
21
2000
Maria
80
Another surprising omission from the Triple J Hottest 100 is this cracker. The Battle of Los Angeles, the album that this comes from is their (to date) last album of original material and it is great. Not as spotty as their previous albums, it was a work of a band at the peak of their powers, so for them to break up within a couple of years is a shame. Although there are always rumours of a reunion.
If you know their work, this doesn't veer from the formula very much, mix of metal and hip-hop. Big guitar riffs, hip hop style singing, very political lyrics.
48. Blow Up The Pokies - Whitlams, The
Had some technical issues but I'm back using the German forum, looks much nicer actually. If only I could read German, so this entry is the second time I've typed this one out.
Another entry I'm surprised didn't make the Hottest 100. I thought The Whitlams bossed these things.
I'm not really a fan to be honest but this is a really beautiful song. The piano, the strings and the gut wrenching lyrics will do it for me everytime. Tim Freedman has a really great voice, when he is being serious and this captures it at its best.
47. Ana's Song (Open Fire) - Silverchair
Past entries:
2002
Without You
82
Another act you can file in the not really a fan category is Silverchair. I didn't like either the grunge early stuff and the pop of the later stuff but this centre point between the two hits a sweet spot for me.
It is a nicely constructed pop song, with some rockier elements sprinkled throughout. I never knew until recently that Ana is the nickname of Anorexia given by sufferers. I did know that he was a sufferer and the song makes sense more that I know this (why was he hoping for Ana to die I always wondered).
Apologies, with technical difficulties and a longer than expected Skype call with the family didn't get time to complete this block...
46. Willful Suspension Of Disbelief - Modest Mouse
Past entries:
2007
Dashboard
29
2004
Float On
14
2004
Ocean Breathes Salty
24
2004
Bukowski
37
2000
Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
1
2000
3rd Planet
34
2000
Dark Centre Of The Universe
53
2000
Lives
85
You can colour me a fan of Modest Mouse though, another act to have previously made #1 on my lists.
I mentioned in the comments that I'm being a bit generous of the release date of some songs as it is generally hard to find out with some songs, anyway as best I can tell this was released (in Japan only) in 1999 and then the USA in 2002. It was definately recorded 1999 so here it is.
This song quite nicely sums up the crossroads that Modest Mouse were at at the time. They had signed for a major label after the success of their second album and this comes out of the first recordings they did for Epic. You can immediately recognise this as Modest Mouse from the country-like guitar playing and Isaac Borck's voice but the increased production values are obvious as well, a deeper more brooding sound and a real pointer that something better was just around the corner.
45. Bring It On - Gomez
Past entries:
2002
Shot Shot
59
2000
We Haven't Turned Around
4
2000
Machismo
29
1999
Rhythm and Blues Alibi
55
1999
Devil Will Ride
67
Another act to have 3 songs appear (after Pavement, Built To Spill and Something For Kate if you needed to catch up).
The first single from their second album, which is also confusingly the title of their debut album, Bring It On. Interestingly this and Rhythm and Blues Alibi were their highest charting singles in the UK (reaching #21 and #18 respectively).
It is a more straightforward blues number. The reverberating guitar sound at the beginning and end of the song is great and Ben's voice, just perfect.
44. Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Past entries:
2002
Can't Stop
58
2002
The Zephyr Song
77
1999
Otherside
56
One thing I really admire is the ability of singers to make their voice just another instrument in the song and this is a perfect example. Anthony Kiedis could be singing just nonsense lyrics (and let's be honest maybe is) but the way his delivery fits into the music around him is just perfect, the lengthening and shortening of the syllables is great. I can just close the eyes and block out what he's actually saying and listen to the sounds.
43. Mutha Fucka On A Motorcycle - Machine Gun Fellatio
Past entries:
2002
Take It Slow
36
2002
Rollercoaster
83
2000
Unsent Letter
2
<snigger>
Seriously, how do you come up with something like this? Well I guess if your band name is Machine Gun Fellatio, you do. They actually can get down and write some really heartfelt serious songs if they so choose (see Unsent Letter). Another band with multiple singers, this one is sung by KK Juggy (yes really), whose mother and father called Christa Hughes, whose grandfather (Richard Hughes) was a famous war correspondent and was the inspiration for the character Dikko Henderson in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel You Only Live Twice, and for 'Old Craw' in John le Carré's The Honourable Schoolboy.
Anyway, put the song title aside for a second, this is a pretty good song but it hard to put that song title aside....
42. My Favourite Game - Cardigans
Another song that was plastered all over BBC Radio at the time is this rocky little number by The Cardigans out of Sweden, the first but possibly not the last Scandinavian act to feature.
It has an absolute iconic guitar riff and the softness of the vocal delivery works really well aside it. A great snappy pop song.
41. Let Forever Be {Ft. Noel Gallagher} - Chemical Brothers, The
Past entries:
2015
Go {Ft. Q-Tip}
68
2003
The Golden Path {Ft. The Flaming Lips}
71
1999
Hey Boy Hey Girl
80
The Chemical Brothers actually ruined a quite impressive resume by having this song appear. Before this, they had only one song in the 90s, 2000s and 2010s appear in my lists. Wonder if anyone else could replicate this feat?
Anyway, The Chemical Brothers go back to Noel Gallagher (after 1996's Setting Sun) and it is an effective partnership. Like most of their songs there is an absolute kicking beat backing it all up .
Have to mention the video clip though, an absolute classic, by another Academy Award winner, Michel Gondry. Last edited:
Another slab of politically tinged rock from Rage Against The Machine. The bass is fantastic in this one and the way everything comes together in the last half a minute or so of the song. Best song in the 1999 Hottest 100 to have the lyrics "Turn That Sh*t Up"!
39. I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio - Sterophonics
And back to the BBC! This one was a big summer radio hit in my memory. I associate it with sunny days around the Thames River (I was living in a village on the Thames near Oxford this summer).
Not as rocky as other Stereophonics songs and has a fantastically nonsensical lyric which always makes me smile
"If I had myself a flying giraffe You'd have one in a box with a window"
38. The Pop Singers Fear Of The Pollen Count - Divine Comedy, The
Past entries:
2006
A Lady Of A Certain Age
41
Another massive summer ear worm. I've actually been quite surprised how many of the songs I heard on English radio have stuck with me. Interesting.
The Divine Comedy, who hail from Northern Ireland, were a good indie-pop band and always had witty lyrics (and song titles for that matter) to go with some infectious music. This is actually a reworked version of the song, that originally appeared on their 1993 album.
37. What's My Age Again? - Blink 182
Past entries:
2016
Bored To Death
45
2003
I Miss You
50
2003
Feeling This
85
2000
Man Overboard
89
1999
All The Small Things
58
Another slice of punk-pop from Blink-182, a band that are very happy to not take themselves very seriously both in their lyrics and videos. Can often be very amusing and this is no different. Short, sharp and funny.
36. Carry The Zero - Built To Spill
Past entries:
2006
Going Against Your Mind
39
2006
Conventional Wisdom
61
2001
Strange
72
1999
The Plan
66
1999
Bad Light
71
1999
Else
81
Well someone had to first to 4 songs and it is Idaho's finest (actually does anyone know any other bands from Idaho) Built To Spill.
The second longest songs from Keep It Like A Secret, it would have been the second shortest on the previous album as Doug Martsch (singer, guitar player extraordinaire and song writer of the band) made the conscious decision to write shorter and more concise songs.
