[mushymanrob]

huh, work being slack in the snow n ice, thought id chuck out another year for appraisal, using my own personal chart as a guide...

mid 90's, an interesting time as britpop was at its peak, old skool dance was on the decline as trance started to become popular. this was the last year that guitar bands were predominant before my liking for dance took over.

all time favs

1. Echobelly - Dark therapy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJRfuxxDxSk
absolutely love this track, beautifully sung by sonya madan.

2. Oasis - Dont look back in anger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8OipmKFDeM
generic? yeah but when its done right, like this, its still a fantastic anthemic pop track.

3. Bluetones - Marbelhead johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts-NtP-euKI
superb riff, indie music at its best imho.

4. Chicane - Offshore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltpCS5P0zCw
a lovely bit of ambient trance...


good

5. Supergrass - Going out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yoik35NtFPI
one of britpops best acts.

6. Trick Baby - Indie yarn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWLT_Kk_9E
indian indie/dance/bollywood act... how strange.

7. Cher - One by one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGOCpgoINfM
imho her best track.

8. Cast - Sandstorm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ka5FmODRA


9. BBE - 7Days and one week
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgYi-fmi9tk
a very successful french/italian trance act.

10. Olive - Youre not alone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkg7Ozu0pH8

11. Space - Neighbourhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tUq_uze_rY


12. Stretch and Verne Ft Maddog - Im alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk0-vtvIZVA
sampling earth wind and fires 'boogie wonderland', but it works well here.

13. Space - The female of the speciese
14. Cast - Flying
15. East 17 with Gabrielle - If you ever
16. Jeremy Healy and Amos - Stomp

liked

17. Cardigans - Love fool
18. Bluetones - Slight return
19. Connells - 74 75
20. Cast - Walk away
21. Blur - Charmless man
22. Lisa Marie Experiance - Keep on jumping
23. Dubstar - Im not so manic now
24. George Michael - Jesus to a child
25. Robert Miles - Children
26. Faithless - Insomnia
27. Los Del Rio - Macarena
28. Babylon Zoo - Spaceman
29. Luniz - I got 5 on it
30. Garbage - Stupid girl
31. Prodigy - Firestarter
32. Suggs - Cecelia
33. Louise - Naked
34. Prodigy - Breathe
35. Sneaker Pimps - Six underground
36. Fun Loving Criminals - Scooby snacks
37. Wanadies - The you and me song
38. Manic Street Preachers - A design for life
39. Ocean Colour Scene - Riverboat song
40. Gina G - Oh ah just a little bit
41. Alanis Morrisette - Ironic
42. Baddiel Skinner and the Lightening Seeds - Three lions
43. Kula Shaker - Tatva
44. Spice Girls - Wannabe
45. OMC - How bizarre
46. Robbie Williams - Freedom
47. Dodgy - Good enough
48. Sheryl Crowe - If it makes you happy
49. Woolpackers - Hillbilly rock hillbilly roll
50. Kula Shaker - Govinda
51. Mark Owen - Child
52. Spice Girls - Two become one

[thinkofmusic]

Nice list, think I'd move a few of them about but I agree. A pretty good year. I remember really getting into music for the first time around this time. (Me being 13 at the time)

--
thinkofmusic.com

[mushymanrob]

no one got any views on 1996?

[Mallaha]

I was 16, and remember it being a good year for me - I know I was going to lots of gigs at the time. I think that was the year I saw Shed Seven, Mansun and Echobelly, among others. Britpop was still big, although it was maturing and moving away from what I liked best.

My memory for what came out when is shocking though, the best I can normally do is "mid-90s".

[Grabid Rannies]

I lost interest in the charts in about 1992, stopped collecting the Now's also. 1996 renewed my interest in popular music, in particular Garbage Stupid Girl, Suede Trash, Donna Lewis I Love You Always Forever, and several others

[royllsroyce]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBagEzbFYPI

96 was a fantastic year for music. But in some ways it was also the beginning of the end. The Spice Girls launched and record companies learned they could make a fast buck out of boybands, girlbands etc. Woolworths decided to do the 99p single of the week come 97 / 98 and the charts weren't really the same again after that. Still some great songs coming out, but the nature of chart music changed between 97 - 02. I think it was 99 / 2000 that had like 52 number 1's or something ridicules lol.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZI3luVUN8E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVfwYIvixjo

you can see the variety starting to disperse there.

[GreatGodPan]

Originally Posted by mushymanrob

no one got any views on 1996?

It wasn't as good as '66!

[JohnnyForget]

Originally Posted by GreatGodPan

It wasn't as good as '66!

This ^^

[mushymanrob]

Originally Posted by GreatGodPan

It wasn't as good as '66!

agreed...66 was my fav year!

