Guardian 40 Best Bands in the U.K.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/page/0,10607,1053415,00.html

Libertines at number one is just silly. In fact the whole thing is nuts but id like to hear some of your thoughts on it anyway....

― jed (jed_e_3), Saturday, 4 October 2003 21:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Could it be possible for one piece of writing to be done on Roots Manuva without it going "Hey! Look! He talks about toast and bitter!"??

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 4 October 2003 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Overall, anyway, that seems like the sort of list you'd imagine the Guardian (or any broadsheet, really) to put together of their top 40 bands: a bit pop, a bit experimental, a bit street, a lot safe.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 4 October 2003 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

1. The Libertines (absurd choice as they don't seem that interesting or exciting at all - less so than anyone else on this list in fact, including Blur)
2. Radiohead (oh alright then)
3. PJ Harvey
4. The Coral (too high really)
5. Roots Manuva (starting to feel he is over-rated now to be honest, needs to match variation with prolificness?)
6. Blur (i wouldn't put them in my 40)
7. Mis-Teeq (too high although i do think their recent singles have been their best)
8. The Darkness (jury's conveniently down the pub)
9. The Streets
10. David Bowie
11. Dizzee Rascal
12. Super Furry Animals
13. Chemical Brothers (they seem stagnant at the mo, no way should they be above Basement Jaxx)
14. Sugababes
15. Basement Jaxx
16. Goldfrapp
17. Robert Wyatt (i have no idea who this is i'm afraid)
18. Coldplay (kings of meh, Doves are still a far better meh)
19. Beth Gibbons
20. Broadcast (would be my personal #1 if not the Jaxx)
21. David Holmes
22. Pet Shop Boys
23. Four Tet (i keep thinking he's from Norway)
24. Lemon Jelly
25. Belle & Sebastian
26. Richard X
27. Muse
28. Rishi Rich
29. Cinematic Orchestra
30. British Sea Power (i like 'em)
31. Girls Aloud (i still can't like 'em)
32. Spiritualized
33. Hundred Reasons
34. Martina Toppley-Bird
35. Lone Pigeon (no idea)
36. Franz Ferdinand
37. Joss Stone
38. Mr Scruff
39. Fallacy
40. Selfish Cunt

crap list really - ignores Primal Scream, Doves, Boards Of Canada, Audio Bullys, Black Box Recorder, Aphex Twin, Trevor Jackson, Future Kings Of Spain, Mogwai, Bent (better than Lemon Jelly), FC Kahuna, Matthew Herbert, Ladytron, Medicine 8, Panjabi MC, Simian, Jacques Lu Cont, Mull Historical Society, Death In Vegas, Massive Attack...(finish this off for me someone)

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe the Darkness has sold almost 500,000 copies. No. No.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Selfish Cunt at no.40!!! Shocking!

― adaml (adaml), Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

But where is the pop?

― ilxbot, Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

where's wiley?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"Trevor Jackson, Future Kings Of Spain, Mogwai, Bent..."

Future Kings Of Spain are irish. And terrible. As for the list, it could be ok if the libertines weren't no.1, which i find extraordinary.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Saturday, 4 October 2003 22:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i like that song 'Your Starlight' - sounds like it's from 1990 - i actually thought they may be Irish but couldnt be arsed with the research, apologies

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

no worries! if the list is limited to 50, there will always be a handful of excellent acts who missed out. the ones that did make it are predictable enough - but mostly good. because the choices were respectable, it's a shame they ruin it by putting something as mediocre as the libertines at the top.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

As stated upthread, I'm really beginning to think that Manuva's overrated now, especially considering what's come since "Run Come Save Me" in the way of British hip-hop. His next album's going to have to be pretty damn good to catch up with the new blood for sure.

And, no, Mull Historical Society should not be on there. The fuck is up with that guy's chin exactly?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Any list that views Belle & Sebastian as having more style than Girls Aloud is hereby announced redundant.

― Nick H, Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Sarah has a nice hat on the new album cover.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:32 (twenty-one years ago)

And I really didn't expect Four Tet to look like that.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

the scores at the end of each paragraph also seem to be completely arbitrary
as with most lists,some of it i'd agree with and some of it i wouldn't
probably a better list than any other publication (in print,as opposed to on the internet)would come up with,although that isn't saying much

― robin (robin), Saturday, 4 October 2003 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course it's arbitrary! It's a game of top trumps!

― Tom (Groke), Sunday, 5 October 2003 07:02 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a stupid list because there is no Iron Maiden on it.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 5 October 2003 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

No Clientele either. They are a london band, right? I didn't just dream that?

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 5 October 2003 08:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i like Lone Pigeon but am baffled by the inclusion in the above list.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 5 October 2003 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

but then I doubt if I've ever liked more than 10 British bands, I'm such a traitor.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 5 October 2003 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Southall Riot should be on there though. Girls Aloud are probably the best group in Britain.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 5 October 2003 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i love southall riot!!

