Peoples Pop Polls: Black Pop History 82-85
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Peoples Pop Polls: Black Pop History 82-85
@peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
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The Peoples Pop Polls, run by Tom Ewing. Congratulations to “The Message” and “Police Officer”, winners of Black Pop 82-85! Coming soon: 2025. Currently open polls: https://peoples-pop.com/2025/10/24/currently-open-polls/
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peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
Initial draft of Easy v Hard random allocation slots (subject to change as the remaining 6 qualifiers come in)
EASY Argentina Australia Brazil Canada Colombia Cote D'Ivoire England France Germany Ghana Japan Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Portugal Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain United States HARD Algeria Austria Belgium Cape Verde Croatia Curacao Ecuador Egypt Haiti Iran Jordan Morocco Panama Paraguay Qatar Saudi Arabia Senegal Switzerland Tunisia Uruguay Uzbekistan
November 19, 2025 at 12:59 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
Yes… Ha Ha Ha… YES!!
Wiki screenshot showing Panama, Haiti and Curaçao qualifying for the World Cup and hence the Pop World Cup
November 19, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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So that's that (aside from the GOLDEN BEATS - more on those tomorrow)

CONGRATULATIONS to

GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE and SMILEY CULTURE, winners of

BLACK POP HISTORY 1982-1985
Grandmaster Flash and the furious five, six guys in exciting looking 80s wear Smiley Culture, a young man with a flat hat and camel coat
November 16, 2025 at 7:41 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
The Messages!
"It’s canon. So good I managed to post with bad WiFi from Patagonia" "The track that elevated hip-hop as a music genre from a very entertaining novelty to a world-dominating cultural powerhouse. Plus I can still remember all of the words." "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what Grandmaster Flash did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced."
November 16, 2025 at 7:35 PM
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Just Comment On Me (six comments!!)
"the 1 minute long intro starting with a lone 808, followed by a wall of synths that builds superbly to the verse ❤️" "Despite all the pain and pathos, they milked that beat for nine minutes so Jam and Lewis could keep taking victory laps. They earned every last one." "Extraordinarily funky production and a quietly devastating vocal performance. Sheer perfection." "Jam & Lewis were the greatest producers of the 80s and this is their masterpiece" "Long considered Just Be Good To Me the best track yet to be nominated in any of the PPPolls. It's big, no it's huge, scrub that it's enormous." "The most dramatic intro in the poll!"
November 16, 2025 at 7:28 PM
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Let's Go Comments!
"HE is great: the greatest artist of this era and this is his best unpolled song, a title that now passes to Little Red Corvette." "I said this before during #UncoolTwo50, but: One of the best intros of all time. One of the best endings of all time. And everything in between ain’t too shabby, either!"
November 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
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Ladies Love Comments (on) James
"Listening to the playlist in full often felt like a push and pull between the quiet storm and the loudness wars, and knowing it wouldn't get much love I just went for the loudest track." "This rap track feels head and shoulders above the rest, who are still using the clunky-ish, basic scheme. Dare I say LL Cool J is a little underrated?"
November 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
#BPHM8285 COUNTDOWN DAY 3 - it's the A-SIDES in the

BLACK POP HISTORY 1982-1985 POLL

Counting down #16-#9

Some big hitters will be leaving us here - how many of the four solo women remaining will reach Pollhalla?
Sister Nancy singing, holding a cigarette and the microphone Sade in a black top and white jacket sitting in a chair, a guitar behind her Grace Jones in a black leather jacket pointing a gun Patrice Rushen leaning on a table looking at the camera, arms crossed
November 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
Cybotron comment!
"I went back and forth on whether to nominate "Clear" or "Cosmic Cars" to represent Cybotron, and went with the former since it seems to be the consensus about the most influential track produced by the Bellevue Three that gave the world techno, but I do love the weirdness that is "Cosmic Cars" and was thrilled to see Mr. J-E-L give it a bonus nom and to see it do so well among the B-sides. In the end, I think I like it better than my own Cybotron nom."
November 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
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Sheila comments!
""Belle of St. Mark" is one of my favorite Prince compositions, and I don't know why it's in B sides but I'd have voted it near the top in As." "That Belle just grabbed me and has been my only big standout discovery to survive to the final. it's joyful, electric, thoroughly of the time and completely irresistible."
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
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Jesse comments!
"Because every poll has a song I’ve never heard before that I add to my giant playlist, and this is that song." "Because it goes in and out and far far out and down and down and lost and found and through your ears and through your mind and through the night and through the dawn and on and on and on and on and"
November 13, 2025 at 1:53 PM
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#BPHM8285 COUNTDOWN Day 3

Today we're counting down #16-#9 in the

BLACK POP HISTORY 1982-1985 POLL

and revealing at the end which A- and B-Side tracks enter POLLHALLA. This thread is the Bs!

