John Peel's Festive 50's

 

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1976

1. Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven
2. Derek & the Dominoes - Layla
3. Bob Dylan - Desolation Row
4. Pink Floyd - Echoes
5. Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
6. Free - Alright Now
7. Racing Cars - They Shoot Horses Don't They?
8. Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
9. Beatles - A Day In The Life
10. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
11. Poco - Rose of Cimarron
12. Neil Young - Cortez the killer
13. Rolling Stones - Brown sugar
14. Beatles - Hey Jude
15. Legendary Stardust Cowboy - Paralysed
16. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo chile
17. Beatles - Strawberry fields forever
18. Captain Beefheart - Big eyed beans from Venus
19. Led Zeppelin - Whole lotta love
20. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird
21. Van Morrison - Madame George
22. Doors - Riders on the storm
23. Bob Dylan - Visions of Johanna
24. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
25. Deep Purple - Child in time
26. Little Feat - Long distance love
27. Grinderswitch - Pickin' the blues
28. Joe Walsh - Rocky mountain way
29. Who - Won't get fooled again
30. Misunderstood - I can take you to the sun
31. Genesis - Supper's ready
32. Bob Marley and the Wailers - No woman, no cry
33. Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner
34. Rod Stewart - Maggie May
35. Jackson Browne - Late for the sky
36. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
37. Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
38. Allman Brothers band - Jessica
39. Rolling Stones - Jumping Jack flash
40. Grateful Dead - Dark Star
41. Richard Thompson - I wanna see the bright lights
42. Family - The weaver's answer
43. Jackson Browne - Fountain of sorrow
44. Bob Dylan - Hurricane
45. Doors - Light my fire
46. Matching Mole - O Caroline
47. Roy Harper - When an old cricketer leaves the crease
48. Wild Man Fischer - Go to Rhino records
49. Little Feat - Willin'
50. Yes - And you and I



John Peel's Festive Fifty 1977

There was no festive fifty compiled or broadcast in 1977. I've been told that Peel broadcast his favourite tunes of the year during his yuletide shows but have no details to confirm this!
BUT Andy Smith has sent this ....

I had trouble tracking down that tape I told you about of John Peel's festive 50 from 1977. Well I have found it but it only has the top thirteen! Beter than nothing so here they are:

1. The Motors: 'Dancing the Night Away'
2. Althea & Donna: 'Uptown Top Ranking'
3. The Motors: 'You Beat The Hell Out Of Me'
4. The Rezillos: 'Can't Stand My Baby'
5. John Cooper Clarke: 'Suspended Sentence'
6. Desperate Bicycles: 'Smokescreen'
7. Marlene Webber: 'Right Track'
8. Neil Young: 'Like A Hurricane'
9. The Clash: 'Complete Control'
10. Frankie Miller: 'Be Good To Yourself'
11. Sex Pistols: 'Holidays In The Sun'
12. The Lurkers: 'Shadow'
13. Jah Hayes/Ranking Trevor: 'Truly'

Bit disappointing, I know but I thought there was another tape amongst the
boxes, but there wasn't.

That's it. Sorry.

Cheers
Andy Smith Andymss@aol.com

Also...

I remember fondly the 1978 FF which I had on tape in its entirety for a number of years - alas it has long since been lost apart from a few small snippets that include his in between songs chatter.

Anyway I remember Peel saying at the time of the 1978 FF that he would alternate the basis on which the chart was compiled allowing listeners to vote for their favourite songs of all time every other year (1976 and 1978) alongside his own choice of the best fifty songs on the years in between (1977, 1979 etc). From the listing given for 1979

he evidently changed his mind as 1979 is clearly another "all time" top 50. Perhaps when he made that rule he wasn't anticipating the way music would rapidly change within a 12 month period and was assuming that to do a public chart each year it would end up very static.

I hope that adds weight to the belief that he didn't have a festive fifty in 1977 but rather chose the records himself.

Mic Smith toxic.angel@virgin.net

From Kevin kevielove2@aol.com

DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF JOHN PEEL'S RADIO 1 SESSIONS REVEALS THE "FORGOTTEN FIFTY" OF 1977

DJ John Peel's long lost "Festive 50" of top tracks of 1977 has been reconstructed as part of the new definitive history of his show THE PEEL SESSIONS, to be published by BBC Books on 4 October 2007. The rundown presents a startling snapshot of Peel's personal view of a year when music changed for ever, with punk and reggae elbowing out the rock legends.

The first ever Festive 50 poll of his listeners' all-time favourite tracks was broadcast over Christmas 1976, but with everything changing in 1977, Peel and his producer John Walters decided not to run a poll that year. Instead, Peel chose his own favourites, but presented it as a 'Festive 50' chart rundown anyway. The Top 13 are well-documented, but the full chart is the "Forgotten Fifty", remembered only in fragments by even diehard listeners.

Prompted by queries and tip-offs from fellow members of the John Peel News Group on Yahoo, author Ken Garner reconstructed the chart from a combination of listener diaries & off-air tapes, and the programme scripts kept on microfilm at BBC Written Archives, Caversham. "Even though he referred to it on air as the Festive 50, Peel clearly chose 60 personal favourites from across the year to spin again, plus The Sex Pistols' 'God Save The Queen' cheekily thrown in as an extra at the start", he says: "The track was still banned at the BBC in Silver Jubilee Year ? although Peel had of course played it twice before the ban was imposed ? and you can imagine the furore if he had drawn attention to it by 'placing' it. This way he sneaked it in with no-one noticing." Although no chart placings are given on the scripts, it was possible to count backwards from the number one at the end of the final countdown show. "The Forgotten Fifty as a whole in its range and order is very much like the nightly Peel shows of the time in its mixture of old and new, the fashionable alongside the uncool" says Garner, "with some giveaway Peel running-order jokes, like following The Boys with The Yobs."

