BRACKET #22

#1 (53) THE TEMPTATIONS vs. #16 (972) THE NATIONAL

Motown legends… “My Girl”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”, “The Way You Do The Things You Do”…

Indie rockers… “Fake Empire”, “Mistaken For Strangers”, “Abel” and “Secret Meeting”…

#8 (460) DIGITAL UNDERGROUND vs. #9 (565) HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH

DU, one of the first big mainstream hip-hop acts to usher in the 90’s with “The Humpty Dance”, Doowutchalike”, “Same Song”, “Kiss Me Back”…

When 90’s college alt/rock when mainstream pop, these guys were the poster boys.. “Hold My Hand”, Only Wanna Be With You”, “Old Man & Me”, “I Will Wait”…

#5 (309) LOU REED vs. #12 (716) ENIGMA

Lou’s post VU solo career covers many years and many genres… “Walk On The Wild Side”, “Dirty Blvd.”, “Perfect Day”, “What’s Good”…

The elctronic/new age project Enigma spawned worldwide hits including “Sadeness Pt. 1”, “Return To Innocence”, “Mea Culpa (Pt. II)” and “Beyond The Invisible”.

#4 (204) GOO GOO DOLLS vs. #13 (821) JAN & DEAN

The band that went from the next Replacements to mainstream pop/adult contemporary darlings… “Name”, “Long Way Down”, “Iris” and “Slide”.

Early 60’s surf rockers… “Dead Man’s Curve”, “Surf City”, “Baby Talk” and “Little Old Lady From Pasadena”.

#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS vs. #14 (844) DISHWALLA

The big beat electronic duo that generated a number of commercial and critically acclaimed hits in the 90’s and into the 00’s… “Setting Sun”, “Block Rockin’ Beats”, “Galvanize” (F.Q-Tip) and “Hey Boy Hey Girl”.

In 1996, it was hard to escape Dishwalla’s one big hit “Counting Blue Cars”. Others include “Once In Awhile”, “Charlie Brown’s Parents” and “Give”.

#6 (332) IGGY POP vs. #11 (693) NICK LOWE

Post stooges solo career from punk and hard rock pioneer includes “Lust For Life”, “The Passenger”, “Real Wild Child” and “Candy”.

Power Pop/New wave singer/songwriter best known for his 1979 hit “Cruel To Be Kind”. Others include, “I Love The Sound Of Broken Glass”, So It Goes” and “I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock ‘N Roll)”.

#7 (437) PLACEBO vs. #10 (588) LINDA RONSTADT

British alt/rockers have a number of big pop hits in their homeland including “Nancy Boy”, “Pure Morning”, “Infra-Red” and 2007’s Kate Bush cover “Running Up That Hill”.

Linda Ronstadt was big in the 70’s and at one time was hailed as ‘The Queen Of Rock’, she made her notoriety by doing a lot of covers…. “You’re No Good”, “When Will I Be Loved”, “Blue Bayou” and “It’s So Easy”.

#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX vs. #15 (949) AMY WINEHOUSE

It’s Jimi… “Purple Haze”, “Hey Joe”, “All Along The Watchtower”, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)”…

60’s soul/r&b revivalist and well-known drug fiend… “Rehab”, “You Know I’m No Good” and “Back To Black”.

The Temptations... Really been getting into The National lately, but this is The Temps, no contest

DU... Hootie had their minute in the sun, then I heard darius Rucker was singing country. Any remote chance of getting a vote disappeared at that moment...

Enigma... I had an old roommate that used to throw ass with Enigma blaring on the stereo, so I knew when I stumbled in at 3AM and heard "Return To Innocence that he had some hot girl over for the evening...

Goo Goo Dolls... This vote is for 'Superstar Car Wash', great album...

The Chemical Brothers...

Iggy... Kinda like Nick Lowe, Iggy just has more to offer...

Placebo... I am a huge fan of this band...

Jimi... c'mon now!!!