As with all their work, it is really the complex guitar playing that is the centrepiece. The guitar playing at 4 minutes in, carrying onto the end of the song is just divine.
35. Staralfur - Sigur Ros
Past entries:
2013
Brennistein
35
2013
Isjaki
58
2012
Varuo
20
2008
Gobbledigook
18
2008
Inni Mer Syngur Vitlesingur
59
2007
Hljomalind
26
2005
Glosoli
4
2005
Svo Hljott
14
2005
Hoppipolla
29
2005
Saeglopur
44
2005
Gong
54
2002
Vaka
3
2002
Njosnavellin
7
2002
Frysta
53
2000
Ny Batteri
20
Another one of my all time favourite bands, Sigur Rós. One of the best Post-Rock artists. This album is really like nothing else I had ever heard before (and this was the first song I heard from it). Using violin bows to play the guitar, the ethereal vocals, truly amazing stuff.
I'd love to say I was across it in 1999 but (like pretty much everyone) it passed me by but I heard this song (on a mixtape a friend had) a few years later and was struck by it. The piano and strings that form the basis of the song are quite beautifully arranged. I can just picture this playing in some remote valley in Iceland and it just filling up all that space. Even though it is quite different, this might be the most "normal" song on the album. But just to be different, the strings are composed to be palindromic (the same played backwards or forwards).
34. Ex-Cowboy - Mogwai
Past entries:
2017
Party In The Dark
55
2014
The Lord Is Out Of Control
67
2014
Teenage Exorcists
77
2014
Hexon Bogon
95
2013
Remurdered
76
2012
Wizard Motor
91
2011
Drunk and Crazy
20
2011
How To Be A Werewolf
60
2011
Hasenheide
77
2010
Rano Pano
71
2008
Batcat
29
2008
I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead
45
2006
We're No Here
10
2006
Travel Is Dangerous
26
2006
Friend Of The Night
38
2003
Hunted By A Freak
18
2003
I Know You Are But What Am I?
52
2001
My Father My King
5
2001
D To E
47
2001
Take Me Somewhere Nice
53
2001
2 Wrongs Make 1 Right
64
1999
Burn Girl Prom Queen - Mogwai
51
Post rock royalty back to back!
Mogwai appeared previously at #51 and I praised the beauty of that particular song. This is the other side of Mogwai, dark, brooding and brutal. There is a similar approach to the song in that is builds up and then fades away.
Ex-Cowboy builds with layer upon layer of guitars over the first 3 and a half minutes, slows down to catch a breath for a minute or so and then starts the process over again but goes harder. At 6-7 minutes in there are so many layers of feedback guitars it is quite dazzling and then back down again.
Get a pair of good headphones and listen to this late at night in the dark. Awesome.
33. Electricity - Suede
Another early/mid 90s artist, this was Suede's last big hit. While this era of Suede didn't hit the heights of their earlier work this is still a cracking glam-pop song and still very reminiscent of David Bowie's early 70s work!
I actually saw them perform in London in a HMV store when the record this was on was released (Head Music, their 4th) and as they played all the new tracks I got very excited when they said they were going to do an old song to close off (I'm a very big fan of their first two records) and they then proceeded to play Trash from their third album ;(. Still a good song though...
32. Steal My Sunshine - Len
How can you not love this song in all its nonsense.
"Well, does he like butter tarts?"
Yes, we all like butter tarts.
"My sticky paws were into making straws out of big fat slurpy treats"
OK, now you've lost me.
Anyway, this is just an incredibly bouncy sunny pop song.
31. Agaetis Byrjun - Sigur Ros
Past entries:
2013
Brennistein
35
2013
Isjaki
58
2012
Varuo
20
2008
Gobbledigook
18
2008
Inni Mer Syngur Vitlesingur
59
2007
Hljomalind
26
2005
Glosoli
4
2005
Svo Hljott
14
2005
Hoppipolla
29
2005
Saeglopur
44
2005
Gong
54
2002
Vaka
3
2002
Njosnavellin
7
2002
Frysta
53
2000
Ny Batteri
20
1999
Staralfur
35
Another piece of ethereal beauty by Sigur Ros and the title track for their second album.
There is a real fragility about this song, especially around the piano and vocals by Jonsi. The last section is sung in a made up language (Vonlenska or Hopelandic). As the song progresses, additional elements are added but it remains quite simple.
Agaetis Byrjun translates (roughly) as "a good beginning" which was attributed to a friend on hearing this song (which was the first recorded for the album) and it stuck! Last edited:
Another big radio hit (surprisingly given the naughty words) and completing the set of one song in my 90s, 2000s and 2010s lists is Kelis and her call out to her ex
"I hate you so much right now"
Tell us how you really feel Kelis.
29. Writing To Reach You - Travis
Past entries:
2000
Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
31
Another song I'm surprised didn't make the Hottest 100, given that the third single from the album (and so possibly the 3rd best song from the The Man Who) did make the Hottest 100 of 2000!
Well this is the 1st single (and album opener for that fact) and was another song I remember hearing alot at the time. It is a really sweet melodic indie-pop song really but does have a couple of rockier moments as well. It uses very similar chords to Wonderwall and, in acknowledgement has the lyric "and what's a wonderwall, anyway?".
This album was a monster hit in the UK, spending 9 weeks at #1 and is certified 9 x Platinum.
28. Anthem For The Year 2000 - Silverchair
Past entries:
2002
Without You
82
1999
Ana's Song (Open Fire)
47
I did say earlier that I didn't like Silverchair's grungier offerings but I am willing to make this exception. This one absolutely rocks out, more in Queen style than pure grunge!
I do like that "The Freak" from Prisoner is in the dystopian film clip.
27. These Days - Powderfinger
Past entries:
2009
All Of The Dreamers
91
2003
Sunsets
13
2003
Love Your Way
64
2003
Stumblin
75
2003
Rockin'Rocks
86
2000
The Metre
79
1999
Already Gone
64
This is an absolute iconic Aussie song.
Made for the film Two Hands, it was originally released as a B-side and the went on to top the Hottest 100!
It is a pretty simple song actually but all the parts fit together seamlessly and the lyrics really evoke some strong feelings in me (hopelessness, sadness etc).
26. Right Here, Right Now - Fatboy Slim
Past entries:
2001
Weapon Of Choice
44
1999
Praise You
63
The best Fatboy Slim song (IMHO). The backing beat is awesome.
When I first heard this (on the radio in England of course) I thought that the line "Right Here, Right Now" was sampled from the movie "The Outsiders" and was said by Ralph Macchio's character in a very iconic scene. I now realise that I could actually look this up on the interwebs and find out if this is true but I choose not to because I want to go on believing it is
25. Carrot Rope - Pavement
Past entries:
1999
Major Leagues
79
1999
Billie
83
1999
Spit On A Stranger
92
The best and silliest song on Terror Twilight, this is a snappy piece of slacker rock, very identifiable as Pavement but you can hear the added production work (by Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame). The duelling vocals of Steve Malkamus and Scott Kannberg at the beginning of the song is great, which wasn't used too much in their last couple of albums.
24. Flame - Sebodah
Funny that Sebadoh comes after Pavement as they are probably the two highest profile lo-fi bands. This album was their only major label release.
It is such a funky song, the bass and drum beat is massive and powers through the whole song and Lou Barlow's vocal is great.
