Top 50 of 2001

20 to 11

20

Ash - Burn Baby Burn

Could Ash be the perfect band? An already earth shaking live trio, rapid-firing sparkling singles, they take on another member and the band expands and refines, whilst staying relevant. The tortured life in this song is just right, as are the bass and drums, but it's the guitar assault and lyrics that really grab the attention. Thank God there's still a band from the British Isles that do exhilarating.

P Shoo

No of votes: 7, Score: 42, Highest vote: 2nd

Ash - Burn Baby Burn

19

Dido - Here With Me

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 20017 Link to Top 50 of 200317

This year Rollo from Faithless's little sister rose from second string to Eminem to genuine superstar. "Here With Me" was her UK debut, originally appearing as the theme to Roswell High, and was a geniune grower. After being glued to radio station A Lists all across the country, it propelled the album into the Top 10, where it still is now (probably). What she lacks in originality and glam, she more than makes up for with universal appeal and across the board emotion.

Derek K

No of votes: 7, Score: 43, Highest vote: 1st

Dido - Here With Me

18

Travis - Side

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200127

2 singles this year that began with S and had 4 letters - that's destined to confuse. But where Sing gazes out of the window on a rainy day, Side is opening up the fridge for a 6 pack and inviting its mates over. It's good to see Travis going for optimism and the chorus barrels its way down the sunny side of the street without a care in the world. Lyrically its got my favourite line of the year too "life is both a major and a minor key" and with their S club singles Travis have comfortably covered both bases.

Jason M

No of votes: 7, Score: 47, Highest vote: 2nd

Travis - Side

17

Radiohead - Knives Out / Pyramid Song

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200329

In my lead into the Top 50 of 2000 site, I made some suitably ascerbic remark about the fact that Radiohead fans would be out of luck for voting that year as there were no singles to be released off of Kid A. I'd doubt that Thom & co decided as a result of this to bring out said double A, but it did prove an interesting lead in to Amnesiac. As their first single in nigh on 3 years, it shows they will not pander to any commercial rules, but instead that they know their own dark art and continue to make fragile and haunting songs. Business as usual then.

Jason M

No of votes: 7, Score: 48, Highest vote: 2nd

Radiohead - Knives Out / Pyramid Song

16

Alicia Keys - Fallin'

If there was one woman that you would be likely to see on telly playing the piano in 2001 it would be Alicia Keys. Sung with such great feeling and my number one song of 2001, yet I can't pinpoint exactly what it is about it that gets me 'there'. Great debut album too - highly recommended for those lazy Sunday afternoons!

Ana L

No of votes: 7, Score: 55, Highest vote: 4th

Alicia Keys - Fallin'

15

Gorillaz - 19/2000

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 20053 Link to Top 50 of 20016 Link to Top 50 of 200515 Link to Top 50 of 200528

The second single to be taken from Gorillaz self entitled, ground breaking album. 19/2000 again mixes a wide range of musical genres. The jazzy hip hop production of Dan The Automator, the laid back dulcet tones of Damon Album, complemented by a bubble gum pop chorus (courtesy of Miho Hatori). Jamie Hewlett's animation for the video proved just as brilliant as the song itself. It saw the alter egos drive around in a car, before confronting a giant moose. That is indeed entertainment.

James B

No of votes: 8, Score: 46, Highest vote: 3rd

Gorillaz - 19/2000

14

The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200111

Cut and paste madness from Australia's finest. Frontier Psychiatrist was the vivid dream within their shimmering chill-out album 'Since I Left You', managing to be funny, surreal, beguiling and quietly funky all at once. Incorporating vocal clips from old Westerns and ancient education films, it made hay whilst the records spun, scratched vinyl stories in children's work books and somehow made sense out of nonsense.

Danny G

No of votes: 8, Score: 47, Highest vote: 1st

The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist

13

Basement Jaxx - Romeo

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200110

First single from the well received "Rooty" album sees the 'Jaxx venture musically a fair way from their own roots in the clubs of Camberwell. British diva and cockerney girl Kele le Roc travels to India to front this track, accompanied by a cast of thousands, bollywood style dancing. All together : - "You're only acting like a yo-yo. You used to be my Romeo." Best played so loud it makes you speakers rattle ... erm ... permanently (sorry about your car, V!)

Isaac H

No of votes: 8, Score: 50, Highest vote: 1st

Basement Jaxx - Romeo

12

Linkin Park - In The End

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200732 Link to Top 50 of 200335

Unless you've been living in a cave for the past year, you'll be familiar with the boys (and their accompanying dubious facial hair) that are Linkin Park. "In The End" is their fourth release from the "Hybrid Theory" album, and it has to be said, my personal favourite. Mike Shinoda's rapping and Chester Bennington's melancholy lyrics combine with an almost haunting piano line which sounds a million miles away from some of the more soulless and thuggish songs we've become accustomed to hearing from the likes of Papa Roach and Limp Biskit ("rollin' rollin' rollin"? I ask you...). Still, this is guaranteed to get your average, angry, angsty nu-metal dude so excited his acne will burst.

Angela T

No of votes: 8, Score: 51, Highest vote: 1st

Linkin Park - In The End

11

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

Artist link:Link to Top 50 of 200114

Another undeniably summery record, this is what launched the burgeoning career of the Aussie partnering comprising the Avalanches over here. In stark contrast to the sample fever that was to follow, there's only one vocal sample on this song, repeated like a mantra over and over and over again (but not ad nauseum like Daft Punk's "Around The World"). It's easy (without being cheesy) listening that again reaps the rewards of keeping it simple.

Jason M

No of votes: 9, Score: 58, Highest vote: 2nd

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

The next 10

Credits

Site designed by Jason "He Plays Music" Mansfield, 2002

Thanks go to the following people for assisting with getting together our comprehensive aide-memoire: Danny G, Paul M, Kat B, Caz T

A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Paul H, Paul M, Kat B, Andrew S, Angela T, Isaac H, Milly H, P Shoo, Dan Mc, James B, Ana L, Derek K, Harley R

Any thoughts, comments on the site are welcomed, just mail me.