Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019- POLL CLOSED. Off-topic thread

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mileswide
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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StevieFan13 wrote: Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:10 pm Alright, let's give this a shot.
Nick wrote: Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:55 pm A somewhat provisional list. Thanks for some song inspiration, Steviefan!
BobPatience wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:59 pm My (Preliminary) list. I might change it, I might not.
Edre Peraza wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:51 pm 1. Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
andyd1010 wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:46 pm Damn, I was just finalizing my list after hours and hours going through it.
FrankLotion wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm Honestly I’ve just been spending a while trying to make mine so sorry for the wait! I can assure you that you probably didn’t alienate anyone here but I completely understand if you don’t want continue with the poll. I think at the very least people can just share lists if they want and it doesn’t have to end with any tally. :)
Aw hell, let's hold the poll after all! Even if we just get a few more votes, it'll still be great to get a list together (I best make sure the results are more slickly organised to compensate for all this haphazardness though!) To remind you, the deadline is 21st August, just ask if you need an extension. I'll carry on checking Andy's choices once I'm back from work, please feel free to post or alter your lists in the interim!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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I'm beginning with the Excels. Two observations:
- StevieFan13, you have Lorde's "Green Light" twice on your list, at #61 and #71. Maybe you could replace one of them with another option.
- mileswide, you have two numbers 21, Blur and Aztec Camera. Is it OK to have 151 songs instead 150 or do you prefer to remove a song?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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D'oh! Fixed - my #61 is Everybody Wants to Rule the World now.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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Honorio wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:13 pm I'm beginning with the Excels. Two observations:
- StevieFan13, you have Lorde's "Green Light" twice on your list, at #61 and #71. Maybe you could replace one of them with another option.
- mileswide, you have two numbers 21, Blur and Aztec Camera. Is it OK to have 151 songs instead 150 or do you prefer to remove a song?
Embarrassing that I didn't notice either :o I've chucked out Just and I've moved down everything from Somewhere in My Heart to And The Beat Goes On (21b-148). It allowed me to clean up some typos along the way, so I appreciate it, Honorio!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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Cool list andyd, I've gone through all your songs I didn't know plus some that I couldn't remember all too well and these all have choruses, no controversy in my book! Dissenting opinions also welcome 8-)
andyd1010 wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:14 pm I’ve also thought a lot about the best bridges/middle eights as I’ve gone through my choices, so if you ever wanted to go for your original idea, I’d be down for that too.
I'm glad that's got you thinking about all the great middle 8s out there but I'm not sure I should be allowed near the running of another poll any time soon! Besides, I reckon there'd be a fair amount of crossover, Portions for Foxes from your list springs to mind, gorgeous mid-eight there.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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FrankLotion wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm Honestly I’ve just been spending a while trying to make mine so sorry for the wait! I can assure you that you probably didn’t alienate anyone here but I completely understand if you don’t want continue with the poll. I think at the very least people can just share lists if they want and it doesn’t have to end with any tally. :)
You were actually one of the people I thought I'd irked by taking on your idea of 50 maximum, then scrapping that not long after, I know I haven't been consistent!

So please, Frank and everyone else considering a list, you can rest easy that Honorio will tear me limb by limb if I threaten to pull the plug again, so no worries and no need to rush! But it's not just that, I've wanted to oversee this poll from its onset, I just thought I'd screwed it up.

Onwards and upwards though, I'll look forward to getting and listening to more of your chorus choices!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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mileswide wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:25 pm
FrankLotion wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm Honestly I’ve just been spending a while trying to make mine so sorry for the wait! I can assure you that you probably didn’t alienate anyone here but I completely understand if you don’t want continue with the poll. I think at the very least people can just share lists if they want and it doesn’t have to end with any tally. :)
You were actually one of the people I thought I'd irked by taking on your idea of 50 maximum, then scrapping that not long after, I know I haven't been consistent!

So please, Frank and everyone else considering a list, you can rest easy that Honorio will tear me limb by limb if I threaten to pull the plug again, so no worries and no need to rush! But it's not just that, I've wanted to oversee this poll from its onset, I just thought I'd screwed it up.

Onwards and upwards though, I'll look forward to getting and listening to more of your chorus choices!
Lol no worries at all, honestly about five seconds into starting my list I quickly realized mine was going to be about 200 so I’m not sure why I thought 50 would’ve been enough!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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FrankLotion wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2019 12:26 am Lol no worries at all, honestly about five seconds into starting my list I quickly realized mine was going to be about 200 so I’m not sure why I thought 50 would’ve been enough!
Happy days, I wasn't sure if I'd get to a list of 50 that I was pleased with but next thing I knew, I had a draft of 150, so I can relate!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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7 days left, people! One last question about eligibility: is everyone alright with the concept of including wordless choruses? Honorio made the point that they could arguably be contentious, especially in light of my (possibly unjustified) hardline against including instrumental sections where the chorus should be
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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mileswide wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:09 pm 7 days left, people! One last question about eligibility: is everyone alright with the concept of including wordless choruses? Honorio made the point that they could arguably be contentious, especially in light of my (possibly unjustified) hardline against including instrumental sections where the chorus should be
I would include them. They’re still a form of chorus, albeit an unorthodox one.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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My list is going to have the song Wordless Chorus by My Morning Jacket which...has a wordless chorus, but I guess he’s still singing so I’m hoping that qualifies.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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So this is my choruses Top 100. I've only selected songs from my all-time songs list, choosing the ones in which I thought that the chorus is the main reason why I like the song so much. Since my all-time list is in a bad need of update there are not many recent selections...
Note: in some cases (numbers 10, 37, 58, 73, 75, 76) the choices are not exactly chorus but refrains (according to Mirriam-Webster a recurring phrase or verse at the end of each stanza of a poem or song). "Ah, but I was so much older then / I'm younger that that now" or "She's long gone / and now I'm lonesome blue" are technically refrains instead of chorus but we probably could include it in the poll.


1. BOB DYLAN | Like a Rolling Stone | How does it feel...
2. THE SMITHS | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out | And if a double-decker bus...
3. THE RONETTES | Be My Baby | So won't you, please...
4. DAVID BOWIE | Life on Mars? | Sailors fighting in the dance hall...
5. LOU REED | Walk on the Wild Side | She says, "hey babe...
6. THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS | California Dreamin’ | All the leaves are brown...
7. THE BEATLES | Strawberry Fields Forever | Let me take you down...
8. PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION | Kiss | You don't have to be rich...
9. BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS | Is This Love | Is this love...
10. THE BYRDS | My Back Pages | Ah, but I was so much older then...
11. NEW ORDER | Bizarre Love Triangle | Every time I see you falling...
12. DAVID BOWIE | Ashes to Ashes | Ashes to ashes...
13. NIRVANA | Smells Like Teen Spirit | With the lights out...
14. BELLE & SEBASTIAN | Like Dylan in the Movies | On your own...
15. THE POGUES | Fairytale of New York | The boys of the NYPD choir...
16. MICHAEL JACKSON | Billie Jean | Billie Jean is not my lover...
17. JOY DIVISION | Love Will Tear Us Apart | Then love, love will tear us...
18. PUBLIC ENEMY | Fight the Power | Fight the power...
19. CHUCK BERRY | Johnny B. Goode | Go, go, go Johnny go...
20. THE PATTI SMITH GROUP | Because the Night | Because the night...
21. THE BEACH BOYS | I Get Around | Round round get around...
22. THE JAM | Going Underground | I'm going underground...
23. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN | The River | We'd go down to the river...
24. STAN GETZ & JOAO GILBERTO | The Girl From Ipanema | Ah, por que estou tão sozinho...
25. THE ZOMBIES | Time of the Season | To take you in the sun to...


