perfidy

Strangely, my list from 1992 doesn't even contain the stuff I was listening to: Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Neil Young, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chain, Soundgarden, Metallica.

That being said, I think '92 was a better-than-average year for pop. Although I struck out a lot of songs on my list, I didn't nix nearly as many as Mr. Geek (what the hell is wrong with Neneh Cherry!?!). Still, there was a boatload of good R&B out that year, and a fair amount of half-decent alternative hip hop too.

As for favorites:
Although I (embarassing confession coming) think that Sophie B. Hawkins' "Damn (I Wish I Was Your Lover)" is one of THE FINEST pop songs ever recorded in this or any lifetime, unfortunately, '92 was also the year of the indelible "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the immortal "One," which is my pick for song of the year. And, so it happens, one of the VERY FINEST pop songs of all time. So say I.

<strike>1. End Of The Road, Boyz II Men</strike>
2. Baby Got Back, Sir Mix A-lot
<strike>3. Jump, Kris Kross</strike>
<strike>4. Save The Best For Last, Vanessa Williams</strike>
<strike>5. Baby-Baby-Baby, TLC</strike>
<strike>6. Tears In Heaven, Eric Clapton</strike>
7. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It), En Vogue
8. Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers
<strike>9. All 4 Love, Color Me Badd</strike>
<strike>10. Just Another Day, Jon Secada</strike>
<strike>11. I Love Your Smile, Shanice</strike>
<strike>12. To Be With You, Mr. Big</strike>
13. I'm Too Sexy, Right Said Fred
<strike>14. Black Or White, Michael Jackson</strike>
<strike>15. Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus 16.</strike>
<strike>16. I'll Be There, Mariah Carey</strike>
17. November Rain, Guns N' Roses
18. Life Is A Highway, Tom Cochrane
<strike>19. Remember The Time, Michael Jackson</strike>
<strike>20. Finally, CeCe Peniston</strike>
<strike>21. This Used To Be My Playground, Madonna</strike>
<strike>22. Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough, Patty Smyth</strike>
<strike>23. Can't Let Go, Mariah Carey</strike>
24. Jump Around, House Of Pain
25. Diamonds and Pearls, Prince and The N.P.G.
<strike>26. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, George Michael and Elton
John</strike>
<strike>27. Masterpiece, Atlantic Starr</strike>
<strike>28. If You Asked Me To, Celine Dion</strike>
29. Giving Him Something He Can Feel, En Vogue
<strike>30. Live and Learn, Joe Public</strike>
<strike>31. Come and Talk To Me, Jodeci</strike>
32. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana
<strike>33. Humpin' Around, Bobby Brown</strike>
34. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, Sophie B. Hawkins
<strike>35. Tell Me What You Want Me To Do, Teven Campbell</strike>
36. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg, TLC
37. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday, Boyz II Men
<strike>38. Move This, Technotronic</strike>
39. Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
40. Tennessee, Arrested Development
<strike>41. The Best Things In Life Are Free, Luther Vandross and Janet
Jackson</strike>
<strike>42. Make It Happen, Mariah Carey</strike>
<strike>43. The One, Elton John</strike>
44. Set Adrift On Memory Bliss, P.M. Dawn
45. Stay, Shakespear's Sister
<strike>46. 2 Legit 2 Quit, Hammer</strike>
<strike>47. Please Don't Go, K.W.S.</strike>
48. Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes), Mint Condition
49. Wishing On A Star, Cover Girls
<strike>50. She's Playing Hard To Get, Hi-Five</strike>
51. I'd Die Without You, P.M. Dawn
52. Good For Me, Amy Grant
53. All I Want, Toad The Wet Sprocket
<strike>54. When A Man Loves A Woman, Michael Bolton</strike>
<strike>55. I Can't Dance, Genesis</strike>
<strike>56. Hazard, Richard Marx</strike>
57. Mysterious Ways, U2
<strike>58. Too Funky, George Michael</strike>
<strike>59. How Do You Talk To An Angel, Heights</strike>
60. One, U2
61. Keep On Walkin', CeCe Peniston
<strike>62. Hold On My Heart, Genesis</strike>
<strike>63. The Way I Feel About You, Karyn White</strike>
<strike>64. Beauty and The Beast, Calms Dion and Peabo Bryson</strike>
65. Warm It Up, Kris Kross
<strike>66. In The Closet, Michael Jackson</strike>
67. People Everyday, Arrested Development
<strike>68. No Son Of Nine, Genesis</strike>
<strike>69. Wildside, Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch</strike>
<strike>70. Do I Have To Say The Words?, Bryan Adams</strike>
<strike>71. Friday I'm In Love, Cure</strike>
<strike>72. Everything About You, Ugly Kid Joe</strike>
<strike>73. Blowing Kisses In The Wind, Paula Abdul</strike>
<strike>74. Thought I'd Died and Gone To Heaven, Bryan Adams</strike>
<strike>75. Rhythm Is A Dancer, Snap</strike>
<strike>76. Addams Groove, Hammer</strike>
<strike>77. Missing You Now, Michael Bolton</strike>
<strike>78. Back To The Hotel, N2Deep</strike>
<strike>79. Everything Changes, Kathy Troccoli</strike>
<strike>80. Have You Ever Needed Somone So Bad, Def Leppard</strike>
<strike>81. Take This Heart, Richard Marx</strike>
82. When I Look Into Your Eyes, Firehouse
<strike>83. I Wanna Love You, Jade</strike>
<strike>84. Uhh Ahh, Boyz II Men</strike>
85. Real Love, Mary J. Blige
86. Justified and Ancient, The KLF
87. Slow Motion, Color Me Badd
88. What About Your Friends, TLC
89. Thinkin' Back, Color Me Badd
<strike>90. Would I Lie To You?, Charles and Eddie</strike>
<strike>91. That's What Love Is For, Amy Grant</strike>
<strike>92. Keep Coming Back, Richard Marx</strike>
93. Free Your Mind, En Vogue
94. Keep It Comin', Keith Sweat
<strike>95. Just Take My Heart, Mr. Big</strike>
<strike>96. I Will Remember You, Amy Grant</strike>
<strike>97. We Got A Love Thang, CeCe Peniston</strike>
<strike>98. Let's Get Rocked, Def Leppard</strike>
99. They Want EFX, Das EFX
100. I Can't Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt

