Y'all crazy, this is a pretty good year. Funny that the thing I was probably the most vociferous about in '98 (NMH) is dead last in what I'd pick from this list today (although, tbf, that was based more on their superior live performance than the albums).
― Chortles And Guffaws (Old Lunch), Saturday, 30 January 2016 19:51 (eight years ago) link
305 Stardust - Music Sounds Better with You - CLASSIC2 413 Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank - NOT GOOD3 634 Beastie Boys - Intergalactic - NOT GOOD4 653 Air - Sexy Boy - CLASSIC5 667 Massive Attack - Teardrop - NOT GOOD6 720 Madonna - Ray of Light - VERY GOOD7 765 Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time - NOT GOOD8 768 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) - CLASSIC9 855 New Radicals - You Get What You Give - NOT GOOD10 903 Pulp - This Is Hardcore - GOOD11 1043 Moloko - Sing It Back - NOT HEARD12 1106 Fatboy Slim - Praise You - VERY GOOD, CLASSIC VIDEO13 1111 Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 - NOT GOOD14 1144 Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - NOT GOOD15 1171 Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) - NOT GOOD16 1205 Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945 - NOT GOOD17 1309 Hole - Celebrity Skin - NOT GOOD18 1525 OutKast - Rosa Parks - CLASSIC19 1530 Mercury Rev - Goddess on a Hiway - NOT HEARD20 1556 Brandy and Monica - The Boy Is Mine - VERY GOOD21 1580 Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next - NOT HEARD22 1627 Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody? - VERY GOOD23 1948 Placebo - Pure Morning - NOT GOOD24 2028 Super Furry Animals - Ice Hockey Hair - NOT HEARD25 2127 Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap - VERY GOOD26 2140 Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor - VERY GOOD27 2160 Isolée - Beau Mot Plage - CLASSIC28 2247 Alain Bashung - La nuit je mens - NOT HEARD29 2271 Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - NOT HEARD30 2299 Air - All I Need - NOT GOOD31 2563 OutKast - Spottieottiedopaliscious - CLASSIC32 2602 Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach - God Give Me Strength - NOT HEARD33 2653 Manu Chao - Clandestino - NOT HEARD34 2770 Cher - Believe - VERY GOOD, VERGING ON CLASSIC35 2805 Cat Power - Cross Bones Style - VERY GOOD36 2852 The Offspring - Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) - NOT GOOD37 2875 Air - Kelly Watch the Stars - VERY GOOD38 2894 UNKLE - Rabbit in Your Headlights - MEDIOCRE39 3166 Madonna - Frozen - MEDIOCRE40 3182 Fatboy Slim - Right Here, Right Now - NOT HEARD
― lute bro (brimstead), Saturday, 30 January 2016 20:48 (eight years ago) link
i was never a huge fan of it at the time, but looking back there's something fantastic about Music Sounds Better with You.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 30 January 2016 21:55 (eight years ago) link
also, i can never not think of this when Ray of Light get mentioned:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZxr5e9W9eg
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 30 January 2016 22:04 (eight years ago) link
i have only watched a few episodes but that is one i have seen.
― Bee OK, Sunday, 31 January 2016 00:03 (eight years ago) link
My faves:1. Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap2. Massive Attack - Teardrop3. Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 19454. Madonna - Ray of Light5. Placebo - Pure Morning 6. Hole - Celebrity Skin
The Lucinda, Outkast and Manic Street Preachers records have other songs I like better than the ones here. I liked New Radicals at the time, but it sounds kinda "meh" to me now. I still hate "The Rockefeller Skank," "Baby One More Time" and "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)."
― pitchforkian at best (cryptosicko), Sunday, 31 January 2016 17:52 (eight years ago) link
h888 these polls rly but this is sfa lol
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Sunday, 31 January 2016 18:13 (eight years ago) link
nakhers better not see this post right!!!
