Only three weeks left in this round of Bracketology!

Oh, and I hope you like '90s music, because there's quite a bit this week!




WEEK 30

A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 0
1930s: 0
1940s: 0
1950s: 4
1960s: 3
1970s: 6
1980s: 4
1990s: 11
2000s: 4

Also of note:
Two brackets from the Chopin bloc


Here are this week's brackets. Remember, you can also view the brackets on this site. Voting is now open, and you have until 11:59 PM Pacific time on this upcoming Saturday to vote. Vote either in this thread or e-mail me.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
#247: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
#266: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
#759: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
#778: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
Two of my favorites from the 1977-1981 era. Not a big MMMBop fan.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970] - mellow and wonderful
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998] - not my favorite band
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
The first two in this bracket are superb.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
Not my favorite bracket.


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
#759: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
#778: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
#247: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
#266: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
Top three in this bracket are top-notch.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
Not my favorite bloc this week.


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
I think that this is the strongest bracket top to bottom this week.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]

MMMBop is better than I remembered, but nothing very exciting, while Don't You Want Me is one of those exceptions, songs which have everything I usually hate but turn it into something awesome

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]

No competition here, my dear BBoys wins it with the greatest margin of this week. I've never liked shoegaze (with the notable exception of Ride) but I could not even listen to Marty whole song

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]

My favourite Beatles song easily beats one of my favourite 50s song

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]

I've only found Praise You incredibly cute and gentle. And it's hard to forget that great video !

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
Only one song I really enjoy, I like the funniest Happy Mondays songs much more

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]

One of the hugest hip-hop tracks of the last decade vs an era-defining classic, tough choice but right now I'd rather listen to Jay-Z. I could live without the other two

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]

Very very tough bracket, nothing to even slightly dislike here.

How many weeks are in the first round?

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
2: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
3: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
4: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
2: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
3: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]
4: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
2: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
3: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
4: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]


TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
2: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
3: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
4: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959] (I'm kind of surprised this isn't in the top 500)
2: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
3: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
4: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
1: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
2: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
3: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
4: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1: "Jet" - Wings [1973]
2: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
3: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
4: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]



CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
3: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
4: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
One of the best power pop songs, some of the more notable lyrics. I'd love to rank this #1, but it happens to be against Alison.
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
Like the vintage rock n roll sound, but the stutter-singing is just as off putting as when Elvis does it.
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
Another one of those "…really?" inclusions on the list. I think the band is over-hated. At least they sing with their own voices and play their own instruments. They're the only one of the 90's boy bands that actually qualify as *musicians*. But really they're just above average pop with Sesame-Street-ready lyrics.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
This is the song I most closely associate with My Bloody Valentine. It's beautiful formlessness, it's ability to be rough and flowing at the same time. Just a great song that no other song has managed to sound like.
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]
I like the latin guitar. The vocals are a bit too neutral.
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
At this point in their career the Beastie Boys didn't have that whine-voice that annoys me anymore, but this is one of their songs that just kind of drones on monotonically.
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
James Taylor, one of the more successful lobotamies ever performed.



CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
The song that proves to Beatles fans that George deserved more songs on the albums. Yet another Beatles song that will almost certainly advance. It goes to show, you can argue Beatles aren't the greatest rock band ever, but it's hard to argue they didn't write more of the greatest rock songs ever than any other band.
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
Fun, uncorked. Possibly the best song ever written by a murderer.
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
Good melodic 60's rock.
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]
I think Crow's early stuff is gravely underrated. Particularly her first two albums, but Globe Sessions was way better than it ever got credit for. (And then it's failure made her afraid to take risks.) However, this particular Crow song is in a really strong bracket, so it gets #4.


TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
Praise You is an example of the *right* way to sample. Make the samples sound like something different from their original context, and make it sound seamless.
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
An awesome funk song that doesn't sound much different from most of George Clinton's other awesome funk songs.
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
I don't think this is one of the better songs on Ray Of Light. Frozen and Power of Goodbye are much stronger and they're the ones that deserve to be here. But, it's still a good song.
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
One of those 'I am awesome' marketing oriented rap songs with a really obnoxious chorus. Only Snoop Dogg saves it from complete awfulness.