Geeklethal had to strike through all of them to conceal his love for Richard Marx

Here's my list:

1. Walk Like An Egyptian, Bangles
<strike>2. Alone, Heart </strike>
3. Shake You Down, Gregory Abbott
<strike>4. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), Whitney Houston </strike>
<strike>5. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, Starship </strike>
<strike>6. C'est La Vie, Robbie Nevil </strike>
7. Here I Go Again, Whitesnake
8. The Way It Is, Bruce Hornsby and the Range
<strike>9. Shakedown, Bob Seger </strike>
<strike>10. Livin' On A Prayer, Bon Jovi </strike>
11. La Bamba, Los Lobos
<strike>12. Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Wang Chung </strike>
13. Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House
14. Always, Atlantic Starr
15. With Or Without You, U2
16. Looking For A New Love, Jody Watley
17. Head To Toe, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
<strike>18. I Think We're Alone Now, Tiffany </strike>
<strike>19. Mony Mony, Billy Idol </strike>
20. At This Moment, Billy Vera and The Beaters
<strike>21. Lady In Red, Chris De Burgh </strike>
<strike>22. Didn't We Almost Have It All, Whitney Houston </strike>
23. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2
<strike>24. I Want Your Sex, George Michael </strike>
25. Notorious, Duran Duran
<strike>26. Only In My Dreams, Debbie Gibson </strike>
<strike>27. (I've Had) The Time Of My Life, Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes </strike>
<strike>28. The Next Time I Fall, Peter Cetera and Amy Grant </strike>
29. Lean On Me, Club Nouveau
30. Open Your Heart, Madonna
<strike>31. Lost In Emotion, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam </strike>
32. (I Just) Died In Your Arms, Cutting Crew
33. Heart And Soul, T'pau
34. You Keep Me Hangin' On, Kim Wilde
35. Keep Your Hands To Yourself, Georgia Satellites
<strike>36. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), Aretha Franklin and George Michael </strike>
37. Control, Janet Jackson
<strike>38. Somewhere Out There, Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram </strike>
39. U Got The Look, Prince
<strike>40. Land Of Confusion, Genesis</strike>
41. Jacob's Ladder, Huey Lewis and The News
<strike>42. Who's That Girl, Madonna </strike>
43. You Got It All, Jets
<strike>44. Touch Me (I Want Your Body), Samantha Fox </strike>
<strike>45. I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett </strike>
<strike>46. Causing A Commotion, Madonna </strike>
<strike>47. In Too Deep, Genesis </strike>
<strike>48. Let's Wait Awhile, Janet Jackson </strike>
49. Hip To Be Square, Huey Lewis and the News
<strike>50. Will You Still Love Me?, Chicago </strike>
51. Little Lies, Fleetwood Mac
52. Luka, Suzanne Vega
53. I Heard A Rumour, Bananarama
<strike>54. Don't Mean Nothing, Richard Marx </strike>
<strike>55. Songbird, Kenny G </strike>
56. Carrie, Europe
57. Don't Disturb This Groove, System
<strike>58. La Isla Bonita, Madonna </strike>
<strike>59. Bad, Michael Jackson </strike>
60. Sign 'O' The Times, Prince
61. Change Of Heart, Cyndi Lauper
62. Come Go With Me, Expose
63. Can't We Try, Dan Hill
64. To Be A Lover, Billy Idol
65. Mandolin Rain, Bruce Hornsby and the Range
66. Breakout, Swing Out Sister
67. Stand By Me, Ben E. King
68. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Genesis
69. Someday, Glass Tiger
70. When Smokey Sings, ABC
71. Casanova, Levert
72. Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
73. Rock Steady, Whispers
<strike>74. Wanted Dead Or Alive, Bon Jovi </strike>
<strike>75. Big Time, Peter Gabriel </strike>
76. The Finer Things, Steve Winwood
77. Let Me Be The One, Expose
<strike>78. Is This Love, Survivor </strike>
<strike>79. Diamonds, Herb Alpert </strike>
80. Point Of No Return, Expose
81. Big Love, Fleetwood Mac
82. Midnight Blue, Lou Gramm
83. Something So Strong, Crowded House
<strike>84. Heat Of The Night, Bryan Adams </strike>
85. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You, Glenn Medeiros
86. Brilliant Disguise, Bruce Springsteen
87. Just To See Her, Smokey Robinson
<strike>88. Who Will You Run Too, Heart </strike>
<strike>89. Respect Yourself, Bruce Willis </strike>
90. Cross My Broken Heart, Jets
91. Victory, Kool and The Gang
92. Don't Get Me Wrong, Pretenders
<strike>93. Doing It All For My Baby, Huey Lewis and The News </strike>
94. Right On Track, Breakfast Club
<strike>95. Ballerina Girl, Lionel Richie </strike>
<strike>96. Meet Me Half Way, Kenny Loggins </strike>
97. I've Been In Love Before, Cutting Crew
98. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right To Party, Beastie Boys
99. Funkytown, Pseudo Echo
100. Love You Down, Ready For The World