[Coen]

No idea what was going on in the charts in 1996, but it was the year that DJ Shadow released Endtroducing - so a great year indeed!

[Fizzee Rascal]

Tricky released Nearly God as well.

[hallowxmas448]

Fantastic year..great memories..I still play alot of them tunes you hit upon. But what about omd's walking on the milkyway? Classic tune if you were ever in a pub and it came on..

[Billy Hicks]

Probably my second favourite musical year ever after 1999. Too many classics to mention but the Britpop and dance in particular was top notch

[tortfeasor]

I like a lot of music from 1996 though some of it grew on me over time! It was, on reflection, a great year.

I can actually pick a favourite song of the year (a rarity for me) from 1996: Spacehog - In The Meantime
I've listened to this track so many times and never tire of it. However, I can't pinpoint why I like it so much.

Closely behind is definitely 'One & One' by Robert Miles ft. Maria Nayler. She has a distinct voice, his sound was so distinctive at the time and it is an infectious little number. I love 'Children' too but this

Other favourites from 1996 - some of which have already been mentioned - include:

Cher - One By One (a top tune and cover version). I only realised when looking on Youtube one day that the UK had a different single/radio mix from that of the US: I think we had the better deal!

Bluetones - Slight Return

Gusto - Disco's Revenge - now here'a a classic dance track!

Dubstar - Stars - one of my favourite ambient tracks.

Cast - Walkaway - what a tune!

Fugees - Fu-Gee-La - 'The Score' is one of the best albums recorded in the last 20 years. I don't think 'Fu-Gee-La' gets the attention it so often deserves though.

Presidents of the USA - Peaches - it's a quirky song, which appeals to my sense of humour, but underrated.

Ocean Colour Scene - The Day We Caught The Train. I still think this sounds as good as the day I first heard it.

Space - Female of the Species. Ditto! 'Frankenstein and Dracula have nothing on you, Jekyll and Hyde join the back of the queue.'

Space - Me and You Versus the World. Another great track from the 'Spiders' album. So distinctly British to have a song begin with the lyrics 'I first met you hanging knickers on the line.'

Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun - it sounded so new at the time.

Fun Lovin' Criminals - Scooby Snacks.

Donna Lewis - I Love You Always Forever - not surprising that it was a big hit in the USA as well as UK. Apparently held off topping the Billboard Hot 100 by 'Macarena.'

BBE - Seven Days and One Week

Suede - Beautiful Ones & Trash. Excellent songs.

Michael Jackson - Stranger in Moscow
- Despite being a big MJ fan during the 'Bad' and 'Dangerous' eras, I really didn't like a lot of the singles from HIStory at the time. I still don't think much of 'Earth Song' but I didn't mind 'Stranger in Moscow' at the time and now it's one of my favourites.

Simply Red - Never Never Love - My favourite Simply Red song.

Lighthouse Family - Goodbye Heartbreak - The album this came from was overplayed in my house at the time but I still think this is one of the best songs of the 90s.

George Michael - The Strangest Thing - A remixed version, which I'm not so keen on, was released as a single in 1997 but the original album version from the Older album was a track I certainly listened to a lot in 1996, and have done since.

And now...

My guilty pleasure from 1996: Tony Rich Project - Nobody Knows

[mushymanrob]

Originally Posted by hallowxmas448

Fantastic year..great memories..I still play alot of them tunes you hit upon. But what about omd's walking on the milkyway? Classic tune if you were ever in a pub and it came on..

post some vids up of your favs

[mushymanrob]

Originally Posted by tortfeasor

I like a lot of music from 1996 though some of it grew on me over time! It was, on reflection, a great year.

I can actually pick a favourite song of the year (a rarity for me) from 1996: Spacehog - In The Meantime
I've listened to this track so many times and never tire of it. However, I can't pinpoint why I like it so much.

Closely behind is definitely 'One & One' by Robert Miles ft. Maria Nayler. She has a distinct voice, his sound was so distinctive at the time and it is an infectious little number. I love 'Children' too but this

Other favourites from 1996 - some of which have already been mentioned - include:

Cher - One By One (a top tune and cover version). I only realised when looking on Youtube one day that the UK had a different single/radio mix from that of the US: I think we had the better deal!

Bluetones - Slight Return

Gusto - Disco's Revenge - now here'a a classic dance track!

Dubstar - Stars - one of my favourite ambient tracks.

Cast - Walkaway - what a tune!

Fugees - Fu-Gee-La - 'The Score' is one of the best albums recorded in the last 20 years. I don't think 'Fu-Gee-La' gets the attention it so often deserves though.

Presidents of the USA - Peaches - it's a quirky song, which appeals to my sense of humour, but underrated.