"You can feel anything you wanna feel And call it real"
23. Tender - Blur
Past entries:
2015
Go Out
86
2012
Under The Westway
86
2010
Fool's Day
97
2003
Out Of Time
26
2000
Music Is My Radar
88
Britpop's finest (take that Oasis)! I remember being quite surprised when this first came on the radio, as it is quite different. But then go back and listen to Parklife and see how many different styles they are attempting and maybe I shouldn't have been.
A song about the breakup between Damon Albarn and Justine Frischmann with vocal duties shared between Damon and Graham Coxon. The best feature of the song though is the backing vocals of the London Gospel Community Choir.
This was the last of their 9 ARIA Top 100 singles BTW, reaching #32. In counterpoint to their popularity in the UK, it was their 12th top 10 hit (#2).
22. Sea Song - Doves
Past entries:
2002
There Goes The Fear
29
2002
Pounding
41
2002
M62 Song
63
2000
Catch The Sun
41
2000
The Cedar Room
60
An early release from Doves (a criminally underrated band IMHO) from their second EP.
Great high energy acoustic guitar backing and drawn out vocal delivery drive this one forward. It sounds quite urgent actually. Can't make out any of the lyrics but doesn't really matter, sounds just beautiful, like all their work really.
Kicking off the top 20 is The Flaming Lips. Before this album the only song of theirs I knew was the rather silly She Don't Eat Jelly. When I first heard The Soft Bulletin, I would never have equated the two. They went from guitar heavy alt-rock into much more layered and intricate pop songs. Quite a change.
I love the uplifting string arrangements and the percussion in partcular. Another song that is relevant in our pandemic-tinged reality
"Two scientists are racing For the good of all mankind Both of them side-by-side So determined Locked in heated battle For the cure that is their prize But it's so dangerous But they're determined"
19. Dirge - Death In Vegas
Past entries:
2003
Hands Around My Throat
15
2000
Aisha {Ft. Iggy Pop}
15
At #19 is the very consistent Death In Vegas. No more than one song per year but always in the Top 20.
If you're not familiar with their work, they are an English electro-rock band. They generally write instrumentals but do occasionally have guest vocalists (it is Dot Allison providing the la la las here). Over her backing, additional sounds/instruments are added to the song one by one. It is quite the rocker by the end.
18. Red Alert - Basement Jaxx
Past entries:
2009
Raindrops
68
2006
Take Me Back To Your House
81
2003
Good Luck
57
2002
Get Me Off
46
2001
Romeo
10
2001
Where's Your Head At
59
1999
Rendez-vu
68
A banger red alert has been issued.
How about that slapping bass line! Got a bit of a funk sound and is a lot of fun. Great pop song that was my introduction to Basement Jazz back in 1999.
17. Shazam! - Spiderbait
Past entries:
2004
F***kin Awesome
68
2002
Arse Huggin Pants
56
2001
Four On The Floor
71
1999
Glockenpop
84
An absolute cracker and my favourite Spiderbait song. A much longer extended version of this was used as the opening track of their live performances the two times I saw them in the early 2000s, which was awesome and part of why I love this song so much.
Kram is in fine form on this one (both with the drums and vocals).
16. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? - Moby
Past entries:
2000
Porcelain
12
1999
Bodyrock
89
I think this was my first introduction to Moby. It certainly make me pay attention as I'd never really heard anything like it before.
It is much slower than most of the rest of the album and has a very melancholic feel.The sample used from the wonderfully named Banks Brothers and the Greater Harvest Back Home Choir is really well done.
Video clip goes very well with the song as well.
15. Christmas Steps - Mogwai
Past entries:
2017
Party In The Dark
55
2014
The Lord Is Out Of Control
67
2014
Teenage Exorcists
77
2014
Hexon Bogon
95
2013
Remurdered
76
2012
Wizard Motor
91
2011
Drunk and Crazy
20
2011
How To Be A Werewolf
60
2011
Hasenheide
77
2010
Rano Pano
71
2008
Batcat
29
2008
I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead
45
2006
We're No Here
10
2006
Travel Is Dangerous
26
2006
Friend Of The Night
38
2003
Hunted By A Freak
18
2003
I Know You Are But What Am I?
52
2001
My Father My King
5
2001
D To E
47
2001
Take Me Somewhere Nice
53
2001
2 Wrongs Make 1 Right
64
1999
Ex-Cowboy - Mogwai
34
1999
Burn Girl Prom Queen - Mogwai
51
Entry #3 for Mogwai for 1999 and #24 overall is a 10 minute long brooding post rock number. They originally got their name when they first formed from the creatures in the movie Gremlins but always intended on getting a better one but never got around to it!
Here is my minute by minute coverage of the songs
Minute 1 - This is quite pretty really Minute 2 - Still pretty Minute 3 - Like the addition of the deep bass line Minute 4 - I'm actually feeling anxious now because I know it will kick in soon but not sure exactly when Minute 5 - Now Minute 6 - Absolutely losing my shit. I think my ears are bleeding... Minute 7 - Calms down somewhat (both the song and me that is) Minute 8 - This is quite pretty really Minute 9 - Getting very quiet now Minute 10 - Takes a deep breath. Wow
14. You Don't Care About Us - Placebo
Past entries:
2009
For What It's Worth
86
2006
Meds
15
2006
Song To Say Goodbye
36
2006
Infra-Red
86
2004
English Summer Rain
32
2004
Twenty Years
66
2003
Running Up That Hill
27
2003
The Bitter End
53
2003
Special Needs
82
2001
Special K
78
2000
Slave To The Wage
14
2000
Taste In Men
94
Another band with plenty of previous entries. Another album I owned in 1999 but I actually bought it in 1998. This song lands in 1999 because of the vagaries of Hottest 100 voting really.
One of the rockier numbers on the album, it flips manically between wise, sighing despair and spitting adolescent rage and the guitar riffs do likewise.
13. Adam's Song - Blink 182
Past entries:
2016
Bored To Death
45
2003
I Miss You
50
2003
Feeling This
85
2000
Man Overboard
89
1999
What's My Age Again?
37
1999
All The Small Things
58
I must admit that when I started to compile this list, I would never have expected this to be so high but here it is.
I'm an absolute sucker for a sad song and this certainly covers that. It reads as a suicide note but apparently was written about Mark Hoppus' depression he experienced when touring.
"Please tell mom this is not her fault"
12. Little Discourage - Idlewild
Past entries:
2000
Roseability
10
I discovered Idlewild through their 2000 song Roseability (my #10 for 2000) and this appears on the same album but was released as single a year earlier.
Great indie rock sound which always floats my boat. The repeated chorus "All I need is a little discourage" over the swirling guitars is great.
11. Driftwood - Travis
Past entries:
2000
Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
31
1999
Writing To Reach You - Travis
29
Just missing out on the Top 10 is this beautiful indie-pop number from Travis, the 2nd single from The Man Who
It's quite a wistful song, quite low tempo, with some beautiful guitar playing and vocals. Just lie back and let it wash over you.
They do great film clips and this is no different.
"You're driftwood floating underwater Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces Just driftwood, hollow and of no use Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you" Last edited:
I think that this is Sigur Ros' tribute to the Olsen twins but I won't bother checking if that is true or nor because it should be.
Once the bass line kicks in, you are just taken on a dreamy voyage. Jonsi's vocals seems like they are echoing from far away, giving a sense of space for the music to fill. Flutes, strings, horns, it's got it all and it builds into a wonderful crescendo.
