For a while now, I've been considering doing Bracketology again once Henrik announced a songs update. The new update is now upon us (thank you again, Henrik!), so here's some ideas that have been kicking around my head...

1. What should the format of Bracketology be?
I'll be the first to admit that the last Bracketology was probably a bit too ambitious. The whole thing exposed a lot of music to some people, but I think the fact that there were over 1,000 songs in the game made it a bit much, not just for the moderator (me) but also for the participants (you all).

2. What should the eligible songs be?
The obvious pick would be to take the new update's top 1,024 songs, like last time (or top whatever number, not necessarily 1,024). The fact that there are 114 new songs in the top 1024 would almost certainly ensure some new winners, but I wonder just how different the final results would be. I mean, "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Gimme Shelter" both ended up in the final four of my Bracketology and schleuse's Bracketology.
The second idea would be to do a Moderately Acclaimed Bracketology. This would introduce a lot of us to some music that we didn't get to hear in the first Bracketology, and it would probably produce some VERY interesting results.
Maybe there's some other format that one of you thinks would work well.

3. Anyone want to help out?
As much as I loved doing Bracketology, I really started to get burned out by the whole thing by the end of it, so if I were to do it again, I'd probably want some help (nothing major). Just what kind of help can be discussed.

One thing I think we can all agree on... If we do Bracketology again, Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" HAS to win.

...wait, it's not even bubbling under?

Hmm. I do agree that simply doing the top 1024 songs on the list might be a bit cumbersome as the results would be largely known. Maybe we could do something like this (the numbers are completely off the top of my head, it's the idea that counts!)

From AM's list we pick:-

16 from the top 100
16 from 101-200
16 from 201-300
etc...
16 from 2901-3000

which leaves 32 bubbling under/other picks for a total of 512. Hopefully that way we'll see more upsets etc. I for one am always really surprised that sometimes there are some great songs in the 2500-3000 section that effectively get ignored in every game. That said I do fear that the 8 we vote from the top 100 would just sail through, but maybe we don't give it preferential seeding? Also the voting of which songs get through to the final bracket would be pretty cumbersome, so I'm not entirely sure how much participation it would get but I don't know, running it through my head, it seems like an idea in the right direction.

I guess this comes under the idea of moderately acclaimed bracketology, which I heartily endorse.

I like the idea of a moderately claimed bracketology.

I would suggest that such a bracketology would not include the top songs.

We could develop a consensus as to where the cutoff would be, e.g., 500, 800, 1000, 1500.

I think that the 114 new songs to the top 1024 should be taken, and then select other songs or something.
I'm looking forward to voting for "Juicy" and "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall"

Honestly, this is pretty much what I was thinking - a kind of Bracketology addendum, on a very small scale, comprising the 114 new entries (those absolutely need to be in there, no question) and rounding out the brackets with the next batch of songs below #1024 that weren't part of the tournament last time. The total number of songs could be 128, or 256 if that's not enough to make it interesting. No need to overthink this, folks!

I like this idea, mostly because it's not nearly as large-scale as the last Bracketology. I'd be willing to do a Bracketology of the 114 new songs plus either a) the 14 next-highest songs (to make it 128 ), or b) the 142 next-highest songs (to make it 256).

I'd probably lean more toward 256, only because then the brackets always have four songs. If it's 128, there's going to be a round where there's either a brackets of eight or brackets of two.

Just for the sake of knowing what the possible songs would be, here's a list of the 256 highest-ranked songs not in the last Bracketology. If we instead do the top 128 songs, the last one eligible is "Hey Ladies" (#1048).

