Iain Mew
@superchartisland.com
Writing a British history of popular video games one UK sales chart #1 at a time. Now in 1986. Also into pop music and writing on The Singles Jukebox. He/him. http://www.superchartisland.com
Pinned
Iain Mew
@superchartisland.com
· Dec 23
This year, across 45 posts about the history of 45 different UK chart #1 games, my blog has gone from June 1983 to March 1986. A thread of some highlights...
#TheTenx5 Day 10
2NE1 - I Am the Best
(2011, 🇰🇷)
11 POINTS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7_l...
Not the first K-Pop song I heard, but the one where wider success felt like an inevitability. The riff, the vocals in every mode, the video, all unstoppable
2NE1 - I Am the Best
(2011, 🇰🇷)
11 POINTS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7_l...
Not the first K-Pop song I heard, but the one where wider success felt like an inevitability. The riff, the vocals in every mode, the video, all unstoppable
February 10, 2026 at 6:32 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 10
2NE1 - I Am the Best
(2011, 🇰🇷)
11 POINTS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7_l...
Not the first K-Pop song I heard, but the one where wider success felt like an inevitability. The riff, the vocals in every mode, the video, all unstoppable
2NE1 - I Am the Best
(2011, 🇰🇷)
11 POINTS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7_l...
Not the first K-Pop song I heard, but the one where wider success felt like an inevitability. The riff, the vocals in every mode, the video, all unstoppable
Reposted by Iain Mew
By 1986 there wasn't much room for complex simulations at the top of the UK games chart. Then along came MicroProse, and a submarine combat game by a designer who Commodore User referred to as 'Sid Mayer'...
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
Silent Service – “Sonar reports distant explosions”
Back in the earlier days of the British microcomputer boom, when we were still figuring out what computer games could be, Psion’s Flight Simulation was a huge hit on the ZX81 and the ZX Spectrum. A…
www.superchartisland.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:01 AM
By 1986 there wasn't much room for complex simulations at the top of the UK games chart. Then along came MicroProse, and a submarine combat game by a designer who Commodore User referred to as 'Sid Mayer'...
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
By 1986 there wasn't much room for complex simulations at the top of the UK games chart. Then along came MicroProse, and a submarine combat game by a designer who Commodore User referred to as 'Sid Mayer'...
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
Silent Service – “Sonar reports distant explosions”
Back in the earlier days of the British microcomputer boom, when we were still figuring out what computer games could be, Psion’s Flight Simulation was a huge hit on the ZX81 and the ZX Spectrum. A…
www.superchartisland.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:01 AM
By 1986 there wasn't much room for complex simulations at the top of the UK games chart. Then along came MicroProse, and a submarine combat game by a designer who Commodore User referred to as 'Sid Mayer'...
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
New post on Silent Service: www.superchartisland.com/silent-service
#TheTenx5 Day 9
Perfume - Laser Beam
(2011, 🇯🇵)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K54C...
When Yasutaka Nakata and the world's top techno-pop girl group levelled up further, on hooks and on the thrilling cut-up vocal sections
Perfume - Laser Beam
(2011, 🇯🇵)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K54C...
When Yasutaka Nakata and the world's top techno-pop girl group levelled up further, on hooks and on the thrilling cut-up vocal sections
February 9, 2026 at 6:35 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 9
Perfume - Laser Beam
(2011, 🇯🇵)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K54C...
When Yasutaka Nakata and the world's top techno-pop girl group levelled up further, on hooks and on the thrilling cut-up vocal sections
Perfume - Laser Beam
(2011, 🇯🇵)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K54C...
When Yasutaka Nakata and the world's top techno-pop girl group levelled up further, on hooks and on the thrilling cut-up vocal sections
Watched a concert performance of Lifeformed & Janice Kwan's soundtrack for Tunic - a lovely chill Sunday evening!