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a9/MountEcclesia_002entr.jpg
― smoothy doles it (nakhchivan), Sunday, 31 January 2016 18:45 (eight years ago) link
32 minutes, maybe a bit rusty coz it's sunday
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Sunday, 31 January 2016 18:49 (eight years ago) link
I don't see Jennifer Paige's "Crush" anywhere.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 31 January 2016 18:52 (eight years ago) link
To me - here she comes again A perfect ending to a perfect day A perfect ending what can I say To you - lonely sunday friend With you - sunday never ends
A-Z Lyrics S SONIC YOUTH Lyrics"A Thousand Leaves" (1998)
― smoothy doles it (nakhchivan), Sunday, 31 January 2016 19:00 (eight years ago) link
the super furry animals track is fine thotbh i think i enjoyed playing it rn slightly more than isolee
― smoothy doles it (nakhchivan), Sunday, 31 January 2016 19:02 (eight years ago) link
"believe" is one of those songs that gets more poignant and powerful as i get older
― lute bro (brimstead), Sunday, 31 January 2016 20:33 (eight years ago) link
Decided to vote for "Holland, 1945."
― the future is now, Monday, 1 February 2016 15:00 (eight years ago) link
voted for Bashung because someone had to
― moans and feedback (Dinsdale), Monday, 1 February 2016 15:33 (eight years ago) link
This poll has got me listening to and appreciating the Ice Hockey Hair EP once more, so at least that's something. Sometimes I wonder how a band that managed to be that great and that consistent for so long ended up putting out stuff like Love Kraft or Dark Days/Light Years.
― Turrican, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:15 (eight years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 00:01 (eight years ago) link
I've never even heard of Stardust.
― Sam Weller, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 09:34 (eight years ago) link
If you lived in Europe in 1998 you definitely would have.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 10:12 (eight years ago) link
great year, these are faves:
1 305 Stardust - Music Sounds Better with You3 634 Beastie Boys - Intergalactic4 653 Air - Sexy Boy6 720 Madonna - Ray of Light8 768 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)9 855 New Radicals - You Get What You Give12 1106 Fatboy Slim - Praise You15 1171 Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)20 1556 Brandy and Monica - The Boy Is Mine30 2299 Air - All I Need31 2563 OutKast - Spottieottiedopaliscious34 2770 Cher - Believe39 3166 Madonna - Frozen
stardust probably the best track, but voting ray of light because it's my favorite :P
― niels, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:30 (eight years ago) link
That New Radical song seems to be bafflingly overrrated. Boring as shit.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:42 (eight years ago) link
I'm legitimately surprised that some folks haven't heard of the Stardust track. It seemed to be everywhere at the time, and I remember it being highly praised and getting plenty of coverage due to the Daft Punk association.
― The Dave Grohl of ILX (Turrican), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:44 (eight years ago) link
Probably not a big deal in the states though.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:46 (eight years ago) link
The most memorable part about the New Radicals track is the end where he tells Beck, Hanson and Marilyn Manson etc. to "come around" so he can "kick (their) ass in" ... like, ooooh, go you, you silly-hatted edgy motherfucker who writes songs for Ronan Keating.
― The Dave Grohl of ILX (Turrican), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:47 (eight years ago) link
i'm a european who cannot bring to mind the stardust song
my gf assures me it's shit
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:48 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, no idea how the Stardust track went down in the US, but it was definitely inescapable here.
― The Dave Grohl of ILX (Turrican), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:50 (eight years ago) link
I assure you she's wrong.
(xpost)
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:51 (eight years ago) link
IIRC the ILX rated Stardust track to be the third best single of the 90s or something?
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:52 (eight years ago) link
it's been two and a half minutes and nothing has happened yet
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:55 (eight years ago) link
literally nothing happens in this song at all. and don't give me any of that 'stretching out the tension without release' bollocks, it feels lazier than that
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 11:59 (eight years ago) link
Clearly you don't do clubbing if that bothers you?
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:00 (eight years ago) link
i suppose if i were clubbing i'd dance to it, but it wouldn't be on any fantasy club mix of mine
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:02 (eight years ago) link
The thing about the Stardust track is just how little musical ingredients it has, it's basically just a looped funk sample with a couple of lines of lyrics endlessly repeated. Once you've heard a bit of it, you've pretty much heard it all - however, for some strange reason, it manages to transcend its repetition and never really get tiring. Rumour has it that the record company wanted Thomas Bangalter to make a full-length Stardust album, based on the success of 'Music Sounds Better With You' alone, but he refused.