1987 was just before the music got good again. There was a lot of crap floating around, and it's well represented in that list. The list brought back some very painful memories I thought I had banished, like say, Bruce Willis singing.

Jody Watley is my version of Johno's Sophie B. Hawkins, though the song isn't quite that good. I dug it, though.

The Georgia Satellites kicked ass. My favorite song of theirs didn't make the list, Battleship Chains.

'87 really sucked, now that I think on it. Four of the songs I liked were covers of older songs. Two were from U2. (I forgot to bold one of them.) Subtract that, and there ain't much left.

Johno had a better year. I totally forgot about the KLF.

My list is here -- Buckethead and I have the same year. Of that list, Crowded House's "Something So Strong" was my favorite, with Prince's "U Got The Look" a close second. (Bananarama is my Sophie B. Hawkins on that list.) (And "Battleship Chains" is, in fact, the best Georgia Satellites song.)

My actual favorite song of that year, "Alex Chilton" by the 'Mats, is not on the list.

I won't bore you with the details, but I'm reminded that 1976 was a shitty year for music. I started to filter the top 100, and got depressed. Not all of them would be strikethroughs, but enough that it's not worth the effort to do the comment-codey thing here.

It sucks to be old, but not old enough to have graduated in a good music year.

Patton,
Well, yeah...hence the title for this piece. Popular music sucked so mightily the only solace was to find decent acts from 15-20 years earlier.

B,
I remember the omnipresence of Whitesnake that year. *shudder*

But what the hell, Cutting Crew? Never would have pegged you, a burly, rugby-sized tomcat, for sensitive rock. Figured you more at home in the mosh pit than crocheting mittens with your girlfriends, getting swoony over Crowded House singles.

Now that I look at it, Buckethead, your list kicks some ass. I actually *like* Bon Jovi a great deal (at least Slippery When Wet), and dig Whitesnake as well. It might just be a product of me having been a soph-o-more in rural Ohio at the time, but hair metal really speaks to me.

Not to mention from both lists, Prince, Lisa Lisa, Poison, Neneh Cherry, man!

Hm. If there is a hell, I'm probably going to end up there with "hair metal really speaks to me" tattooed on my forehead.

And playing my French Horn in a jazz group.

J,
I may have interpreted the instructions more literally than you. Note that it said, "songs you like", as in present-tense.

Yeah, I liked Guns n Roses. Whitesnake too, before MTV fell in love with Tawny Kitaen and had their asinine videos with her writhing on a car 23 hours a day.

