Record of the Year Revisited: 2008

Original Record of the Year: MGMT - Kids

I have to admit my knowledge of 2008 chart music isn't great. I picked "Kids" by MGMT which I did hear a lot but I don't think I actually knew what it was until 2009. Once I found out I'd play it regularly and it was almost a no brainer to pick as my record of the year.

What about its rivals?

Well 2008 was the year of bassline house which was basically garage from the North with a 4/4 beat. It was pretty cheesy in all honesty but I couldn't help but like the tunes that charted. Certainly not record of the year material when up against "Kids".

Then we have my best year series where I listened to the Top 40 for the first week of July each year. There were 4 songs in 2008 I liked but one originally charted in 2005 so not eligible.

The other 3 were "Stay With Me" by Ironik from a time I was just about watching Channel U still, probably a contender without "Kids" in the mix. There was "Jumpin All Over The World" by Scooter, cheesy but fun and not record of the year material. Finally there was "Hurricane Jane" by Black Kids which I had to listen to because I couldn't remember how it went. Did I really think that was good? maybe in amongst listening to all the dross in the Top 40 that week  but on its own it's rubbish.

Then there was the Christmas Top 40, but the 2008 one scored zero.

Looks like MGMT retain the crown.

Record of the Year Revisited: 2007

Original Record of the Year: LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum

October 2007 was the first month of the 21st century at least where I didn't like a single new entry in the Top 40. In the year up to that point there were just 29 new entries that I liked but looking at the list I question whether I even like that many.

My pick only just scraped into the Top 40 and comes from LCD Soundsystem who fit the pretty well known but not much of a chart presence category with this being their 2nd and final Top 40 hit.

Had this record charted 1 place lower then March would have been the first month of the 21st century where I didn't like any of the new entries.

Does it retain its crown?

Absolutely. This would be a strong contender in other years and happens to be the out and out winner in a very poor year for Top 40 music.

Record of the Year Revisited: 2006

Original Record of the Year: Solu Music ft Kimblee - Fade

I did a series of posts where I was trying to pinpoint where the decline in quality of Top 40 music began. As a result I listened to and rated every Top 40 hit of 2006. I concluded that the percentages of decent music each month wasn't low enough to declare chart music dead yet.

However another thing that happened in 2006 was a big drop in number of new entries in the Top 40. As a result of this and the quality getting worse there are only 37 Top 40 hits of 2006 that I actually like.

My original pick was a house record that originally came out in 2001. 

Have any of the authentic 2006 house records that I like taken it's crown?

No, neither have any of non-house records I like either. 

Record of the Year Revisited: 2005

Original Record of the Year: Mylo - In My Arms

I've always seen 2005 as the year that music died. I tested that theory for a series of posts and found there were perhaps too many good songs in the charts but at the same time I think it's the first year in my lifetime there are less than 100 Top 40 hits that I like.

Realistically not all songs I like are going to be contenders. For example "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley is a song I like and if it charted today it may be record of the year for this year. In 2005 though it doesn't have a chance.

The one I picked is one I really really like and would stand a good chance of being the record of the year in other years to. It's from one of my favourite albums of all time.

I think it goes without saying that I've not changed my mind on this one.

Record of the Year Revisited: 2004

Original Record of the Year: Armand Van Helden - My My My

As the years go by the pool of candidates for the record of the year gets smaller. That said I seem to like more songs than I thought I would in that year, though when I look at some I decided were good I'm saying really?

I picked the Armand Van Helden record because it was quite symbolic about how my taste in music was changing around that time. I had previously been more into the harder side of dance music but by this point I found myself more drawn towards house.

Yes since the time I made my pick I'm of the mind that I'm more into the harder side of dance music than house. Does this mean Armand Van Helden loses his crown?

Not at all. Part of the reason I was getting more drawn to house music was because hardcore had well and truly gone shit by that point and never got any better. Modern house music still had a few years left in it yet.

Record of the Year Revisited: 2003

Original Record of the Year: Wayne Wonder - No Letting Go

I remember when I was originally making my pick for 2003 it was very close between 2 records, "No Letting Go" by Wayne Wonder and "Ignition Remix" by R Kelly.

In the time that's passed since I've heard the Wayne Wonder song more times than I care to remember and have only heard the R Kelly song when I've chosen to play it myself.

Despite "No Letting Go" being overplayed which it is I still find myself listening to it of my own accord occasionally which says something about how good the song is. Obviously "Ignition Remix" isn't going to suffer the same fate.

Has R Kelly taken the crown?

Not quite. I think Wayne Wonder just about has the edge, but on another day it could of gone the other way.

Record of the Year Revisited: 2002

Original Record of the Year: Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes To Worst

In 2002 I was mainly listening to rap music so quite appropriately I picked a rap record as my record of the year. I said it was good to hear something which sounded like it was from the underground rather than rappers showing off how much money they'd now got which was the case in many Rap records in the charts.

I also said that there were still some genuinely good dance records in the charts though cheesy vocal trance was making commercial dance look a bit rubbish.

The question is has one of the genuinely good dance records or indeed a non-dance record now taken the Dilated Peoples crown?

No, they still retain the crown. What I've since learned was just how bad 2002 was for Top 40 hits and as I look through the list I'm reminded of how most of it was rubbish. Not as bad as the current charts though.