The Top Ten Thread

[Spark Of Spirit]

Nothing is more fun among fans of music than making pointless lists that don't really matter to anyone but the fan, yet that never stops them from making them. "Top 5 best songs to listen to in the dentist chair", "Top 25 songs of the underground 70s", "Top 10 songs you wish would die"... The possibilities are endless! So I decided to make a thread dedicated to such lists, either ones you find out in the internet or just ones you want to make yourself, share them with the rest of the AR community. I'll start with one myself:


Top 5 Instrumentals You've Never Heard


5. Madness - One Step Beyond

How these guys never made it huge in the Americas is beyond me. Their first album is a masterpiece, as is this title track If you have the chance be sure to check out the entire album  that even includes a ska cover of Swan Lake that is also brilliant. Whether you're a fan of ska or not, I have yet to meet anyone who didn't adore this album, and while they have several other great pieces (seriously, they are the most consistently great bands of the late 70s and 80s) they still have yet to match the sheer energy of this one.


4. Brian Setzer - Go Go Godzilla!

Yes, he's still the most underrated rock n roll guitarist alive. If this one song doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.


3. The Go! Team - Everyone's A VIP To Someone

While this band mostly deals in instrumentals, it's this closer song from their debut that always stands out to me as no one (not even this band) does much music like this anymore. It's pretty low key, but still manages to build in scope to quite a large sound that makes it one of my favorite songs.


2. The Ventures - Dick Tracy

I could have included any song that's NOT Walk, Don't Run so I included my favorite. One of the earliest instrumental bands and one of my favorites, keep in mind this song was recorded when the Beatles were tying to make stuff like Rubber Soul and it's quite the contrast to that stuff. In my mind it was this song that invented the whole surf music + spy theme that has been prevalent in decades since and you can easily see why. This is one ripping rocker.


1. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - Who's Afraid Of Alyson Hymer? / Wow Flutter Hiss!

A Canadian band that was probably overlooked because they don't tend to sing in their songs, but they offered short and punchy instrumental pieces that manage to evoke great atmosphere with only three instruments. The song there is a perfect example of music you'd never hear on the radio, especially in the early 90s. Few bands were able to do it as well as these guys did, check out how the song changes tones at least 3 times. They unfortunately only had three albums before they broke up, but the first two alone are well worthy of adding to anyone's collection, and the third isn't bad if you like more experimental stuff. If you want to hear more check out these:

5 American, 6 Canadian
D. Tour
Siesta Cinema
Our Weapons Are Useless


I also didn't get to list stuff from Dick Dale and some of my favorite all time instrumentals, but this is stuff you've probably never heard so for that I think it's a pretty cool list. How about you guys?

[Avaitor]

I'm working on like 5 different lists now, and I just came up with a new one involving music that must take top priority. It might have to go to tz, in fact.

[Avaitor]

Top 5 and unordered, but whatever. My best side 1, track 1's.

• "Veil of Maya" Focus
• "Only Shallow" Loveless
• "Hold My Life" Tim (easily their most underrated, maybe their best, song)
• "Solitude" Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
• "The King of Carrot Flowers" In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Honorable mentions go to practically every Beatles and Maiden opener that isn't "invaders. They have far too many great ones to name.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I guess mine would be:

T. Rex - Mambo Sun
Flamin' Groovies - High Flyin' Baby
Dick Dale - Surf Beat
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I Ain't The One
Madness - One Step Beyond
Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice
The Jam - Art School
Blondie - Hangin' On The Telephone
The Ramones - Cretin Hop
Cyndi Lauper - Money Changes Everything

[Spark Of Spirit]

VH1 is currently doing a top 100 songs of the 90s list.

Everlong is at #104.

What?

[Spark Of Spirit]

You'll never guess what #1 was!

[Foggle]

You'll never guess what #1 was!

Something by Nirvana?

[Commode]

I've watched that one before.  I can't remember if Teen Spirit was number one, but it probably was.

The greatest songs of the 80s was just as bad, I think number one was "Living on a Prayer", and number one on the greatest hard rock songs was "Welcome to the Jungle".

[Avaitor]

I've watched that one before.  I can't remember if Teen Spirit was number one, but it probably was.

It was. Even worse though, "One" was #2.

[Foggle]

I've watched that one before.  I can't remember if Teen Spirit was number one, but it probably was.

It was. Even worse though, "One" was #2.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Hit Me Baby One More Time was up there, too. Look, I can let I Want It That Way on there, or even Bye Bye Bye, but that song is legitimately bad even for bubblegum pop.

[Commode]

Heard one of NSYNC's early songs, one of the ones from the first CD, on the radio the other day and I kind of enjoyed it for what it was.

...don't shoot me.

[Avaitor]

As long as you aren't a Directioner, it's cool.

[Avaitor]

What do you think of my attempt at humor?

Anyway, working on it now.

[Kiddington]

People still read toonzone? 

Nah, I jest. In all seriousness, pretty good. Looking forward to your non-Demi choices (because those are just too easy  ).