Ah! I was at both Space and SFA at the Corn Exchange. Have we ever had a conversation about that? I don't remember one!

That SFA show is one of my fave ever gigs, and the Space one was fantastic too - was absolutely baffled by the really bad album they put out a few weeks/months later.

Looks like I'm off to spend some money then!

This is great - not least as I hadn't realised Eddy Grant and The Equals had finally made it to digital/streaming! I think it must have only happened last year. I think I'm right in saying everything available prior to that were re-recordings.

Some personal trivia, but when my youngest son was born by c-section, Let's Hear It For The Boy happened to be playing on the radio in the operating theatre. A memorable, if sightly crazed, soundtrack for what was a pretty intense (and joyful) experience. "Let's hear it for my baby" indeed.

just going to tag @peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social as I'm not on the spreadsheet yet - and will also use this opportunity to say that Aretha is my main! Forgot about that first time around.

OK, quick browse through some playlists and lets go for:

Valentine Brothers - Money's Too Tight To Mention ('82)
Aretha Franklin - Get It Right ('83)
Shirley Lites - Heat You Up (Melt You Down) ('83)
Klymaxx - Meeting In The Ladies Room ('84)

Entirely fair. I suspect some of these careers have played out slightly differently across the two sides of the Atlantic though as a lot of these are still relative heavyweights over here. Off to listen to your mix now though - lots to discover on there!

Great work as always! I'm not Gen Z (sorry!) but I AM British, so have taken the liberty of quickly compiling some notable UK tunes not represented here. Appreciate some of it is a bit 'legacy indie', but you might find something useful? All 10m+ streams on spotify.

open.spotify.com/playlist/79Z...

The White Album.

Norman Records' Bluesky admin: "I will now sell five copies of The Three EPs by the Beta Band"

*hits 'post'*

You joke, but that’s literally what inspired that line!

www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/...

I’m not new to this Tubes track but new enough to still find its unexpected weirdness thrilling. Although I don’t think I’ve ever been more aware that at some point that same weirdness will become grating. Hasn’t happened yet though. An easy vote.

Shameful admission: Having been introduced to Love Rollercoaster via the RHCP version in the Beavis & Butthead movie I always think the Ohio Players original lacks a bit of energy without the Anthony Kiedis “double dipper” rap. I’m Voting Cadogan.

Bowie was my main. When people ask me my favourite song ever I always say this. It begins: drums, sax, it twists & turns, the backing singers briefly steal the show, then Bowie steals it back. It builds & builds. A quick Beatles callback. Then everything stops for one final flourish. Perfection.

As much of a tune as it is, September is the last thing anyone wants to be reminded of at a school fete.

what came first, the song title Sister Seagull, or the realisation from the Be-Bop Deluxe guitarist that he could make a convincing seagull sound with his guitar effects? I think we all know the answer. It got my vote.

Listening properly to Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time in ages I find myself wondering would I enjoy it more as a song if the entire middle section was cut out? After a lifetime of over-exposure that bit leaves me cold, but I'm surprised to find I still have some time for the rest of it.

Anyway, I'm reading the Neneh Cherry autobiography. It's very good.

Similarly, 'Golden Years - Single Version' is available on Bowie's Who Can I Be Now box set. It's about thirty seconds shorter than the album version from '76, but I think just an edit.