26. TALKING HEADS | Psycho Killer | Psycho killer...
27. LOU REED | Dirty Blvd. | He's going to end up...
28. RACHID TAHA | Ya Rayah | Ya rayah win msafar...
29. NEIL YOUNG + CRAZY HORSE | Tired Eyes | Please take my advice...
30. JANIS JOPLIN | Me and Bobby McGee | Freedom's just another word...
31. GLORIA GAYNOR | I Will Survive | Oh no, not I...
32. MARY GAUTHIER | I Drink | Fish swim...
33. LANA DEL REY | West Coast | I can see my baby swinging...
34. CAMARÓN | Volando voy | Volando voy, volando vengo...
35. LEONARD COHEN | Suzanne | And you want to travel with her...
36. SAM COOKE | A Change Is Gonna Come | It's been a long time coming...
37. THE BEATLES | Eleanor Rigby | Ah, look at all the lonely people...
38. ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS | Oliver’s Army | Oliver's army is here to stay...
39. BLUR | End of a Century | We all say, don't want to be alone...
40. THE BAND | The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down | The night they drove...
41. BOB DYLAN | Just Like a Woman | She takes just like a woman...
42. JOHNNY CASH | Hurt | What have I become...
43. SISA | Qualsevol nit pot sortir el sol | Oh! Benvinguts...
44. EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL | Missing | And I miss you like the deserts...
45. PIXIES | Monkey Gone to Heaven | This monkey's gone to Heaven...
46. GORAN BREGOVIC | Mesecina | Mesecina, mesecina...
47. THE ROLLING STONES | Dead Flowers | And you can send me...
48. THE BEE GEES | Stayin’ Alive | Whether you're a brother...
49. JANE BIRKIN - SERGE GAINSBOURG | Je t’aime… moi non plus | Je vais, je vais et je viens...
50. PREFAB SPROUT | Goodbye Lucille #1 | Life's not complete...


51. THE POSTAL SERVICE | Such Great Heights | They will see us waving...
52. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS | Juxtapozed With U | You've got to tolerate...
53. MORRISSEY | First of the Gang to Die | Hector was the first...
54. THE ROLLING STONES | Honky Tonk Women | It's the honky tonk women...
55. THE STOOGES | I Wanna Be Your Dog | And now I wanna be your dog...
56. CARL PERKINS | Blue Suede Shoes | But don't you step on...
57. KANYE WEST feat. PUSHA T | Runaway | Let's have a toast for the douchebags...
58. CHIC | Le Freak | Ah, freak out...
59. JACQUES BREL | Ne me quitte pas | Ne me quitte pas…
60. LOTTE LENYA | Moon of Alabama| Oh, moon of Alabama...
61. THE TEMPTATIONS | My Girl | My girl, my girl...
62. THE KINKS | Waterloo Sunset | Everyday I look at the world...
63. DEPECHE MODE | Enjoy the Silence | All I ever wanted...
64. RADIOHEAD | Creep | But I'm a creep...
65. YOUSSOU N’DOUR & NENEH CHERRY | 7 Seconds | It's not a second...
66. DEEE-LITE | Groove Is in the Heart | Groove is in the heart...
67. TALKING HEADS | Once in a Lifetime | Letting the days go by...
68. DONNA SUMMER | I Feel Love | I feel love...
69. BJÖRK | Jóga | This state of emergency...
70. TODD RUNDGREN | Cold Morning Light | We are close...
71. ROY ORBISON | In Dreams | In dreams I walk with you...
72. BOB DYLAN | The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll | But you who philosophize disgrace...
73. MARLENE DIETRICH | Sag’ mir, wo die Blumen sind | Wann wird man je versteh'n...
74. CARLOS GARDEL | Volver | Volver, con la frente marchita…
75. HANK WILLIAMS | Long Gone Lonesome Blues | She's long gone...


76. AGOSTINHO DOS SANTOS | A felicidade | Tristeza não tem fim...
77. SOFT CELL | Tainted Love | Once I ran to you...
78. ARETHA FRANKLIN | I Say a Little Prayer | Forever and ever...
79. MERCURY REV | Goddess on a Hiway | And I know it ain't gonna last...
80. ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN | The Killing Moon | Fate up against your will...
81. PALE FOUNTAINS | Palm of My Hand | Had it in the palm of my hand...
82. PINK FLOYD | Wish You Were Here | How I wish...
83. JEANETTE | Por qué te vas | Todas las promesas de mi amor..
84. BASEMENT JAXX | Red Alert | And the music keeps on playin'...
85. STEPPENWOLF | Born to Be Wild | Like a true nature child...
86. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL | Have You Ever Seen the Rain? | I want to know...
87. CHRIS ISAAK | Wicked Game | No, I don't wanna fall in love...
88. ABBA | Dancing Queen | You are the dancing queen...
89. DAFT PUNK | Get Lucky | She's up all night to the sun...
90. JAMES BROWN | I Got You (I Feel Good) | Wow! I feel good...
91. THE SHINS | Saint Simon | Mercy's eyes are blue...
92. GENESIS | The Carpet Crawlers | The carpet crawlers heed their callers...
93. THE POLICE | Roxanne | Roxanne, put on the red light...
94. U2 | New Year's Day | I will be with you again...
95. THE CURE | Boys Don’t Cry | I tried to laugh about it...
96. PAUL SIMON | Kodachrome | Kodachrome they give us those nice...
97. THE CHURCH | Already Yesterday | We don't feel those locks and chains...
98. AC/DC | Highway to Hell | I'm on the highway to hell...
99. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE | Stacy’s Mom | Stacy's mom has got it going on...
100. JAMES TAYLOR | You’ve Got a Friend | You just call out my name...
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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Great selections, Honorio- love the illustrations too, especially the one for Psycho Killer :)
Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:43 pm Note: in some cases (numbers 10, 37, 58, 73, 75, 76) the choices are not exactly chorus but refrains (according to Mirriam-Webster a recurring phrase or verse at the end of each stanza of a poem or song).
I'd say all of your choices are valid but for 10 & 73 in particular, your mileage may vary. My Back Pages is a similar case to Hurricane as is All I Really Want to Do, Lay Lady Lay and Lily, Rosemary... among others; unsurprisingly, given its writer. Maybe having refrains rather than clear-cut choruses is an American folk thing (Sag' mir, wo die Blumen sind is the German cover of Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, nicht wahr?)

What's everyone's opinion on the cases highlighted by Honorio?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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Nick wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:08 pm
mileswide wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:09 pm 7 days left, people! One last question about eligibility: is everyone alright with the concept of including wordless choruses? Honorio made the point that they could arguably be contentious, especially in light of my (possibly unjustified) hardline against including instrumental sections where the chorus should be
I would include them. They’re still a form of chorus, albeit an unorthodox one.
Nice one, thanks Nick, I'll roll with that if there are no other objections?
FrankLotion wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:27 pm My list is going to have the song Wordless Chorus by My Morning Jacket which...has a wordless chorus, but I guess he’s still singing so I’m hoping that qualifies.
I hope so too, otherwise that's my number 3 put to sleep and my 58 out for the count...
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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mileswide wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:14 pm My Back Pages is a similar case to Hurricane.
I don't necessarily agree with this.
In 'Hurricane' there's hardly any lyrical repetition in the 'counter-verses', but in 'My Back Pages' the "But I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now" repeats after every verse, and even after the instrumental.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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BobPatience wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:50 am I don't necessarily agree with this.
In 'Hurricane' there's hardly any lyrical repetition in the 'counter-verses', but in 'My Back Pages' the "But I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now" repeats after every verse, and even after the instrumental.
That's true, I meant that it could be argued it was a refrain not separate enough from the verse to count as a chorus (though the Byrds' harmonies make their version of MBP more distinct as a chorus in contrast to the verse than in Dylan's original, imo).

I take it My Back Pages gets your thumbs-up as a chorus with that considered?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