#157. Animal Collective - "My Girls" (2009)
#168. Hercules and Love Affair - "Blind" (2008)
#233. Radiohead - "Idioteque" (2000)
#236. MGMT - "Kids" (2007)
#238. The Knife - "Heartbeats" (2003)
#365. MGMT - "Time to Pretend" (2007)
#391. Phoenix - "1901" (2009)
#423. Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks" (2009)
#466. Arcade Fire - "Wake Up" (2004)
#517. Burial - "Archangel" (2007)
#525. My Bloody Valentine - "You Made Me Realize" (1988)
#533. Mazzy Star - "Fade into You" (1993)
#538. The Walkmen - "The Rat" (2004)
#557. Kanye West - "Jesus Walks" (2004)
#561. Portishead - "Glory Box" (1994)
#562. Dirty Projectors - "Stillness Is the Move" (2009)
#567. The Shins - "New Slang" (2001)
#575. Justice Vs. Simian - "We Are Your Friends" (2006)
#577. The Replacements - "Bastards of Young" (1985)
#589. Bat for Lashes - "Daniel" (2009)
#605. Daft Punk - "Digital Love" (2001)
#611. Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind" (2009)
#616. Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" (2005)
#628. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero" (2009)
#640. Wilco - "Jesus, Etc." (2002)
#644. Hank Williams - "Move It On Over" (1947)
#653. LCD Soundsystem - "Someone Great" (2007)
#668. Phoenix - "Lisztomania" (2009)
#681. Depeche Mode - "Enjoy the Silence" (1990)
#682. Björk - "Hyper-Ballad" (1995)
#686. Weezer - "Say It Ain't So" (1994)
#711. Robyn with Kleerup - "With Every Heartbeat" (2006)
#716. DJ Shadow - "Midnight in a Perfect World" (1996)
#724. Santogold - "L.E.S. Artistes" (2008)
#725. Foo Fighters - "Everlong" (1997)
#726. Fleet Foxes - "Winter White Hymnal" (2008)
#732. Portishead - "Machine Gun" (2008)
#733. Wu-Tang Clan - "Protect Ya Neck" (1993)
#736. The Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy" (1994)
#738. James Brown - "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" (1968)
#742. The Beat - "Mirror in the Bathroom" (1980)
#744. Lil Wayne - "A Milli" (2008)
#753. Nine Inch Nails - "Head Like a Hole" (1989)
#756. ABBA - "The Winner Takes It All" (1980)
#759. Jay-Z - "IZZO (H.O.V.A.)" (2001)
#781. Bob Dylan - "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" (1965)
#787. X - "Los Angeles" (1980)
#791. Nirvana - "Lithium" (1991)
#805. Althea and Donna - "Uptown Top Ranking" (1977)
#808. The Chantels - "Maybe" (1958)
#810. Clipse - "Grindin'" (2002)
#811. Desmond Dekker - "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967)
#815. Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah" (1994)
#816. Mahalia Jackson - "Move On Up a Little Higher" (1947)
#827. Leonard Cohen - "Suzanne" (1968)
#835. Estelle feat. Kanye West - "American Boy" (2008)
#836. LL Cool J - "I Can't Live Without My Radio" (1985)
#837. The Who - "Substitute" (1966)
#840. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - "Shop Around" (1960)
#842. The Crystals - "Then He Kissed Me" (1963)
#851. Wu-Tang Clan - "C.R.E.A.M. (Crash Rules Everything Around Me)" (1993)
#852. Lloyd Price - "Stagger Lee" (1958)
#853. The Trammps - "Disco Inferno" (1977)
#855. Band of Horses - "The Funeral" (2006)
#857. XTC - "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979)
#865. TV on the Radio - "Staring at the Sun" (2004)
#874. Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor" (2008)
#878. Chuck Berry - "Rock and Roll Music" (1957)
#879. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott - "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (1997)