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
#778: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
Radiohead at their experimental weirdest and moodiest.
#266: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
Great pop song. Unfortunately became better remembered for Missy Elliot's butchering of it.
#759: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
I like it, but it never really impresses like the first two.
#247: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
I like the mood, but it's way to kitschy.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
Criminally underappreciated.
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
One of the most emotionally tender songs ever written. Nobody sings like Antony. (Nobody tries to.) The entire I Am A Bird Now album is incredibly unique.
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
Probably the Chemical Brothers' best.
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
Good 60's pop.




MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
Awesome rap song. The only problem is the lyrics are a little crassly macho. But, obviously it doesn't bother me that much if I'm putting it over Unfinished Sympathy.
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
One of those songs with perfect production that hits all the moody and emotional notes perfectly.
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
Good song but outclassed in this bracket.
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]
Paul's songs sound so empty after what he accomplished in the Beatles.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
The song that launched him from stardom to superstardom was also prophetic about the course of his public life. He didn't take his strong advise, 'Just remember to always think twice', and just like in the song, the sensational media-fantasy world turned accusation into fact.
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
One of their strongest singles.
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
God song.
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
One of the most self-aggrandizing movies of all time spawned a pretty good song.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
2. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
3. "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
4. "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]

Tough top 2 here. And while I don't hate all teeny-pop, I never got "MMMBop" as being anything of import, whether they wrote it or not.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
2. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
3. "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]
4. "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]

My head tells me "Soon", but my heart (and my ass) tell me "Intergalactic". And I cannot STAND James Taylor.


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
2. "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
3. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
4. "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]

3 very good songs, but I'm gonna have to go with the 1-hit wonder here. "All I Wanna Do" is possibly the most irritating of all Sheryl Crow's hits...it always annoyed me how it so blatantly ripped "Stuck In The Middle With You" (which is also annoying).


TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
2. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
3. "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
4. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]

WOW, what a great bracket, and all 4 of 'em floor-fillers. "Flash Light" is one of my Top 30 tracks ever (that synth-bass riff is magnificently funky), but all 3 of the rest would've topped many a bracket elsewhere.


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
2. "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
3. "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
4. "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]

Amazingly, this may be even better than the previous bracket. All 4 of these are either in or just barely outside my Top 1000 songs ever. You know it's tough when "Shaft" comes in last. :(

In the end, Radiohead's most perfect masterpiece just beats Brubeck's signature piece. And poor Ann Peebles....


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
2. "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
3. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
4. "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]

Easier bracket here -- one great song, one very good, one good but overplayed, and one rather crappy and dated.


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
2. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
3. "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
4. "Jet" - Wings [1973]

2 great decade-defining singles, a very good R.E.M. hit, and one of the more annoying Wings hits (and I'm sort of a sucker for Wings).


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2. "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
3. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
4. "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]

Easy win for the King of Pop here, with New Order creating distance between 3 and 4. I like most early Oasis singles, but "Supersonic" always bored me a bit.

VERDI 7
1. ALISON. Bitter beauty. Wistful invective. Costello produced such a fantastic body of work, but he never equaled this one.
2. DON’T YOU WANT ME. It’s almost been long enough since I saw that cookie commercial that I can enjoy this classic of synthetic cheese again.
3. THE TRAIN KEPT A-ROLLIN’. “The Rock and Roll Trio”…ah, the days before irony. Fun song.
4. MMMBOP. Spelled backwards is pobmmm.

BRAHMS 2. An incredibly easy bracket for me to sort.
1. SOON. It’s very, very hard to think of an album with a stronger pair of tracks opening and closing it than Loveless. This, this closer, is trippy, repetitive, and real long, and I’m still always sorry when it ends.
2. INTERGALACTIC. Like a pinch on the neck from Mr. Spock. By the time this came out, it already felt like a throwback, but I mean that in a good way.
3. EL PASO. Glorious deep-fried cowboy music, complete with a tinge of political incorrectness. El Paso is in my state, but it’s 750 miles away.
4. FIRE AND RAIN. I was very harsh to JT two years ago in bracketology. However, I really have to admit that zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

CHOPIN 4
1. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE. Jerry Lee defined rock ‘n’ roll piano the way his cousin Jimmy Swaggart defined bilking the gullible.
2. SOMETHING IN THE AIR
3. WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS. I know it’s gonna win this bracket, but this is one Beatles song that leaves me feeling almost Moonbeamesque. For this overblown, overrated and slightly stupid song, I blame (in this order): 1. Clapton, 2. The Maharishi, 3. George.
4. ALL I WANNA DO. For this overplayed, overrated and very stupid song, I blame: 1. Sheryl Crow, 2. The A&M Records marketing department.

