Many of us will remember the genuine sense of excitement leading up to the unveiling of John Peel’s Festive 50 each year. The FF’s still going, run by Dandelion Radio these days, and it’s still quite a useful barometer of “popular mid-range alternative” music, if you get my drift. However it’s not quite the same.
40 years ago, all we had was the Festive 50, Best Of Year round ups in the inkies (NME and Melody Maker) plus some half-arsed attempts in other mags and papers which never revealed anything new. There was greater crossover between the charts then as 100,000 tracks a day weren’t being released every day onto Spotify.
Now you really have to put the yards in to arrive at the list that works for you. But the effort is worth it. I’ve filed a few tracks away over the year and then listened to hundreds of tracks over November to arrive at this chart.
I’ve tried not to allow it to become dominated by one style. So there’s elements of rap, African, folk, indie, jazz, prog, country, industrial, electronica and psychedelia – in Geordie Greep’s case all in the same song. I think it’s a great list, but I would say that.
Thanks to everyone who’s supported the show over the year. I could do it without you, but I wouldn’t. Sorry if your favourite band missed out (many were called, few served) but hope you enjoy this selection.
Tracklist:
14. Dream job, Yard Act
13. Davey says, King Hannah
12. This was a gift, Florist
11. Funeral for justice, Mdou Moctar
10. Mastermind specialism, English Teacher
9. Holy, holy! Geordie Greep
8. I don’t know you, Mannequin Pussy
7. Perfect hand, This Is Lorelei
6. Keys down if you stay, Cola
5. Liberty print, Camera Obscura
4. Wristwatch, MJ Lenderman
3. Head, Claire Rousay
2. Reckless, Kassie Krut
1. Rain, Nice Biscuit