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1. Madonna - Like a Prayer
2. Oasis - Champagne Supernova
3. Nine Inch Nails - Closer
4. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
5. Queen - We Are the Champions
6. Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You
7. Stevie Wonder - For Once In My Life
8. Kanye West - Runaway
9. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
10. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message
11. Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know
12. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
13. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
14. Elton John - Rocket Man
15. Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.
16. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
17. The Kinks - You Really Got Me
18. Disclosure - Latch
19. U2 - Pride (In the Name Of Love)
20. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
21. Robyn - Fem Bots
22. OutKast - Ms. Jackson
23. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
24. Otis Redding - (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of the Bay
25. Michael Jackson - Beat It
26. My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus
27. SZA - Drew Barrymore
28. Adele - Rolling in the Deep
29. Nirvana - In Bloom
30. The Knife - Heartbeats
31. ABBA - Dancing Queen
32. R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts
33. Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
34. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
35. OutKast - Roses
36. The Clash - London Calling
37. The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
38. Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
39. The Beatles - She Loves You
40. Fall Out Boy - Sugar, We’re Going Down
41. Mitski - Your Best American Girl
42. Fugees - Killing Me Softly
43. James Blake - Retrograde
44. The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin’ Man
45. The Beatles - Help!
46. The Ronettes - Be My Baby
47. D’Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel)
48. Prince - When Doves Cry
49. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
50. Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whisky
51. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
52. The Smiths - There is a Light That Never Goes Out
53. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
54. Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box
55. Third Eye Blind - Semi Charmed Life
56. The Smiths - This Charming Man
57. Cee-Lo Green - Fuck You
58. Run-DMC - It’s Tricky
59. Crowded House - Don’t Dream it’s Over
60. Angel Olsen - Shut Up Kiss Me
61. Robyn - Dancing on My Own
62. The Strokes - Someday
63. Al Green - Tired Of Being Alone
64. James Brown & the Furious Flames - I Got You (I Feel Good)
65. Nirvana - Lithium
66. The Rolling Stones - You Can’t Always Get You Want
67. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
68. U2 - With or Without You
69. The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice
70. Love - Alone Again Or
71. Madonna - Like a Virgin
72. Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment - Sunday Candy
73. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
74. The Notorious B.I.G. - Big Poppa
75. Big Brother and the Holding Company - Piece Of My Heart
76. The Beatles - You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
77. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
78. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian at Best
79. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
80. The Shins - Kissing The Lipless
81. Sia - Chandelier
82. The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman
83. Buddy Holly & the Crickets - Rave On
84. Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
85. Blur - Song 2
86. Little Richard - Tutti Frutti
87. Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall
88. Portishead - Glory Box
89. Meat Puppets - Lake Of Fire
90. The Righteous Brothers - You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
91. La Roux - Bulletproof
92. Animal Collective - My Girls
93. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
94. TLC - Waterfalls
95. Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive
96. Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
97. The Beach Boys - Wouldn’t it be Nice
98. Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)
99. AC/DC - T.N.T.
100. Radiohead - Optimistic
101. The Temptations - My Girl
102. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
103. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love
104. Fiona Apple - Every Single Night
105. Neil Young - Old Man
106. The Beatles - Ticket to Ride
107. Led Zeppelin - Since I’ve Been Loving You
108. Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
109. The Doors - Break On Through
110. Jay-Z - Can’t Knock the Hustle
111. St. Vincent - Birth In Reverse
112. Björk - Who is It
113. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt. 2
114. Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
115. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
116. Prince - Purple Rain
117. The Clash - Train In Vain
118. Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
119. Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly
120. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Tuesday’s Gone
121. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain
122. Dizzee Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp
123. Weezer - Say It Ain’t So
124. U2 - I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
125. The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
126. Sturgill Simpson - The Promise
127. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
128. The Notorious B.I.G. - The What
129. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary
130. Blondie - Heart Of Glass
131. Lou Reed - Walk On the Wild Side
132. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
133. The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
134. Public Enemy - Fight The Power
135. Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
136. Kanye West - We Don’t Care
137. Johnny Cash - Ring Of Fire
138. The Beach Boys - Don’t Worry Baby
139. Nirvana - All Apologies
140. Kendrick Lamar - Alright
141. Father John Misty - Nancy From Now On
142. The Replacements - Androgynous
143. Dion - Runaround Sue
144. Amy Winehouse - Valerie
145. Sublime - Santeria
146. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
147. Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel
148. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
149. Talking Heads - Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
150. Neko Case - Star Witness
151. The Rolling Stones - Street Fighting Man
152. The Beatles - Girl
153. The XX - VCR
154. Guns N’ Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine
155. Mamas and the Papas - Monday Monday
156. Smoky Robinson & the Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
157. Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
158. Sam Cooke - Bring it On Home to Me
159. Coldplay - The Scientist
160. The Roots - The Seed 2.0
161. Beastie Boys - So What’cha Want
162. Earth, Wind & Fire - Shining Star
163. Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
164. Patsy Cline - Back In Baby’s Arms
165. Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward Bound
166. Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come
167. Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
168. Pearl Jam - Black
169. Black Flag - TV Party
170. Dolly Parton - Jolene
171. The Zombies - Time Of the Season
172. Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
173. CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
174. The Streets - Fit But You Know It
175. Toots & the Maytals - Pressure Drop
176. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
177. Roxy Music - More Than This
178. Cardi B - I Like It
179. Green Day - When September Ends
180. Amy Winehouse - Rehab
181. The Police - Next to You
182. Guns N’ Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
183. Jason Isbell - Cover Me Up
184. Eminem - Lose Yourself
185. Blind Faith - Can’t Find My Way Home
186. Car Seat Headrest - Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales
187. Motörhead - Ace Of Spades
188. MGMT - Time to Pretend
189. Disclosure - Help Me Lose My Mind
190. Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
191. Queen - Killer Queen
192. The Knife - Ready to Lose
193. Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent
194. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
195. The Bug - Angry
196. Ariana Grande - NASA
197. Gang Starr - Above the Clouds
198. Third Eye Blind - How’s It Going to Be
199. Arca - Desafio
200. Prince - Kiss

Some thoughts, I really enjoyed this poll because it forced me to slow down and actually analyze some component parts of songs to see what really works for them and determine WHY they stick with me. There’s definitely a bit of overlap between this list and my All Time Songs list I posted last year but there’s also the opportunity to celebrate some songs that didn’t make that list at all like Mr. Brightside, which has a chorus that is just disgustingly catchy...Also I want to give a shoutout to The Rolling Stones who dominated my list more than anyone else by a long shot.

I didn’t really have an idea of what my favorite chorus was going to be when I started but I couldn’t be happier with choosing Madonna’s Like a Prayer, I think for me the chorus hits the perfect center of being an immediate earworm while also carrying enough emotional heft to really sweep you up into the song!

Finally thanks for your patience mileswide for letting me finish this, I think the nature of the list lends itself to be my new ultimate road trip playlist!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Sweet list, FrankLotion! I'm pleased there was some deviation from your all-time list, not because of the extra work it entailed of course, but as I was worried there may be some replication of the big poll last year in people's lists, particularly the more I increased the maximum songs allowed.

Thankfully, there was no risk of that- I can see everyone's bought into the idea of shining a light on choruses, rather than necessarily the song itself, from all genres, languages and levels of popularity (what I mean by the last category is that a song doesn't need to be pop to have an awesome chorus).

Similarly to you, Frank, Mr. Brightside isn't even my favourite Killers song and would probably just lie outside my top 500 but its chorus is just a cascade, wave after wave of hooks. I think all the choices each of us have made have been tracks where the chorus has been memorable and attention-grabbing in the best way, even when the rest of the song isn't (Get Low comes to mind from my list).

Great shout on the roadtrip playlist, the chorus is made for the open road with good people around you yelling along to every word :music-rockon:
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by acroamor »

Decided to join in this poll after all with a top 80.

1. Mitski - Your Best American Girl
2. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
4. Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
5. David Bowie - Changes
6. Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger
7. ABBA - Dancing Queen
8. Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
9. Kacey Musgraves - Follow Your Arrow
10. The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
11. Mitski - Nobody
12. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
13. David Bowie - Life on Mars?
14. Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
15. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away with Me
16. Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue
17. Weezer - California Kids
18. Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
19. Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me
20. Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me
21. Don McLean - American Pie
22. Toto - Africa
23. FIDLAR - Called You Twice
24. Mitski - Old Friend
25. Kacey Musgraves - Merry Go Round
26. Blink-182 - All the Small Things
27. Lucy Dacus - Night Shift
28. We The Kings - Check Yes Juliet
29. Alvvays - Dreams Tonite
30. Feist - 1234
31. Oasis - Cast No Shadow
32. The Knife - Heartbeats
33. SZA - 20 Something
34. Big Thief - Mary
35. System of a Down - Chop Suey!
36. Green Day - Basket Case
37. SZA - Drew Barrymore
38. Sharon Van Etten - Seventeen
39. Green Day - Give Me Novocaine
40. Blink-182 - I Miss You
41. The Beatles - For No One
42. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
43. Counting Crows - Accidentally in Love
44. Caroline Rose - Jeannie Becomes a Mom
45. Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends
46. The Cranberries - Linger
47. The Killers - When You Were Young
48. David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
49. The Killers - All These Things That I’ve Done
50. System of a Down - BYOB
51. Van Morrison - Moondance
52. Lil Nas X - Old Town Road
53. Pink Floyd - See Emily Play
54. Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind
55. Kendrick Lamar - Alright
56. The Cranberries - Zombie
57. Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town
58. Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta
59. Weezer - Buddy Holly
60. XX - VCR
61. Weezer - Say It Ain’t So
62. The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
63. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
64. Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
65. Green Day - Longview
66. Angel Olsen - Shut Up Kiss Me
67. Blink-182 - Dammit
68. Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
69. David Bowie - Space Oddity
70. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
71. Johnny Cash - Hurt
72. Jason Isbell - Cover Me Up
73. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin Out My Back Door
74. Tune-yards - Bizness
75. FIDLAR - Are You High?
76. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Down on the Corner
77. Green Day - 21 Guns
78. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
79. Barenaked Ladies - One Week
80. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by FrankLotion »

mileswide wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:57 pm [...] (Get Low comes to mind from my list).
I can’t believe I forgot Get Low! :( honestly might be one of the most wonderfully dumb and iconic choruses of all time, unfortunately I don’t want to redo my list lol so I guess I’ll just count this as an honorable shout out!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