#882. The Chi-Lites - "Have You Seen Her" (1971)
#884. The Stone Roses - "She Bangs the Drums" (1989)
#885. Bob Dylan - "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" (1963)
#892. Elvis Costello - "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love & Understanding" (1978)
#893. Jacques Brel - "Ne me quitte pas" (1959)
#896. Jethro Tull - "Aqualung" (1971)
#899. The Flying Burrito Bros - "Sin City" (1969)
#900. Bessie Smith - "St. Louis Blues" (1925)
#902. The Streets - "Weak Become Heroes" (2002)
#906. Eddie Cochran - "C'mon Everybody" (1958)
#909. New Order - "Ceremony" (1981)
#915. The Meters - "Cissy Strut" (1969)
#916. Annie - "Heartbeat" (2004)
#928. Robert Johnson - "Love in Vain" (1937)
#929. Daryl Hall and John Oates - "She's Gone" (1974)
#931. Cut Copy - "Hearts on Fire" (2007)
#933. Dusty Springfield - "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" (1966)
#938. Billy Joel - "Piano Man" (1973)
#941. The Beta Band - "Dry the Rain" (1997)
#942. Joni Mitchell - "Big Yellow Taxi" (1970)
#943. Crosby, Stills and Nash - "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (1969)
#947. Panda Bear - "Bro's" (2006)
#948. Radiohead - "No Surprises" (1997)
#954. Coldplay - "The Scientist" (2002)
#965. The Replacements - "Alex Chilton" (1987)
#968. John Prine - "Sam Stone" (1971)
#969. James Brown - "The Payback" (1974)
#972. Neil Young - "Cinnamon Girl" (1969)
#977. Millie - "My Boy Lollipop" (1964)
#983. UGK feat. OutKast - "Int'l Player's Anthem (I Choose You)" (2007)
#985. The Flaming Lips - "Race for the Prize" (1999)
#987. Lady Gaga - "Poker Face" (2008)
#988. Depeche Mode - "Never Let Me Down Again" (1987)
#990. Johnnie Ray - "Cry" (1951)
#993. Blind Willie Johnson - "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" (1927)
#995. Bill Withers - "Lean on Me" (1972)
#1000. Aaliyah - "Are You That Somebody?" (1998)
#1009. The Carter Family - "Keep on the Sunny Side" (1928)
#1010. Bob Marley and The Wailers - "Redemption Song" (1980)
#1011. Biz Markie - "Just a Friend" (1989)
#1012. Three 6 Mafia - "Stay Fly" (2005)
#1013. Bruce Springsteen - "Atlantic City" (1982)
#1014. The Gossip - "Standing in the Way of Control" (2006)
#1015. Coldplay - "Viva La Vida" (2008)
#1021. Led Zeppelin - "Heartbreaker" (1969)
#1025. Black Flag - "Rise Above" (1981)
#1027. The Four Seasons - "Walk Like a Man" (1963)
#1029. Iggy Pop - "The Passenger" (1977)
#1031. Bob Dylan - "Ballad of a Thin Man" (1965)
#1032. Public Enemy - "Welcome to the Terrordome" (1990)
#1033. Nina Simone - "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" (1969)
#1037. The Cure - "In Between Days" (1985)
#1038. Destiny's Child - "Say My Name" (1999)
#1040. Dion - "The Wanderer" (1961)
#1041. The Orb - "Little Fluffy Clouds" (1990)
#1042. The Contours - "Do You Love Me" (1962)
#1043. Radiohead - "Everything in Its Right Place" (2000)
#1046. Nina Simone - "My Baby Just Cares for Me" (1961)
#1048. Beastie Boys - "Hey Ladies" (1989)
#1055. David Bowie - "Let's Dance" (1983)
#1056. Metallica - "Master of Puppets" (1986)
#1057. Modern English - "I Melt with You" (1982)
#1060. Neutral Milk Hotel - "Holland, 1945" (1998)
#1061. Bob Dylan - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (1965)
#1062. Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk" (2007)
#1063. The Beach Boys - "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (1966)
#1064. Junior Boys - "In the Morning" (2006)