Four African tracks left - how many will we see today?
King Sunny Ade with a yellow and orange headband holding a microphone The Bhundu Boys hanging out outside a building William Onyeabor looking dapper in a white suit A recent photo of Gyedu Blay Ambolley looking cool holding a big sax
November 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
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#BPHM8285 The A-Side Countdown continues in the

BLACK POP HISTORY 1982-1985 POLL

Covering #24-#17, a stretch that includes one of these gentlemen!
Kid Creole on a city street talking to a blonde woman Marvin Gaye accepting a Grammy award in a tuxedo LL Cool J in a red hat and gold chain pointing both hands towards the camera Colonel Abrams jacking on a music TV show
November 12, 2025 at 6:58 PM
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Some very glowing Segun comments!

I'll be back in a bit with #20-#17
"Well-developed national genres making firm but limited nods towards international trends: yeah we should've made this the connoisseur's pop music of the '80s instead of waiting a generation" "I can lose myself in it for 7 glorious, contemplative, gently grooving minutes. A musical style I know too little of and an artist I had certainly never heard of, and it's my number one Final Group pick - People's Pop at its finest!"
November 12, 2025 at 12:39 PM
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#BPHM8285 It's the

BLACK POP HISTORY 1982-1985 POLL Countdown Pt 2. You voted, here are the results.

This thread will be #24-#17 of the B-Sides and we'll be saying goodbye to one of these women:
Sheila E, a woman in a sparkly blue jacket and pink top singing Gwen Guthrie, a black and white photo of a woman looking frankly unimpressed by soneone's bullshit Neneh Cherry of Rip, Rig & Panic, a young woman with her hair in a scarf singing and holding up an index finger to the audience Fonda Rae, a woman with bleached hair and dark roots looking over her shoulder at the camera
November 12, 2025 at 12:09 PM
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And a Cherrelle comment to end with!
"As much as the lyrics and Cherrelle’s vocal performance are mostly intent on letting the guy down gently but firmly, the Jam & Lewis production dunks on the horny idiot the song is directed at extremely hard."
November 11, 2025 at 10:45 PM
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Cherrelle comments!
That opening! And the rest too… Do I feel a bit basic choosing Jam & Lewis productions as my 12 in both As & Bs? Yes. Do they sound thrilling as the future of R&B? Also yes.
November 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
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So here are the 24 tracks which are definitely in the #BPHM8285 B-Side final group - we'll vote on what joins them later today!
B-Side Final Groups Artist Title Year Bhundu Boys Chekudya Chose 1983 Change Change Of Heart 1984 Cybotron Cosmic Cars 1982 Gwen Guthrie Hopscotch 1983 Gyedu-Bley Ambolley Highlife 1982 Jamie Principle Waiting For My Angel 1985 Jeffrey Osborne Stay With Me Tonight 1983 King Sunny Ade 365 Is My Number / The Message 1982 Kurtis Blow Basketball 1984 Mad Professor Freedom Chant 1982 Mantronix Hardcore Hip-Hop 1985 Midnight Star No Parking (On The Dancefloor) 1983 Model 500 No UFOs (Instrumental) 1985 Shannon Give Me Tonight 1984 Sheila E The Belle Of St Mark 1984 Smiley Culture Police Officer 1984 Sugar Minnott Strictly Sensi 1983 The Bar-Kays Freakshow On The Dance Floor 1984 The Valentine Brothers Money's Too Tight To Mention 1982 Tippa Irie Complan Neighbour 1985 Whistle Nothin Serious (Just Buggin) 1985 Whodini Magic's Wand 1982 William Onyeabor Good Name 1983 World Class Wreckin' Cru Horney Computer 1985
November 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
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The #BPHM8285 A-Side Final Group is 3/4 complete! Here are the 24 qualifiers so far...
A-Side Final Groups Artist Title Year Cherrelle I Didn't Mean To Turn You On 1984 Colonel Abrams Trapped 1985 Debarge Rhythm Of The Night 1985 Eddy Grant Electric Avenue 1982 Grace Jones Slave To The Rhythm 1985 Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five The Message 1982 Hashim Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) 1983 Indeep Last Night A DJ Saved My Life 1982 Irene Cara Flashdance 1983 Kid Creole And The Coconuts Stool Pigeon 1982 Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam I Wonder If I Take You Home 1984 Mary Jane Girls In My House 1985 Patrice Rushen Forget-Me-Nots 1982 Pointer Sisters Automatic 1983 Prince Let's Go Crazy 1984 Sade Smooth Operator 1984 Sister Nancy Bam Bam 1982 Taffy I Love My Radio (Midnight Radio) 1985 The Rock Steady Crew Hey You (The Rock Steady Crew) 1983 The SOS Band Just Be Good To Me 1983 The Special AKA Nelson Mandela 1984 The Time Jungle Love 1984 Wayne Smith Under Mi Sleng Teng 1985 Womack & Womack Love Wars 1983
November 2, 2025 at 7:07 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
And here are the B-Sides!
1982 B Sailin On Moment Of My Life 365 Is My Number/The Message Cosmic Cars I Need A Freak Chorojo Money's Too Tight To Mention Problem Lady Freedom Chant Someone Loves You Honey Hot Hot Hot Highlife Koro Dia You're My Kind Of Climate Magic's Wand Utrus Horas 1983 B Hopscotch Weekend Fast Cars In The Future Chekudya Chose The Crown Heat You Up (Melt You Down) Suckapella No Parking (On The Dancefloor) I Still Can't Get Over Loving You Big Spliff Strictly Sensi Bedward The Flying Preacher Good Name Stay With Me Tonight Heartbreaker 1984 B Freakshow On The Dancefloor Erotic Delight Sem Conexao Touch Me Scream Of The Iron Messiah The Belle Of St Mark Anda Ven Y Muevete Give Me Tonight Centipede It's Yours Treat Your Mother Right Police Officer On And On Basketball Change Of Heart Pass The Tu Sheng Peng My Male Curiosity I Sweat 1985 B Beats And Rhymes Blackfella/Whitefella Waiting For My Angel My Toot Toot Mind Games (Underground Mix) Hardcore Hip-Hop Complain Neighbour You Look Good To Me Nothin Serious (Just Buggin) The Show Stoppa (Is Stupid Fresh) Atewo-Lara Ka Tepa Mo Se Horney Computer Aye Yi No UFOs (Instrumental) Black Codes O Eternel Excitable
October 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
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With the #BPHM8285 Round 1 now OVER here's all the tracks which got through to the Round 2 A-Sides - four years of great pop!