FrankLotion wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:45 pm I can’t believe I forgot Get Low! :(
How could you? What would Vampire Weekend say?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Less than 10 hours to go! Get any last-minute edits in!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Emerald »

1. Prince - When Doves Cry
2. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Is This Love
3. Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
4. Smiths - There is a Light That Never Goes Out
5. Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
6. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
7. Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
8. David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
9. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
10. Roxy Music - More Than This
11. The Zombies - Time Of The Season
12. The Who - My Generation
13. The Byrds - Eight Miles High
14. Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
15. Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger
16. Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
17. Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
18. Ike and Tina Turner - River Deep - Mountain High
19. Pink Floyd - See Emily Play
20. The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
21. The Ronettes - Be My Baby
22. The Monkees - I'm A Believer
23. Rihanna - Umbrella
24. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
25. Annie - Heartbeat
26. Oasis - Wonderwall
27. The Crickets - That'll Be the Day
28. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
29. Derek and the Dominos - Layla
30. The Teardrop Explodes - Reward
31. T. Rex - Get It On
32. The Cure - Lovesong
33. Otis Redding - (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of the Bay
34. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
35. The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
36. Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
37. Run-DMC & Aerosmith - Walk This Way
38. OutKast - Ms. Jackson
39. Love - Alone Again Or
40. Tavares - Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
41. Ray Charles - What'd I Say
42. The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreamin'
43. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
44. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
45. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
46. Prince - Kiss
47. Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Shame
48. OutKast - Hey Ya!
49. Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
50. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
51. Interpol - Obstacle 1
52. Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
53. Radiohead - Creep
54. The Coral - Dreaming of You
55. U2 - With Or Without You
56. The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
57. Weezer - Say It Ain’t So
58. Nine Inch Nails - Head Like A Hole
59. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
60. Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face
61. U2 - Pride (in the Name of Love)
62. Earth, Wind & Fire - Fantasy
63. Beyoncé f/ André 3000 - Party
64. The Killers - Somebody Told Me
65. The Clash - Rudie Can't Fail
66. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
67. The Chiffons - He's So Fine
68. The Police - Every Breath You Take
69. Keyshia Cole - Heaven Sent
70. Sahara Hotnights – Hot Night Crash
71. Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence
72. Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
73. Fugees - Killing Me Softly with His Song
74. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Redemption Song
75. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
76. EMF - Unbelievable
77. Sublime - Doin' Time
78. Carl Carlton - She's A Bad Mama Jama
79. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
80. Shakira f/ Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie
81. The Temptations - My Girl
82. Kate Bush - Babooshka
83. The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
84. Pearl Jam - Jeremy
85. Beyoncé f/ Dixie Chicks - Daddy Lessons
86. Kylie Minogue - Love at First Sight
87. Beach Boys - Sloop John B.
88. Prince - 1999
89. Deee-Lite - Groove Is in the Heart
90. Busta Rhymes - Break Ya Neck
91. Aaliyah - More Than A Woman
92. Editors - Munich
93. Blondie - Heart Of Glass
94. Janet Jackson - Unbreakable
95. Hollies - Bus Stop
96. Stevie Wonder - Pastime Paradise
97. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face Down
98. Bob Marley & The Wailers - One Love / People Get Ready
99. Ne-Yo - Single
100. Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
101. Adele - Rolling In The Deep
102. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
103. Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
104. Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel
105. The B-52's - Roam
106. The Whispers - And The Beat Goes On
107. Prince - Purple Rain
108. Madonna - Like a Prayer
109. Ne-Yo - Beacuse Of You
110. Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

I didn't expect anyone else to vote but I'm glad you did, Emerald! I'm just on my way to work and when I've clocked off, I'll listen to the songs in Emerald's ballot that I'm not familiar with to check the validity of their choruses.

I can't say how long that'll take me but any lists or edits submitted within that time will be accepted. After that, they'll be a break until at least tomorrow (Friday), maybe longer, to allow Honorio to complete the calculations, any stragglers to vote (if they ask nicely enough!) and me to prepare the rollout. Any alternative suggestions to the above are welcome :)
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Wezzo »

Hope I'm not too late, mileswide!