TCHAIKOVSKY 3
1. RAY OF LIGHT. Madge’s finest hour, and the only song that makes me feel truly empowered as a woman. Even though I’m a man.
2. FLASH LIGHT
3. PRAISE YOU. I like Fatboy, but no way does he beat one of George Clinton’s best.
4. NUTHIN’ BUT A ‘G’ THANG. The acknowledged anthem of the West Coast G, my least favorite brand of rap.

HANDEL 2
1. I CAN’T STAND THE RAIN. This probably remains my favorite song of those I discovered directly from this site. Absolutely joyous.
2. PYRAMID SONG. Maybe I should put it at #1, but I’m guessing it won’t need my help to make round 2 (and how many fourth-seeded songs can you say that about?). It’s something to do with baptism, I think…
3. TAKE FIVE. 1959 was some kind of annus mirabulus for jazz, wasn’t it? This song doesn’t translate into cool like Miles or Trane, but this is a wonderful time capsule piece. Brubeck was tinkering with jazz the way ex-pat German scientists were tinkering with second-stage boosters and heat shields.
4. THEME FROM “SHAFT.” SH2Bdaaaamnright4.

BACH 7
1. BLOCK ROCKIN’ BEATS. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but the Chems kept my interest in music alive, if on life support, in the late nineties, and I still have a soft spot for this.
2. GIMME SOME LOVIN’. This is exactly the sort of thing I usually don’t like—white sixties English blues. Sung by Steve Winwood, yet. But if I forget about that I can appreciate the fact that, well, it’s just a fantastic pop song.
3. KINKY AFRO
4. HOPE THERE’S SOMEONE. I wish I got this.

MOZART 5
1. THE ONE I LOVE. Not even in my top 20 R.E.M. songs, and it feels strange to be putting it on top of a bracket. But that’s where it is, so I should say something nice: it’s a killer A-side, and considering it was their first top 10, quite harrowing.
2. 99 PROBLEMS. My only problem with Jay-Z is similar to my problem with U2: he set out to be the biggest artist in the world in his genre, and he was so damn good that he succeeded. Fine, but there’s something too…calculating about it all. Still a really good song.
3. UNFINISHED SYMPATHY. Era-defining…yeah, I’ll buy that, but I feel like I’m just never going to get Massive Attack. Shore is purty, though.
4. JET. I am *not* a sucker for Wings. Give me “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Live and Let Die,” and that’ll do me.

