I agree re the melody but the lyrics wouldn't be much on the family side. Don't think,
"Now the only thing a gambler needs, Is a suitcase and trunk, And the only time he's satisfied, Is when he's on a drunk" would go down too well with the viewers

Using the phrase 'modern music' makes me feel ancient

There is much modern music which is suitable for dances on Strictly. It's not the era it was produced that is the issue as much as whether it is suitable for the dance it is paired with. As I said earlier in the thread I'd be happy with songs that are in the charts now as long as they worked with a tango or a rhumba.

If a BBC Breakfast presenter can do the Viennese Waltz to a song about shooting up with heroin, anything's possible.

You always crack me up How could I have forgotten?

Back on the song talk, this a "modern" song - I mean modern in that it wasn't written in the nineteenth century - that was actually written in Waltz time (4x4). Why nobody used it yet is a mistery. Fast forward to 01.30 when the song actually starts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXZ6Lai_N6U

Yes I do.If they are going to judge them against ballroom dancing criteria they should give them ballroom appropriate music. If they must give them .. well lets be generous and call it 'character' music then they shoudl judge them only by entertainment value standards.

I can't have sound on right now but the song title reminds me that there are lots of waltzes in country music - I LOVE this track (written for the cheesy show Nashville) and would love to see it on SCD, especially for someone young like Jay or Georgia, because it has that indie, fresh feel: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A6SG_Xo3e38

Actually, this would be amazing for a Jay/Harry type:


Lucero -Darken My Door: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-EN7qQcHyDo


(Waltzes can be cool!)

Well if you can remember early examples you would be getting on a bit. Works described as modern music go back to WW1

I feel a little better then.

It seems much of the music is chosen because it's recent chart based. There is traditional music for specific dances that came with the formula for the dance; Viennese Waltz = Strauss for instance. But we don't get to hear it much.

Chasing a younger audience seems to take priority and they must have chart music they recognise. There is probably lots of audience research that details the preference, but like most social research it rarely varies from the assumptions made at commissioning time. Whatever the opinions, the audience numbers show the choice of music isn't doing much harm, so the regime will continue until numbers fall. Even then, the inevitable "shake up" could easily result in even worse music choices; be careful what you wish for.

Yes, you're right, a lot of country songs are in Waltz tempo and if I'm not wrong that it's due to the way American music evolved (I once watched a doc on BBC4 long time ago where that was explained IIRC). I'm no fan of country but would prefer to see a song like this that some of the nonsense they've been choosing recently.

I like having modern music on Strictly to some extent - I find a lot of the traditional music a bit boring, but a mix of styles and eras is fine with me. However I do think the choices this year have been absolutely awful at times! I don't think its fair to blame a desire to pander to young viewers with chart stuff either; I doubt many teenagers know about the Partridge Family, and even Boom Shake The Room is pretty old really. I'm not sure what using stuff like that is meant to achieve but it's not showing that they're "down with the kids"!

I enjoy all the music they choose.

There are some styles of modern music which should be avoided such as Hip Hop/Gangsta. These have too much of a fight with Ballroom & Latin in terms of rhythm & already have their own distinctive dance.

The pro's manage interesting routines to the guest singers, so modern music is fine.

A little bit of appreciation where old is mixed brilliantly with new.

Littlethings, Uptown Funk/Oldies.

Monaogg, that's amazeballs!!!! Made my day, thanks!

....

Problem for the PTB is paying for the music rights - some are really expensive. The BIG cuts in funding for the BBC affects even Strictly (Wardrobe and trousers??)

I know they need to appeal to everyone but surely there's some 'popular' classic stuff that the PTB could use where they wouldn't have to pay?

Suppose they're going for all ages in their music choices- from the 60s, to 70s to 90s to now -and including children. (Wonder what you could dance to Nellie the Elephant?)

Aww, that's brilliant. Love the ending!

Thanks for sharing

overrated singer , it was the writer who should take the credit

That's brilliant.

Helen and Aljaz drawing a tango to Hold Back The River was atrocious. Close to Carol and Pasha's rumba music in terms of inappropriateness tbh.

I agree with those that say it's subjective.
To me there are a few considerations:

Is it a well known song? and is it loved?
Is the rhythm appropriated for the dance?
Does it have highs and lows?
Does it match the style of the dance?
Does it match the couple?

Sometimes odd choices (like ghostbusters for a tango) do work because it's a well known and loved song and clever choreography can make it work. Others like Carols rumba is just ???

Personally, I would only call the BIB ones ridiculous music choices:

Iwan: Keep On Running (good song but maybe not for a Paso), Sexy & I Know It

Anthony: Wake Me Up, If You Don't Know Me By Now, Eye of the Tiger (cliched for Paso- but not ridiculous)

Daniel: Irish Eyes, Let's Misbehave, Summer Nights, Fly Me To the Moon

Ainsley: Voulez Vous (maybe not ideal for a tango, but there have been worse choices for good dancers), Don't Touch Me Tomatoes, Boogie Wonderland (It was the penguin-dancing that spoilt that- not the tune), Wonderful World, Shake Rattle & Roll

Kirsty: Vincent, Can't Touch It, He's A Tramp, Beautiful Day, This Year's Love, Bad Romance

Carol: Thunder in my Heart, Isn't It a Lovely Day, Gonna Wash That Man, Espana Cani, I've Been Lovin' You Too Long, I Think I Love You, Man I Feel Like A Woman

Jeremy: September, Happy Together, Top Hat & Tails, Splish Splash, She, Thriller, Go West, Going Underground (great song- carp theme-ing)

Kellie: You Really Got Me, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Cantina Band (Star Wars), Dream a Little Dream, One Way or Another, Harry Potter/School's Out, Love Ain't Here Anymore, Boom Boom, Shake Shake the Room

Looking at these songs- I quite like most of them, and -with the exception of Kellie- in the hands of good dancers the choices probably wouldn't have been commented on.

So- not that many "ridiculous choices" across the duffers as a whole; Iwan came off worst proportionally; one chosen by Brendan himself and I'd argue that Ainsley's best dance was to Don't Touch My Tomatoes.
But I agree with you on Kellie- but I can't help feeling that the producers were in tune with Kevin's predilections.

I actually love all the music on Strictly

How polite!