1 | R.E.M. | Imitation of Life
2 | Bruce Springsteen | Badlands
3 | Britney Spears | Oops! I Did It Again
4 | Jimmy Eat World | The Middle
5 | The Killers | When You Were Young
6 | Glen Campbell | Rhinestone Cowboy
7 | Elvis Costello | Oliver's Army
8 | The Beach Boys | Wouldn't it Be Nice
9 | No Doubt | Spiderwebs
10 | Sugar | If I Can't Change Your Mind
11 | The Killers | Mr Brightside
12 | The Gaslight Anthem | Great Expectations
13 | Green Day | Minority
14 | Oasis | Whatever
15 | Pet Shop Boys | Always On My Mind
16 | Bleachers | I Miss Those Days
17 | The Beatles | Here Comes the Sun
18 | Steps | Neon Blue
19 | Barenaked Ladies | Odds Are
20 | Bon Jovi | Livin' on a Prayer
21 | Divinyls | I Touch Myself
22 | James | I Know What I'm Here For
23 | Matt Monro | We're Gonna Change the World
24 | Alphabeat | What is Happening
25 | The Records | Starry Eyes
26 | Smallpools | Centerfold
27 | The Smiths | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
28 | The Pogues ft Kirsty McColl | Fairytale of New York
29 | Morrissey | First of the Gang to Die
30 | Gwen Stefani | Cool
31 | The Gaslight Anthem | The Diamond Church Street Choir
32 | Catatonia | Road Rage
33 | The Boomtown Rats | I Don't Like Mondays
34 | Belinda Carlisle | Heaven is a Place on Earth
35 | Band of Horses | Dilly
36 | Queen | Don't Stop Me Now
37 | The Divine Comedy | The Pop Singer's Fear Of The Pollen Count
38 | Blondie | Maria
39 | The Corrs | So Young
40 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | Come On Eileen
41 | Soul Asylum | Runaway Train
42 | The Shirelles | Will You Love Me Tomorrow
43 | The National | Mr November
44 | Bleachers | Rollercoaster
45 | Butch Walker | Stay Gold
46 | Carbon Leaf | What About Everything
47 | Queen ft David Bowie | Under Pressure
48 | Kacey Musgraves | Happy and Sad
49 | Bruce Springsteen | Born to Run
50 | R.E.M. | Fall on Me
51 | They Might Be Giants | Birdhouse in Your Soul
52 | The Polyphonic Spree | Section 9: Light & Day
53 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Here Comes My Girl
54 | CHVRCHES | The Mother We Share
55 | Darlene Love | Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
56 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | The Waiting
57 | The Left Banke | Walk Away Renée
58 | Rick Astley | Together Forever
59 | Dave Hause | C'mon Kid
60 | Stroke 9 | Washin' + Wonderin'
61 | Richard Hawley | Tonight the Streets Are Ours
62 | Barenaked Ladies | Go Home
63 | Against Me! | Because of the Shame
64 | Bruce Springsteen | The Promised Land
65 | Brian Fallon | A Wonderful Life
66 | Neil Sedaka | Next Door to an Angel
67 | Alan Parsons Project | Don't Answer Me
68 | Blondie | Union City Blue
69 | Billy Ocean | Love Really Hurts Without You
70 | A-ha | Take On Me
71 | Bowling for Soup | Girl All the Bad Guys Want
72 | Dixie Chicks | Not Ready to Make Nice
73 | Meat Loaf | You Took the Words Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
74 | Scooch | More Than I Needed to Know
75 | The Monkees | Daydream Believer
76 | Darlene Love | All Alone on Christmas
77 | Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes | I Don't Want To Go Home
78 | Brandi Carlile | Hold Out Your Hand
79 | ABBA | Angeleyes
80 | Keane | Everybody's Changing
81 | Billy Ocean | Red Light Spells Danger
82 | Less Than Jake | Overrated (Everything Is)
83 | Mama Cass | Make Your Own Kind Of Music
84 | Taylor Swift | Love Story
85 | A-ha | The Sun Always Shines on TV
86 | Bryan Adams | Cloud Number Nine
87 | Semisonic | Closing Time
88 | fun. | Why Am I The One?
89 | The National | Mistaken for Strangers
90 | Ash | Burn Baby Burn
91 | Wheatus | Teenage Dirtbag
92 | Eminem | Lose Yourself
93 | The Fratellis | For the Girl
94 | A*Teens | Upside Down
95 | Steven Page | Over Joy
96 | Human League | Don't You Want Me
97 | The Police | Every Breath You Take
98 | Britney Spears | ..Baby One More Time
99 | Bruce Springsteen | You'll Be Comin' Down
100 | Crowded House | Don't Dream It's Over
101 | David Bowie | Life on Mars?
102 | Prince | Little Red Corvette
103 | New Radicals | You Get What You Give
104 | Backstreet Boys | I Want It That Way
105 | Raspberries | Go All the Way
106 | They Might Be Giants | Canajoharie
107 | Emmy the Great | Phoenixes
108 | Edison Lighthouse | Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
109 | Atomic Kitten | Whole Again
110 | Bee Gees | You Win Again
111 | Billy Joel | Say Goodbye to Hollywood
112 | Sandi Thom | What If I'm Right
113 | R.E.M. | Near Wild Heaven
114 | Sixpence None the Richer | Kiss Me
115 | Andy Williams | Home Lovin' Man
116 | ABBA | Waterloo
117 | Shakira | Whenever, Wherever
118 | Lady Gaga | The Edge of Glory
119 | Coldplay | Viva La Vida
120 | Blink-182 | All the Small Things
121 | Bonnie Tyler | Total Eclipse of the Heart
122 | Vanessa Carlton | A Thousand Miles
123 | They Might Be Giants | New York City
124 | Pulp | Common People
125 | Danny and the Champions of the World | Every Beat of My Heart
126 | Deep Blue Something | Breakfast At Tiffany's
127 | 4 Non-Blondes | What's Goin' On
128 | The Kinks | Waterloo Sunset
129 | Less Than Jake | The Science of Selling Yourself Short
130 | Mika | Grace Kelly
131 | MIA | Paper Planes
132 | Barenaked Ladies | It's All Been Done
133 | Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel | Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
134 | Chesney Hawkes | The One and Only
135 | Lady Gaga | Bad Romance
136 | The Mamas and the Papas | California Dreamin'
137 | Marc Cohn | Walking in Memphis
138 | Reel Big Fish | Good Thing
139 | Phil Collins & Philip Bailey | Easy Lover
140 | Meat Loaf | Alive
141 | Cyndi Lauper | Girls Just Want to Have Fun
142 | The Four Tops | Reach Out (I'll Be There)
143 | Guided by Voices | Hold On Hope
144 | R.E.M. | At My Most Beautiful
145 | Elton John | Sacrifice
146 | Oasis | Don't Look Back in Anger
147 | Sia | Chandelier
148 | The Shins | Phantom Limb
149 | The Rubinoos | I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
150 | Brian Eno and David Byrne | Life Is Long
151 | Bruce Springsteen | The River
152 | The Beatles | Twist and Shout
153 | Jenny Lewis | Just One of the Guys
154 | The Magnetic Fields | Born On a Train
155 | Starship | We Built This City
156 | Toploader | Dancing in the Moonlight
157 | Robbie Williams | Strong
158 | Childish Gambino | All the Shine
159 | Marillion | Kayleigh
160 | Gareth Gates | Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake)
161 | The Beach Boys | Fun, Fun, Fun
162 | Ocean Colour Scene | The Day We Caught the Train
163 | OPM | Heaven is a Halfpipe
164 | Elaine Paige & Barbara Dixon | I Know Him So Well
165 | Tommy Tutone | 867-5309 (Jenny)
166 | Paul Simon | You Can Call Me Al
167 | The Ronettes | Be My Baby
168 | Sugababes | About You Now
169 | Travis | Turn
170 | The Undertones | Teenage Kicks
171 | Simon & Garfunkel | The Boxer
172 | Manfred Mann | The Mighty Quinn
173 | Lily Allen | Who'd Have Known
174 | Ramones | My Brain is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)
175 | Phil Collins | I Wish It Would Rain Down
176 | Shania Twain | Whatever You Do! Don't!
177 | The Isley Brothers | This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)
178 | Elton John | I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
179 | Roger Miller | King of the Road
180 | The Beautiful South | Don't Marry Her
181 | Jeff Buckley | Hallelujah
182 | Charlotte Nilsson | Take Me to Your Heaven
183 | Brian McFadden | Irish Son
184 | One Direction | What Makes You Beautiful
185 | Mac Davis | Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me
186 | Bee Gees | For Whom the Bell Tolls
187 | Ben Folds | Landed
188 | Toto | Africa
189 | Sheena Easton | Morning Train (9 to 5)
190 | Beyonce & Jay-Z | Drunk in Love
191 | Bob Dylan | Like A Rolling Stone
192 | James Taylor | Carolina in My Mind
193 | Communards ft Sarah-Jane Morris | Don't Leave Me This Way
194 | Ellie Campbell | So Many Ways
195 | Lolly | Per Sempre Amore (Forever in Love)
196 | M People | Search for the Hero
197 | The Magic Numbers | Forever Lost
198 | The Gaslight Anthem | Orphans
199 | Wire | Outdoor Miner
200 | *Nsync | I Want You Back
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Jackson »

mileswide wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:27 am I didn't expect anyone else to vote but I'm glad you did, Emerald! I'm just on my way to work and when I've clocked off, I'll listen to the songs in Emerald's ballot that I'm not familiar with to check the validity of their choruses.

I can't say how long that'll take me but any lists or edits submitted within that time will be accepted. After that, they'll be a break until at least tomorrow (Friday), maybe longer, to allow Honorio to complete the calculations, any stragglers to vote (if they ask nicely enough!) and me to prepare the rollout. Any alternative suggestions to the above are welcome :)
I plan on voting - I've been working on my list for a little while so I hope it's counted!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

acroamor wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:05 pm Decided to join in this poll after all with a top 80.
Genuinely didn't see your list til now, sorry acroamor- I'll start chorus-checking your choices before Emerald and Wezzo but I don't think they'll be any issues (especially as I think Honorio's already counted your picks as part of his calculations!)
Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am Hope I'm not too late, mileswide!
Definitely not Wezzo, I've got acroamor and Emerald's selections to browse through anyway, so all too happy to include yours as well!
Jackson wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 2:20 pm I plan on voting - I've been working on my list for a little while so I hope it's counted!
Shouldn't pose a problem Jackson, what's your ETA? Just so I can confer with Honorio :)
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Jackson »

mileswide wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:36 pm
acroamor wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:05 pm Decided to join in this poll after all with a top 80.
Genuinely didn't see your list til now, sorry acroamor- I'll start chorus-checking your choices before Emerald and Wezzo but I don't think they'll be any issues (especially as I think Honorio's already counted your picks as part of his calculations!)
Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am Hope I'm not too late, mileswide!
Definitely not Wezzo, I've got acroamor and Emerald's selections to browse through anyway, so all too happy to include yours as well!
Jackson wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 2:20 pm I plan on voting - I've been working on my list for a little while so I hope it's counted!
Shouldn't pose a problem Jackson, what's your ETA? Just so I can confer with Honorio :)
Does 24 hours from now or so work?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Honorio »

Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am 127 | 4 Non-Blondes | What's Goin' On
Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by StevieFan13 »

Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:19 pm
Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am 127 | 4 Non-Blondes | What's Goin' On
Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
I'd call it for 4 Non-Blondes considering the refrain is "What's goin' on?" and "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye is spelled with a g.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Jackson wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:47 pm Does 24 hours from now or so work?
You've got the go ahead, 24 hours from now, just let us know if you need more :mrgreen:
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:19 pm Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
In Stevie's corner with this one- if we don't hear from Wezzo before the poll's closed, I'd say to count it as What's Up by 4 Non Blondes regardless.

Also Honorio, I'm trying to PM you and the messages won't leave my outbox- I said hey, what's goin' on??
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Wezzo »

Definitely intended “What’s Up” - my bad.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Made my way through the submissions of acroamor, Emerald and Wezzo, all stellar lists and all inclusions have choruses by my reckoning! Raring for Jackson's ballot, then that'll most likely be the last entry
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Jackson »

I had a lot of fun participating in this poll, though I'll admit when I first saw the topic I thought it was a little silly (what's next, polling our favorite guitar riffs?). Like some others on this thread have said, it really got me thinking about what makes me love the songs that I love and what components it takes to make a great song. My somewhat surprising conclusion is that having a great chorus has very little correlation with being a great song. Many of my all-time favorite songs are either instrumentals, have verses but no real chorus, or they have a chorus, but it's not the primary reason why I love the song. Conversely, there are plenty of songs that aren't on my AT list that have incredible choruses, though I'll admit that I mostly drew from my list given the sheer difficulty of any other method of selection.