9. Moya - Godspeed You! Black Emporer
Past entries:
2015
Peasantry or "Light! Inside Of Light!"
74
2012
Mladic
8
2000
Antennas To Heavan
19
2000
Storm
22
2000
Sleep
36
2000
Static
61
More post rock royalty at #9, with Canada's Godspeed You! Black Emporer. I've ruminated the fact that the three titans of post rock in my list (GYBE, Sigur Ros and Mogwai) all come from sparsely populated countries (Canada, Iceland and Scotland) with lots of emptiness and they are trying find a sound to fill it. GYBE have said they were influenced by the flight of non-french speakers out of Montreal leading up to the Quebec Succession Referendum and the empty buildings left behind they would record in. It's a though at least....
First time I saw them live, all these people got onto the stage after the support act and started setting up/playing around with the instruments, I assumed they were roadies, but before too long they had started their first song. It was the band, all 9 of them.
For a band that has no vocals, there is so much emotion their music. For a band that is inspired by dystopia and anarchy and decay, there is so much hope in their music For a band with a violinist and a cello player, there is so much rock!
8. What Do You Me To Say - Dismemberment Plan, The
Past entries:
1999
The City - Dismemberment Plan, The
57
1999
Spider In The Snow - Dismemberment Plan, The
77
Is there a question mark in the song title? I bought the album on iTunes and it doesn't have a ? but the Wikipedia page for the album does. Intriguing.
Somewhat of a more straightforward indie-rock number than some of the more experimental tracks but it is a killer. There is something slightly off about the guitar in the verses which gives it a nervous or anxious sound, which suits as it is a breakup (or break apart more accurately) song.
"There was a time when you could make me laugh at will And you can do it still But never is it for the right reasons."
7. Waitin' For A Superman - Flaming Lips, The
Past entries:
2003
The Golden Path (with The Chemical Brothers)
71
2002
Do You Realise?
24
2002
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
60
1999
Race For The Prize
20
This was my introduction to the new sound of the Flaming Lips (I'm pretty sure it was on the same that I discovered Sigur Ros on as well - thanks Andy).
It's such a beautiful song (I know I say that alot but it really is). Quite down tempo, fantastic percussion with really melancholic lyrics.
"Tell everybody Waitin' for Superman That they should try to Hold on Best they can He hasn't dropped them Forgot them Or anything It's just too heavy for Superman to lift"
6. What Its Like - Everlast
I reckon this is the most randomly awesome song ever. Didn't like House of Pain don't like any other Everlast songs but this one just presses all the right buttons for me.
It's all about the lyrics for me on this one (but the backing beat is pretty cool as well), basically saying don't judge other people and their choices until you try and walk in the shoes (then you really might know what it's like )
"God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes 'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues"
5. CODY - Mogwai
Past entries:
2017
Party In The Dark
55
2014
The Lord Is Out Of Control
67
2014
Teenage Exorcists
77
2014
Hexon Bogon
95
2013
Remurdered
76
2012
Wizard Motor
91
2011
Drunk and Crazy
20
2011
How To Be A Werewolf
60
2011
Hasenheide
77
2010
Rano Pano
71
2008
Batcat
29
2008
I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead
45
2006
We're No Here
10
2006
Travel Is Dangerous
26
2006
Friend Of The Night
38
2003
Hunted By A Freak
18
2003
I Know You Are But What Am I?
52
2001
My Father My King
5
2001
D To E
47
2001
Take Me Somewhere Nice
53
2001
2 Wrongs Make 1 Right
64
1999
Christmas Steps - Mogwai
15
1999
Ex-Cowboy - Mogwai
34
1999
Burn Girl Prom Queen - Mogwai
51
We are not done with Mogwai yet, as they bring up their 25th entry in my lists. Pass the cake!
This is from the album Come On Die Young (get it CODY!) and most peculiarly for Mogwai has some singing on it. No ear bleeding here, its a slower and sadder number, intertwining guitars form the backdrop to
"Old songs stay till the end Sad songs remind me of friends And the way it is, I could leave it all And I ask myself, would you care at all?"
4. Every You Every Me - Placebo
Past entries:
2009
For What It's Worth
86
2006
Meds
15
2006
Song To Say Goodbye
36
2006
Infra-Red
86
2004
English Summer Rain
32
2004
Twenty Years
66
2003
Running Up That Hill
27
2003
The Bitter End
53
2003
Special Needs
82
2001
Special K
78
2000
Slave To The Wage
14
2000
Taste In Men
94
1999
You Don't Care About Us
14
A change of pace with the ubiquitous Every You Every Me (it does my head in a bit that the lyrics are actually Every Me Every You).
I'm a big fan, you all know this one. Nothing else needs be said. Rock on.
3. Coffee and TV - Blur
Past entries:
2015
Go Out
86
2012
Under The Westway
86
2010
Fool's Day
97
2003
Out Of Time
26
2000
Music Is My Radar
88
1999
Tender
23
The Graham Coxon penned and sung Coffee & TV. Didn't quite become their 13th Top 10 hit in the UK as it peaked at #11.
I saw Blur at the Reading Festival in 1999 and this was one of the best numbers but when they did Song 2, the crowd went absolutely nuts. I've never seen anything like it. I was a good 25m or so from the stage and the mosh pit went far beyond me. Don't know how many people were there (20,000?) but everyone was shouting "woo hoo". Good times.
2. Enter Space Capsule - Gerling
Past entries:
2003
In The City
59
2002
Hot Computer (Summer Laptop Remix)
19
2001
Dust Me Selecta
1
2001
G-House Project
20
2001
Phazer Kidz In The Windy City
48
2001
Hi Jackers Manual
75
2000
The Deer In You
11
My old drinking/dancing buddy Burke and his mates (to be fair he just happened to be in the same pub in the same state of intoxication and decided to get up and dance with us) and another previous #1 artist. I love Gerling. Their albums are great and they were one of the most fantastic live acts I've ever seen. They put on a Christmas Show every year at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney and it was always mental.
I also have a massive spot for this absolute banger of a tune as I used to rock my middle daughter to sleep to this when she was a baby (the oldest preferred Dust Me Selecta). Can absolutely bliss out to this....
1. Svefn-G-Englar - Sigur Ros
Past entries:
2013
Brennistein
35
2013
Isjaki
58
2012
Varuo
20
2008
Gobbledigook
18
2008
Inni Mer Syngur Vitlesingur
59
2007
Hljomalind
26
2005
Glosoli
4
2005
Svo Hljott
14
2005
Hoppipolla
29
2005
Saeglopur
44
2005
Gong
54
2002
Vaka
3
2002
Njosnavellin
7
2002
Frysta
53
2000
Ny Batteri
20
1999
Olsen Olsen
10
1999
Agaetis Byrjun
31
1999
Staralfur
35
It couldn't be anything else could it? Well, there were 1000s of songs released in 1999 so I guess it could but in my mind this was always going to be #1 and by a long way. Apparently the name is an Icelandic pun mixing "sleepwalkers" and "sleep angels". It certainly sounds like both of these things
I reckon if you looked the meaning of ethereal in the dictionary it would just point to this. No more words, just float away now......
Happy to see Touched in there at #59, very close to where it landed in the actual Hottest 100 . It is actually technically a 1998 release, but due to my rules of including all the Hottest 100 songs of a year I had to include it in 1999.
