So forget that. (But if you’re curious, Charts All Over The World is a great - and very thorough - list of links to every chart you could think of.) I started just poking around chart sites and came across the BBC Radio 1 Indie Singles Chart (as compiled by The Official UK Charts Company).
It’s more interesting than I would’ve expected, mostly because it reminds me of something I wonder about from time to time. What exactly does ‘indie’ mean? It should, and used to, mean music that has been recorded/released by independent record labels, right? But - just like ‘pop’ used to be short for ‘popular’ and is now the label for things that sound like Britney Spears - ‘indie’ is now used as if it refers to a genre. I’m not complaining about this - I studied linguistic crap, I understand that definitions shift over time - but it is an oddity and one that seems to follow a cycle. ‘Indie’ (under the genre-definition) would, I suppose, include both Bright Eyes and Bloc Party although they sound nothing alike and have nothing to do with each other. Likewise, ‘punk’ (back in the day) referred to both The Sex Pistols and Television - not because they shared a sound exactly but because they came from the same movement. What exactly was ‘alternative’ in the 90s and, if it was a genre, how can something stop being ‘alternative’?
Anyway, that’s all more complicated than that and it doesn’t even really matter, it’s just something I find interesting. I started thinking about it when I noticed that the Indie Singles Chart follows (as one would expect for something based on sales) independent labels and I was struck by the variety of styles on it, which I hadn’t expected. Let’s have a look-see, shall we? (Some YouTube links provided so you can join in the fun.)
First, we’ve got a whole bunch of dance / techno / drum and bass stuff (Samim, Influx UK, Hi-Tack, Frederico Franchi, a Bob Marley remix, and others) which is not the kind of thing I know anything about. I couldn’t tell you if it’s good or not, I just wanted to point out that it’s there.
There’s some emo-y stuff on the list: Motion City Soundtrack’s “This Is For Real” (#22) and Fightstar’s “We Apologize For Nothing” (#1!). Isn’t Fightstar the band that has that guy that used to be in some boy band? Or something like that. I hate to be too snobby but, to me, these songs sound exactly like everything else that sounds like this. There’s Nightwish’s “Amaranth” (#11) which I’m not afraid to be snobby about - this faux-goth metal stuff is just silly and it takes itself too damn seriously. Speaking of which, what is up with this Aiden person? One Love is at #13 - is there anyone else that’s watched this video and wondered if it’s some joke they don’t get?
Then there’s the indie as I’d expect (indie in this case being a genre - see how it’s confusing?) - Iwasacubscout’s “Our Smallest Adventures” (#27 - a very pleasant song) and This City’s “Romantic” (#26), for example.
And the indie bands that are already established favorites: Maximo Park’s “Girls Who Play Guitars” (#20), The Go! Team’s “Doing It Right” (#10), and
#18 Bonde Do Role - Solta O Frango
And the reissues, some pretty good ones this week: Elvis’ “My Baby Left Me” (#8), and
#5 T.Rex - Metal Guru
But my favorites are sort of random:
#24 Carbon/Silicon - The Magic Suitcase
I didn’t know this was around, Mick Jones (The Clash) and Tony James (Generation X) working together. And it’s quite lovely - it sounds a bit like a milder, sing-song-y Clash.
#7 Reverend And The Makers - He Said He Loved Me
Opinion seems to be divided on whether Reverend And The Makers are any good, but I like this song at least. I don’t know what the rest of their album is like but this is catchy, energetic, and just a little bit different.
#9 Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - The Beat That My Heart Skipped
This is definitely my big prize in all this chart insanity. I’d never heard of these guys before and loved this track immediately. Part spoken word, part rap, part GoldieLookinChain without the absurdity - definitely a pair to keep your eye on.
An there you have it - a failed attempt at a post, a bit of rambling nonsense, and some great songs. What more could you want?
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September 29, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Mr. Beer N. Hockey
In the summer of ‘77 Dillinger’s “Cocaine” was number one in Holland if I remember right. The government had banned it so naturally…. It was not such a hit where it was not forbidden.