Also playing the bad ending and then the good ending worked really well as an encore equivalent
Also playing the bad ending and then the good ending worked really well as an encore equivalent
February 8, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Watched a concert performance of Lifeformed & Janice Kwan's soundtrack for Tunic - a lovely chill Sunday evening!
Also playing the bad ending and then the good ending worked really well as an encore equivalent
Also playing the bad ending and then the good ending worked really well as an encore equivalent
Reposted by Iain Mew
You Should Probably Leave Substack
You should probably leave Substack. Here’s why and how.
leavesubstack.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:09 PM
February 8, 2026 at 9:52 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 8
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6w...
I love the swooning romance and also the gradually more obvious unreliable narrator, with the anachronism of it all just one clue
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6w...
I love the swooning romance and also the gradually more obvious unreliable narrator, with the anachronism of it all just one clue
February 8, 2026 at 6:44 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 8
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6w...
I love the swooning romance and also the gradually more obvious unreliable narrator, with the anachronism of it all just one clue
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6w...
I love the swooning romance and also the gradually more obvious unreliable narrator, with the anachronism of it all just one clue
Reposted by Iain Mew
Via @ftb1979.bsky.social and @katewillaert.bsky.social, digitised from a VHS tape of an August 2000 Daria marathon and uploaded to YouTube over Christmas... here, after 25 years, is Ulala's VMA appearance:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwW...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwW...
(August, 2000) Space Channel 5 MTV Awards Dance Video of The Year Nominees Commercial
YouTube video by VHS Archival
www.youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:06 AM
Via @ftb1979.bsky.social and @katewillaert.bsky.social, digitised from a VHS tape of an August 2000 Daria marathon and uploaded to YouTube over Christmas... here, after 25 years, is Ulala's VMA appearance:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwW...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwW...
#TheTenx5 Day 7
Lady Gaga - Judas
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn...
Because at that point with Lady Gaga, "more of the same but with added industrial clanging" was an amazing thing
Lady Gaga - Judas
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn...
Because at that point with Lady Gaga, "more of the same but with added industrial clanging" was an amazing thing
February 7, 2026 at 6:15 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 7
Lady Gaga - Judas
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn...
Because at that point with Lady Gaga, "more of the same but with added industrial clanging" was an amazing thing
Lady Gaga - Judas
(2011, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn...
Because at that point with Lady Gaga, "more of the same but with added industrial clanging" was an amazing thing
Reposted by Iain Mew
ICYMI, my post this week was on U.S. Gold's World Cup Carnival. Read about:
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
February 6, 2026 at 10:02 AM
ICYMI, my post this week was on U.S. Gold's World Cup Carnival. Read about:
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
Reposted by Iain Mew
But if I recall you could waggle the joystick and effectively head bounce the ball all the way down the pitch, in a proto Kerlon manner. So swings and roundabouts.
February 6, 2026 at 11:56 AM
But if I recall you could waggle the joystick and effectively head bounce the ball all the way down the pitch, in a proto Kerlon manner. So swings and roundabouts.
Reposted by Iain Mew
I remember the furious letters into Zzap! about this one. An absolute garbage game. A pity they couldn’t re-badge International Soccer on the C64. That was at least still pretty good in 1986.
February 6, 2026 at 11:55 AM
I remember the furious letters into Zzap! about this one. An absolute garbage game. A pity they couldn’t re-badge International Soccer on the C64. That was at least still pretty good in 1986.
ICYMI, my post this week was on U.S. Gold's World Cup Carnival. Read about:
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
February 6, 2026 at 10:02 AM
ICYMI, my post this week was on U.S. Gold's World Cup Carnival. Read about:
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
- How they ended up with the World Cup licence but no game, and decided the only answer was to pull a con and call it "to the good of the software market"
- How two years was a very long time in 80s Spectrum football games
#TheTenx5 Day 6
Emmy the Great - A Woman, a Woman, a Century of Sleep
(2011, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTH...