This poll also got me thinking about what actually makes a chorus great. There are a few elements that kept coming up in my favorites:
- Memorable, catchy melodies: This is an obvious benchmark; for many songs, I couldn't even remember if they had a true chorus. I gave a lot of bonus points to songs with multiple memorable parts in their chorus, like "Dancing Queen," over songs that just repeated the same phrase multiple times
- Emotion: Just like when evaluating entire songs, many of my top choruses evoke strong emotions, even if that emotion is just excitement
- Lyrics and phrasing: The uniqueness and strength of the specific lyrics in the chorus is a big differentiator at the top of this list
- Performance: Obviously, the singer's performance is important and can make a huge difference (see my #1)
- Context in the song: I gave strong preference to choruses that are the clear best part of a song, those that result in a song placing well in my all-time list

Honorio, thanks for the idea to list out a line from each chorus, I've copied that for my list.

1 | Kate Bush | Wuthering Heights | Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy…
2 | Sky Ferreira | I Blame Myself | How could you know…
3 | Pulp | Disco 2000 | Rattle me up in the year 2000…
4 | TV On The Radio | Wolf Like Me | My mind has changed…
5 | Funkadelic | Can You Get To That | Can you get…
6 | Bob Dylan | Like A Rolling Stone | How does it feel…
7 | ABBA | Dancing Queen | You are the dancing queen…
8 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Call Me Maybe | Hey, I just met you…
9 | Wire | Outdoor Miner | He lies on his side….
10 | Blur | Blue Jeans | And don't think I'm walking out of this…
11 | The Kinks | Sunny Afternoon | Help me help me…
12 | Kate Bush | Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) | And if only I could…
13 | The Smiths | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out | And if a double decker bus…
14 | The Beach Boys | Good Vibrations | I'm picking up good vibrations…
15 | John Cale | Paris 1919 | You're a ghost…
16 | The Records | Starry Eyes | I don't want to argue…
17 | M.I.A. | Paper Planes | All I want to do is….
18 | FKA Twigs | Two Weeks | Higher than a mother….
19 | The Gun Club | She's Like Heroin To Me | She cannot miss a vein…
20 | Lou Reed | Perfect Day | Oh it's such a perfect day…
21 | The Ronettes | Be My Baby | So won't you please…
22 | Sufjan Stevens | Chicago | You came to take us…
23 | Depeche Mode | Enjoy The Silence | All I ever wanted…
24 | Len | Steal My Sunshine | I know it's up for me…
25 | Michael Jackson | Billie Jean | Billie jean is not my lover…
26 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Cut To The Feeling | I wanna cut through the crowds…
27 | Elliott Smith | King's Crossing | Frustrated fireworks inside your head…
28 | David Bowie | Starman | There's a starman…
29 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | Come on Eileen | At this moment you meant everything…
30 | Sia | Chandelier | I'm gonna swing…
31 | The Killers | Mr. Brightside | Jealousy, turning saints into the sea…
32 | The Knife | Heartbeats | To call for hands of above…
33 | The Smiths | How Soon Is Now? | You shut your mouth…
34 | a-ha | Take On Me | Take on me, take me on…
35 | The Wrens | She Sends Kisses | Some signed with love…
36 | Beck | Loser | Soy un perdedor…
37 | Broadcast | Ominous Cloud | Oh, I'd like to get away…
38 | David Bowie | Life On Mars? | Sailors fighting in the dance hall…
39 | Nirvana | Smells Like Teen Spirit | With the lights out...
40 | Toto | Africa | It's gonna take a lot…
41 | Fucked Up | Queen Of Hearts | Hello my name is David…
42 | Nick Nicely | Hilly Fields | Yeah! 1892…
43 | Echo & The Bunnymen | The Killing Moon | Fate up against your will…
44 | The Rolling Stones | Gimme Shelter | War, children…
45 | The Smashing Pumpkins | 1979 | And I don't even care…
46 | Talking Heads | Once in a Lifetime | Letting the days go by….
47 | Nelly | Hot In Herre | It's getting hot in here…
48 | Faces | Ooh La La | I wish that I knew…
49 | Charli XCX | SuperLove | Wanna fall into your superlove…
50 | Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | The Tracks of My Tears | So take a good look…
51 | The Flaming Lips | Waitin' For A Superman | Tell everybody…
52 | Yes | Time And A Word | There's a time…
53 | The Beach Boys | I Get Around | Round round get around…
54 | Pulp | Common People | You'll never live like…
55 | Wilco | Jesus, Etc. | Tall buildings shake…
56 | Super Furry Animals | Juxtapozed With U | You've got to tolerate…
57 | Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti | Round and Round | Hold on, I'm calling…
58 | Britney Spears | …Baby One More Time | My loneliness…
59 | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | The Mercy Seat | And the mercy seat is burning…
60 | Luscious Jackson | Naked Eye | With my naked eye…
61 | Prince | I Would Die 4 U | 'Cause you…
62 | Wire | Map Ref. 41°N 93°W | Interrupting my train of thought…
63 | Judas Priest | Beyond The Realms Of Death | Yeah I left the world behind…
64 | Brian Eno | King's Lead Hat | King's lead hat was…
65 | Elvis Costello | Oliver's Army | Oliver's army is here to stay…
66 | Tove Styrke | Ego | I want to hold you…
67 | Roy Orbison | In Dreams | In dreams I walk with you…
68 | The Velvet Underground | Venus In Furs | I am tired…
69 | They Might Be Giants | Birdhouse In Your Soul | Blue canary in the outlet…
70 | St. Vincent | Los Ageless | How could anybody have you…
71 | Cold Cave | The Great Pan Is Dead | Yeah! I will come running…
72 | Oasis | Live Forever | Maybe I just wanna fly…
73 | Snoop Doggy Dogg | Gin And Juice | Rolling down the street…
74 | Arthur Russell | A Little Lost | 'Cause I'm so busy…
75 | The Horrors | Something To Remember Me By | Now all that's left behind…
76 | R.E.M. | Fall On Me | Fall on me…
77 | Gil Scott-Heron | Home Is Where the Hatred Is | Home is filled with pain…
78 | Big Boi feat. Gucci Mane | Shine Blockas | I'm on my grind…
79 | Ariana Grande | no tears left to cry | Right now I'm in a state of mind…
80 | Bran Van 3000 | Drinking in LA | What the hell am I doing…
81 | 2Pac | California Love | California knows how to party…
82 | Arctic Monkeys | Do I Wanna Know? | Crawling back to you…
83 | Mobb Deep | Survival of the Fittest | We live in this…
84 | Robyn | Dancing On My Own | I'm in the corner…
85 | Pere Ubu | Non-Alignment Pact | It's my non-alignment pact…
86 | Yaeji | drink i'm sippin on | 그게아니야…
87 | Dead Or Alive | You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) | You spin me right round…
88 | Blur | End of a Century | We all say…
89 | Sugar Ray | When It's Over | All the things that I used to say…
90 | The Verve | Bittersweet Symphony | No change, I can't change…
91 | Wu-Tang Clan | C.R.E.A.M. | Cash rules everything around me…
92 | The Strokes | Hard To Explain | I missed the last bus…
93 | Taylor Swift | Blank Space | So it's gonna be forever…
94 | Richard Hell & The Voidoids | Blank Generation | I belong to the blank generation…
95 | Eurythmics | Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) | Who am I to disagree…
96 | Blink-182 | What's My Age Again? | And that's about the time…
97 | Algiers | The Underside of Power | Because I've seen…
98 | Annie | Heartbeat | Feel my heartbeat…
99 | The Jackson 5 | I Want You Back | Oh, baby, give me…
100 | Mission Of Burma | That's When I Reach For My Revolver | That's when it all gets…
101 | Chvrches | The Mother We Share | I'm in misery…
102 | Ariel Pink | Dayzed Inn Daydreams | I used to dream…
103 | David Bowie | Ashes To Ashes | Ashes to ashes funk to funky…
104 | Grimes | Realiti | Oh baby every morning…
105 | Skee-lo | I Wish | I wish I was a little bit taller…
106 | Jimmy Eat World | The Middle | It just takes some time…
107 | Mercury Rev | Chasing a Bee | And of course I don't mind…
108 | Johnny Cash | Hurt | What have I become…
109 | Courtney Barnett | Pedestrian at Best | Put me on a pedestal…
110 | Primal Scream | Movin' On Up | I'm movin' on up now…
111 | The Beach Boys | Slip On Through | Come on won't you…
112 | Electric Light Orchestra | Mr. Blue Sky | Mr. Blue Sky please tell us why…
113 | Men I Trust | Tailwhip | We'll be alright…
114 | Blur | Song 2 | Woo-hooo!...
115 | Smash Mouth | Walkin' On The Sun | So don't delay…
116 | Prince | 1999 | Two thousand zero zero…
117 | Caroline Rose | Jeannie Becomes a Mom | But the world don't stop…
118 | Kurt Vile | Pretty Pimpin | I woke up this morning…
119 | Fiona Apple | Criminal | What I need is a good defense…
120 | Cloud Nothings | I'm Not Part of Me | I'm not I'm not you…
121 | Charli XCX | 1999 | I just wanna go back…
122 | Madonna | Into The Groove | Get into the groove…
123 | Susanne Sundfor | Kamikaze | Cause you take me back…
124 | MGMT | She Works Out Too Much | The only reason...
125 | Moby | Extreme Ways | Oh baby, then it fell apart…
126 | The Game & 50 Cent | Hate It or Love It | The underdog's on top…
127 | Pet Shop Boys | West End Girls | In a western town…
128 | Flo Rida | Low | Shorty got them apple bottom jeans…
129 | Kendrick Lamar | Money Trees | It go Halle Berry…
130 | Buzzcocks | Ever Fallen In Love? | Ever fallen…
131 | Cocteau Twins | Heaven Or Las Vegas | Singing of a famous street…
132 | The Beatles | For No One | And in her eyes…
133 | Sharon Van Etten | Your Love is Killing Me | Break my legs…
134 | OMD | If You Leave | I touch you once…
135 | Can | Vitamin C | Hey you!...
136 | The Bravery | An Honest Mistake | Don't look at me that way…
137 | Glen Campbell | Wichita Lineman | And I need you more…
138 | 50 Cent | In Da Club | You can find me…
139 | R.E.M. | Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars) | Box cars are pulling…
140 | Super Furry Animals | Something 4 The Weekend | You're on my mind…
141 | The Flaming Lips | Fight Test | I don't know where…
142 | The Black Keys | Lonely Boy | Oh-OH-oh-oh….
143 | The Human League | Don't You Want Me | Don't you want me baby…
144 | The Kinks | Celluloid Heroes | You can see all the stars…
145 | The Rolling Stones | Jumpin' Jack Flash | But it's alright…
146 | Denzel Curry | ULT | In the night time…
147 | Danny Harle ft. Carly Rae Jepsen | Super Natural | You gotta believe…
148 | Electric Light Orchestra | Livin' Thing | It's a livin' thing…
149 | Florrie | Left Too Late | Left too late, all the things…
150 | New Order | True Faith | I used to think…
151 | Röyksopp & Robyn | Do It Again | We do what we want…
152 | Lady Gaga | Poker Face | Can't read my…
153 | David Bowie | Station To Station | It's too late…
154 | Bee Gees | Stayin' Alive | Whether you're a brother…
155 | My Bloody Valentine | Drive It All Over Me | Run run away…
156 | Ramones | Sheena Is a Punk Rocker | Sheena is…
157 | Pere Ubu | Final Solution | Don't need a jury…
158 | The Five Stairsteps | O-o-h Child | Someday, yeah…
159 | TV On The Radio | Staring at the Sun | You're staring at the sun…
160 | Madonna | Like a Prayer | When you call my name…
161 | Sky Ferreira | Everything Is Embarrassing | Baby if you let me…
162 | Weezer | Buddy Holly | I look just like…
163 | T.I. | What You Know | Don't you know I got…
164 | Michael Jackson | Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough | Keep on…
165 | Charli XCX | Tears | Say your name…
166 | Skepta | That's Not Me | Nah, that's not me…
167 | Nelly | Ride Wit Me | If you wanna go…
168 | The Offspring | Come Out and Play | Hey man you talkin' back to me…
169 | Julia Holter | Sea Calls Me Home | I can't swim…
170 | Belle & Sebastian | Your Cover's Blown | Hey lady, put the phone down…
171 | ABBA | S.O.S. | So when you're near me…
172 | Elvis Costello | (I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea | Oh no it does not move me…
173 | U.S. Girls | Pearly Gates | Never never be safe…
174 | Hatchie | Stay With Me | Stay with me…
175 | Blur | Tender | Come on come on…
176 | Simple Minds | Don't You (Forget About Me) | Don't you forget…
177 | Alice In Chains | Would? | Into the flood again…
178 | Joy Division | Love Will Tear Us Apart | But love…
179 | Janelle Monáe | Cold War | This is a cold war…
180 | George Harrison | What Is Life | Tell me, what is…
181 | Nilufer Yanya | Baby Blu | Don't look back…
182 | Killer Mike | R.A.P. Music | This is jazz…
183 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Run Away With Me | Baby, take me to the feeling…
184 | Black Flag | TV Party | We've got nothing better…
185 | The Clash | I'm Not Down | I've been beat up…
186 | The Damned | Neat Neat Neat | I said neat neat neat…
187 | A.G. Cook | Keri Baby | 1-2-3…
188 | The Exploding Hearts | I'm a Pretender | I'm a pretender in the game of love…
189 | The Four Tops | Reach Out I'll Be There | I'll be there…
190 | Dirty Projectors | Stillness Is The Move | After all that we've been through…
191 | Hüsker Dü | Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely | Don't wanna know…
192 | Pet Shop Boys | Left To My Own Devices | I could leave you…
193 | Idles | Television | I go outside…
194 | Wild Beasts | Mecca | We move in fear…
195 | Public Enemy | Fight The Power | Lemme hear you say…
196 | Autre Ne Veut | Play By Play | I just called you up…
197 | Girls Aloud | Call The Shots | Just 'cause you're raising…
198 | The Kinks | This Time Tomorrow | Where will we be…
199 | Elastica | Stutter | Is there something…
200 | Super Furry Animals | Hermann Loves Pauline | They never noticed…

Here are a few extras in case any of these don't pass the "real chorus" test (though I re-listened to all of them to make sure!):
201 | The Roots | Long Time | Oh, it's been a long time…
202 | The Crystals | He's a Rebel | He'll never ever be…
203 | Jessie Ware | Wildest Moments | Baby in our wildest moments…
204 | Eurythmics | Here Comes The Rain Again | Talk to me…
205 | Blur | Beetlebum | And when she lets me…
206 | Britney Spears | Toxic | Oh, taste of your lips…
207 | Rae Sremmurd | Black Beatles | That girl is a real crowd pleaser…
208 | Eddie Money | Take Me Home Tonight | I don't wanna let you go…
209 | The Kinks | Strangers | Strangers on this road…
210 | The Replacements | I Will Dare | Meet me any place…

I'm shocked that only two others listed Wuthering Heights. It's a top 50 AT song on our forum, and the clear best part of the song is the chorus! Even more surprisingly, no one else listed Good Vibrations! This should be a fun, unpredictable roll-out.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Jackson »

My favorite chorus creators, in alphabetical order, are something like:

ABBA
The Beach Boys
Belle & Sebastian
Blur
Carly Rae Jepsen
The Clash
Charli XCX
David Bowie
Elvis Costello
The Flaming Lips
Kate Bush
The Kinks
Madonna
Michael Jackson
New Order
OutKast/Big Boi
Prince
R.E.M.
The Roots
The Rolling Stones
Super Furry Animals

A few surprises as I put together the list:
- The Beatles don't have a lot of choruses, do they?
- Hip-hop is a surprisingly great genre for chorus-making
- The 80s were probably the greatest decade for chorus-making
- Blur might be my #1 chrous-maker! They certainly had enough to rival poll darlings Oasis
- Waterloo Sunset did not make my list. Though it's a top 5 song for me and I see it on a few other lists, I prefer the verse and the refrain ("But I don't...") to the chorus ("Every day I look...")
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by BobPatience »

Jackson wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:01 pm - The Beatles don't have a lot of choruses, do they?
I think they do. I managed to put 5 in my top 50, including my #1. And those don't even start to cover the vastness of their chorus arsenal.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by StevieFan13 »

I found the same thing about the Beatles. They have hooks for days, but it’s hard to call them choruses.

