I can recall howlers on previous series, but I can only assume that the songs allocated to the couples this year are being chosen by someone on work experience who is picking things they've never actually heard. Greg and Natalie's rumba choice was the real stinker this week, but Anastasia and Brendan jiving to 'Bat Out Of Hell' came a close second … and they're coming thick and fast now. Tess 'raving' about Dave Arch using 'real dance music' for a routine the other week is rather missing the point: if the music doesn't fit the dance, what's the point?

I'm not arguing for 'super traditional' music choices - but this series must be an all time low …

They've used Bat Out Of Hell for a pro jive before (in Series 12). I don't think it's a particularly bad choice - it's (for the most part) ecccentric theatrical fast-paced grandiose rock n roll. Perfect for Hallowe'en. Anastacia was just crap at it.

In total I don't think the music choices this year have been worse than any other recently. There have been a few stinkers, but there are in every series past about Series 3. Even then nothing has stood out to me as as immediately dumb as trying to get Carol Kirkwood to rumba to "I Think I Love You" or Fiona Fullerton to do it to "World Of Our Own". The music choices have got more...eccentric generally since the big Series 8 Revamp. But I don't always mind that - sometimes it's interesting to see which pros can pull something out of the fire and which can't.

I dont think they are any worse than any other year tbh

yes, there are always going to be inappropriate songs for the dances (Zorba the Greek anyone) buy hey ho

Well my memory is too poor to remember if its actually been the worst ever or not, but it was certainly bad!

You haven't mentioned the fact we got 'Crazy In Love' for a Charleston. Great for Aleshas Cha Cha - but for the Charleston? Severely restricts your potential to 'wow' with a tune like that. Not to forget we had 'Born This Way' for a Pasa Doble. And out of the many tunes you could get for an Amerian Smooth, AJ and Claudias choice was poor. They did so well to shine as well as they did in that dance, despite it.

Spoils the enjoyment for the viewer, restricts the potential for the dancers who are left with such awful songs. I understand its Saturday night, they don't want it always to be traditional, but at least give them a tune that suits the dance.

I thought Born This Way and the rearrangement of Crazy In Love were fine for the dances as given. Judge Rinder gave his best performance yet and I don't think Louise's performance was hampered by the choice, I thought it was hampered by her being Louise. Claudia's song looked a poor choice on paper but AJ made it work with the choreography and she made it work with her performance.

The only person I'm really persuaded was significantly hurt by their music choice at all was Ore.

I'm inclined to agree and it wasn't helped by neither of the ladies being good enough dancers to redeam it I had real trouble recognising Fiona's effort as a rhumba.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. That said I do think there have been some ridiculous music choices this series!

Ore and Joanne's whole Halloween concept, song and make-up was appalling IMO.

Without doubt the music selection for this series has been the very worst ever. I don't know if there has been a change in how this sourced or the rights issues or whatever but frankly the music has been at times dreadful.

They can't find a decent piece of music for a tango to save their lives.

It has become so bad it is distracting from the performances.

I agree about Claudia and AJ - both by AJs choreography and Claudias dancing and performance, they did brilliantly - they weren't hurt by the music, they did a fabulous job despite it, that still doesn't persuade me to think it was a good choice of music for an American Smooth, particularly when there are so many choices available.

Rinder did a good job with what he had too, but no, I don't think Born This Way is a good or suitable choice for a Pasa Doble.

As for Louise, I wasn't suggesting she'd have been amazing had it not been for the music choice. I like Louise and have been waiting for her to wow me and so far she hasn't, so there is that aspect. I was speaking about the music alone, regardless who got it and I thought it was far too lack-lustre and generally not suitable at all to enable the Charleston moves to shine in it and for the dancers to reach their potential with it.

I think 2014 had the worst music choices and weirdest dance combinations

Practically any piece of music can be adapted to the correct tempo and "feeling" for any dance. Modern CDs produced for ballroom or Latin dance are very often the latest pop songs, films or tv themes,etc., but the difference is they are adapted to the right tempo etc for the dance.

The problem with Strictly is that the music is played as it is by the original artists, and not adapted version. Dave Arch is possibly told "Play XXXX which was sung by YYY" and he will copy that; instead he should be given a copy of the same song after it has been produced for DANCING, and told to copy that. More than one pro has complained that they rehearse to the correct music, only to find it is played so differently on the actual show, which isn't helpful to the celebs, or, to be honest, to those watching.

I guess I just don't understand why? It's the right tempo, it's dramatic, and Oksana choreographed in plenty of recognisable paso doble content that worked in time with the rhtyhms of the track. It fit the theme and the costumes they were performing in, so why not? Sure it's not right from the bullring, but neither were Don't Cry For Me Argentina or Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood or Thriller or Live & Let Die or Standing In The Way Of Control, all of which were used succesfully for high scoring memorable pasos in the first few series.

I'm still confused as to how anyone thought a Greek-themed 'Zorbas the Greek' was a good idea for the Argentine Tango and how anyone thought 'Stop' by the Spice Girls was a tango song goodness knows.

As ever, some of the songs choices have been out-there this year but not as 'out there' as the two above.

^ ^ Totally agree.

I'm even more confused as to how Bat Out Of Hell is somehow a bad choice for a jive? It seems pretty perfect to me!

a few weeks ago they decided to do a lot of popular songs at completely different tempos