Vividly spooky folk-rock about the feeling of being turned into someone's house
Emmy the Great - A Woman, a Woman, a Century of Sleep
(2011, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTH...
Vividly spooky folk-rock about the feeling of being turned into someone's house
February 6, 2026 at 6:56 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 6
Emmy the Great - A Woman, a Woman, a Century of Sleep
(2011, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTH...
Vividly spooky folk-rock about the feeling of being turned into someone's house
Emmy the Great - A Woman, a Woman, a Century of Sleep
(2011, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTH...
Vividly spooky folk-rock about the feeling of being turned into someone's house
Reposted by Iain Mew
We’ve democratically winnowed the year’s music down to 50 bangers and they’re all on this Tidal playlist (voting on these will open tomorrow)
Playlists! Tidal has the full final fifty -
tidal.com/playlist/6ae...
Spotify has a mere 49 (it lacks the necks)
open.spotify.com/playlist/0lO...
tidal.com/playlist/6ae...
Spotify has a mere 49 (it lacks the necks)
open.spotify.com/playlist/0lO...
February 5, 2026 at 9:12 PM
We’ve democratically winnowed the year’s music down to 50 bangers and they’re all on this Tidal playlist (voting on these will open tomorrow)
Reposted by Iain Mew
Universal Serial Bussy
Disclaimer of the day goes to Lily Allen's USB Buttplug album release
February 5, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Universal Serial Bussy
Reposted by Iain Mew
#TheTenX5
46. Hachi ft. Hatsune Miku: "Dune" (砂の惑星)
Japan 2017
A song about how 2017 Vocaloid sucks worse than being in Dune became the scene's biggest hit of the 2010s. No lore needed; just hear the key change into the chorus and the little frog voice saying "wow".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS4q...
46. Hachi ft. Hatsune Miku: "Dune" (砂の惑星)
Japan 2017
A song about how 2017 Vocaloid sucks worse than being in Dune became the scene's biggest hit of the 2010s. No lore needed; just hear the key change into the chorus and the little frog voice saying "wow".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS4q...
February 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM
#TheTenX5
46. Hachi ft. Hatsune Miku: "Dune" (砂の惑星)
Japan 2017
A song about how 2017 Vocaloid sucks worse than being in Dune became the scene's biggest hit of the 2010s. No lore needed; just hear the key change into the chorus and the little frog voice saying "wow".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS4q...
46. Hachi ft. Hatsune Miku: "Dune" (砂の惑星)
Japan 2017
A song about how 2017 Vocaloid sucks worse than being in Dune became the scene's biggest hit of the 2010s. No lore needed; just hear the key change into the chorus and the little frog voice saying "wow".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS4q...
#TheTenx5 Day 5
Robyn - Indestructible
(2010, 🇸🇪)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI8...
Not surprised to see so many different singles from this album come up. This one is my favourite for its pounding intensity and for the duelling strings + synth on the bridge
Robyn - Indestructible
(2010, 🇸🇪)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI8...
Not surprised to see so many different singles from this album come up. This one is my favourite for its pounding intensity and for the duelling strings + synth on the bridge
February 5, 2026 at 7:26 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 5
Robyn - Indestructible
(2010, 🇸🇪)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI8...
Not surprised to see so many different singles from this album come up. This one is my favourite for its pounding intensity and for the duelling strings + synth on the bridge
Robyn - Indestructible
(2010, 🇸🇪)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI8...
Not surprised to see so many different singles from this album come up. This one is my favourite for its pounding intensity and for the duelling strings + synth on the bridge
#TheTenx5 Day 4
Sky Ferreira - One
(2010, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=waoh...
A portion of my list is going to be all about who took after Yasutaka Nakata's crystalline techno-pop productions the best, and this was an early contender
Sky Ferreira - One
(2010, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=waoh...
A portion of my list is going to be all about who took after Yasutaka Nakata's crystalline techno-pop productions the best, and this was an early contender
February 4, 2026 at 6:20 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 4
Sky Ferreira - One
(2010, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=waoh...