It's actually Bulgarian Folk music Jon Crosby sampled, with devastating effect.
Good to see Lucky Star in there as well, my favourite Alex Lloyd song. Last edited:
I like The Whitlams, though Love This City was such a letdown after the great Eternal Nightcap.
Agree that Blow Up The Pokies is full of heart and should have made the Hottest 100 instead of 'Chunky Chunky Air Guitar' I don't think it was released as a single until mid-2000 which may not have helped. It was very relevant at the time and still is now.
Guerrilla Radio is of course the centerpiece of the 1999 Hottest 100, as a song that mentions a radio/stereo, and insisting one to turn that shit up.
You often have to wonder about how many of those crazy omissions were just really close, because there's another timeline where many are baffled that Passenger didn't make the cut for Powderfinger. And curiously enough, it's that #100 finish that keeps Powderfinger ahead of Hilltop Hoods for entries (Foo Fighters doing the same with their #100 which is a song that existed).
Very nice. Great to see Sigur Ros make two of, I suspect, several appearances from their Aegetus Byrjun album. I must confess I was unaware of them until about 2001 as well. Blowed if I can recall how I discovered them, it might have been on one of those chill out compilations I think. Went out and got the album, and the rest is history.
And the 1999 vesion of These Days is the definitive one, not the overproduced album version.
Interesting point Hijinx, without access to the voting lists and also the 101-200 lists (which we can see now) there is a bit of mystery to the 90s Hottest 100s. Did Everlong come in at #101 or did Triple J just forget to put it on the voting list, who knows?
I've never seen that before thanks. Looks like really limited number of songs (only 254 in total, rather than the 2000+ now), so they obviously just omitted it in favour of Monkey Wrench, which doesn't look a great decision in hindsight
The really small voting list is in a way one of the most interesting things because it puts a different perspective on what it means to crack the Hottest 100 back then. You're literally only in the top 40 percentile of the list, with a lot less votes too, so there's probably a lot of erratic effects, like say someone convinced all their friends to vote for a song, it'd probably actually matter. In some respects, a #200 finish in 2019 has a lot more credibility than a #100 finish in 1997.
(I've heard that's more or less how Pale made the list in 1994).
Actually though with that in mind, it was still possible to be voted into the list without being on the list. I know Louis Burdett did just that, and it strongly suggests that The Whitlams were robbed of a much higher placing for that, but maybe on the other hand, that helped No Aphrodisiac get the win on a less split voting card. THAT, we'll never know. Last edited:
I remember The Vaughns with their wonderful (not) track Who Farted? in 1995 admitted they got all their friends to vote multiple times and it got into the 50s. It certainly was possible to do something like this then but couldn't now.
Very nice 25-11 OBOne! Really looking forward to your Top 10, though I think I know some of the candidates
Thanks for the 1997 voting list link Hijinx. It might help me get to 200 for that year, so I can post my next list
Nup...still don't understand how Everlong isn't on that list. It may have been on the 1998 voting list, as My Hero was from the same album, but still no excuse for it not being in either countdown!
I know the 1999 voting list is online somewhere, will see if I can find it.
I remember using the internet (at Uni) to vote for the first time in early 1997 (for the 1996 countdown).
The vaughans must have gotten all their friends to buy the single as well for it to have made it to the ARIA top 50 in 1995. Stayed in the top 100 for 2 months. 8 wasted weeks of what was actually a good year for music
Great list! I’m particularly pleased to see the excellent Driftwood with such a high ranking, along with Writing To Reach You appearing. I also enjoy seeing the multiple entries for Silverchair, Powderfinger, Blink 182, Blur and RHCP. Also very happy about The Whitlams, Len and Stereophonics nabbing a place, among many others.
1998 saw me still based in the UK but I did visit Australia for a mate's wedding and was presented with a couple of great Australian albums (from 1997) that had singles released in 1998 and find their way here. Also think I was a bit more engaged to new music as there are quite a few other albums in the list that I had at the time. Still was listening to a lot of BBC Radio One, so a few pop songs of the time are here as well. Haven't listened to the Triple J Hottest 100, just the CD (which is one of my least favourite), so it doesn't really register here.
Deloitte's found a couple of errors in my original list. A song that was released as a single in 1997 but was on a 1998 album has been reclassified to 1997. Alternatively, if a song was released on an album in 1997 but as a single in 1998, I'll put it in the 1998 list for reasons that are unclear! They also pointed out a song that had the wrong year in my iTunes collection (was on a best of and had that year rather than the original release year). This meant that The Beautiful South started at 101, snuck in at 100 and were then relegated to 101 again .
I'll list the also-rans out to 111 as well...
101
Look What I Found In My Beer - Beautiful South, The
102
Baker Street - Foo Fighters
103
Is It Wicked Not To Care - Belle & Sebastian
104
Undercurrent - Windy & Carl
105
Drunken Angel - Lucinda Williams
106
Luv Machine - Blonde Redhead
107
Metal Heart - Cat Power
108
Gangster Trippin' - Fatboy Slim
109
She-Riff - Magic Dirt
110
Leit af lífi (recycled by Sigur Ros) - Sigur Ros
111
Pig - Sparklehorse
And onwards to the (un)official guide to the best 100 songs from 1998.
Redneck Wonderland (the album) was a bit of a departure for Midnight Oil as it was both more rockier and electronic than the previous few albums. Amusingly, Peter Garret has always claimed that Midnight Oil are a dance band because he dances to them!
I saw their supposed last ever show in 2017 (since not their last ever show) and this song kicked things off so it is only fitting it does so again!
99. Sweetest Thing - U2
Another debut to my charts from a big 80s band. This song started out life as the B-side to "Where The Streets Have No Name" in 1987 but got re-recorded in 1998 for their Greatest Hits collection. U2 purists will tell you that the original version is better but they're wrong!
Hit #6 in the ARIA charts as well, their 15th of 23 Top 10 Australian hits
98. Sinner - Neil Finn
Yet another big 80s artist to make their debut, will Kajagoogoo be next
Quite surprisingly this was Neil Finn's first solo album, after many many Split Enz and Crowded House releases and it is a good one. More instrumental than Crowded House but very recognisable as Neil Finn, it just shows that he is one of the great songwriters. This is a really relaxed song and was a minor hit in Australia and the UK (where I heard it) but not New Zealand.
97. I'm Ready - Royal Trux
Ah, well they were around in the 80s and this is their debut on my lists
A very different sound to Neil Finn, Royal Trux are an American low-fi alternative rock duo peddling the drums/guitar sound that would be taken up by White Stripes (among others).
Interestingly, while other well known low-fi artists of the early 90s like Pavement and Sebadoh were refining their sound in the late 90s, Royal Trux just kept on trucking. It is a pretty simple, repetitive song but sounds great.
96. Black Umbrella - Even
Past entries:
2001
Shining Star
100
Finally an act that has appeared before, if barely. Even follow up their #100 of 2001 with a credible #96 in 1998. I have it in my mind that they used to be called Even As We Speak but can't find any evidence to back this up.
This is a pretty sparkly snappy indie pop number. That will do it for me everytime!!