― The Dave Grohl of ILX (Turrican), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:03 (eight years ago) link
I'm midway between the two camps - it's fine, but there are literally thousands of better dance records.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:05 (eight years ago) link
Also I'd just started uni in 98, and Stardust was played continuously in a campus cafe that gave me food poisoning once, so it reminds me of puking a bit.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:06 (eight years ago) link
I'm midway between the two camps - it's fine, but there are literally thousands of better dance records.― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, February 2, 2016 12:05 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, February 2, 2016 12:05 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Oh yeah, def. agree with this!
― The Dave Grohl of ILX (Turrican), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:09 (eight years ago) link
If nothing's happening, try listening
― Chikan wa akan de. Zettai akan de. (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:17 (eight years ago) link
has ilx been a house site the whole time
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 12:21 (eight years ago) link
Try dancing to "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" in the fantasy club of your mind.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 13:16 (eight years ago) link
"Music Sounds Better With You" is monstrously great, particularly when it hits the variation in the chord progression. It is pretty easily my favorite post-Homework Daft Punk-affiliated piece of music.
If this level of stasis in dance music bothers you, stay away from Richie Hawtin
― its subtle brume (DJP), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:02 (eight years ago) link
I had literally never heard, nor heard of, the Stardust song before. Listening to it for the first time right now. Digging it. Might get my vote (and as much as I love Deserters Songs, "Goddess" isn't the best track).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:07 (eight years ago) link
I will cop to the fact that laptop speakers probably aren't the ideal environment for funky house
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:15 (eight years ago) link
…but then, who can afford SONOS?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ptQatdjOFM
― Chortles And Guffaws (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:23 (eight years ago) link
Many very good choices but I think I've pared my personal preference down to 'Cross Bones Style' and Air's 'All I Need'.
― Chortles And Guffaws (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:25 (eight years ago) link
All I Need isn't even the best version of itself (that'd be Les Professionels on the Premiers Symptomes EP)
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:29 (eight years ago) link
It's the best version of itself available as an option in this poll.
― Chortles And Guffaws (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:42 (eight years ago) link
And it's a worthless comparison anyway plus read heads prefer Solidissimo. Obviously the vocal version that was a hit single would be more popular.
― nashwan, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 15:46 (eight years ago) link
Settled on "This is Hardcore" after all.
― Bee OK, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 19:52 (eight years ago) link
I had literally never heard, nor heard of, the Stardust song before.
I had not heard of it as in the name of the artist or the song, but I have heard it a few times before. Reminiscent of Get Lucky actually...epic groove, very digestible, but too repetitive and simple relative to their best stuff.
Even though this is when I stopped listening to the radio there are lots of good tracks here. I'll go for Intergalactic which still sounds fresh 100x listens later.
― skip, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 20:06 (eight years ago) link
Looking at this list is a reminder of that funky electro rock aesthetic going on for 2 or so years... and then it disappeared. Daft Punk/Stardust, Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, UNKLE, that Beasties song, even Air. Blame computers?
― skip, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 20:09 (eight years ago) link
Whenever Elliott Smith shows up in a poll, I can't vote for anything other than Elliott Smith. Even though XO is somehow my least favourite album of his, Waltz #2 is a singularly beautiful song.
I think I was too young to appreciate Stardust when it came out and could never understand why this over-long dance track was always polluting my favourite radio pop shows. I still don't think much of it now, mind.
― tangenttangent, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 20:13 (eight years ago) link
Just in case y'all were curious, the best song from '98 is actually almost certainly something off of Royal Trux's Accelerator.
― Chortles And Guffaws (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 20:17 (eight years ago) link
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, February 2, 2016 3:46 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yeah, I never heard it til years after the fact. Obv this is the best version tho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAn5hII6V2I
― Hey (Extended Mix), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 21:18 (eight years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 00:01 (eight years ago) link
Poor Fatboy Slim.
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 09:22 (eight years ago) link
"Rockafeller Skank" was my #2 choice.
― Hi! I'm twice-coloured! (Sund4r), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 09:26 (eight years ago) link
aw i missed this one. so many good choices
― maura, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 15:11 (eight years ago) link