THE FRIDAY FIVE (AND IT’S A EURO 2021 SPECIAL) – 11.6.2021

1. Alphabeat – Danmark’s Dynamite
2. The Alarm – The Red Wall Of Cymru
3. Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 U
4. Marshmello X Jonas Brothers – Leave Before You Love Me
5. Holly Humberstone – The Walls Are Way Too Thin

You may or may not have noticed, but an international football tournament starts today.

As is tradition, here’s a group by group chart by acts from the competing countries.

GROUP A

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Spagna – Call Me
3. Stereophonics – Dakota
4. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
5. Ryan Paris – Dolce Vita

GROUP B

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Alphabeat – Boyfriend
3. The Rasmus – In The Shadows
4. Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah
5. Rasmussen – Higher Ground

GROUP C

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. George Baker Selection – Little Green Bag
3. Shocking Blue – Venus
4. Focus – Hocus Pocus
5. Opus – Life Is Life

GROUP D

1. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
2. Duran Duran – Ordinary World
3. Del Amriti – Always The Last To Know
4. Echo and the Bunnymen – Nothing Lasts Forever
5. Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew

GROUP E

1. Roxette – Joyride
2. Ace Of Base – The Sign
3. Robyn – Who’s That Girl?
4. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie
5. ABBA – Supertrouper

GROUP F

1. Daft Punk – Robot Rock
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Freiheit – Keeping The Dream Alive
4. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
5. Lena – Satellite

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 16.11.2018

1. Jade Bird – Love Has All Been Done Before
2. Johnny Marr – Spiral Cities
3. Editors – Cold
4. Razorlight – America
5. The Strypes – Get Into It

This Monday, sees International Men’s Day. So, as is tradition, here’s a series of musical charts. If you’re celebrating, that’s cool. If it’s just another day for you, that’s cool. Just don’t be a self-hating dick fishing for likes on Social Media about it.

FIVE SONGS BY MALE SOLO ARTISTS

1. Prince – Gold
2. David Bowie – Let’s Dance
3. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – AKA … What A Life
4. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
5. Kyle Falconer – Family Tree

FIVE SONGS WITH BOY OR MAN IN THE TITLE

1. The Killers – The Man
2. T-Rex – 20th Century Boy
3. Aneka – Japanese Boy
4. Andrew Gold – Lonely Boy
5. Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy

FIVE SONGS BY ALL MALE GROUPS

1. Europe – The Final Countdown
2. Duran Duran – Ordinary World
3. A-Ha – Take On Me
4. U2 – The Fly
5. Queen – I Want It All

FIVE SONGS WITH MALE NAMES IN THE TITLE

1. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
2. Toni Basil – Mickey
3. Oasis – Little James
4. Sister Sledge – Frankie
5. Fine Young Cannibals – Johnny Come Home

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 6.7.2018

1. George Ezra – Shotgun
2. Tom Odell – If You Wanna Love Somebody
3. Bay City Rollers – I Only Wanna Be With You
4. Oasis – Columbia
5. James – Coming Home (Part II)

If Brazil v Belgium is a bit boring, or if one team is a couple of goals up, you can switch over to BBC Four for The Story Of 1986.

Oh yes, the Top Of The Pops repeats have now reached 1986.

So, to get you in the mood, here’s a chart.

FIVE SONGS FROM 1986

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Europe – The Final Countdown
3. Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer
4. Paul Hardcastle – The Wizard
5. Genesis – Land Of Confusion

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 10.6.2016 (A EURO 2016 SPECIAL)

1. Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better
2. Birdy – Keeping You Head Up
3. Tom Odell – Magnetised
4. Biffy Clyro – Wolves Of Winter
5. Johnny Lloyd – Pilgrims

Today is the start of Euro 2016. Sounds like a good excuse for a chart, or a series of charts.

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP A

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
3. Phoenix – Entertainment
4. Air – Sexy Boy
5. Alexandra Stan – Lemonade

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP B

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Mansun – Wind Open Space
3. Stereophonics – Dakota
4. Manic Street Preachers – Motorcycle Emptiness
5. The Cure – Close To Me

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP C

1. Wonder Villains – TV
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Harold Faltermeyer – Axel F
4. Baltimora – Tarzan Boy
5. Ruslana – Wild Dance

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP D

1. Enrique Iglesias – Do You Know?
2. Can Bonomo – Love Me Back
3. Jan Hammer – Crockett’s Theme
4. Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew
5. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP E

1. Gala – Freed From Desire
2. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
3. Roxette – Joyride
4. Spagna – Call Me
5. Ace Of Base – The Sign

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP F

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
3. Bjork – Play Dead
4. Christina Strumer – Fieber
5. Bjork – It’s Oh So Quiet

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : DEC 5 – DEC 11

Christmas is almost upon us, so here’s some TOTP classics to warm you up.

Rick Buckler of The Jam isn’t far from 60 this week.

And Peter Buck of REM isn’t too far behind him.

And now, time for some Ace Of Base

Damien Rice turns 41 this week.

While Nicole Appleton hits the big 40 this week.

Jim Morrison would have been 71 this week. Not sure what he would have made of this.

Remember the bald guy that used to be in Duran Duran when all the Taylors left? It’s his birthday this week.(Although he had hair during this performance)

Oh Sinead, Text speak. why?

John Lennon died 34 years ago this week. I’m sure he’d have loved Candy Flip.

Donny Osmond. 57, looks 27

And going in a completely different direction, here’s some Placebo.

And finally, a tribute to Mozart, much love popular entertainer, who died this week in 1791.