#1065. The Knife - "Silent Shout" (2006)
#1067. Faces - "Stay with Me" (1972)
#1068. Tom Waits - "Jockey Full of Bourbon" (1985)
#1070. The Beatles - "I Saw Her Standing There" (1963)
#1071. Skip James - "Devil Got My Woman" (1931)
#1073. The Beatles - "Please Please Me" (1963)
#1076. The Avalanches - "Frontier Psychiatrist" (2000)
#1077. The Chemical Brothers - "Hey Boy Hey Girl" (1999)
#1080. Martha & the Vandellas - "Nowhere to Run" (1965)
#1081. Daft Punk - "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (2001)
#1082. Sylvester - "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" (1978)
#1083. Wayne Smith - "Under Me Sleng Teng" (1985)
#1084. Joni Mitchell - "A Case of You" (1971)
#1086. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) (1992)
#1089. Bob Dylan - "All Along the Watchtower" (1967)
#1090. Simon and Garfunkel - "America" (1968)
#1091. R.E.M. - "Fall on Me" (1986)
#1093. Spinners - "I'll Be Around" (1972)
#1096. King Crimson - "21st Century Schizoid Man" (1969)
#1097. Kings of Leon - "Sex on Fire" (2008)
#1098. The Count Five - "Psychotic Reaction" (1966)
#1099. Spoon - "The Way We Get By" (2002)
#1100. Robyn - "Be Mine" (2005)
#1101. Little Walter - "Juke" (1952)
#1103. Tammy Wynette - "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" (1968)
#1105. Charley Patton - "Pony Blues" (1929)
#1106. Queen - "We Are the Champions" (1977)
#1107. A Tribe Called Quest - "Check the Rhime" (1991)
#1108. The Marcels - "Blue Moon" (1961)
#1109. Oasis - "Some Might Say" (1995)
#1111. Roxy Music - "More Than This" (1982)
#1112. Carpenters - "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (1970)
#1120. Sam Cooke - "Bring It On Home to Me" (1962)
#1121. Parliament - "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)" (1975)
#1122. Elliott Smith - "Miss Misery" (1997)
#1123. Patsy Cline - "Walkin' After Midnight" (1957)
#1125. Elvis Presley - "Little Sister" (1961)
#1126. The Staple Singers - "I'll Take You There" (1972)
#1127. The Monotones - "The Book of Love" (1958)
#1129. LaVern Baker - "Jim Dandy" (1956)
#1130. Jimmy Ruffin - "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (1966)
#1131. Jimi Hendrix - "The Star Spangled Banner" (1970)
#1134. The Future Sound of London - "Papua New Guinea" (1992)
#1135. Fleetwood Mac - "Rhiannon" (1975)
#1136. Kelis - "Caught Out There" (1999)
#1137. Flamin' Groovies - "Shake Some Action" (1976)
#1138. Tears for Fears - "Shout" (1984)
#1139. The Pop Group - "She Is Beyond Good and Evil" (1979)
#1141. Sam Cooke - "Cupid" (1961)
#1142. John Coltrane - "My Favorite Things" (1961)
#1143. The Andrews Sisters - "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (1941)
#1144. De La Soul (Featuring Q-Tip) - "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays'" (1991)
#1145. Norman Greenbaum - "Spirit in the Sky" (1969)
#1146. Spice Girls - "Wannabe" (1996)
#1149. Billy Bragg - "A New England" (1983)
#1150. Buffalo Springfield - "Expecting to Fly" (1967)
#1151. The KLF - "What Time Is Love?" (1990)
#1152. Roy Orbison - "Running Scared" (1961)
#1153. The Who - "The Kids Are Alright" (1965)
#1155. Sigur Rós - "Svefn-g-englar" (1999)
#1158. Talking Heads - "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" (1980)
#1159. Betty Wright - "Clean Up Woman" (1971)
#1161. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Foxey Lady" (1967)
#1162. The Chantays - "Pipeline" (1963)
#1164. Pulp - "Sorted by E's and Wizz" (1995)