CHOPIN 13. I truly wish we could have a four-way tie for #1.
1. LOSE YOURSELF. For me, this song, for better or worse, just IS Eminem. Biographical, funny, aggressive, unpretentious—his usual ingredients, perfectly combined over a stuttering beat, in his best performance. He has never—and, I’m 99% sure, will never—come anywhere near it.
2. BILLIE JEAN. Pass. We’ll see it again.
3. SUPERSONIC. Alka-Seltzer?
4. BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE. This is my personal favorite song by a band I like a lot. I cannot believe I’ve got it in fourth place.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]: E.C. was sold as The Next Angry Young Man, but there was always more to him than that right from the beginning, and this gorgeous, instant-classic ballad was the proof.
2. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]: Few songs conjure up the sound and feel of an entire decade as succinctly as this synth-pop masterpiece.
3. "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]: A pivotal early rock recording and an enduring song. It’s probably impossible to do a bad cover of this song, but the original (the guitarist’s name is Paul Burlison, BTW) is still the best.
4. "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]: Catchy and well-crafted (although those scratching effects are awfully dated), but a very, very easy #4 in this bracket.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]: I make no apologies – I’m not a particularly big Taylor fan, but I love this record. A perfectly crafted song given a brilliantly low-key production, with some truly magisterial percussion work.
2. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]: The most old-school hip-hop they’d done since the debut, and just a hell of a lot of fun. “I’ll stir-fry you in my wok!”
3. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]: I love LOVELESS, but the lauded final track has always left me a bit cold. Great guitars, of course, but it wears a little thin over seven minutes.
4. "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]: One of the most idiosyncratic #1 hits of all time, a pure-and-simple gunfighter ballad. Good stuff, but another easy #4.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]: One of my all-time favorites. Great music, provocative lyrics, magnificent arrangement and performance. And smack dab in the middle, a riotous barrelhouse piano solo that literally comes out of nowhere, shouldn’t fit, but somehow magically does.
2. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]: A highlight of The White Album, and one of George’s greatest songs. One of Special Fifth Beatle Eric Clapton’s best performances, too.
3. "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]: An iconic Fifties classic that holds up remarkably well.
4. "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]: I’ve always liked this song, but given the competition it’s an even easier #4 than the previous two.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]: A terrific bracket without an obvious #1 choice. The title track of the album that rebooted Madonna’s career is probably the most exhilarating of this group, but it’s a close call.
2. "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]: I never know what Clinton and company are on about lyrically, but the music is so extraordinary that I don’t care.
3. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]: I initially had this at #1, but that was very likely because of my love for Spike Jonze’s brilliant faux-amateur-dance-troupe video (“We’ve got some b-boy moves!”). It -is- a great record, though.
4. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]: SH2B4. Probably the most influential hip-hop track of the Nineties, and of course the song that introduced the world to the inimitable Mr. Calvin Broadus.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]: By far the high point of AMNESIAC, and one of the band’s very best songs – maybe even THE best. Just killer in every way.
2. "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]: It’s been embedded in our culture for so long (transcending the movie itself) that it’s easy to forget just how great the damn thing is, with its precision-tooled stop-on-a-dime arrangement and the most badass lyrics ever to win an Oscar. We can dig it!
3. "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]: The greatest Memphis soul record of the Seventies not made by Al Green – but with his producer and his musicians, and with the same gift for matching effortless groove with startling passion.
4. "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]: SH2B4 again, and I kind of hate to put it here. One of jazz’s great standards lives up to its reputation and then some.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]: Not my favorite genre, but this is easily my favorite track within it. The only record I can think of where, except for that bass sample, nearly all the hooks – and there are a lot of them – are simply -noises-.
2. "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]: A stunning mood piece from the most singularly idiosyncratic figure to emerge in music so far this century.
3. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]: Wildly overplayed, but still remarkable, especially considering Steve Winwood’s age at the time.
4. "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]: I just don’t get this band. You had to be there, I guess.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Jet" - Wings [1973]: Probably the single greatest track McCartney’s done since the Beatles, a dazzling power-pop gem with famously nonsensical lyrics but ferociously buzzing guitars and keyboards (gotta love that synth solo!).
2. "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]: Their commercial breakthrough, largely because people somehow mistook it for a straightforward love song, although their increasingly accessible music (accented by then-new producer Scott Litt, the greatest collaborator R.E.M.’s ever had) helped.
3. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]: “You’re crazy for this one, Rick,” Hova exults at the end, and he’s right – this amazing track, keyed to (of all things) a Billy Squier sample, is one of Rick Rubin’s most audacious productions. And one of Jay’s best songs. Hit me!
4. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]: The more I listen, the more I get why BLUE LINES is so acclaimed and why this is its most popular track. But it’s still an easy #4 here, at least for me.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]: As great as this entire bracket is, MJ’s masterpiece is a ridiculously easy #1 pick. There’s just not much else to say.
2. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]: The second Academy Award winner of the week (how come you didn’t point that out, Matt?) wins the race for #2. The torrent of words and wordplay is even more urgent than usual – befitting the subject matter, he really does sound like this is his last chance to prove himself.
3. "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]: Another effortlessly cool highlight from the debut.
4. "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]: SH2B4. A terrific single.

This is my first week voting in a long time; I was too busy with the all-time songs poll for a while. When I come back, it just happens to be the best week of Bracketology yet!