95. The Boy With The Arab Strap - Belle & Sebastian
Past entries:
2006
White Collar Boy
96
2005
Funny Little Frog
84
2004
I'm A Cuckoo
46
2003
Step Into My Office Baby
24
2001
I'm Waking Up To Us
91
2000
Legal Man
47
The title track of Belle and Sebastian's third album, inspired by fellow Scottish band Arab Strap. It is a bit of a different sound to both their previous and subsequent releases, which can best be described as twee. The rollicking piano and keyboards drive this along and the backing vocals by Isobel Cambell beg the question why she wasn't used more.
94. Brittle Then Broken - Pollyanna
I have two very spurious connections to Maryke the bass player of Pollyanna. She worked with my sister and was also the flat mate of a friend of mine!
Probably the rockiest of their releases. There is some very fine shouty singing in the last minute or so of the song, which is always nice.
93. Daysleeper - R.E.M.
Well, yet another 80s staple making a first appearance in my lists. R.E.M. are a big favourite of mine but I do think their 90s output lags far below their 80s output (Automatic For The People being an exception).
This is a good song though, very recognisable as R.E.M. with Michael Stipe's vocals and lyrics a standout. Don't know any other songs that have "circadian rhythms" in the lyrics. This was the first R.E.M. album to include the lyrics on the album sleeve BTW.
92. This Is Hardcore - Pulp
Pulp are a band that inspires a lot of reverence but I'm not really that big a fan.
They do have their moments though and this is one. After the big success of Different Class, they returned with something very different. Musically, this is very big sounding, lots of strings, horns and percussion, not the snappy pop sound they were famous for. It does have the (too?) clever lyrics they were famous for though.
"What exactly do you do for an encore"
I will say they usually do great film clips and this is no different.
As an aside, Jarvis Cocker's dad was a DJ at DoubleJ/TripleJ in the 80s!
91. Walking After You - Foo Fighters
Past entries:
2005
DOA
88
2002
Time Like These
97
2000
Generator
72
This is a re-recorded version of one of the songs from The Colour and the Shape album done for the X-Files soundtrack. It adds more instrumentation than the original version and the vocals were redone as well.
It's one of Foo Fighter's quieter sweeter songs and it was the first Foo Fighters song I really registered.
"If you walk out on me I'm walking after you"
Rumours he wrote the song after listening to Mental As Anything have yet to be confirmed. Last edited:
90. I Might Be A C*** But I'm Not A Fucking C*** - TISM
From the it could only be TISM files....
Not their first dalliance with the C word as their 1993 EP "Australia The Lucky C***" was amusingly later renamed "Censored Due To Legal Advice".
Putting all that to one side, this is a pretty rockin' song incorporating all the electronic elements of their 90s output (drum machines etc) with their jab at people who justify doing something bad by pointing out that it could have been worse in typical TISM fashion.
"I might have screwed your sister, but I'll never screw your mum"
If nothing else, TISM are a very unique band. I don't know of anyone even vaguely similar to them.
"I mightn't tell the truth all the time, hey, what's your mum's number?"
89. Never Ending Math Equation - Modest Mouse
Past entries:
2007
Dashboard
29
2004
Float On
14
2004
Ocean Breathes Salty
24
2004
Bukowski
37
2000
Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
1
2000
3rd Planet
34
2000
Dark Centre Of The Universe
53
2000
Lives
85
1999
Willful Suspension Of Disbelief
46
The first previous #1 artist to appear and the beneficiary of my last minute realisation that this was actually released in 1998, not 2000 as my iTunes library says (from the Building Nothing Out of Something compilation).
This was one of Modest Mouse's last releases before signing to a major label. I read somewhere that Modest Mouse songs are either quiet and brooding or dark and pounding. This falls into the later. It starts fairly straightforwardly and then two minutes through just goes off!! Another band defined by really unique and clever lyrics.
"The universe works on a math equation That never even ever really even ends in the end Infinity spirals out creation We're on the tip of its tongue, and it is saying "Well, we ain't sure where you stand You ain't machines and you ain't land""
88. Push It - Garbage
Lots of artists making their first appearance in my lists. Maybe 1998 was marking the end of a musical era. Food for thought....
Garbage were another act that I wouldn't say I was a big fan of compared to their general popularity but this song is great. Really interesting sound and vocal delivery to match. Not as straightforward poppy as other songs by them.
87. The Restless Waves - Dirty Three, The
I saw The Dirty Three in 1998. They supported PJ Harvey at the Hammersmith Palais. Even though they were Australian, I had never heard of them before. They were amazing.
The combination of violin, guitar and drums is an unusual one but it works really well. Warren Ellis' violin guides the song and the others provide backing. The song sounds exactly like Restless Waves would, swelling and then ebbing. Just beautiful.
86. Regular John - Queens of the Stone Age
Past entries:
2017
The Way You Used To Do
18
2017
The Evil Has Landed
48
2013
If I Had A Tail
8
2013
My God Is The Sun
13
2013
I Sat By The Ocean
17
2013
I Appear Missing
43
2005
In My Head
23
2005
Little Sister
91
2002
No One Knows
2
2002
Go With The Flow
8
2002
First It Giveth
16
2002
Hangin' Tree
28
2002
God Is In The Radio
45
2002
You Think I 'Aint Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire
68
2002
The Sky Is Fallin'
76
2000
The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
18
A very common entrant to my lists (8th highest entries) spanning 19 years is Queens Of The Stone Age.
This is off their debut album but is very recognisable right from the get go as QOTSA with that dirty stoner guitar sound and Josh Homme's voice. This song wouldn't be out of place on Songs For The Deaf, which is high praise indeed.
85. Sixtyten - Boards Of Canada
Nothing that came before sounds like Boards Of Canada's 1998 album "Music Has A Right To Children" with its mix of old school synthesizers, analogue recording, samples, field recordings and hip-hop beats. Not too much since has either for that matter.
Sixyten revolves around a looped garbled sample and an absolute stomping beat and just adds and subtracts elements over the course of 5 minutes.
84. Never There - Cake
Past entries:
2001
Short Skirt/Long Jacket
77
Ah, the laconic bass driven stylings of Cake. What ever happened to them? Dare I say, did someone have their Cake and eat it....
83. Rosa Parks - Outkast
Past entries:
2004
Ghetto Musick
19
2003
Hey Ya!
4
2003
The Way You Move
29
2003
Last Call
41
2003
Prototype
62
2003
Bowtie
90
2003
Roses
97
2001
So Fresh, So Clean
52
2001
The Whole World
82
2000
Ms Jackson
8
2000
B.O.B.
45
Another familiar face to my lists. Many Outkast purists say that Aquemini is their best album. They'd be wrong but there is still some fine tunes to be found including this one.
I'm not sure about the Rosa Parks reference as it talks about going to the back of the bus not standing up to the man (and she sued them as well). It is the most straight up funky and fun song on the album and is a great example of how Andre and Big Boi can work together on one song when they so choose.
82. Bad Old Man - Babybird
I only know two Babybird and they are very different from each other (You're Gorgeous is the other BTW).
This is a brooding electronic number, with some downright disturbing lyrics.
"He had a bad old man who beat him Took a hammer to his knees just to please him Now he's thirty-five and half-alive"
When I first heard it on the radio, I didn't register the lyrics and just tapped along and half way through the song remember thinking, did he just say "paedophile" and paid attention after that.
81. New Noise - Refused
From one of the greatest album titles of all time, "The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts". The 90s were an interesting time for Hardcore as split off genres became more successful (Grunge, Industrial and Post Rock being the three most obvious). By the late 90s there weren't that many bands left who were purely hardcore anymore.