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 24.10.2014

1. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – In The Heat Of The Moment
2. Per Gessle – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
3. Simple Minds – Midnight Walking
4. Foo Fighters – Something From Nothing
5. Cheryl – I Don’t Care

So, the live finals of X-Factor have started, and as is tradition, a Top Five based on the previous week’s theme. In truth, I haven’t watched any of it yet. Fell behind watching it and haven’t really bothered to catch up. Might just tune in for the final.

Unlike the X-Factor, my chart will feature songs that actually meet the criteria of the theme.

FIVE SONGS FROM THE 1980s

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Paul Hardcastle – The Wizard
3. Glenn and Chris – Diamond Lights
4. Starship – We Built This City
5. Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday

Meanwhile, the news we’ve waited 11 years was announced this week – that S Club 7 are reforming. Albeit, just for Children In Need, but we can dream of a full comeback.

To keep you occupied until then, here’s an S Club Top Five.

5 SONGS BY S CLUB 7

1. Bring It All Back
2. Reach
3. You’re My Number One
4. Alive
5. Don’t Stop Moving

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 1.11.2013

1. Paul McCartney – New
2. U2 – Ordinary Love
3. Arlissa – Into The Light
4. Two Door Cinema Club – Changing Of The Seasons
5. Franz Ferdinand – Evil Eye

So last week, was movie week on X-Factor, where they resorted to singing a U2 song from a documentary about U2. Yep.

FIVE SONGS FROM FILMS

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. John Parr – St Elmo’s Fire
3. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
4. Lisa Loeb – Stay
5. Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 18.10.2013

1. Franz Ferdinand – Evil Eye
2. London Grammar – Strong
3. Lorde – Royals
4. Aviici – You Make Me
5. Keane – Higher Than The Sun

The X-Factor live shows are back. Yay! As is tradition, I shall do a Top five, where possible, on the previous week’s theme.

I give it about two weeks before they give up and make up the themes as they go along.

Last weekend, was 80s Week, and there was a disappointing lack of songs from 1979 and 1990 performed.

FIVE SONGS FROM THE 1980s

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Starship – We Built This City
3. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
4. Tears For Fears – Sowing The Seeds Of Love
5. Reynolds Girls – I’d Rather Jack

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 9.11.2012

1. Tegan and Sara – Closer
2. Coldplay – Hurts Like Heaven
3. Pink – Try
4. Rihanna – Diamond
5. Katie and the Carnival – Dinosaurs

As per usual at this time of year, a Top five based on the previous wee’s X-Factor theme. Last week’s theme was ‘Number Ones’, another generic and open ended theme where they make it up as they go along.

I’ve read the 1999, 2001 and 2003 Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles from cover to cover, and some songs sung weren’t UK Number Ones. But, they didn’t specify what country though, to be fair.

So, here’s five UK Number One singles

FIVE UK NUMBER ONE SINGLES

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Tatu – All the Things She Said
4. Status Quo ft Manchester United FC – Come On You Reds
5. Babylon Zoo – Spaceman

Meanwhile, last Friday, BBC Four had a night dedicated to Paul Weller, once again, proving thay BBC Four is worth the licence fee along. I love that channel (as much as I love Paul Weller)

So, to commemorate, here’s five Paul Weller solo songs

FIVE PAUL WELLER SOLO SONGS

1. Sunflower
2. Changinman
3. Mermaids
4. From The Floorboards Up
5. Instant Karme

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 4.5.2012

1. Goldie Lookin Chain – Tony Pulis
2. Marina and the Diamonds – Primadonna
3. Thea Gilmore – London
4. Fun ft Janelle Monae – We Are Young
5. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill

This weekend, is Europe Day, so in honour of this, let’s celebrate this great continent in music, by songs from acts from Mainland Europe, and songs about cities in Europe

FIVE SONGS BY MAINLAND EUROPEAN ACTS

1. Europe – The Final Countdown
2. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
3. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
4. Freiheit – Keeping The Dream Alive
5. 2 Unlimited – No Limit

FIVE SONGS ABOUT EUROPEAN CITIES

1. Boney M – Belfast
2. The Clash – London Calling
3. Editors – Munich
4. The Beautiful South – Rotterdam
5. Ultravox – Vienna

Meanwhile, the line-up for the Olympic Ganes opening concert was announced, featuring a band from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Duran Duran are representing England, with the organisers presumably thinking it’s the 1984 Olympics rather than the 2012 games. Snow Patrol got the Northern Ireland choice as Baltimora is dead, and Janet Devlin was too busy sitting in her bedroom listening to obscure music.

Stereophonics got the Welsh vote as Bonnie Tyler was too busy washing her lovely blonde hair. I have no idea why Paolo Nutini was chosen to represent Scotland.

To celebrate this, I shall do a Duran Duran, Stereophoincs, and Snow Patrol Top Five, as well as another Scotland Top Five (after previous St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night Top Fives)

Choosing a Duran Duran Top Five wasn’t easy. It was about as easy as a nuclear war.

FIVE DURAN DURAN SONGS

1. Wildboys
2. Hungry Like The Wolf
3. Ordinary World
4. Save A Prayer
5. White Lines

FIVE STEREOPHONICS SONGS

1. Dakota
2. A Thousand Trees
3. Superman
4. Just Looking
5. Madame Helga

FIVE SNOW PATROL SONGS

1. Signal Fire
2. Hands Open
3. How To Be Dead
4. Called Out In The Dark
5. Chocolate

FIVE SONGS BY SCOTTISH ACTS

1. Big Country – One Great Thing
2. Aztec Camara – Somewhere In My Heart
3. Del Amitri – Roll To Me
4. Simple Minds – She’s A River
5. The Proclaimers – Letter From America