‘1997, Heaven only knows where this thing is gonna go’ – Kool and the Gang
Dad’s ‘Pick of the Year’ tapes were always a firm family favourite where he would make a compilation cassette of his favourite songs form that year. He stopped in 1992 however, when music got a bit too modern for him. It’s something over the years I’ve tried to carry on, and did for a while but, no one listens to CDs anymore and they don’t have the same impact as mp3 playlists. I’ve often thought about restarting it all from 1982 on my blog though just so I have somewhere to put them all for prosperity sake.
The first rule of POTY is DON’T TALK ABOUT PICK OF THE YEAR, sorry, that’s the illegal underground fight club i’m part of.
The first rule of POTY is that you can only pick songs that charted in the top 75 in the UK. The second rule of POTY is that you can only pick enough songs that would fit onto an old C120 cassette (between 30-40 tracks). The final rule, one which I’ve imposed myself, is that you must include that year’s Christmas number 1 (highlighted in green)
- DJ Quicksilver – Bellisima
- Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
- Elton John – Something About The Way You Look Tonight
- Will Smith – Men in Black
- Spice Girls – Spice Up Your Life
- Hanson – Mmmbop
- LL Cool J – Phemonenon
- Gala – Freed From Desire
- Boyz II Men – 4 Seasons of Lonliness
- Spice Girls – Who Do You Think You Are
- En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (Love)
- No Doubt – Don’t Speak
- Oasis – D’You Know What I Mean
- Various – Perfect Day
- Todd Terry – Something Goin’ On
- Janet Jackson – Got Til It’s Gone
- Fun Lovin Criminals – Scooby Snacks
- Chumbawamba – Tubthumping
- Hanson – Where’s the Love
- R Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly
- Blur – On Your Own
- Robbie Williams – Angels
- Ulra Nate – Free
- Blackstreet – Don’t Leave Me
- Meredith Brooks – Bitch
- All Saints – I Know Where It’s At
- Peter Andre – All About Us
- Janet Jackson – Together Again
- All Saints – Never Ever
- Kula Shaker – Hush
- Michael Jackson – Blood on the Dance Floor
- Dario G – Sunchyme
- Puff Daddy – I’ll Be Missing You
- Verve – Bittersweet Symphony
- Texas – Black Eyed Boy
- PF Project – Choose Life
- Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work
- Notorious BIG – Mo Money Mo Problems
- Rosie Gaines – Closer than Close
- Texas – Say What You Want
- Pacebo – Nancy Boy
- Sash – Encore Une Fois
- Spice Girls – Too Much
- Blue Boy – Remember Me
- White Town – Your Woman
- Do Doubt – Just A Girl
- Verve – Lucjy Man