Sure I saw several hair-metal acts, including Bon Jovi when they were touring Slippery..., although solely because Cinderella was opening.

But today... ehhhh...I'd still rather hear Band of Gypsies or Sticky Fingers than any Whitesnake product.

BTW I followed Phil's link to his list. He turned me on to Tanya Headon, and I'm diggin it. Her. Them?

J, I wouldn't go so far as to actually agree with you that '87 kicked ass. But I will grant that I dug Whitesnake a bit back in the day - which is why it isn't crossed out. I don't really dig it now, which is why it ain't bolded. By '87 I was just beginning to develop a sense of musical taste, and the concommitant snobbery. I despised most of the music on the radio, though some of it I liked despite myself, like Jody Whatley.

I never cared for Bon Jovi to begin with, and my appreciation has lessened ever since. I think the best that can be said about '87 is that you can see hints of better music in the future. Prince, Beasties, and others produced better music themselves. Cutting Crew, Crowded House and the like were like John the Baptist to Alternative's Jesus. They weren't the real thing, but they'd do until it arrived.

The stuff I was actually into isn't even close to that list. Circle Jerks, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Kennedies and the like was all I was listening to my senior year. Trading tapes and trying to figure out what people who didn't live in suburban Ohio were hearing.

Oh, and Pink Floyd.

B,
That's better.

Cutting Crew, my ass.

Two years earlier, I liked Mr. Mister.

"Take, these broken wings/and learn to fly again..."

Gaghk.

I'll probably go buy the album now. Sheesh.

Oh, no GL. I got the instructions. I *still like* Whitesnake, Poison, White Lion, Skid Row, Faster Pussycat, Guns & Roses, Bon Jovi, Winger, Kix, Tesla, Motley Crue, Def Lep, the Scorps, and so on.

After four years pursuing a music degree and learning to understand, write, and play the most feindishly complicated and cerebral art music in the world, after fifteen years of piano lessons, fifteen years of guitar and bass in jazz and classical settings (plus punk!!), after ten years worshipping at the shrine of St. Ramone, I still love me some big-hair metal.

But not Warrant. Those guys sucked.

Buckethead, I bet you were a big Rick Astley fan back in the day. And Debbie Gibson. I bet you have a tattoo on your lower back that reads "Out of the Blue" in baby blue letters.

Worse yet, if given a choice between Band of Gypsies and Hysteria, I'd probably go with the one armed drummer.

J,
lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala
* I'm not listening*
lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala

If Rick Astley had been on my list, I would have tried to find more vicious html than merely strikethrough. My hatred of Rick Astley knows no bounds. I have a more bounded hatred of Debbie Gibson, if only because she was kinda cute.

Johno, you're hopeless. G&R is the only redeemable thing in that list, and only Axl Rose's complete inability to, well, do anything since 1991 has prevented them from falling victim to Phil Collins Time-Travel Suckitude Syndrome, in which your present shittiness renders previously listenable stuff unlistenable.

OK, also Scorps up to but not including the album with "Hurricane, " and Def Lep up through "Pyromania."

Rick Astley is a goddamned freak. While he always was alive, I wanted Barry White to punch him through a wall.

I'm a total n00b compared to the rest of you, but here's the list(also note that I'm lazy, so it's categorized instead of marked-up):

Like:
2.Fallin', Alicia Keys
12. It's Been Awhile, Staind - Favourite of those listed
21. Drive, Incubus
33. South Side, Moby Featuring Gwen Stefani
44. Kryptonite, 3 Doors Down
75. Beautiful Day, U2
99. Be Like That, 3 Doors Down
100. Hemorrhage (In My Hands), Fuel

Apathetic towards:
1. Hanging By A Moment, Lifehouse
4. If You're Gone, Matchbox Twenty
6. Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me), Train
7. Let Me Blow Ya Mind, Eve Featuring Gwen Stefani
8. Thank You, Dido
11. Again, Lenny Kravitz
15. U Remind Me, Usher
16. Where The Party At, Jagged Edge With Nelly
18. Ride Wit Me, Nelly Featuring City Spud
20. Follow Me, Uncle Kracker
29. Butterfly, Crazy Town
39. With Arms Wide Open, Creed
43. I'm Like A Bird, Nelly Furtado
46. When It's Over, Sugar Ray
47. Jaded, Aerosmith
65. The Space Between, Dave Matthews Band
70. Turn Off The Light, Nelly Furtado
86. Here's To The Night, Eve 6
92. E.I., Nelly

