Christmas Number One Rankings: ’10s

Singing competitions' reign at the top was over, and they'd only get three of the top tens here. The others were a mix of novelty songs, charity records and a few straightforward pop singles. So, kinda like it was in the '80s. #10. I Love Sausage Rolls- LadBaby ('19) #9. We Built This City- LadBaby …

Christmas Number One Rankings: ’00s

The '00s was the era of the singing competition Christmas number one, and half of the list is made up of these (four X Factor winners and one Popstars: The Rivals). The other half is a total mixed bag. #10. When You Believe- Leon Jackson ('07) The X Factor format was locked in at this …

Christmas Number One Rankings: ’90s

The nineties Christmas number ones are a real mixed bag. #10. Mr. Blobby- Mr. Blobby ('93) A godawful novelty song by the inexplicably popular and utterly terrifying Mr Blobby. It's irritatingly catchy (and ripped off in Lily Allen's "Alfie"), mindless crap. And every year leaves it more of a mystery as to why "Blobbymania" ran …

Christmas Number One Rankings: ’80s

Figured I'd do a few blogs where I rank all the Christmas number ones for every decade from the '80s until now. The eighties are a mix of random pop songs and deliberately "Christmassy" tracks. The quality varies greatly so let's get to it. #10: There's No One Quite Like Grandma- St Winifred's School Choir …

Film Review: Bohemian Rhapsody

By the end of this film I had tears streaming down my cheeks, and when the climactic sequence, a recreation of Queen's iconic Live Aid performance, ended I almost joined in with the onscreen applause. Basically, I loved this movie, as did WoM, who also got pretty emotional during the viewing, but as she cries …

Gig Review: Iron Maiden at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

You know you're going to get one hell of a show when Maiden are in town, and they did not disappoint last night. After a short video intro, Bruce Dickinson appeared, hunched over a smoking cauldron, a hooded robe around him. The showmanship, almost panto-like in it's playfulness at times adds to it but driving …

Random Song: Bullet With Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins

Despite growing up in the 90s I was never a massive Smashing Pumpkins fan. Their heyday was in the middle of the decade and I was more focused on football.  I heard a few of their songs and I didn't dislike the, I just wasn't captivated in the way I am by the bands I've …

Gig Review: Manic Street Preachers at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea

At the age of eleven I watched the 1997 Brit Awards and came away with three clear impressions- the Bee Gees were awesome, Geri Halliwell was a goddess and that I quite liked Welsh rock band the Manic Street Preachers. I asked for, and received, the Manics' Everything Must Go album, which was the fourth …

Twelve Thoughts About Spice World

The late '90s. Spicemania is running wild, the girls are global stars and everyone knows them. Furious debate rages over who the best Spice is (I flip flopped between Emma and Geri, finally settling on Emma). They release a movie which is part A Hard Day's Night and part crappy kids TV show. I only …

Bowie

I don't know when I first heard David Bowie, but I have a good idea that it was in my Dad's car. I think a lot of us get some pop music education from our parents and I'm lucky that my Dad had some decent taste. The Stones, Dylan and Neil Young were all artists …