Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
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Music Quiz: Trivial Twenty—Music
We’ve finished working through Grammy winners – well done on staying with us. This week’s challenge also has a Grammy…
Sex Pistols: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
The Sex Pistols weren’t the first punk band to release an album – The Ramones beat them by 18 months.…
10 Best Rich Mullins Songs
Rich Mullins is known for the gimmicky CCM hit ‘Awesome God’. But that’s an unfair reputation – dig deeper, and…
The Look by Roxette
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 The Look by Roxette Topped the NZ chart for 3 (non-consecutive) weeks from 7…
Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (2010s)
As even more logic would dictate, we’re now up to the 2010s Grammy winners. I found this one a…
The 1975: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
The members of The 1975 met at Wilmslow High School in their teens, playing at gigs organised by a local…
New Music Reviews: The Beths and Anna Tivel
This week, we have confessional power pop from NZ’s The Beths and socially conscious folk from Portland’s Anna Tivel. Enjoy!…
Nuggets II: I’m Just A Mops by The Mops
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (2000s)
As logic would dictate, we’re now up to the 2000s Grammy winners. I suspect many of us will find…
10 Best Albums of 2021
I think it’s cheating to publish a best albums list during the year in question – like, what if the…
New Music Reviews: Jens Lekman, Margo Price, and Kerry Logan
Music from three different continents this week: Jens Lekman Songs for Other People’s Weddings 2025, 8.5/10 On my first album…
Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna Topped the NZ chart for…
Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (1990s)
Last week, we looked at 1980s Grammy winners. This week, it’s the 1990s’ turn. I scored 9 I missed…
10 Best Bic Runga Songs
Bic Runga was born in 1976, the youngest daughter of a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer and a Maori ex-serviceman. While…
Ranking Big Thief’s Albums
On this site, I have a list of my favourite album for every year from 1963 to the present. The…
Nuggets II: Why Don’t You Smile Now by Downliners Sect
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (1980s)
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you identify the 10 album-of-the-year Grammy winners from the 1980s? I was…
ABBA: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
In November 2021, ABBA released their ninth studio album Voyage. It was the Swedish quartet’s first studio album in almost…
New Music Reviews: Cass McCombs, Alex G, and Erika de Casier
Cass McCombs might be the best singer-songwriter operating at the moment. Alex G’s ‘Afterlife’ might be my favourite song of…
The Ketchup Song(Aserejé) by Las Ketchup
Every New Zealand #1 single… 4 The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) by Las Ketchup Topped the NZ chart for 10 weeks…
Music Quiz: 50 Solo Artists…Fast and Fatal!
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week’s challenge is simple, but requires speed – you need to answer…
Pink Floyd Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
Formed by London architecture students in 1964, Pink Floyd are one of the most beloved classic rock bands. Stadium-rock blockbusters like Dark…
Nuggets II: Nothin’ by Ugly Ducklings
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
New Music Reviews: Hayley Williams, Wolf Alice, and William Tyler
Paramore’s Hayley Williams and London’s Wolf Alice continue to make high-class pop Meanwhile, Nashville’s William Tyler creates exploratory guitar instrumentals.…
Music Quiz: Just Music Duos
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week, your challenge is to identify duos. I scored 22/25 –…
Talk Talk’s Best Album: The Colour of Spring
Talk Talk‘s career trajectory is one of the most fascinating in rock music – over the course of a decade…
I Shot the Sheriff by Warren G
Every New Zealand #1 single… 7 I Shot the Sheriff by Warren G Topped the NZ chart for 2 weeks…
10 Best Ben Folds Five Songs
Ben Folds had been trying to break into the music industry for years when he formed Ben Folds Five with…
Music Quiz: Birds in Song Titles
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week, you need to complete song titles with birds. I scored…
The Beach Boys: Ten Best Albums (that aren't Pet Sounds)
For some bands, it’s fun to argue what their best album is. Do you prefer Abbey Road, Revolver, or Sgt.…
Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Kathleen Edwards: Albums Ranked
Kathleen Edwards was born in Ottawa, but a diplomat’s daughter, she grew up in Korea and Switzerland. She learned the…
Music Quiz: Not Only… But Also: Mega-Selling Albums
I’ve been hiking in the wilderness this week, so I can’t report back on last week’s results – last time…
10 Best Albums of 2022
Even in 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic still looms large over popular music. Many of these albums were affected by events…
Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups Topped the NZ chart for 2 weeks…
Music Quiz: Lego Album Covers Quiz
Welcome back for quiz time. This week, your challenge I scored 19/20, which was pretty good as there are…
Steely Dan Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
Steely Dan released a string of quality records in the 1970s that blurred the lines between rock and jazz. They…
New Music Reviews: Florence Adooni, Springsteen, and Caroline
Three different continents this week. We conclude our Springsteen marathon with Perfect World, the rock album of the set. Ghana’s…
Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Every New Zealand #1 single… 7 Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Topped the NZ chart for 6 weeks…
Music Quiz: Lego Album Covers Quiz
Can you identify these Lego album covers? It’s pretty tough – the average is 43%. One album cover is hard…
Wild Horses by Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout‘s terrific 1990 album, Jordan: The Comeback, features a song named ‘Wild Horses’. It’s about an older gentleman’s unsavoury…
New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Dijon, and Bieber
It’s a strong week, with the best record from Springsteen’s Tracks II and Justin Bieber’s most palatable record (I assume!).…
Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Complete the 2000s Song Title… With a Picture
Can you complete the 2000s song title with a picture? Most people smashed the 1950s quiz, but I imagine this…
10 Best Marshall Crenshaw Songs
Detroit’s Marshall Crenshaw started playing the guitar at age ten. At high school he started the band Astigfa – an…
New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Addison Rae, and Tyler, the Creator
This might be the worst collection of album art I’ve ever featured in this column. Addison Rae’s debut has passable…
Footloose by Kenny Loggins
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 Footloose by Kenny Loggins Topped the NZ chart for 4 weeks from 3 June…
Music Quiz: Complete the 1950s Song Title… With a Picture
Can you complete the 1950s song title with a picture? I’m less versed in 1950s music than most of my…
10 Best Replacements Songs
In the 1980s hair-metal and synth-infusions represented the mainstream of rock, and a scrappy rock ‘n roll band from Minneapolis…
Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Have I The Right? by The Honeycombs
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 Have I The Right? by The Honeycombs Topped the NZ chart for 3 weeks…
Music Quiz: Complete the Album Name… With a Picture II
Can you complete the album name with a picture? Big Black aren’t featured this week – I thought my guess…
XTC: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
Swindon’s XTC formed in the early 1970s, initially playing glam rock. The original band featured singer/guitarist Andy Partridge, singer/bassist Colin…
New Music Reviews: Hotline TNT, Springsteen, and Stereolab
This week Hotline TNT go power pop, Springsteen goes country, and Stereolab keep on sounding like Stereolab. Read on for…
Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Complete the Band Name… With a Picture II
I featured the first quiz in this series back in 2018 – here’s part 2. Your challenge is to complete…
Ten Favourite Music Producers
The role of a music producer can be difficult to define as it can vary widely. Some are limited to…
New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Wet Leg, and Edwyn Collins
This week we have missives from New Jersey, the Isle of Man, and the Scottish highlands. Read on for details……
Easy On Me by Adele
Every New Zealand #1 single… 4 Easy on Me by Adele Topped the NZ chart for 6 (non-consecutive) weeks from…
Music Quiz: Complete the Song Titles II
It’s another speed test this week. You have just 30 seconds to complete 10 hybrid song titles with a link…
10 Worst Song Lyrics of All Time
Unless you’re Leonard Cohen or Gil-Scott Heron, lyrics in popular music are a secondary concern. Normally I’m happy to bop…
New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Arcade Fire, and Black Country, New Road