One of these 65 songs is going to be our eventual A-Side winner...
1982 A Sexual Healing Let It Whip Forget Me Nots Stand On The Word Wanna Be Starting Something Night Nurse The Message A Night To Remember Stool Pigeon Planet Rock Bam Bam Love Come Down Last Night A DJ Saved My Life Nuclear War Just An Illusion Electric Avenue 1983 A Flashdance Yah Mo B There All Night Long (All Night) Love Wars Sucker MCs Juicy Fruit Clear Automatic Beat Bop Rockit Moody (Spaced Out) Just Be Good To Me Zunguzunguguzunguzeng Pass The Dutchie Punk Da Periferia Hey You (The Rock Steady Crew) Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) 1984 A Smooth Operator Nightshift Somebody's Watching Me Solid I Didn't Mean To Turn You On Somebody Else's Guy Nelson Mandela I Wonder If I Take You Home Let's Go Crazy Caribbean Queen Rock Box Move Closer Don't Look Any Further Jungle Love Let's Hear It For The Boy Freaks Come Out At Night 1985 A Slave To The Rhythm The Sweetest Taboo I Love My Radio Caravan Of Love Trapped Johnny Come Home The Show Paisley Park Under Mi Sleng Teng Hanging On A String Rock The Bells Single Life Chain Reaction History Rhythm Of The Night In My House
October 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
#BPHM8285 GROUP B32

1 CONJUNTO SON SAN! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdtm...
2 KABBALA! www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWgZ...
3 ROCKIN' SIDNEY! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqf1...
4 TIPPA IRIE! www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kFf...

Vote! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Conjunto Son San - Three guys and a guitar on a motorbike Kabbala - DHSS Gimmie My Money - A blue "Cabal" record label Rockin Sidney - My Toot Toot - A shot of a bum in hotpants Tippa Irie - Complain Neighbour - A domestic drama with Tippa Irie playing music on one side of a wall and his neighbour in a vest complaining on the other
October 19, 2025 at 9:46 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
#BPHM8285 GROUP B31

1 AMAZULU! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL7Z...
2 BRENDA & THE BIG DUDES! www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A0P...
3 FRANCKY VINCENT! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZa...
4 JAMIE PRINCIPLE! www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Nz...

Vote! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Amazulu - Excitable - A woman in a green cardigan jumping around with some polka dots Brenda And The Big Dudes - Higher - Brenda is in a purple shirt surrounded by some Big Dudes (honestly fairly average size dudes) Francky Vincent - Switch On The Light - A guy in a green hat has his arm around one woman while another one peers at him angrily through blinds Jamie Principle - Waiting On My Angel - An airbrushed drawing of some lips
October 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
#BPHM8285 GROUP B30

1 KANDA BONGO MAN! www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY67...
2 MILES DAVIS! www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ipa...
3 STANLEY JORDAN! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLCj...
4 THOMAS FREMPONG! www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY8N...

Vote! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Kanda Bongo Man - O Eternel - A guy in a grey outfit on a yellow background (very lo res sorry) Miles Davis - One Phone Call/Street Scenes - A guy in a black shirt and hat holds a gun a bit like a trumpet Stanley Jordan - Eleanor Rigby - A man with a guitar in a black sweater and jeans looks out while large bits of black and white cloth fly around him Thomas Frempong - Aye Yi - A man in a green pyjama suit leans against a white ledge
October 19, 2025 at 8:40 PM
peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social
#BPHM8285 GROUP B29

1 BEVERLEY SKEETE! www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF_a...
2 CHERRELLE! www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx_K...
3 SANDRA CROSS! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNi6...
4 WORLD CLASS WRECKIN CRU! www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDDT...

Vote! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Beverley Skeete - Warm - Red "ELITE" record label Cherrelle - You Look Good To Me - A woman looks over the top of her sunglasses Sandra Cross - You're Lying! - Pink "ARIWA" record label World Class Wreckin Cru - Horney Computer - Four men in fancy white and blue jackets
October 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM