THE FRIDAY FIVE – 28.11.2014

1. McBusted – Air Guitar
2. Becky Hill – Losing
3. Alexa Goddard – So There
4. Erasure – Always
5. Ting Tings – Shut Up And Let Me Go

This Sunday, is St Andrew’s Day. Do, how about a chart? How about two charts? One for all things Andrew, and one for all things Scottish.

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS WITH A MEMBER CALLED ANDREW

1. Wham! – Freedom
2. Wax – Bridge To Your Heart
3. Roachford – Cuddly Toy
4. Andrew WK – Party Hard
5. Andrew Cole – Outstandin

FIVE SONGS BY SCOTTISH ACTS

1. Biffy Clyro – The Captain
2. Chvrches – Recover
3. Prides – Messiah
4. Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday
5. Bay City Rollers – I Only Wanna Be With You

Last week, was International Men’s Day. Being the big sexist that I am, I forgot about it. So here, is a chart to commemorate it.

FIVE SONGS ABOUT MEN

1. Mansun – Electric Man
2. Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror
3. REM – Man On the Moon
4. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
5. The Verve – Lucky Man

FIVE SONGS WITH MEN’S NAMES IN THE TITLE

1. Oasis – Little James
2. Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
3. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
4. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Geno
5. Fine Young Cannibals – Johnny Come Home

Last week, on X-Factor, was Elton John v Whitney Houston, that well known rivalry. They’re not even trying any more.

FIVE SONGS BY ELTON JOHN

1. I’m Still Standing
2. Made In England
3. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
4. Step Into Christmas
5. Kiss The Bride

FIVE SONGS BY WHITNEY HOUSTON

1. Your Love Is My Love
2. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
3. How Will I Know?
4. I’m Your Baby Tonight
5. If I Told You That (ft George Michael)

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 – 13.12.2013

1. Pharrell Williams – Happy
2. Kaiser Chiefs – Misery Company
3. The 1975 – Chocolate
4. Chloe Howl – Paper Heart
5. Leona Lewis – One More Sleep

So, X-Factor is almost over this year. How will we cope? Just about, i’ll guess. Last week, was Elton John v Beyonce, that well known musical rivalry.

This week, I was browsing through the music channels and thought I heard a new Elton John song I loved. Turned out to be ‘Crazy In Love’ by Beyonce. Grr, i’m always getting them two mixed up.

FIVE BEYONCE SONGS

1. Love On Top
2. Deja Vu
3. Beautiful Liar (with Shakira)
4. Sweet Dreams
5. Crazy In Love

FIVE ELTON JOHN SONGS

1. I’m Still Standing
2. Made In England
3. Kiss The Bride
4. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
5. The Circle Of Life

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 6.12.2013

1. Pharrell Williams – Happy
2. The 1975 – Girls
3. Moby ft Wayne Coyne – The Perfect Life
4. Miles Kane – Give Up
5. Jessie J – Thunder

So, last week’s theme on X-Factor was ‘Musical Heroes’, giving us an insight into the awful taste in music of this year’s finalists. Mind you, at least they were honest about it. I’m still attending physiotherapy after putting my foot through the TV when Janet Devlin said that all her heroes were obscure.

So, as a tribute, here’s some Hero related songs.

FIVE SONGS ABOUT HEROES

1. Stereophonics – Superman
2. Prince – Batdance
3. Aerosmith – Spiderman Theme
4. It Bites – Calling All The Heroes
5. Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out For A Hero

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 29.11.2013

1. U2 – Ordinary Love
2. Birdy – Light Me Up
3. Bruce Springsteen – High Hopes
4. Imagine Dragons – On Top Of The World
5. Rudimental ft Emeli Sande – Free

So, last week’s X-Factor celebrated ten years of X-Factor. X-Factor. Yep, lots of nice Product Placement for X-Factor. X-Factor.

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM X-FACTOR

1. Matt Cardle – It’s Only Love
2. Olly Murs – Army Of Two
3. Little Mix – Wings
4. Leona Lewis – Forgive Me
5. Jedward – Lipstick

And don’t worry Scottish folk, I haven’t forgotten you. Happy St Andrew’s Day.