Refused decided that you couldn't marry the anti-establishment message at the core of hardcore with the increasingly commercial sound that the genre had encompassed, so something new was needed (a New Noise if you will).
They did this best in this track, incorporating drum and bass sounds into traditional hardcore sounds. I reckon Slipknot were listening..... Last edited:
Harking back to the terminology battle of the mid 90s over a really bad haircut, on the losing side are Wales' favourite suns Super Furry Animals. Until this song, they were very consistently ranking in my lists. The band thought this song was too poppy and "naff" and decided to name it after a "naff" haircut.
Its hard to describe Super Furry Animals and this song as well as it/they is a mix of a whole lot of styles and changes constantly. I particularly like the singing the chorus even though I don't really know any of the words, too poppy indeed, as if that's bad!
79. Get It On - Turbonegro
Turbonegro are a Norweigan self described deathpunk band. There is more than a hint of early KISS about their sound and their makeup choices.
They've got 10 albums but I've only heard the one this is from (Apocalypse Dudes). It's pretty silly and fun.
78. Whatareya? - TISM
Past entries:
1998
I Might Be A C*** But I'm Not A Fucking C*** - TISM
90
Neatly dividing the world into two clubs (Yob or Wanker) could actually describe alot of TISM's output. I think they see themselves as Yobs but in reality they're Wankers.
"A wanker fights class prejudice A yobbo just fights Yob or wanker, wanker or yob Pass me the brush to tar ya Make your choice then live your life Come on, pal, whatareya?"
Very clever as usual. The guitar in this song is a bit heavier than the rest of the album and the drum machine bits underneath tie it together well.
77. God Is A DJ - Faithless
Past entries:
2004
Mass Destruction
58
A classic trance track. Not usually a style that I appreciate but there is something quite captivating about this one.
76. Cold Feeling - Underground Lovers
Past entries:
2013
Au Pair
56
Underground Lovers are one of my absolute favourite bands and probably the band I have seen live more than any other (including earlier this year). They probably were the closest of any Australian band to replicate the Madchester/Shoegaze sound, which I absolutely adored.
By the time the late 90s came around, they had moved their sound on to a more electronic sound. This was the lead single off their album of the same name and it is a fairly subdued number, acoustic guitar over keyboards and a fairly understated vocal delivery. Quite dreamy actually.
75. Road Rage - Catatonia
The Welsh are taking over....
I love that Cerys sounds so Welsh in her singing, most people lose their accent. My absolute favourite thing about this song is the way she rolls her Rs when singing Rage. Is that wrong? Anyway, this was all over the radio waves in the UK in 1998, certainly takes me back there.
They had 4 albums but I've never heard anything by them other that the singles from this album.
74. Here We Go - Arab Strap
And so are the Scots...
And if Cerys sounds Welsh when she sings, Aidan Moffat sounds very Scottish when he sings.
Here We Go is an uncomplicated gentle wistful song that drifts along quite pleasantly.
Apparently Belle and Sebastian using their name in their album title created a bit of a feud between the two Scottish bands.
73. Legacy - Mansun
Past entries:
2000
I Can Only Dissapoint U
100
1999
Six
95
They are certainly creeping higher year by year.
A rocky little number from one of Britpop's other stars. There are some blistering guitar bits through the song. The lyrics are a bit down though...
"Life is wearing me thin I feel so drained My legacy a sea of faces just like me"
72. No Shelter - Rage Against The Machine
Past entries:
2000
Sleep Now In The Fire
3
2000
Renegades of Funk
21
2000
Maria
80
1999
Guerilla Radio
40
1999
Testify
49
Another song from a movie soundtrack. The song is much better than the movie (Godzilla), which the song ironically acknowledges.
"Godzilla, pure motherfucking filler; to get your eyes off the real killer"
It is, surprise surprise, a politically charged song attacking consumerism and sounds like a RATM song should
71. Your Bruise - Death Cab For Cutie
Past entries:
2011
You Are A Tourist
94
2009
Meet Me On The Equinox
13
2008
I Will Possess Your Heart
1
2008
Bixby Canyon Bridge
27
2008
Cath...
66
2005
I Will Follow You Into The Dark
22
2005
Soul Meets Body
61
2003
Transatlanticism
6
2003
We Looked Like Giants
17
2003
The New Year
31
2003
Tiny Vessels
76
2003
Title And Registration
83
2001
A Movie Script Ending
76
Taken from Death Cab's debut album, Something About Airplanes (which confusingly has a rowboat on the cover).
Death Cab are a very recognisable band. Earnest, easy on the ear, dropping place names, distinctive guitar sounds, broken up drums. I reckon this song is the template that was filled in for all future Death Cab songs. Last edited:
More Welshness in the form of Sterophonics. This was my introduction to them as it was the first of their 10 top 5 hits in the UK. I remember them actually playing this live on Top of the Pops (as opposed to lip syncing as most artists did) while not wearing shoes!
It is certainly one of the rockier numbers in their repertoire.
69. Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook Remix) - Cornershop
Well benji2 will appreciate this. His least favourite song from 1997 remixed by the artist of his least favourite song of 1998.
This is a tremendous remix, it absolutely transforms the original to almost be unrecognisable (as all good remixes do). The tempo is much increased and the beat in the background is top notch. A great dance pop number. This was a big #1 smash in the UK.
Apparently Cornershop weren't too impressed by the success as it gave people a false impression as to their sound.
68. Ava Adore - Smashing Pumpkins, The
Past entries:
2001
Untitled
45
2000
Stand Inside Your Love
27
Adore gets a bit of a bad wrap in the Pumpkins pantheon but it actually is a pretty good record (if no Mellon Collie...). It is meant to signify a door (get it!) into a new sound for the band
This was the first single released and marks that newer musical direction, which a more electronic sound on top of the traditional guitar sound they are know for but Billy Corgan sounds just Like Billy Corgan, which is a good thing.
67. Cross Bones Style - Cat Power
I never really got into Cat Power. I remember her getting a bit of airplay in the early 2000s on TripleJ but not really liking it as it wasn't a genre I enjoyed at the time. But of course, time moves on and it is a genre that I do very much enjoy now.
Just the very bare bones of a folk song, an acoustic guitar and her amazing voice. That'll do it for me every time.
66. Begin Again - Space
On the other hand, Space were one of my favourite acts at the time! I loved the over the top theatrics of their songs, like a pop soap opera and the bad horror movie type synth work is great!
"It's me again, insignificant me again, Just me again and my broken heart. How can I love again, Now she's gone again, I'm on that ship again, Called a sinking heart."
It is a put down the car windows on a sunny day and belt out the lyrics kind of song.
65. Wildflower Soul - Sonic Youth
Past entries:
2004
Unmade Bed
59
Is that the sound of distorted guitar feedback? It could only be Sonic Youth then. Sonic Youth purists will tell you that the 80s output of the band is the best but they're wrong. I think the 90s albums are more enjoyable (which should be the point of listening).
Anyway, Wildflower Soul is a 9 minute jam, with trademark Sonic Youth sounds and Thurston Moore's laidback vocals and a delightfully trippy middle section.
64. For Martha - Smashing Pumpkins, The
Past entries:
2001
Untitled
45
2000
Stand Inside Your Love
27
1998
Ava Adore
68
One of the things I most like about The Smashing Pumpkins is that they have a large range of songs/styles. For example, Rhinocerous sounds nothing like Today, which sounds nothing like Disarm, which sounds nothing like Bullet With Butterfly Wings, which sounds nothing like Tonight Tonight, which sounds nothing like 1979, which sounds nothing like this one.