#1 The Temptations
#8 Digital Underground
#5 Lou Reed
#13 Jan & Dean
#3 The Chemical Brothers
#11 Nick Lowe
#10 Linda Ronstadt
#2 Jimi Hendrix

BRACKET #22
#1 (53) THE TEMPTATIONS
#8 (460) DIGITAL UNDERGROUND
#5 (309) LOU REED
#13 (821) JAN & DEAN
#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
#11 (693) NICK LOWE
#10 (588) LINDA RONSTADT
#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX

#1 (53) THE TEMPTATIONS
#9 (565) HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH
#5 (309) LOU REED
#4 (204) GOO GOO DOLLS
#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
#6 (332) IGGY POP
#7 (437) PLACEBO
#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX

#16 (972) THE NATIONAL (too bad they had to come up against The Temptations in the first round, but to me it's not even remotely close)
#5 (309) LOU REED
#4 (204) GOO GOO DOLLS
#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
#6 (332) IGGY POP
#7 (437) PLACEBO
#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX

#1 (53) THE TEMPTATIONS
#8 (460) DIGITAL UNDERGROUND
#5 (309) LOU REED
#13 (821) JAN & DEAN
#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
#6 (332) IGGY POP
#10 (588) LINDA RONSTADT
#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX

Goo Goo Dolls and Hootie are two of my least favorite bands ever. Tough draws for Winehouse and Nick Lowe.

1. The Temptations
8. Digital Underground
5. Lou Reed
13. Jan & Dean
3. The Chemical Brothers
6. Iggy Pop
7. Placebo
2. Jimi Hendrix

Very sorry to knock Nick Lowe out in round 1, but Iggy’s solo career (or at least Lust for Life and The Idiot) are just on a different plane.

****

I’m changing how I calculate the underrated and overrated artists, from an additive formula (difference in number between rankings) to a formula based on the ratio between the rankings, which I think makes more sense.

MOST UNDERRATED
Jimi Hendrix (UMT 76, AM 11); Lou Reed (UMT 309, AM 45); Amy Winehouse (UMT 949, AM 316); The National (UMT 972, AM 401).

MOST OVERRATED
Goo Goo Dolls (UMT 204, AM 1658); The Temptations (UMT 53, AM 111). (That’s really it today, and the Temps just barely make “overrated” status under the new formula.)

NOT AM RANKED
Hootie & the Blowfish, Enigma, Dishwalla.

CLOSE
Nick Lowe (UMT 693, AM 753).

The National (best 16 seed yet, I don't like them that much but "Fake Empire" is the best song between the two groups)
Lou Reed
Goo Goo Dolls
Chemical Brothers
Iggy Pop
Hendrix (only a 2 seed?)

#1 The Temptations
#9 Hootie & the Blowfish - Humpty Dance was fun, for about 5 minutes :)
#12 Enigma - wrapped in a conundrum...
#13 Jan & Dean - a little love for Beach Boys lite, plus I got really tired of hearing "Iris"
#3 The Chemical Brothers - not a big fan, but I heard "Counting Blue Cars" again just the other day...not that great
#10 Linda Ronstadt - big, beautiful voice...sure she did a lot of covers, but they were great performances
#2 Jimi Hendrix

Don't feel too much need to justify my votes this time out.

#1 THE TEMPTATIONS

#8 DIGITAL UNDERGROUND

#5 LOU REED

#4 GOO GOO DOLLS

Not a fan, but Iris is a "guilty" pleasure.

#3 THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS

#6 IGGY POP

#7 PLACEBO

#2 JIMI HENDRIX

#16 (972) THE NATIONAL

All the best bands of the last few years are 16 seeds! *sigh* Why couldn't The National have been against a crappy high-selling act like Sufjan Stevens was?


#5 (309) LOU REED

#3 (181) THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS

#6 (332) IGGY POP

#10 (588) LINDA RONSTADT

#2 (76) JIMI HENDRIX

And one of my favorites of all time draws a low seed that's currently popular. I hope it's not a trap matchup.

Bracket #22 winners...

The Temptations 81.5% / The National 18.5%
Digital Underground 58.3% / Hootie & The Blowfish 41.7%
Lou Reed 70.4% / Enigma 29.6%
Goo Goo Dolls 65.4% / Jan & Dean 34.6%
The Chemical Brothers 88.9% / Dishwalla 11.1%
Iggy Pop 80.8% / Nick Lowe 19.2%
Placebo 64.0% / Linda Ronstadt 36.0%
Jimi Hendrix 96.3% / Amy Winehouse 3.7%