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 5 October 2003 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

A very odd list. The entire ORDER seems completely random, let alone those weird scores... the worst bands there have all ended up inside the top 10.

I didn't think anyone cared about Hundred Reasons any more.

― The Lex (The Lex), Sunday, 5 October 2003 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

What I'd like to know is: are the bands in the lower reaches of the chart the ones that the guardian thinks are rubbish?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 5 October 2003 10:59 (twenty-one years ago)

No, they are just the ones with CUNT in their name who can thus appear at the top of the page (it was in reverse order) for maximum impact!

The entire ORDER seems completely random, let alone those weird scores

I love the idea that some order could be arrived at that was backed by top scientists.

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 5 October 2003 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The order seems random because two out of five categories are non-musical. Although failing to give Hundred Reasons 0/10 for style is a crime against impressionable Grauniad readers.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 5 October 2003 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The order seems random because two out of five categories are non-musical.

Worra rockist!

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 5 October 2003 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

No Travis (last I checked Scotland was in the UK) and no Doves means the list is a joke

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 5 October 2003 22:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I rue the state of Norwegian comedy.

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 5 October 2003 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

haha! - thats the second time in 2 days i have laughed out loud at one of your posts!

― jed (jed_e_3), Sunday, 5 October 2003 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I rue the state of Norwegian comedy. -- N.

I don't roo it either, I'm afeared :(

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 5 October 2003 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Depeche Mode? Motorhead? Iron Maiden? I mean, it's fine to list a number of bands that blew up recently, but to fill the list with 80% 'fashionable'/new bands and a few token oldies (Pet Shop Boys?? Bowie???? PJ Harvey? wtf?) seems a bit odd.

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 6 October 2003 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

who are the libertines? am i missing something by having not heard them?

― geeta (geeta), Monday, 6 October 2003 07:07 (twenty-one years ago)

love the way that psb get 6/20 for 'style' and blur (!!!) get 15/20.

why do we insist on reading these bloody things ?

― piscesboy, Monday, 6 October 2003 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

ten years pass...

Hundred Reasons

In recent years, British metal has, like British hip-hop, been the poor relation of its American cousin. The 2002 debut by Aldershot quintet 100 Reasons, Ideas Above Our Station, represented a genuine UK alternative to the knuckleheaded excesses of US nu-metal. Packed with fiery guitars, anguished vocals and rich melodies, it proved that metal was not solely the preserve of the baggy-shorted and the brain-dead.

― Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (nakhchivan), Sunday, 25 May 2014 16:05 (eleven years ago)

4. The Coral (too high really)

― go to evangelical agonizing eternal hell (Karl Malone), Sunday, 25 May 2014 16:11 (eleven years ago)

28. Rishi Rich

who ?

― mark e, Sunday, 25 May 2014 16:47 (eleven years ago)

Hundred Reasons weren't so bad really. But that's probably nostalgia talking

― ultros ultros-ghali, Sunday, 25 May 2014 20:51 (eleven years ago)

they were fucking dire

― ۩, Sunday, 25 May 2014 20:52 (eleven years ago)

found this list of bands today while searching for something completely unrelated and was going to suggest ۩ might want to poll it until i saw ilx had covered it back in 2003

― Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (nakhchivan), Sunday, 25 May 2014 20:55 (eleven years ago)

idk rishi rich or fallacy and lone pigeon just the name, signifying nothing

fallacy doesnt even seem to have a wikipedia page, such is the fate of forgotten ukhh artists

― Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (nakhchivan), Sunday, 25 May 2014 20:58 (eleven years ago)

Rishi rich wasn't terrible, or at least I didn't think so at the time. p sure I still see his name on posters for suburban british azn events. fallacy is the only one on the list which means absolutely nothing to me.

― oppet, Sunday, 25 May 2014 21:12 (eleven years ago)

Hundred Reasons didnt have a tune to their name. Poundland At The Drive In.

― Master of Treacle, Sunday, 25 May 2014 22:18 (eleven years ago)

I was 13/14 when Hundred Reasons started knocking about so I suppose I was the right age. I think their debut was one of the first albums I bought and I feel way less embarassed about that than I do about loving, say, Limp Bizkit and Blink 182 at that point. But then again I haven't actually listened to them in the best part of a decade so who knows?

― ultros ultros-ghali, Monday, 26 May 2014 02:26 (eleven years ago)

i thought 'remmus' was a good track but the rest i could take or leave

― eat sock become sock (electricsound), Monday, 26 May 2014 02:29 (eleven years ago)

I like Hundred Reasons!

― calstars, Monday, 26 May 2014 02:35 (eleven years ago)

At least when they are in anthemic mode.

― calstars, Monday, 26 May 2014 02:37 (eleven years ago)

were Hundred Reasons one of those groups that stayed popular/actually continued getting more popular after NME/Guardian etc stopped caring? unfashionable but with a sizable devoted fanbase?

― Groovy Wordbender (soref), Monday, 26 May 2014 02:38 (eleven years ago)

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