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]

So "MMMBop" is one of the top rated songs for 1997, but "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" isn't? I've become convinced critics evaluated 2000s songs a lot better than 90s songs.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]

"Soon" is the greatest album closer of all time and one of the most transcendent pieces of music ever created. It's my #2 song ever, and it better be joining "Only Shallow" as Loveless' representatives in the next round.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]

How have I not heard "Something in the Air" before? What a great discovery. "All I Wanna Do" reinforces my earlier theory about 90s critics.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]

This is a fantastic bracket. I'm just getting into "Praise You" and "Flash Light," so the order of these songs might be different a few months from now.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
#778: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
#247: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
#759: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
#266: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]

Lots of good music here, but no personal favorites.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]

Top two a lot better than the last two.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]

Everybody seems down on Unfinished Sympathy in this thread. It's in my top 20--the strings, the beat, and the vocals all combine to create a mood that is simultaneously upbeat and sad. The rest of the overrated Blue Lines pales in comparison to this dance masterpiece.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]

Like everybody else, I really, really like this bracket. BLT and Temptation are my two favorite New Order songs. Billie Jean was my favorite MJ song for a while, but I enjoy "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" more these days.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
#181: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
#332: "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
#844: "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
#693: "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
#756: "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
#244: "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
#781: "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]
#269: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#388: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
#900: "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
#125: "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
#637: "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
#379: "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
#646: "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
#134: "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
#891: "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
#778: "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
#247: "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
#266: "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
#759: "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
#191: "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
#322: "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
#703: "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
#834: "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
#574: "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
#963: "Jet" - Wings [1973]
#451: "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#996: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
#29: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#541: "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
#484: "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
Last summer, I saw the Police in concert, and Elvis Costello was the opening act (how many bands can say that Elvis Costello opened for them?). Easily the highlight of Costello's performance was this song. It didn't hurt that Sting actually came out and duetted on the second verse and chorus.
2. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
It sounds oh so dated now, but back in '81 this must have been like a splash of cold water to the face. As much as I don't want to like this song, I'm always singing along when the chorus kicks in. The singers sound more than a little bored, but it's still a perfect pop song. At least, as close to perfect as anything with that many synthesizers can be.
3. "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
I actually had never heard this song until just now, and I really don't hear anything here that could possibly move it up from the 3 spot. Still, Burnette sounds positively manic with his yelps and howls. I don't know which came first, this one or Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You," but the vocal performances of each owe a debt of gratitude to the other.
4. "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]
Oh, what an easy choice for the bottom spot. Still, those girls can sure sing. (That joke is so old it can vote.)