Also, did I include Institutionalized by Suicidal Tendencies on my list?
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

StevieFan13 wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:46 pm Also, did I include Institutionalized by Suicidal Tendencies on my list?
You didn't but it is a certified choon with a definite chorus, so here's your chance to bung it in while I'm verifying Jackson's ballot!
Jackson wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:41 pm Here are a few extras in case any of these don't pass the "real chorus" test (though I re-listened to all of them to make sure!):
Thanks for these standbys (and your list of course), you're thinking ahead! You should be sound with your main 200 but I'll confirm once I've come up for air in a couple of hours...
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:19 pm
Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am 127 | 4 Non-Blondes | What's Goin' On
Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
Unrelated to this post but by means of contacting you Honorio because private messages aren't working for me again, Emerald wants Be My Baby to go to #111 and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow to be placed at #21 on their list, you cool with that? Thanks for everything :music-rockon:
Last edited by mileswide on Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Class selections, Jackson, and you're true to your word- even your reserves have legitimate choruses!

I like the criteria you've used for inclusion as well. Out of those 5, context was the priority for my list, it had to be the most memorable part of a (preferably great) song or do something out of the ordinary for a chorus.
Jackson wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:01 pm - Blur might be my #1 chrous-maker! They certainly had enough to rival poll darlings Oasis
I know what you mean, On Your Own would be in my AT list and that may solely be on the strength of everything from "So take me home" to the title drop. I enjoy blur's music vastly more than Gorillaz' on the whole but even then, 2D's mob have memorable hooks. It just makes you wonder why Damon Albarn hasn't produced a great chorus for The Good, The Bad and The Queen as far I know...
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Emerald »

mileswide wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:06 am
Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:19 pm
Wezzo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:44 am 127 | 4 Non-Blondes | What's Goin' On
Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
Unrelated to this post but by means of contacting you Honorio because private messages aren't working for me again, Emerald wants to swap the positions of Be My Baby and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, you cool with that? Thanks for everything :music-rockon:
I actually said to move Be My Baby down to #111, since Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (now #21) wasn't on my list originally. Thanks for responding though!
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Emerald wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:33 am
mileswide wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:06 am
Honorio wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:19 pm
Sorry, Wezzo, do you mean "4 Non-Blondes | What's Up?" or "Marvin Gaye | What's Goin' On"?
Unrelated to this post but by means of contacting you Honorio because private messages aren't working for me again, Emerald wants to swap the positions of Be My Baby and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, you cool with that? Thanks for everything :music-rockon:
I actually said to move Be My Baby down to #111, since Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (now #21) wasn't on my list originally. Thanks for responding though!
Sorry Emerald, completely misread that, that's probably my cue to call it a night! I've since edited my post above to reflect what you actually asked for, let me know if I've somehow still got it wrong
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by StevieFan13 »

OK, so is it too late? I'm going to throw it on my list in place of Waterloo Sunset (based on the points made above) and call it there.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

StevieFan13 wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 6:21 am OK, so is it too late? I'm going to throw it on my list in place of Waterloo Sunset (based on the points made above) and call it there.
Nah Stevie, you're good- you can make the switch on your list or we'll just count Institutionalized as taking Waterloo Sunset's points, it's up to you :mrgreen:

And with that, the polls have now CLOSED. I'll pop my head round later for housekeeping but I think Honorio's more or less completed the spreadsheet, so I should start unveiling the results tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday.

Any suggestions or questions results-wise from anyone, please say 8-)
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Honorio »

Both changes made, even if removing points to both "Waterloo Sunset" and "Be My Baby" almost broke my heart...
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by andyd1010 »

Jackson wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:41 pm (what's next, polling our favorite guitar riffs?)
Why not! I think I'd have fun ranking any common component of a song.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by StevieFan13 »

Honorio wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:59 am Both changes made, even if removing points to both "Waterloo Sunset" and "Be My Baby" almost broke my heart...
Two amazing songs. Be My Baby is still on my list I believe. But the part of Waterloo Sunset I was thinking of was “But I don’t need no friend...” as opposed to “Everyday I look at the world through my window...” and I think the former is the refrain as opposed to the chorus.
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by mileswide »

Just so you all know, I should still be in a position to start presenting the results kindly calculated by Honorio tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday. Thank you all for your submissions as well, I love finding new music through this forum and I've managed to do that by checking eligibility for each unfamiliar song's chorus while doing so to ensure each chorus met the criteria for this poll.

For my own entertainment, I've decided to shout out a new discovery from each person's ballot:
Middle Kids- Edge of Town (Steviefan13) The chorus, like the song, stays rootsy throughout, then ramps up just before the end of the track in a way that feels unforced. I love me some choruses that change their direction through a song.

Passion Pit- The Reeling (Nick) Just the kind of addictive over-exuberance that first endeared me to PP. They'd probably exhaust me over the course of a full album (though I did enjoy their Chunk of Change EP) but they know their way around a catchy hook.

Agnes Obel- Familiar (BobPatience) Unlike more conventional choruses, this one picks the right moment before gradually unwinding. There's something discomforting about Obel's digitally enhanced vocals, even while the music is soothing.

Bet The Levels- GE Days (Edre Peraza) On-point harmonies meeting a chugging riff make this chorus a highlight. Bet The Levels need to be better known on the basis of this track, it looks like you're the only one who's commented on the Youtube video for this, Edre!

Fiona Apple- Never Is a Promise (andyd1010) I have to plead ignorance of Apple's music, this and more of her songs on the list have shown me how much of an oversight that is. Looking purely at this chorus, she does an expert job of building and releasing tension when it's needed. PS I also like the fact that you referred to particular choruses within a song andy, which I don't think anyone other than us has done! (Not that anyone needed to, it was optional)

Mary Gaulthier- I Drink (Honorio) Devastating in its doomed self-reflection, reminding us that not every brilliant chorus has to make you pump your fists in the air, it's simply enough for it to get to your feelings.

St. Vincent- Birth in Reverse (FrankLotion) Another artist whose catalogue I'm embarrassingly unfamiliar with, I only really know stuff from Masseduction. Her avoidance of the word 'death' in place of the title makes the chorus all the eerier and icier in a good way.

tUnE-yArDs- Bizness (acroamor) Gets you moving like many of the best choruses do and stays unpredictable to the end.

Sublime- Doin' Time (Emerald) I didn't grow up hearing Sublime, so I've only got to know the few songs by them I've heard and loved through getting to know American people. Once again, this song defies what a chorus is expected to have but it is no less anthemic for not being in any rush.

The Gaslight Anthem- Great Expectations (Wezzo) I can't say I share your enthusiasm for Gaslight Anthem, Wezzo, but this is an exception, a propulsive powerhouse of a tune carrying you along with it and instantly making you feel better about the world.

Algiers- The Underside of Power (Jackson) How have I never heard of this band? Motown and post-punk shouldn't work together as well as it does here, particularly the stomping chorus. I can't wait to seek out more tracks by them, definitely will do once the rollout's wrapped up if not before...


As a bonus, I'll give my reasons for a few of my choices:
Jain- Makeba You could not get a greater contrast between the chorus and the verses. Unfortunately, that extends to quality as Jain mutters the cringey "you are the real beauty of human rights" while it goes all minimalist in the verses when I'd be much happier with the song consisting of her rolling her tongue around the title while a sinister samba band plays. That's essentially what the chorus is anyway and it's strong enough for the track to be one of my favourites of the last 10 years mainly due to the chorus.

DJ Fresh- Gold Dust The closest thing to unconcentrated joy committed to record in my book. The chorus (and the song overall) is one long boast but Ce'cile sings/toasts it so breezily, it somehow comes across as this celebration of togetherness. Also brings back great memories, which it seems our favourite choruses have a particular tendency to do.

Bobbie Gentry- Fancy [final chorus] When a song has a narrative, it's hard for the choruses not to act as a pause to the story but here, they add humanity to what threatens to turn into a purely materialistic message during the verses (which wouldn't stop it from being a classic song). The most satisfying part of each chorus for me is "Your momma's gonna help you move uptown" and the horn section comes in, probably to show the transition from simple, downhome country to sophisticated, uptown soul. On the last chorus, when Gentry signs off with "And I guess she did", I can't help but feel lifted, whatever the moral of the story.

That's my take on some of the choruses, please feel free to add your own reviews, they may end up included in the rollout!
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Wezzo
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Re: Best Ever Choruses Poll 2019

Post by Wezzo »

mileswide wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2019 4:03 amThe Gaslight Anthem- Great Expectations (Wezzo) I can't say I share your enthusiasm for Gaslight Anthem, Wezzo, but this is an exception, a propulsive powerhouse of a tune carrying you along with it and instantly making you feel better about the world.
Nice of you to take the time to do this, makes the poll feel really friendly and communal!
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