FIVE SONGS BY SCOTTISH ACTS

1. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
2. Biffy Clyro – The Captain
3. Pilot – Magic
4. Bay City Rollers – I Only Want To Be With You
5. Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 22.11.2013

1. The Wombats – Your Body Is A Weapon
2. Stereophonics – We Share The Same Sun
3. The Timelords – Doctorin The Tardis
4. Gary Barlow – Let Me Go
5. Luminites – Do Something

Meanwhile, in X-Factor land, the vague themes continue, with “The Great British Songbook”, available in all good libraries.

Disappointingly, they all stuck to the rules. I was hoping someone would something by Michael Bolton or Belinda Carlisle, and shrug while saying “Well, they have the same name as places in Britain, does that count?”

FIVE SONGS BY BRITISH ACTS

1. John Parr – St Elmo’s Fire
2. Beady Eye – The Roller
3. Sugababes – Denial
4. Richard Ashcroft – Money To Burn
5. Kim Wilde – Kids In America

Meanwhile, this week has also seen the formation of McBusted, a Supergroup of McFly and Busted. Sadly, the world is still waiting for Dire Straits and Chris Rea to form a Supergroup.

FIVE SONGS BY McBUSTED

1. Busted – You Said No
2. McFly – One For The Radio
3. Busted – Thunderbirds Theme
4. McFly – Shine A Light (ft Tiao Cruz)
5. McFly – Five Colours In Her Hair

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 8.11.2013

1. Nick Mulvey – Nitrious
2. Classified ft Olly Murs – Inner Ninja
3. The Courteeners – Van Der Graaff
4. Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home
5. Paul McCartney – New

Last week, was ‘Disco Week’ on X-Factor, and rather disappointingly, nobody sang ‘Disco 2000’, probably because it wasn’t a Disco song. X-Factor isn’t as much fun when they stick to the rules.

FIVE DISCO SONGS

1. Kelly Marie – Feels Like I’m In Love
2. Aneka – Japanese Boy
3. Boogie Box High – Jive Talkin
4. Lipps Inc – Funkytown
5. Blondie – Heart Of Glass

As a bonus, much love popular beat combo Unemployment Benefit 40 are playing a gig at The Limelight in Belfast next year, which is as random as you can get.

As a tribute, here’s a Top Five.

(NOTE : I’ve left out “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” by Robert Palmer cos it’s more of a Robert Palmer song. To include it, would be more controversial than leaving it out.

FIVE UB40 SONGS

1. Red Red Wine
2. Sing Our Own Song
3. Rat In Mi Kitchen
4. Don’t Break My Heart
5. Tell Me Is It True

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 25.10.2013

1. Franz Ferdinand – Evil Eye
2. Arlissa – Into The Light
3. VV Brown – The Apple
4. Lucy Rose – Movin On Up
5. Keane – Won’t Be Broken

And so, X-Factor continues, with yet more vague themes. Last week – Love and Heartbreak.

So, here’s five songs that the performers would have been better off singing.

FIVE LOVE SONGS

1. James – Just Like Fred Astaire
2. Erasue – Always
3. Billie Piper – Day And Night
4. 10CC – The Things We Do For Love
5. The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

FIVE HEARTBREAK SONGS

1. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
2. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
3. Paloma Faith – New York
4. Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone
5. Blink 182 – I Miss You

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 – 14.12.2012

1. Matt Cardle – It’s Only Love
2. Bruno Mars – Locked Out Of Heaven
3. The Moons ft Paul Weller – Something Soon
4. McFly – One For The Radio
5. The Family Rain – Trust Me, I’m A Genius

So, X-Factor is over, and i’ve already forgotten who won. It also means there’ll be no more themed charts until October 2013, assuming it doesn’t get cancelled.

Well, how about one more X-Factor themed chart?

FIVE SONGS BY X-FACTOR ACTS

1. Matt Cardle – It’s Only Love
2. Leona Lewis – Forgive Me
3. Little Mix – Wings
4. Olly Murs – Heart Skips A Beat
5. Rebecca Ferguson – Backtrack