BRACKET #9

#1 (8) STEVIE WONDER vs. #16 (1017) 30 SECONDS TO MARS

Stevie’s long and illustrious career has given us the likes of “Superstition”, “Living For The City”, “Sir Duke” and “Higher Ground” just to name a few.

The American rock band 30 Seconds to Mars are responsible for “The Kill”, “Kings And Queens” and “From Yesterday”.

#8 (505) SAVAGE GARDEN vs. #9 (520) THE WALLFLOWERS

Australian pop band responsible for “Truly Madly Deeply”, “I want You”, “To The Moon And Back” and “Affirmation”.

Jakob Dylan’s band “One Headlight”, “6th Avenue Heartache”, “Three Marlenas” and “Sleepwalker”

#5 (264) JANE’S ADDICTION vs. #12 (761) AIR SUPPLY

Jane’s Addiction, the alt/rockers behind “Jane Says”, “Been Caught Stealing”, “Mountain Song” and “Just Because”

The guiltiest of guilty pleasures, if anyone does listen to Air Supply, they make sure no one is around, close all windows and turn up hits like “All Out of Love”, “Every Woman In The World”, “Lost In Love” and “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”.

#4 (249) TOOL vs. #13 (776) KING CRIMSON

Easiest way to describe Tool is Progressive Metal for the way they combine the tow elements in songs like “Sober”, “Stinkfist”, “Vicarious” and “Prison Sex”

Experimental Jazz Fusion Prog Rockers King Crimson were never popular, but had a following for songs like “The Court Of The Crimson King”, “Epitaph”, “Sleepless” and “21st Century Schizoid Man”

#3 (136) SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE vs. #14 (889) NICK DRAKE

Psychedelic FunkRock of Sly produced timeless classics like “Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)”, “Dance To The Music”, “Hot Fun In The Summertime” and “Everyday People”

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Nick Drake never experienced mainstream success with songs like “River Man” or “Pink Moon”, but he was a huge influence on many 80’s acts like R.E.M. and The Cure.

#6 (377) WHAM! vs. #11 (648) DIO

George Michael and the other guy, Andrew Ridgley had a string of hits in the early 80’s including “Careless Whisper”, “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go”, “Freedom” and “I’m Your Man”

Ronnie James Dio was a lead singer for bands like Rainbow and Sabbath before creating his own band and hits like “Holy Diver”, “The Last In Line”, “Mystery” and “Rainbow In The Dark”

#7 (392) M.I.A. vs. #10 (633) SPONGE

In the past 10 years, no artist has blended together so many styles to form a sound of their own quite the way M.I.A. has. Songs like “Paper Planes” “Galang”, “Bucky Done Gunn” and “Boyz” have set her apart.

90’s post grunge rockers infected radio with a number of songs including “Plowed”, “Molly”, “Wax Ecstatic” and “Live Here Without you”.

#2 (121) MORRISSEY vs. #15 (904) GEORGE STRAIT

Morrissey’s post Smiths solo career has included a ton of hits including “Everyday Is Like Sunday”, “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get”, “Irish Blood, English Heart” and “Suedehead”.

George Strait is a country guy, “Ocean Front Property”, “All My Ex’s Live In Texas”, “Easy Come Easy Go” and “Write This Down”.

#1 Stevie Wonder
#9 The Wallflowers
#5 Jane's Addiction
#13 King Crimson
# Sly & the Family Stone
#6 Wham!
...
#2 Morrissey

#1 (8) STEVIE WONDER
#8 (505) SAVAGE GARDEN
#5 (264) JANE’S ADDICTION
#13 (776) KING CRIMSON
#14 (889) NICK DRAKE
#6 (377) WHAM!
#7 (392) M.I.A.
#15 (904) GEORGE STRAIT

1. Stevie Wonder
5. Jane's Addiction
13. King Crimson
3. Sly and the Family Stone
7. M.I.A.
8. Morrissey

#1 STEVIE WONDER

I was, and remain to this day, a big fan of "My So Called Life." However I was on Team Brian, not Team Jordan. That's the only reason I'm voting for that untalented hack Stevie Wonder.

#9 THE WALLFLOWERS

Remember when Springstreen destroyed Jakob Dylan at the MTV Video Music Awards?

#5 JANE’S ADDICTION

Against all logic and likelihood, Perry Farrell's voice manages to not grate on my nerves.

#4 TOOL

I'm pretty feh about both of them.