It is a tribute to Billy Corgan's mother and was recorded in one live take and the drums are played by Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam).
The beautiful piano introduction, the guitar playing at the 4 minute mark, the subdued vocals. Just beautiful.
"If you have to go don't say goodbye If you have to go don't you cry If you have to go I will get by Someday I'll follow you and see you on the other side"
63. Stay - Bernard Butler
The debut single from ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. It certainly musically evokes Dog Man Star era Suede (his last album with the band). A radio friendly rock number, with some great guitar work and he's actually got a pretty good voice as well.
62. The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
Past entries:
2001
Weapon Of Choice
44
1999
Right Here, Right Now
26
1999
Praise You
63
1998
Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook Remix)
69
Apologies to benji2 but this is a classic. I remember when it first came on the radio thinking I'd never heard anything like it, like a very infectious mix of big beats and surf music. It does go on a bit maybe but still great.
61. Polyester Girl - Regurgitator
Past entries:
2004
My Friend Robot
84
2001
Fat Cop
31
The first of those 1997 classic Australian albums that I got in 1998! Still one of my favourite albums.
Polyester Girl was Regurgitator's highest charting song (#14) and it's probably the most overtly poppy song on the album (so shiny...) and another great singalong song (and I know most of the lyrics as a bonus!!)
Spelling please! Everytime I listen to Mercury Rev, I'm surprised how rocky they are. Not sure why but I expect them to be mellower. I saw them live in the early 2000s and was a bit underwhelmed but Deserter Songs is a classic album.
Goddess On A Hiway was actually written when Jonathon Donahue was still a member of The Flaming Lips and has more than a hint of their early work.
59. President of What? - Death Cab For Cutie
Past entries:
2011
You Are A Tourist
94
2009
Meet Me On The Equinox
13
2008
I Will Possess Your Heart
1
2008
Bixby Canyon Bridge
27
2008
Cath...
66
2005
I Will Follow You Into The Dark
22
2005
Soul Meets Body
61
2003
Transatlanticism
6
2003
We Looked Like Giants
17
2003
The New Year
31
2003
Tiny Vessels
76
2003
Title And Registration
83
2001
A Movie Script Ending
76
1998
Your Bruise
71
A more uptempo number by Death Cab For Cutie than their previous entry. I really like the swirling keyboards on this one and there is something slightly odd about the sound, like it's moving to a different beat to the lyrics (but in a good way) and then it all comes together right here
"'Cause nothing hurts like nothing at all"
58. Wildsurf - Ash
Past entries:
2001
Shining Light
18
2001
Burn Baby Burn
67
Representation for all the British Isles now as Northern Ireland's Ash power pop along.
When they get it right (which they certainly do here) Ash are quite an exhilarating listen, beefy guitars and catchy hooks.
I saw them in the mid 90s play when they were but a three piece and still underage. They were plastered and really couldn't play properly but were obviously having lots of fun. Surprisingly it was a pretty good gig.
57. Second Solution - Living End, The
Past entries:
2003
Who's Gonna Save Us
96
Another band I don't really like that much is The Living End. To me they always sounded a bit formulaic but obviously they hit the mark with many people. This is a favourite of theirs for me, very catchy and more straight up rocky than most of their other songs. The line "and what I want to know is will I get death row" is best sung at high volume.
56. Pillars - Sunny Day Real Estate
Not to be confused with Sunny Day In Glasgow (which I do) or to anything sunny really. I imagine as they were one of the earliest emo bands it is an ironic name! They also pretty much broke up after every one of their 4 albums, this coming from their third. Their previous break up happened because two of the members joined Foo Fighters in 1996. One returned two years later and more music ensued...
Pillars alternates between being broody and blistering with some fairly inscrutable lyrics.
"Don't tell me you've gone astray I walk in circles I've seen million things that tell me so"
55. Drowned World/Substitute For Love - Madonna
Past entries:
2000
Music
38
1999
Beautiful Stranger
50
Ray Of Light the album marked a return to form for Madonna (IMHO) and this is the most interesting song on the album and is quite different for a Madonna song.
Little bit of trip hop, drum loops, acoustic and electric guitars, it rises and falls and it all seems quite sad.
54. Rabbit In Your Headlights {Ft. Thom Yorke} - UNKLE
Past entries (Thom Yorke):
2019
Dawn Chorus
87
2006
Black Swan
76
2001
This Mess We're In - (with PJ Harvey)
3
It is very hard to separate this song from its film clip, once you've seem it you can't listen to the song without visualising the triumphant scene at the end of the song, it just all fits together so well and when the music quietens down you just know what's coming.
I encountered this in the 2000s sometime and didn't realise it was from the 90s untila couple of years ago (thanks benji2).
And well done to Thom Yorke for being the first artist to span more than 20 years in my lists.
53. The Impression That I Get - Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The
Another debut act and a ska-punk classic! They've been releasing albums of the last 30 years but this is the only song of theirs I know.
Another great belt out loud chorus, especially the yelling out of the "never" in "never had to knock on wood".
52. Telephasic Workshop - Boards of Canada
Past entries:
1998
Sixtyten
85
This song shudders! No idea how they came up with the sound but it sounds great if a bit unnerving. Even the garbled sample later in the song shudders. The only thing that doesn't shudder are the ethereal chimes in the background and the words "Boards of Canada".
51. TNT - Tortoise
Tortoise are a hard band to pigeon hole. Some people would say they are post rock but I don't really see it. Experimental free-jazz? Maybe. Math rock? Maybe. Whatever the genre it is quite unlike anything else.
This is the title track of their third album and to me just really sounds like a bunch of really talented musicians having an epic seven and a half minute jam! Last edited:
Cool countdowns. I really like the links that were shared of the voting lists from the 90s. LL Cool J was even on it lol. To answer the lower number of songs on the voting list, songs were only included if they were released as a single. These days every artist has a good 5+ songs on the voting list unless they haven't released an album and have just a random song or two included. I don't think any artist has 5 inclusions in the 90s voting list from what I can see. I was always surprised Axcidently Kelly Street never made it and to see it as one of the first songs on the list is more of a surprise. Have I read that there are lists now for positions #101-#200 for the 90s countdowns? Would love to see them if they are available.
I've never seen 101-200 lists for the 90s countdowns but agree it would be cool to see. I think that the 4 songs Regurgitator had on the list for 1998 was the most in the 90s.
Even Janet Jackson was on the 1997 list. Kylie Minogue doesn't appear to be on the list and made the countdown without being one of the shortlisted songs. Leonardo's Bride and The Offspring feature on the list but not with their bigger hits from that year with Even When I'm Sleeping or Gone Away and more surprisingly is Faithless and Daft Punk both feature but not with their iconic anthems Insomnia and Around The World. I would have thought Meet Her At The Love Parade would have been shortlisted. Freed From Desire is another. Also seeing no Oasis when they were the ones crowned as the #1 winners the year beforeI am still blown away that LL Cool J was a Triple J hit!
I've seen top 100 charts for most of 1994,98% of 1995, half of 1996 and the occasional ones from 93, 97-99,but never have i seen anything below 100. I agree with OB that it would be cool to see
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I don't think it was released as a single until mid-2000 which may not have helped. It was very relevant at the time and still is now.
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