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Blur are the best singles band of the last twenty years.

oojimaflop [Edit] [Delete] 77 replies 10:51 March 5th, 2013

Just listening to that best of they released ages ago. Tune after tune after tune.

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Though their best song wasn't a single...

oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 10:51 | X | ^ This | Reply
- which one?
  
  guntrip @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 11:05 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - This is a low.
    
    oojimaflop @guntrip | 5 Mar '13, 11:15 | X | ^ This | Reply
    
    colinzealuk this'd this
  - This Is A Low, presumably.
    
    TheoGB @guntrip | 5 Mar '13, 11:15 | X | ^ This | Reply
- But you couldn't turn the radio down.
  
  No but seriously, I think you may be on to something. They do make AMAZING singles.
  
  ThisTemporaryLife @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 11:08 | X | ^ This | Reply
I think that's a very fair evaluation.

funkycow | 5 Mar '13, 11:10 | X | ^ This | Reply

thewarn, oojimaflop, badmanreturns, Royter-Hatfood, GoatmeatMF, and plasticniki this'd this
Super Furrys are pretty good too.

funkycow | 5 Mar '13, 11:10 | X | ^ This | Reply

ThisTemporaryLife and Damian this'd this
- Ish
  
  Royter-Hatfood @funkycow | 5 Mar '13, 11:35 | X | ^ This | Reply
Probably true

Aside from the mid-period blip of Country House, Stereotypes and Charmless Man (which do admittedly bookend the sublime The Universal) they have been super consistent...

pentargo | 5 Mar '13, 11:10 | X | ^ This | Reply
- You see...
  
  I actually love those songs. They aren't serious, but they are fun.
  
  oojimaflop @pentargo | 5 Mar '13, 11:15 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  GoatmeatMF this'd this
  - I love them more than The Universal, which is just too fucking long and slow.
    
    (Okay, I probably don't love Charmless Man more than The Universal.)
    
    TheoGB @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 11:17 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - For me, those three sort of ruin...
      
      ...what would otherwise be an excellent album.
      
      pentargo @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 11:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - Not. Sure.
        
        I mean, He Thought of Cars is probably the only track that sticks out as NOT having been included on the best-of. Otherwise the album feels like there's a lot of 'we should write a track like that one off Parklife' about it and half probably falls flat as a result. I'm probably the only person to like Top Man and dislike Best Days / Fade Away.
        
        The last four tracks are fucking incredible, though.
        
        TheoGB @pentargo | 5 Mar '13, 11:24 | X | ^ This | Reply
- those 3 songs
  
  are mint. Country house is probably top 5 pop songs of the 90s
  
  inside-outside @pentargo | 6 Mar '13, 09:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
Not sure you'll get far with this thread once the popists make an appearance ;-)

They were probably my favourite singles band of the 90s, though.

TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 11:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Haha, I can hold my own against the Popists.
  
  They're just bloody incredible aren't they? I find all of their albums, apart from 13, to be a bit scrappy, but they have one of the few entirely essential best of collections.
  
  oojimaflop @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 11:20 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - Well I gave away my copy of Think Tank I think. Never really felt like Blur to me.
    
    And to be honest I don't really like 13 all that much. I think William Orbit just didn't have the chops to make a really focused album with them. (Also, saw Trailerpark live before I heard the album version and it was way better.)
    
    I reckon MLIR, Parklife and Blur are all very very far from Scrappy, though. Incredibly well realised albums. Even Leisure is pretty good with just a few tracks that feel a bit limp. 13 is the scrappy one in my view, but still endearingly so.
    
