Friday 14 January 2005

hmmm ... what rhymes with brit?

With this year being the 25th anniversary of the first ever Brit awards, there's a special award to celebrate the best British song of the last quarter century.

Now this award would be a chance to look back over some amazing output and different musical movements that once made British music the driving force it once was - punk, new wave, Madchester, Brit Pop, etc.

Sadly the nominees look like a grab back of "what the hells" meant to capitalise on the lack of any hindsight that so encapsulates the music industry today.

Here's the list of nominees:

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
Queen - We Are The Champions
Robbie Williams - Angels
Will Young - Leave Right Now

Let's break it down.

Love Will Tear Us Apart is the cry of a man who was so depressed he took his own life mere months before the song came out. The track itself was the bridge between 70s punk and the more melodic rock movement of the 80s. Also proved that an indie label can have an effect on the public consciousness. Perfect snapshot of the time.

Kate Bush is one of the most successful female singer/songwriters of our time and provided the roadmap for artists like Tori Amos. Wuthering Heights was not only a wonderful literary reference but also proved that David Gilmour was more than just the noodly guitar virtuoso for Pink Floyd. Possibly not an overwhelming choice for best British song ever, and not even best Kate Bush song, but it is her first single and got her into the public eye, so fair dos.

Without We Are The Champions, many a final game of any sports series (in whatever sport you choose) would be that more empty. A perfect example of how a song can transcend itself to become something more than its creators could ever dream. Certainly no Bo Rap, but an important landmark in the music as anthem category.

Angels is the song that saved Robbie Williams career. A weeper - sure; a grand ballad that's graced every slow dance and wedding since - of course. Years from now, the state of the British music scene post Brit pop will be summed up by this track.

Will Young won pop idol or something, didn't he?

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