Dislike:
3. All For You, Janet
5. I'm Real, Jennifer Lopez Featuring Ja Rule
10. Independent Women Part I, Destiny's Child
14. It Wasn't Me', Shaggy Featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent
17. Angel, Shaggy Featuring Rayvon
23. Survivor, Destiny's Child
24. Lady Marmalade, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya & Pink
25. Ms. Jackson, OutKast
26. Love Don't Cost A Thing, Jennifer Lopez
35. Get Ur Freak On, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
42 .Bootylicious, Destiny's Child
51. This I Promise You, 'N Sync
96. Hero, Enrique Iglesias

Don't know:
9. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!), Blu Cantrell
13. Stutter, Joe Featuring Mystikal
19. Peaches & Cream, 112
22 .What Would You Do?, Alicia Keys
27. The Way You Love Me, Faith Hill
28. He Loves U Not, Dream
30. Put It On Me, Ja Rule Featuring Lil' Mo & Vita
31. Family Affair, Mary J. Blige
32. I Hope You Dance, Lee Ann Womack
34. Don't Tell Me, Madonna
36. Crazy, K-Ci & JoJo
37. Fill Me In, Craig David
38. Someone To Call My Lover, Janet
40. Case Of The Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do), Mya
41. All Or Nothing, O-Town
45. Fiesta, R. Kelly Featuring Jay-Z
48. Promise, Jagged Edge
49. Missing You, Case
50. Differences, Ginuwine
52. Izzo (H.O.V.A.) Jay-Z
53. Superwoman Pt. II, Lil' Mo Featuring Fabolous
54. Crazy For This Girl, Evan And Jaron
55. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely, Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera
56. I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me), Jay-Z
57. One Minute Man, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
58. Danger (Been So Long), Mystikal Featuring Nivea
59. Only Time, Enya
60. I Do!! Toya
61. Never Had A Dream Come True, S Club 7
62 .Stranger In My House, Tamia
63. Irresistible, Jessica Simpson
64.Heard It All Before, Sunshine Anderson
66. There You'll Be, Faith Hill
67. Love, Musiq Soulchild
68. It's Over Now, 112
69. No More (Baby I'ma Do Right), 3LW
71. Ain't Nothing `Bout You, Brooks & Dunn
72. Play Jennifer Lopez
73. I'm Already There, Lonestar
74. My Baby, Lil' Romeo
76. Austin, Blake Shelton
77. Southern Hospitality, iLudacris
78. Grown Men Don't Cry, Tim McGraw
79. Livin' It Up, Ja Rule Featuring Case
80. Loverboy Mariah Carey Featuring Cameo
81. I Wanna Be Bad, Willa Ford
82 .Who I Am, Jessica Andrews
83. Music, Erick Sermon Featuring Marvin Gaye
84. Contagious, Isley Brothers Featuring Ronald Isley
85. Don't Happen Twice, Kenny Chesney
87. I Wish, R. Kelly
88. It's A Great Day To Be Alive, Travis Tritt
89. I'm A Thug, Trick Daddy
90. One More Day, Diamond Rio
91. You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This, Toby Keith
93. Dance With Me, Debelah Morgan
94. So Fresh, So Clean, Outkast
95. Get Over Yourself Eden's Crush
97. Most Girls, Pink
98. Oochie Wally, QB's Finest Featuring Nas & Braveheart's

I don't think it was that your year sucked(no matter which "you" I'm referring to), I think the biggest problem is that there's always been a pile of crap and a mountain of mediocrity for each good song out there. That's just how it works - there's a lot of niche music, and most of it is definately not for me.

As another note, very little of the music I like(now or then) from my year is on that list. Most of the music from that year I listen to is stuff like Tool, Linkin Park, and the Offspring(my tastes are more varied than that, of course, but Led Zeppelin wasn't releasing too much in '01). But I guess if you're measuring it by MTV play or any other source equally vapid, that's to be expected.

Y'know Alsadius, it's funny. What you like from your year, although generally good stuff (but dude... Staind???), is not what I like. Apart from Alicia Keys, everything in your top is either in my "don't care" or "dislike" pile. But then, 2000 was a great year for hip-hop in my eyes so I'm big on the Outkast, Missy Elliot, Nelly, and the like, all of whom I damn well love a bunch. And coming from 1992, I tended to see the more emotive kinds of rock, Linkin Park, Staind, as just more hair metal power ballads refracted through the lens of Alice in Chains.

Honestly, and nothing intended by this, it's really interesting and instructive to see what someone graduating in '00 thinks of that year's music, 'cos it's very different from my jaded music-industry ass.

I guess that inability to anticipate what the record-buying public will like explains why my ass is no longer music-industry.