    TheoGB @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 11:28 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Think Tank and 13 are their best albums you lunatic
      
      I was thinking this just the other day actually, listening to Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, that Blur have never made an album as good as that
      
      andyvine @TheoGB | 6 Mar '13, 08:58 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Yeah 13 is crap
      
      Stuff like bugman??? Cack, that's what it is. Blur - Now that's the album - Ballad Man, MOR, Beetlebum, it's all there.
      
      inside-outside @TheoGB | 6 Mar '13, 09:25 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - It's so funny
      
      I only decided to start buying Blur at "13", then "think tank", and I wondered what all the fuss was about - that Oasis (who I could never be bothered with due to Liam) must REALLY be bad. I haven't touched either one since they were current.
      
      theintl @TheoGB | 6 Mar '13, 09:36 | X | ^ This | Reply
- I think they prefer to be called 'catholics' these days...
  
  pentargo @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 11:20 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  oojimaflop and Infinite_Jest this'd this
  - :D
    
    TheoGB @pentargo | 5 Mar '13, 11:24 | X | ^ This | Reply
    
    oojimaflop, Royter-Hatfood, joeymahone, and NickDS this'd this
find this pretty hard to argue with

unlike other bands ive heard termed 'singles bands' recently (see hot chip), most of their albums are enthralling start to finish yknow.
that best of comp is so well put together tho, its easy to forget how many amazingly high quality singles they put out.
'chemical world' is probably my favourite

emmettcruddas | 5 Mar '13, 11:31 | X | ^ This | Reply
it's either blur or girls aloud

cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 11:33 | X | ^ This | Reply

andyvine this'd this
- Was thinking this, let's do an evaluation
  
  Royter-Hatfood @cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 11:37 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - Good to Great Blur singles:
    
    She's So High
    For Tomorrow
    Chemical World
    Girls & Boys
    To The End
    Parklife
    End of a Century
    The Universal
    Song 2
    Coffee and TV
    No Distance Left To Run
    
    That's a pretty good list.
    
    Good to Great Girls Aloud singles:
    Sound of the Underground
    No Good Advice
    The Show
    Love Machine
    Long Hot Summer
    Biology
    Something Kinda Ooooh
    Sexy! No, No, No
    Call The Shots
    Can't Speak French
    The Promise
    Untouchable
    
    Girls Aloud, by a whisker
    
    Royter-Hatfood @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 11:43 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - i think that's a fair analysis
      
      cat_race @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 11:48 | X | ^ This | Reply
      
      urbanfox this'd this
    - Except you forgot the following Good to Great Blur Singles:
      
      There's No Other Way (esp. extended 12" version)
      Bang
      PopScene
      Country House (they're up against Girls Aloud so this goes in)
      Beetlebum
      Tender (okay, maybe not tender)
      
      Which basically means you're some kind of fucking MONSTER.
      
      TheoGB @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 11:49 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - Tender and Country House are shit
        
        Beetlebum is an alright song but it's not a great single.
        
        There's No Other Way, Bang and Popscene are a bit lightweight to be honest, it's easy to slip them into the list, but if they were the only singles Blur had ever released I doubt anyone would remember them. They don't really stand up as great singles on their own.
        
        Royter-Hatfood @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 11:54 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        You're a fucking loony.
        
        TheoGB @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 11:56 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Not at all
        
        You have to be objective about these things Theo, early Blur just isn't that great.
        
        Royter-Hatfood @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 12:06 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Look you've got cat_race on your side now.
        
        You may want to take a long, hard look at your life.
        
        TheoGB @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 12:21 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        leaving beetlebum out is legit
        
        cat_race @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 12:14 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Shut up.
        
        TheoGB @cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 12:26 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        haha
        
        cat_race @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 12:29 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Royter-Hatfood this'd this
        
        definitely not
        
        Beetlebum is grade A blur
        
        oojimaflop @cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 12:36 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        andyvine this'd this
    - Except you skipped
      
      Popscene
      Beetlebum
      Tender
      ...
      