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
I didn't vote for "Only Shallow" a couple of weeks ago, and I'm certainly not going to pass up the chance to put this one in the top spot. It was my first introduction to MBV, and for a long time I figured that this dance-friendly track was the typical MBV sound. Imagine my surprise when I listened to the rest of "Loveless"...
2. "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
Has it been established that this is about JT's time spent in a mental institution, and that the first line is about a fellow patient who committed suicide? If not, then I guess I'll be the one to say it. Sure it's not the most exciting music in the world, but that's the singer-songwriter genre for you. And JT is the best in that oeuvre.
3. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
I'll admit that this is a great song, but I don't see why this is so highly acclaimed. It sounds like just about every other Beastie song to my ears. Still, I love the outro with Biz Markie.
4. "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]
Another easy, easy choice for the bottom spot. I remember hearing somewhere that this has gotten more airplay on U.S. radios than any other song. If that's the case, then it speaks volumes for American radio.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles [1968]
Maybe Harrison's best contribution to the Fab Four, and that's saying something. It's also one of the band's best guitar tracks.
2. "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis [1957]
There was a time when I would play this song on the piano at church functions. It always brought the house down. Now I can't stand playing it. In fact, it's hard to listen to it and not think about when I would play it. Still, it's a hell of a song, and possibly the greatest song about testicles.
3. "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow [1993]
I actually like it. That probably makes me lose quite a bit of cred on this board (wait, did I have any cred to begin with?), but c'est la vie.
4. "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman [1969]
Yawn. Boring.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
Absolutely brutal bracket. I'll feel guilty with whatever I put in the bottom spot.
1. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
Ultimately, I gotta go with this one for the top spot. Not a lot of songs can claim to have defined an era and ushered in a new genre of music. True, NWA really was the progenitor of the whole "gangsta rap" genre, but this is where it really became popular and commercially viable. For better or worse, this song (OK, OK... "The Chronic") defined rap music for the rest of the decade.
On a personal note, I used to work at a company where the passcode into the office was "1-2-3-4". I can't tell you how many times I thought of this song when I punched in that code.
2. "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]
I said above that hearing "Don't You Want Me" for the first time in '81 must have been like being splashed with cold water. That's pretty much how my reaction to hearing this song was back in '98. I've expressed my distaste for Madge before, but this song is absolute genius. And just how many people knew that it's a cover?
3. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
As it's been said before, the video for this song was absolute genius. But then, the same thing could be said for just about every Fatboy Slim video. (Who would've ever thought Christopher Walken could fly?)
4. "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
Ouch. I don't want to put this one at the bottom, but SHTB4.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
My high school's jazz band tried playing this one when I was a senior, and every time we'd rehearse it, we'd have to tell Jeff, the bass player, "Remember Jeff, this is in 5/4 time!" Always ticked me off a little bit that our drummer never felt bold enough to take the solo, but what are you gonna do? Regarding the original version though...
How in the hell did this become a hit? Really speaks to how much jazz had infiltrated "popular" music in 1959 that this was so popular. An instrumental jazz song in 5/4 time? Really? Wow.
As someone else mentioned previously, 1959 was such an amazing year for jazz. Not only did we get Brubeck's time signature-bending "Time Out," but we also got Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," Ornette Coleman's "The Shape of Jazz to Come," and John Coltrane's "Giant Steps." (Not to mention Ellington's "Anatomy of a Murder," the aforementioned Miles' "Sketches of Spain," Bill Evans' "Portrait in Jazz," and Charles Mingus' "Mingus Ah Um"!)
2. "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]
Really speaks to the genius of Timbaland that he was able to take this classic of Memphis soul and turn it into a big hit for Missy Elliott. Recent sampling aside, Peebles recorded a great track here.
3. "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
Oh, it hurts me to put this one so low, but this is a monster of a bracket. Can ya dig it?
4. "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
I remember buying "Amnesiac" when it came out in '01 and listening to it thinking that this was going to be really groundbreaking stuff, but I was really let down. There was only one good track on the whole thing: this one. Not long after that, I read the Allmusic review of the album, and I remember the reviewer described "Amnesiac" as sounding like songs that weren't good enough to make it onto "Kid A," and I agreed wholeheartedly. Considering how I think that "Kid A" is EXTREMELY overrated, you can probably imagine how I feel about "Amnesiac" being at #504. I'd gladly listen to "Hail to the Thief" (#522) over "Kid A" or "Amnesiac" any day of the week.
But back to "Pyramid Song." The opening piano melody is haunting to say the least, and Yorke's "oohs" just add to the creepiness of the track. The whole thing just builds a real tension over the first couple of minutes because it sounds like just another experimental Radiohead song. Once those drums kick in though, it's like the tension lifts and the beauty of the song sinks in. I'm sorry to put it so low because it really is a great track, but SHTB4.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers [1997]
I'm always torn as to which is my favorite song off "Dig Your Own Hole." One day I'll be 100% certain that it's this one, the next day it'll be "Private Psychedelic Reel." Either one would be head and shoulders above the rest of this bracket though. This one is absolutely incredible.
2. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group [1967]
Winwood was only 18 when he sang this one? That still amazed me how a guy that young could have that much power and soul in his voice. Blows me away. Oh, and the song kicks ass too.
3. "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays [1990]
When a song kicks off with the lyrics "Son, I'm thirty/I only went with your mother 'cause she's dirty/And I don't have a decent bone in me", you know you're in for a treat lyrically. Couple that with a nice jangly guitar and a wonderfully bouncy dance beat and you've got something special.
4. "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons [2005]
Antony Hegarty's voice is an acquired taste, to say the least. I'll be the first to admit that I ADORE his contributions on Hercules and Love Affair's "Blind," but here he just sounds whiny and constipated. The extended piano outro just feels like a way to test my patience.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
Amazing song. Absolutely amazing song. If this song doesn't move on to Round 2, then something has gone terribly wrong.
2. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
Last semester, I was watching a movie with three of my friends (I don't remember what the movie was...) and at one point, the main character's wife (or maybe it was his girlfriend) got killed. One of my friends immediately said, "Now he only has 99 problems."
3. "Jet" - Wings [1973]
Really? This is the most-acclaimed song by Wings? Not "Band on the Run"? Or "Live and Let Die"? This one?
4. "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
I've said before that I think I'm more a fan of the idea of R.E.M. than I am a fan of R.E.M. Let this be exhibit A for my assertion.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
Every year, I enter an Oscar pool. I've won a couple (namely, the year "Crash" won and this year), but I can usually pick the Best Original Song category. Not in '02. I would never have thought that the Oscar voters would pick a rap song. Not to mention one by the king of controversy, Eminem. Yet as we all know, Em won. I'm still surprised, frankly. Sure, it's a great song. A GREAT song. I'm just surprised that the Oscar voters agree.
2. "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]
Speaking of surprises, I'm a little surprised that I'm putting this one on top of "Billie Jean", but this one has a certain je ne sais quoi...
3. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
...and "Billie Jean" doesn't. This one has always been just a second-rate MJ song to me. Give me "Beat It," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," or "Thriller" over this one.
4. "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
SHTB4, but this one's an easy pick. As I've said before, I'm not a fan of pre-"Morning Glory" Oasis.