Ocean Colour Scene - The Day We Caught The Train. I still think this sounds as good as the day I first heard it.

Space - Female of the Species. Ditto! 'Frankenstein and Dracula have nothing on you, Jekyll and Hyde join the back of the queue.'

Space - Me and You Versus the World. Another great track from the 'Spiders' album. So distinctly British to have a song begin with the lyrics 'I first met you hanging knickers on the line.'

Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun - it sounded so new at the time.

Fun Lovin' Criminals - Scooby Snacks.

Donna Lewis - I Love You Always Forever - not surprising that it was a big hit in the USA as well as UK. Apparently held off topping the Billboard Hot 100 by 'Macarena.'

BBE - Seven Days and One Week

Suede - Beautiful Ones & Trash. Excellent songs.

Michael Jackson - Stranger in Moscow
- Despite being a big MJ fan during the 'Bad' and 'Dangerous' eras, I really didn't like a lot of the singles from HIStory at the time. I still don't think much of 'Earth Song' but I didn't mind 'Stranger in Moscow' at the time and now it's one of my favourites.

Simply Red - Never Never Love - My favourite Simply Red song.

Lighthouse Family - Goodbye Heartbreak - The album this came from was overplayed in my house at the time but I still think this is one of the best songs of the 90s.

George Michael - The Strangest Thing - A remixed version, which I'm not so keen on, was released as a single in 1997 but the original album version from the Older album was a track I certainly listened to a lot in 1996, and have done since.

And now...

My guilty pleasure from 1996: Tony Rich Project - Nobody Knows

good to see us agreeing on some tracks there! nice list...except for..

the lighthouse family! god how i hate their dreary miserable music!

[PJ1893]

Originally Posted by tortfeasor

Donna Lewis - I Love You Always Forever - not surprising that it was a big hit in the USA as well as UK. Apparently held off topping the Billboard Hot 100 by 'Macarena.'

Michael Jackson - Stranger in Moscow
- Despite being a big MJ fan during the 'Bad' and 'Dangerous' eras, I really didn't like a lot of the singles from HIStory at the time. I still don't think much of 'Earth Song' but I didn't mind 'Stranger in Moscow' at the time and now it's one of my favourites.

I think Stranger in Moscow is a real underrated MJ song. It's beautiful.

And I adore that Donna Lewis song. It still sounds great today.

[Ollie_h19]

1996 is one of my absolute favourite years. Space released Female of the Species and the 'Spiders' album, Oasis were massive, and I was discovering the joys of Britpop.

Chris Evans was doing Radio 1 breakfast and TFI Friday and of course, even though I'm not into Football, Euro 96 was huge, and of course gave us '3 Lions'.

[Adamsk]

Yes 1995 and 1996 was great.

[AdamDowds]

Was only 3 years old but I like what I know of the music of 1996.

One of my favourite Pet Shop Boys albums, the latin-tinged Bilingual came out in 96. Including the single Se a Vida E

Also not mentioned, the Beautiful South - Rotterdam and Don't Marry Her. The peak of their output (besides Perfect 10) IMO. As well as Mark Morrison's Return of the Mack and Scooter's cover of Rebel Yell.

[Ads]

Was 1996 when we had that glorious long summer which we have never come to close to matching? It might have been 1995.

[mushymanrob]

Originally Posted by Ads

Was 1996 when we had that glorious long summer which we have never come to close to matching? It might have been 1995.

95.... but there were better summer prior to that... but only 06 comes close since. oh and 03, but 03 was a late summer.

[Theshane]

Originally Posted by Ads

Was 1996 when we had that glorious long summer which we have never come to close to matching? It might have been 1995.

I seem to remember 1995 being a scorcher.
Glorious sunshine and great records from the likes of Suede, Teenage Fanclub, Blur, Oasis, Stone Roses, Pulp, Boo Radleys, Radiohead, Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, The Verve, Underworld, Ash, and many many more.
Every week there seemed to be a classic released. Music in 95 and 96 was so awesome even the Beatles got back together to be a part of it.

[tortfeasor]

Originally Posted by mushymanrob

good to see us agreeing on some tracks there! nice list...except for..

the lighthouse family! god how i hate their dreary miserable music!

Indeed, to the first part of your quote (BiB)! I'm resigned to the fact that I'm in a minority of people who like some of the Lighthouse Family's stuff. I emphasise the word some because I'm not too keen on quite a few of the big singles: I could do without hearing 'Lifted' again that's for sure!

As for good summers, 1995 was definitely the really good one though I seem to remember 1994 and 1996 had more than their share of warm days too.

[MayfairBlue]

OP, I've reached haven! 1996, I was in my element - and this was one of the times of which I loved my music!

Will post some youtube links a little later on tonight - watch this space!