A couple of bands are in tough spots in this week’s column. Black Country, New Road lost their lead singer…
Folkways: A Vision Shared—A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly
CBS released Folkways: A Vision Shared—A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly in 1988. It accompanied a documentary of the…
Music Quiz: Wikipedia Image Blitz
Not asking for much of your time this week – you have just 45 seconds to link six bands to…
Billy Joel Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
I spent my teenage years enamoured by the pop tunes of Billy Joel. Joel has a touch of show-tune about…
New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Sault, and Little Simz
This week, it’s the boss, the complainant, and the defendant. Bruce Springsteen recently dropped seven albums at once – let’s…
Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Aerosmith Picture Click
This week, can you complete Aerosmith song titles by selecting an image? I’m not a big Aerosmith guy, but…
10 Best Neil Diamond Songs
Neil Leslie Diamond is adored by mature women and ironically enjoyed by sports crowds singing ‘Sweet Caroline’. Indoctrinated at an…
I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) by Meat Loaf
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) by Meat Loaf Topped…
Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Badly Explained Rock Bands
This week’s challenge is to identify bands by their (not particularly helpful) descriptions. I scored 15/15, but I did…
Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs Albums Ranked
Natalie Merchant recently released her sixth solo album, Keep Your Courage. It’s a good opportunity to revisit her catalogue. On…
New Music Reviews: Real Lies, These New Puritans, and Lorde
We’re sticking in Mother England and her colonies this week. Enjoy the urban narratives of Real Lies, the art-rock of…
I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles Topped the NZ chart for…
Music Quiz: Who didn’t start the fire?
This week’s challenge is to sort historical events by which version of ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ they appeared in.…
Jimmy Webb: Five Best Albums
Jimmy Webb enjoyed a sterling career as a songwriter in the 1960s – his website bills him as “America’s Songwriter”,…
New Music Reviews: HAIM, Ezra Furman, and The Mars Volta
Hopefully there’s something for everyone – the smooth pop/rock of California’s HAIM, Ezra Furman’s intense psychedelia, and The Mars Volta’s…
Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Who sang it first?
I’m finally unleashed on the world again, consistently able to compete in these quizzes. Here’s one about the original versions…
10 Best Jimi Hendrix Songs
James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle. After his discharge from the army he became a musician, spending years gigging…
10 Best Bangles Songs
The Bangles’ work has two facets. There’s the 1960s garage rock sound of their early singles and reunion work. And…
Mississippi by Pussycat
Every New Zealand #1 single… 1 Mississippi by Pussycat Topped the NZ chart for 11 weeks from 19 March 1976…
Music Quiz: Hide Your X,Y, and Z albums
There might be one final outtakes quiz, but we’ve reached the end of the alphabet. There aren’t many famous X,Y,…
10 Best Straitjacket Fits Songs
Of the indie guitar bands proffered by Dunedin’s Flying Nun label in the 1980s, Straitjacket Fits were the most likely…
New Music Reviews: Richard Dawson and Deafheaven
We have music from both sides of the pond this week. There’s folk from Richard Dawson and blackgaze from Deafheaven.…
Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Songs Containing Lists
This quiz is fun – it might be the only Sporcle quiz to feature Julie Andrews and Lou Bega together.…
Jessie Ware: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
Jessie Ware is the UK’s most likeable pop star. She’s charming where other mainstream acts leave me cold. Ware has…
10 Best Bread Songs
Bread struck AM gold in the early 1970s, with a sentimental string of soft-rock hits written by David Gates. David…
Here Comes the Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Here Comes the Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze Topped the NZ chart for 5 non-consecutive…
Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke
The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the…
Music Quiz: Hide Your ‘W’ Albums
We’re almost through the entire alphabet – X, Y, and Z will be together (although I haven’t started making that…
10 Best Joni Mitchell Songs after 1980
Joni Mitchell peaked in the 1970s with a terrific sequence of albums, particularly from 1971’s Blue to 1976’s Hejira. But…