      Fuseball @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 11:49 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - and Crazy Beat ;)
        
        oojimaflop @Fuseball | 5 Mar '13, 12:24 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        nah that ones cack
        
        Out of Time, now THAT'S a single
        
        inside-outside @oojimaflop | 6 Mar '13, 12:34 | X | ^ This | Reply
- in what part of narnia are girls aloud a band?
  
  jimitheexploder @cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 12:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Wooly31 this'd this
  - This ^
    
    You can make a fair argument about Girls Aloud being the best singles artist of the last 20 years, but I said Band. and anyway, Rihanna beats them...
    
    oojimaflop @jimitheexploder | 5 Mar '13, 12:23 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Didn't this get changed when Pop Stars first ran?
      
      I remember they were always calling it 'the band' not a group in some kind of weird doublespeak to make people question whether they should really get all shirty over them being manufactured.
      
      TheoGB @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 12:25 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - i don't see how they aren't
    
    cat_race @jimitheexploder | 5 Mar '13, 12:29 | X | ^ This | Reply
    
    Royter-Hatfood this'd this
    - I just wanted to know the exact location in narnia
      
      I need to set my gps.
      
      jimitheexploder @cat_race | 5 Mar '13, 12:32 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - alright alright, your points are in the post mate, we get it
        
        cat_race @jimitheexploder | 5 Mar '13, 12:37 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - I think somewhere near Mr Tumnus' house.
        
        Wooly31 @jimitheexploder | 6 Mar '13, 09:24 | X | ^ This | Reply
Let's call it 30 years and say The Wedding Present instead.

1985 "Go Out and Get ’Em, Boy"

Label: City Slang

—
1986 "Once More"

Label: Reception

—
1986 "Don't Try and Stop Me Mother"

Label: Reception

—
1986 "You Should Always Keep in Touch with Your Friends" / "This Boy Can Wait"

Label: Reception

—
1987 "My Favourite Dress"

Label: Reception

—
1987 "Anyone Can Make a Mistake"

Label: Reception

—
1988 "Nobody's Twisting Your Arm"

Label: Reception

46
1988 "Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?"

Label: Reception

42
1989 "Kennedy"

Label: RCA

33
1990 "Brassneck"

Label: RCA

24
1991 "Dalliance"

Label: RCA

29
1991 "Lovenest"

Label: RCA

58
1992 "Blue Eyes"

Label: RCA

26
1992 "Go-Go Dancer"

Label: RCA

20
1992 "Three"

Label: RCA

14
1992 "Silver Shorts"

Label: RCA

14
1992 "Come Play With Me"

Label: RCA

10
1992 "California"

Label: RCA

16
1992 "Flying Saucer"

Label: RCA

22
1992 "Boing!"

Label: RCA

19
1992 "Love Slave"

Label: RCA

17
1992 "Sticky"

Label: RCA

17
1992 "The Queen of Outer Space"

Label: RCA

23
1992 "No Christmas"

Label: RCA

25
1994 "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah"

Label: Island

51
1994 "It's a Gas"

Label: Island

71
1995 "Sucker"

Label: self released

—
1996 "2, 3, Go"

Label: Cooking Vinyl

67
1997 "Montreal"

Label: Cooking Vinyl

40
2004 "Interstate 5"

Label: Scopitones

62
2005 "I'm From Further North Than You"

Label: Scopitones

34
2005 "Ringway to SeaTac"

Label: Scopitones

—
2008 "The Thing I Like Best about Him is His Girlfriend"

Label: Vibrant

—
2008 "Holly Jolly Hollywood"

Label: Vibrant

Ricky_Ronco | 5 Mar '13, 11:47 | X | ^ This | Reply
- I count 10
  
  Royter-Hatfood @Ricky_Ronco | 5 Mar '13, 11:56 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - nah, there were at least 10 crackers just in 1992.
    