A portion of my list is going to be all about who took after Yasutaka Nakata's crystalline techno-pop productions the best, and this was an early contender
Sky Ferreira - One
(2010, 🇺🇸)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=waoh...
A portion of my list is going to be all about who took after Yasutaka Nakata's crystalline techno-pop productions the best, and this was an early contender
For @singlesjukebox.bsky.social, I wrote about the new Olivia Dean single, my favourite one so far:
thesinglesjukebox.com/olivia-dean-...
thesinglesjukebox.com/olivia-dean-...
![Iain Mew: The easiness is a natural follow-on from songs about being nice to each other and just talking to her, but I like it a lot more for two reasons. One is just how full-on that ease is, a commitment to pillowy lushness in all aspects that matches up to Olivia Dean’s gorgeous vocal and the words of dreams and cake and heaven. The other is how that’s set off by the hint of something else that’s in there, at least by implication. You don’t sing about how easy you are to fall in love with and how “anyone with a heart would agree” without the possibility that the recipient might yet turn out not to have that heart.
[8]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:uiwmxzrdnxnnjb55alohkgmz/bafkreidtdhcynvzv64bqhunzxfvpnkawgf2spkdbpu5hlaqg5eozmdyqdy@jpeg)
February 3, 2026 at 7:29 PM
For @singlesjukebox.bsky.social, I wrote about the new Olivia Dean single, my favourite one so far:
thesinglesjukebox.com/olivia-dean-...
thesinglesjukebox.com/olivia-dean-...
Reposted by Iain Mew
according to the music video for "Easy to Fall in Love," Olivia Dean is a beta tester for Windows 98
February 3, 2026 at 6:55 PM
according to the music video for "Easy to Fall in Love," Olivia Dean is a beta tester for Windows 98
#TheTenx5 Day 3
Diana Vickers - Once
(2010, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpkx...
Veteran pop songwriters and a 4th place X Factor contestant decide to try to outdo Ellie Goulding's splendid sex/death debut "Under the Sheets", succeeed (and hit #1)
Diana Vickers - Once
(2010, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpkx...
Veteran pop songwriters and a 4th place X Factor contestant decide to try to outdo Ellie Goulding's splendid sex/death debut "Under the Sheets", succeeed (and hit #1)
February 3, 2026 at 6:07 AM
#TheTenx5 Day 3
Diana Vickers - Once
(2010, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpkx...
Veteran pop songwriters and a 4th place X Factor contestant decide to try to outdo Ellie Goulding's splendid sex/death debut "Under the Sheets", succeeed (and hit #1)
Diana Vickers - Once
(2010, 🇬🇧)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpkx...
Veteran pop songwriters and a 4th place X Factor contestant decide to try to outdo Ellie Goulding's splendid sex/death debut "Under the Sheets", succeeed (and hit #1)
Reposted by Iain Mew
In 1985 Ian Hetherington and Dave Lawson built Psygnosis from the ashes of Imagine Software.
This is the story of what happened next, with a special guest appearance by @jake74.bsky.social
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/02/psyg... #Amiga #AtariST #PlayStation #RetroGaming #RetroComputing
This is the story of what happened next, with a special guest appearance by @jake74.bsky.social
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/02/psyg... #Amiga #AtariST #PlayStation #RetroGaming #RetroComputing
Psygnosis
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com
February 1, 2026 at 5:06 PM
In 1985 Ian Hetherington and Dave Lawson built Psygnosis from the ashes of Imagine Software.
This is the story of what happened next, with a special guest appearance by @jake74.bsky.social
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/02/psyg... #Amiga #AtariST #PlayStation #RetroGaming #RetroComputing
This is the story of what happened next, with a special guest appearance by @jake74.bsky.social
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/02/psyg... #Amiga #AtariST #PlayStation #RetroGaming #RetroComputing
Reposted by Iain Mew