#1165. The Incredible Bongo Band - "Apache" (1973)
#1166. Bob Dylan - "Hurricane" (1975)
#1167. The Beatles - "All You Need Is Love" (1967)
#1168. Portishead - "The Rip" (2008)
#1169. M83 - "Kim & Jessie" (2008)
#1170. Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" (2004)
#1171. Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five - "Caldonia" (1945)
#1172. Nico - "These Days" (1967)
#1173. Green Day - "American Idiot" (2004)
#1176. Dale Hawkins - "Susie-Q" (1957)
#1177. The New Pornographers - "Letter from an Occupant" (2000)
#1178. The Big Pink - "Dominos" (2009)
#1181. Dizzee Rascal - "Bonkers" (2009)
#1182. Curtis Mayfield - "Freddie's Dead" (1972)
#1183. Phil Collins - "In the Air Tonight" (1981)
#1184. Ol' Dirty Bastard (Featuring Kelis) - "Got Your Money" (1999)
#1185. Lena Horne - "Stormy Weather" (1942)
#1187. The Turtles - "Happy Together" (1967)
#1188. The Rolling Stones - "19th Nervous Breakdown" (1966)
#1189. The Fall - "Totally Wired" (1980)
#1191. N.W.A. - "Express Yourself" (1988)
#1193. Lindstrøm - "I Feel Space" (2005)
#1194. The Isley Brothers - "Twist and Shout" (1962)
#1195. Run-D.M.C. - "Rock Box" (1984)
#1196. Carole King - "I Feel the Earth Move" (1971)
#1197. Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" (1984)
#1198. Elliott Smith - "Waltz #2" (1998)
#1199. Elvis Presley - "Love Me Tender" (1956)
#1200. Lil' Louis - "French Kiss" (1989)
#1204. Basement Jaxx - "Where's Your Head At" (2001)
#1205. Bob Marley & the Wailers - "Lively Up Yourself" (1971)
#1207. The Congos - "Fisherman" (1977)
#1208. Public Enemy - "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" (1988)
#1209. The XX - "Crystalised" (2009)
#1210. The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name" (2007)
#1211. Eck Robertson - "Sally Gooden" (1922)
#1212. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Little Wing" (1967)
#1214. Dobie Gray - "Drift Away" (1973)
#1215. Jane's Addiction - "Jane Says" (1988)
#1217. Jay-Z - "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (1998)
#1218. KC & the Sunshine Band - "That's the Way (I Like It)" (1975)
#1219. Solomon Burke - "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" (1964)
#1220. Elton John - "Tiny Dancer" (1971)
#1221. Toots & the Maytals - "54 46 (Was My Number)" (1969)
#1222. Peter Gabriel - "Games Without Frontiers" (1980)
#1224. Howlin' Wolf - "Spoonful" (1960)
#1225. The Velvet Underground - "Venus in Furs" (1967)
#1227. Fingers Inc. - "Can You Feel It" (1987)
#1228. Wanda Jackson - "Let's Have a Party" (1960)
#1229. Jan and Dean - "Surf City" (1963)
#1230. The Byrds - "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" (1965)
#1231. Electric Light Orchestra - "Mr. Blue Sky" (1977)
#1232. Yo La Tengo - "Autumn Sweater" (1997)
#1233. Chuck Berry - "Memphis, Tennessee" (1959)
#1234. Billy Bragg - "Levi Stubbs' Tears" (1986)

I'd go with 256.

Only instead of just taking the top 256 songs not in the last bracketology, I'd do this: Any new song in the top 1024 is automatically in, then we nominate.

Here's what I'd recommend for nominations. Every day, every member nominates one song from the top 3000 not in the last bracketology. When we go over 256 songs, you pick randomly from the ones picked in the last day to get to 256.

I say go with the 256 listed here for two reasons:
- No uneven brackets
- Pretty much every song that is new to the top 1000 is from the 00's. Adding the others give it variety.