    Ricky_Ronco @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 12:55 | X | ^ This | Reply
Yeah most prob

which is a bit depressing considering they've not done much new for half of that time, with think tank being ten years ago. But yeah Blur rule.

jimitheexploder | 5 Mar '13, 12:03 | X | ^ This | Reply
Under The Westway was a great single!

one of their very best imo.

emmettcruddas | 5 Mar '13, 12:29 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Exactly! that's what puts them in the 20 year bracket
  
  oojimaflop @emmettcruddas | 5 Mar '13, 12:35 | X | ^ This | Reply
nah its REM

Jordan_229_2 | 5 Mar '13, 12:33 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Have they released any good singles in the last 20 years?
  
  Royter-Hatfood @Jordan_229_2 | 5 Mar '13, 12:38 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - i thought we were calling it 30 years now
    
    Jordan_229_2 @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 12:40 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Nope.
      
      Royter-Hatfood @Jordan_229_2 | 5 Mar '13, 12:46 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - What's the Frequency Kenneth
    
    Crush with Eyeliner
    Lotus
    
    Probably their best three, too.
    
    TheoGB @Royter-Hatfood | 5 Mar '13, 12:43 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - 'Okay then' to the first point, massive 'hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm' to the latter
      
      Royter-Hatfood @TheoGB | 5 Mar '13, 12:47 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - their best three?
      
      what?
      
      talk about the passion, superman, nightswimming, iteotwawki, fall on me, electrolite...
      
      hibster @TheoGB | 6 Mar '13, 09:04 | X | ^ This | Reply
actually, probably Evlis innit

Jordan_229_2 | 5 Mar '13, 12:37 | X | ^ This | Reply
- michael jackson?
  
  cat_race @Jordan_229_2 | 5 Mar '13, 12:41 | X | ^ This | Reply
Beastie Boys

if you ignore the last decade with them as well haha.

jimitheexploder | 5 Mar '13, 12:43 | X | ^ This | Reply
Right thats it, we need a new thread.

oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 12:44 | X | ^ This | Reply
- sorry. I fucked your thread up.
  
  Ricky_Ronco @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 12:56 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - no, you grew it. It was beautiful
    
    also made me listen to them- never had before.
    
    oojimaflop @Ricky_Ronco | 5 Mar '13, 13:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - cool. Listen to Bizarro. Such a great album.
      
      Ricky_Ronco @oojimaflop | 5 Mar '13, 13:29 | X | ^ This | Reply
They have fantastic b-sides.

nice_cookie | 5 Mar '13, 12:59 | X | ^ This | Reply
No-one's mentioned Good Song

That's a bloody lovely song.

I agree with the OP, for the record. There are very few 'best of's that I actually listen to sometimes, this is one. Rearviewmirror by Pearl Jam being another. That's an excellent 'best of'.

stistermeve | 5 Mar '13, 13:15 | X | ^ This | Reply

emmettcruddas this'd this
Absolute rubbish

'Girls and Boys' is so so bad.

godspeed_steve83 | 5 Mar '13, 13:26 | X | ^ This | Reply
- I don't think anyone's saying Girls and Boys is good
  
  andyvine @godspeed_steve83 | 6 Mar '13, 09:03 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - i am
    
    cat_race @andyvine | 6 Mar '13, 11:08 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - cat_race knowz
      
      oojimaflop @cat_race | 6 Mar '13, 11:12 | X | ^ This | Reply
Blur are amazing

But most of their best songs are album tracks, cheers

orangejuice | 5 Mar '13, 14:01 | X | ^ This | Reply
- The two statements aren't mutually exclusive.
  
  oojimaflop @orangejuice | 5 Mar '13, 14:21 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  cat_race and stistermeve this'd this
I would say that, taken with Gorillaz,

Damon Albarn is the best singles merchant this country has produced since Bowie

SCROTUM | 5 Mar '13, 19:21 | X | ^ This | Reply

andyvine this'd this
Nah

Supergrass mate

Bamnan11 | 5 Mar '13, 19:49 | X | ^ This | Reply
Best Blur song is 'Sing'

wecancreate | 6 Mar '13, 07:58 | X | ^ This | Reply

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