No time for comments this week...but lots of chalk.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League [1981]
2. "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio [1956]
3. "Alison" - Elvis Costello [1977]
4. "MMMBop" - Hanson [1997]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys [1998]
2. "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor [1970]
3. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine [1991]
4. "El Paso" - Marty Robbins [1959]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) [1992]
2. "Flash Light" - Parliament [1977]
3. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim [1998]
4. "Ray of Light" - Madonna [1998]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead [2001]
2. "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet [1959]
3. "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes [1971]
4. "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles [1974]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack [1991]
2. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z [2003]
3. "The One I Love" - R.E.M. [1987]
4. "Jet" - Wings [1973]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem [2002]
3. "Supersonic" - Oasis [1994]
4. "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order [1986]

Voting for this week is now over.

Wow, El Paso was HATED here. Such a shame, it is one of my favorite songs.

RESULTS


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League (39 points, 6 first-place votes)
2. "Alison" - Elvis Costello (35, 5)
3. "The Train Kept a-Rollin'" - Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio (23, 0)
4. "MMMBop" - Hanson (13, 0)

In the next round: the Kinks' "Lola"; Charlie Parker's "Koko"


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine (33, 5)
2. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys (33, 3)
3. "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor (27, 3)
4. "El Paso" - Marty Robbins (17, 0)

NOTE: After removing the uncommented ballots, "Soon" edges out "Intergalactic," 26-23.

In the next round: the Ronettes' "Be My Baby"; ABBA's "Dancing Queen"; David Bowie's "Changes"


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles (34, 6)
2. "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman (27, 3)
3. "Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis (26, 1)
4. "All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow (13, 0)

In the next round: Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; Radiohead's "Creep"; Mission of Burma's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"


TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Flash Light" - Parliament (30, 2)
2. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre (Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) (27, 4)
3. "Ray of Light" - Madonna (27, 3)
4. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim (26, 2)

In the next round: Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode"; Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime"; Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue"


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Pyramid Song" - Radiohead (34, 6)
2. "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet (26, 3)
3. "I Can't Stand the Rain" - Ann Peebles (21, 1)
4. "Theme from 'Shaft'" - Isaac Hayes (19, 0)

In the next round: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"; Blur's "Song 2"; David Bowie's "Life on Mars?"


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 7
1. "Block Rockin' Beats" - The Chemical Brothers (34, 6)
2. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group (25, 2)
3. "Hope There's Someone" - Antony & the Johnsons (21, 1)
4. "Kinky Afro" - Happy Mondays (20, 1)

In the next round: Al Green's "Let's Stay Together"; Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water"


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack (32, 4)
2. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z (31, 4)
3. "The One I Love" - R.E.M. (26, 1)
4. "Jet" - Wings (21, 2)

In the next round: Ben E. King's "Stand by Me"; the Band's "The Weight"; the Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black"


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson (39, 7)
2. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem (28, 2)
3. "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order (26, 2)
4. "Supersonic" - Oasis (17, 0)

In the next round: Beastie Boys' "Sabotage"; OutKast's "B.O.B."; De La Soul's "Me, Myself and I"