BRACKET #25

#1 (4) MADONNA vs. #16 (1021) TONE LOC

Too many pop hits to count over the past 30 years… “Borderline”, “Like A Prayer”, “Ray Of Light”, “Like A Virgin”…

Tone came and went pretty quickly, while he was here he left “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina”.

#8 (509) BIG COUNTRY vs. #9 (516) THE ROOTS

In America, they are known as the band that did “In A Big Country”. They did have 20+ hits in the UK and did have minor success in the states with “Look Away”, “King Of Emotion” and “Fields Of Fire (400 Miles)”.

Refreshing musically gifted hip-hop… “The Seed 2.0”, “Don’t Say Nuthin’”, “You Got Me” and “Don’t Feel Right”.

#5 (260) BILLY IDOL vs. #12 (765) GARY WRIGHT

Hard Rock/New Wave… “White Wedding”, “Rebel Yell”, “Cradle Of Love”, “Eyes Without A Face”…

Singer/songwriter popular in 1976 with “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive”. Also had a top 20 hit with “Really Wanna Know You”.

#4 (253) THE HUMAN LEAGUE VS. #13 (772) BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE

New wave… “Don’t You Want Me”, “(Keep Feeling) Fascination”, “Human” and “The Lebanon”

80’s & early 90’s alternative dance/rock… “Rush”, “E=MC2”, “Just Play Music!” and “The Globe”

#3 (132) SIMPLE MINDS vs. #14 (893) REEL BIG FISH

One of the biggest new wave bands… “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, “Someone, Somewhere In Summertime”, “Alive And Kicking”, “Promised You A Miracle”…

Ska/punk, best known for “Sell Out” from 1997. Others include “Beer”, “Where Have You Been? And a cover of “Take On Me”.

#6 (381) THE CHARLATANS UK vs. #11 (644) THE OHIO PLAYERS

Madchester/Britpop… “The Only One I Know”, “Can’t Get Out Of Bed”, “One To Another” and “Blackened Blue Eyes”.

Pure funk… “Fire”, “Love Rollercoaster”, “Funky Worm” and “Who’d She Coo?”

#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. vs. #10 (637) ACE OF BASE

The definition of post/punk… “Public Image”, “Rise”, “Seattle” and “This Is Not A Love Song”.

Europop… “The Sign”, “All That She Wants”, “Beautiful Life” and “Don’t Turn Around”.

#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS vs. #15 (900) BOW WOW WOW

90’s grunge/post-grunge/hard rock/alternative… “Plush”, “Interstate Love Song”, “Sex Type Thing” and “Big Bang Baby”.

80’s new wave best known for “I Want Candy”. Others include “C30, C60, C90 Go!” and “Go Wild In The Country”.

#1 (4) MADONNA
#9 (516) THE ROOTS - philly, yo
#5 (260) BILLY IDOL
#13 (772) BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE
#3 (132) SIMPLE MINDS
#6 (381) THE CHARLATANS UK
#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS - elegant bachelors

Madonna...

The Roots... This is a tough, tough matchup. I am a Big Country fan...

Billy Idol...

The Human League...

Simple Minds...

The Charalatans...

P.I.L... Coundn't vote for Ace Of Base (unless they were up against Limp Bizkit)

STP...

#1 Madonna
#8 Big Country
#5 Billy Idol
#4 The Human League
#3 Simple Minds
#6 The Charlatans UK
#7 Public Image Ltd.
#2 Stone Temple Pilots

BRACKET #25
#1 (4) MADONNA
#9 (516) THE ROOTS
#12 (765) GARY WRIGHT
#4 (253) THE HUMAN LEAGUE
#3 (132) SIMPLE MINDS
#6 (381) THE CHARLATANS UK
#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

1. Madonna
9. The Roots
5. Billy Idol
13. Big Audio Dynamite
3. Simple Minds
6. Charlatans UK
7. Public Image Ltd. (I’m not keeping track of “ridiculously easy choices,” but this is one)
15. Bow Wow Wow (ripping off Adam & the Ants is a lot smarter than ripping off Soundgarden)

A newcomer to the Forum with a cynical streak could have been forgiven for wondering if I’m actually just Harold Wexler posting two ballots under different names. Today’s votes should disprove that, I guess. But you should trust Harold—I’m pretty sure his taste is better than mine (he certainly owns vastly more CDs than I do!).

****

MOST UNDERRATED
Public Image Ltd. (UMT 388, AM 170).

MOST OVERRATED
Stone Temple Pilots (UMT 125, AM 2086); Madonna (UMT 4, AM 42); Billy Idol (UMT 260, AM 969); Simple Minds (UMT 132, AM 421); Charlatans UK (UMT 381, AM 1025).

NOT AM RANKED
Ace of Base, Ohio Players, Gary Wright, Big Audio Dynamite, Reel Big Fish.

CLOSE
Tone-Loc (UMT 1021, AM 923).

#1 Madonna - three musical giants ruled the earth in the 80s: Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna. Though she was the least talented (no slight there), in hindsight she was also the most well-adjusted to the crushing onslaught of attention that came with fame in the video-era.
#8 Big Country
#5 Billy Idol - loved him in "The Wedding Singer"!
#4 The Human League
#3 Simple Minds
#10 Ace of Base - I would have thought they would be a top 5 seed, just based on sales (can you get negative points on the acclaim portion? ;) They were about the only pop group selling records in the grunge-centric early 90s in the US
#2 Stone Temple Pilots - "Candy" was darn catchy, though

and a rousing GO 80s!

#1 (4) MADONNA

#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.

Easy, easy pick. I think Johnny Rotten is a blowhard, but at least he owns some actual musical talent and charisma.

#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

These CAPTCHAs are hard to read.

#1 (4) MADONNA
#5 (260) BILLY IDOL
#4 (253) THE HUMAN LEAGUE
#3 (132) SIMPLE MINDS
#6 (381) THE CHARLATANS UK
#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

#1 (4) MADONNA
#9 (516) THE ROOTS
#5 (260) BILLY IDOL
#4 (253) THE HUMAN LEAGUE
#3 (132) SIMPLE MINDS
#6 (381) THE CHARLATANS UK
#7 (388) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
#2 (125) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

#1 MADONNA

#9 THE ROOTS

#5 BILLY IDOL

#4 THE HUMAN LEAGUE

But I do really like "Rush"

#3 SIMPLE MINDS

#11 THE OHIO PLAYERS

Not enough funk in this bracket game.

#7 PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.

#2 STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

While they are elegant bachelors, they were also a pretty damn catch band at times.

Winners of Bracket #25...

Madonna 100% / Tone Loc 0%
The Roots 54.2% / Big Country 45.8%
Billy Idol 83.3% / Gary Wright 16.7%
The Human League 70.8% / Big Audio Dynamite 29.2%
Simple Minds 95.8% / Reel Big Fish 4.2%
The Charlatans UK 68.2% / The Ohio Players 31.8%
P.I.L. 76.0% / Ace Of Base 24.0%
Stone Temple Pilots 96.0% / Bow Wow Wow 4.0%