#3 SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE

Sadly, I read that Stone sucked at Coachella. That's the worst you'll ever hear me say about this astonishingly great group.

#6 WHAM!

I must really not like metal if I'm voting for Wham!

#7 M.I.A.

Kala is in my top-10 for the past decade.

#2 MORRISSEY

While as a general philosophy I much prefer Strait's general sunniness to Morrissey's mopiness, and I appreciate his attempts to keep traditional country sounds relevant through the 80's and 90's, I still have to go with Morrissey.

#1 (8) STEVIE WONDER
#9 (520) THE WALLFLOWERS
#5 (264) JANE’S ADDICTION
#4 (249) TOOL
#3 (136) SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
#11 (648) DIO
#7 (392) M.I.A.
#2 (121) MORRISSEY

#1 Stevie Wonder
The next one is truly a tough matchup to me...I like "Truly, Madly, Deeply" and "6th Avenue Heartache", big minus to both for squandering their initial momentum, and minuses for "I Knew I loved you" and "One Headlight". I'll go with...
#8 Savage Garden - by a nose
#12 Air Supply - guilty as charged
#6 Wham!

I abstain from the rest, but I must say #2 vs. #15 is one of the most bizarre matchups we've seen...is it even possible for someone to like both of these guys?

Sorry, Slick, I suppose that you have explained it before but... have you used record sales data to compile your rankings? That could explain the 377th ranking for Wham while Nick Drake is on position... #899!!

1. Stevie Wonder
9. The Wallflowers
5. Jane’s Addiction
13. King Crimson
3. Sly and the Family Stone (Sly vs. Nick Drake is likely the most high-quality matchup to date)
6. Wham!
7. M.I.A.
2. Morrissey

MOST UNDERRATED
Nick Drake (UMT 889, AM 91); King Crimson (UMT 776, AM 163); M.I.A. (UMT 392, AM 148).

MOST OVERRATED
Wham! (UMT 377, AM 1683); Savage Garden (UMT 505, AM n/a); Wallflowers (UMT 520, AM n/a).

SORT OF CLOSE
Stevie Wonder (UMT 8, AM 20); Morrissey (UMT 121, AM 160).

BRACKET #9

#1 (8) STEVIE WONDER
#9 (520) THE WALLFLOWERS
#5 (264) JANE’S ADDICTION
#13 (776) KING CRIMSON
#3 (136) SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
#6 (377) WHAM!
#7 (392) M.I.A.
#2 (121) MORRISSEY

Wham! vs. Dio falls into the "Of course, death is not an option" category...

Stevie Wonder
Jane's Addiction
King Crimson (tough choice)
Nick Drake (very tough choice, 2 of AMs favourite meeting in the first round)
M.I.A.

#1 (8) STEVIE WONDER

#9 (520) THE WALLFLOWERS
I actually liked 'I Want You', but the rest of their songs sound so faux-sensitive-pop-star it makes me gag.

#5 (264) JANE’S ADDICTION

#13 (776) KING CRIMSON

I think Tool is super-underrated in our crowd, but unfortunately, they're against King Crimson.

#14 (889) NICK DRAKE
AHH! Why are all the good ones against the good ones and mediocre ones against mediocre ones?!!

#6 (377) WHAM!

#7 (392) M.I.A.

#2 (121) MORRISSEY

'I hate everyone' beats 'Anyone not part of my culture is less human than me'.

Stevie Wonder (in one of the most unbalanced matchups of the tournament)
The Wallflowers
Jane's Addiction
King Crimson (Tool seeded that much higher than them?)
Nick Drake (loaded matchup)
Dio
MIA
Morrissey

It's the point total of all the singles that made it into my top 400 songs from each year using a formula of 40% popularity, 30% critical acclaim and 30% other (personal opinion, longevity and random year end lists) Nick Drake does very well for having only a couple of songs that were far from popular in their day...unfortunately Wham! was very popular in their day.

Winners for bracket #9...

Stevie Wonder 91.7% / 30 Seconds To Mars 8.3%
The Wallflowers 90.9% / Savage Garden 9.1%
Jane's Addiction 91.3% / Air Supply 8.7%
Tool 54.5% / King Crimson 45.5%
Sly & The Family Stone 77.3% / Nick Drake 21.7%
Dio 52.4% / Wham! 47.6%
M.I.A. 63.6% / Sponge 36.3%
Morrissey 68.2% / George Strait 31.8%