"The Forgotten Fifty" of 1977 itself follows:

1. Dancing The Night Away' The Motors
2. Uptown Top Ranking' Althia & Donna
3. You Beat The Hell Out of Me' The Motors
4. I Can't Stand My Baby' The Rezillos
5. Suspended Sentence' John Cooper Clarke
6. Smokescreen' Desperate Bicycles
7. Right Track - Marlene Webber
8. Like a Hurricane' Neil Young
9. Complete Control' The Clash
10. Be Good To Yourself' Frankie Miller
11. Holidays In The Sun' The Sex Pistols
12. Shadow' The Lurkers
13. Truly' J. Ayes and Ranking Trevor
14. Pigs' Pink Floyd
15. Incendiary Device' Johnny Moped
16. New Religion' Some Chicken
17. See Them Come' Culture
18. Emergency' The Motors
19. The Worm Song' The Yobs
20. Box Number' The Boys
21. London Lady' The Stranglers
22. I Don't Wanna' Sham 69
23. Pinhead' The Ramones
24. Freedom Connection' Jah Woosh
25. Can't Give You More' Status Quo
26. Blue Wind' Jeff Beck with Jan Hammer
27. White Riot' The Clash
28. Success' Iggy Pop
29. Your Generation' Generation X
30. Nobody Go Run Me' King Short Shirt
31. Love Story' The Lurkers
32. Waiting in Vain' Bob Marley & The Wailers
33. Paradise' Dr Feelgood
34. Cruel Brother' Five Hand Reel
35. I'm Stranded' The Saints
36. Heroes' David Bowie
37. Sick On You' The Users
38. Oh Bondage Up Yours!' X Ray Spex
39. Lookin' After Number 1' The Boomtown Rats
40. No Man's Land' June Tabor
41. Neat Neat Neat' The Damned
42. The Dark End Of The Street' Ry Cooder
43. Questions' Suburban Studs
44. Feel Like Making Love' Elizabeth Archer & The Equators
45. I Knew The Bride' Dave Edmunds
46. Away From The Numbers' The Jam
47. Whole Wide World' Wreckless Eric
48. Green Onions' Roy Buchanan
49. Wild Dub' Generation X
50. I.R.T.' Snatch
51. Pretty Vacant' The Sex Pistols
52. John Willie's Ferret' The Oldham Tinkers
53 'Stepping Razor' Peter Tosh
54. Capital Radio' The Clash
55. Watching The Detectives' Elvis Costello and The Attractions
56. Bringing In The Morning Light' The Motors
57. Beginning of The End' Eddie & The Hot Rods
58. Jocko Homo' Devo
59. Whatever Happened To' The Buzzcocks
60. Rocket In My Pocket' Little Feat
...& 61..God Save The Queen' The Sex Pistols

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1978

1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
2. Clash - Complete Control
3. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
4. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
5. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
6. Sex Pistols - Pretty vacant
7. Clash - White Man In Hammersmith Palais
8. Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?
9. Public Image Ltd. - Public Image
10. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
11. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
12. Buzzcocks - Boredom
13. Damned - New Rose
14. Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven
15. Clash - White Riot
16. David Bowie - Heroes
17. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
18. Sex Pistols - Holidays In The Sun
19. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird
20. Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby
21. Van Morrison - Madame George
22. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
23. Clash - Police & Thieves
24. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
25. Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives
26. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
27. Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
28. Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
29. Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
30. Buzzcocks - Moving Away From The Pulsebeat
31. Derek & the Dominoes - Layla
32. Stranglers - Hanging Around
33. Stranglers - No More Heroes
34. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Helter Skelter
35. Motors - Dancing The Night Away
36. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
37. Elvis Costello - Alison
38. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Overground
39. Who - My Generation
40. Stranglers - London Lady
41. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch
42. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Mirage
43. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
44. Jam - In The City
45. Sex Pistols - EMI
46. Bob Dylan - Desolation Row
47. Flying Lizards - Summertime Blues
48. Neil Young - Like A Hurricane
49. Thin Lizzy - Emerald
50. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Metal Postcard
51. Thanks to David John for this listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1979


1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
2. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
3. Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
4. Jam - Down in the Tube Station At Midnight
5. Clash - Complete Control
6. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
7. Special AKA - Gangsters
8. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
9. Public Image Ltd. - Public Image
10. Damned - New Rose
11. Ruts - In a Rut
12. Undertones - Get Over You
13. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
14. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
15. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
16. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
17. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
18. Stiff Little Fingers - Wasted Life
19. Jam - Eton Rifles
20. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
21. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Love In A Void
22. Damned - Love song
23. Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
24. Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven
25. Buzzcocks - Boredom
26. Clash - White Riot
27. Jam - Strange Town
28. Public Image Ltd. - Death Disco
29. Undertones - You've Got My Number
30. Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
31. Undertones - Jimmy Jimmy
32. Who - My Generation
33. Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
34. David Bowie - Heroes
35. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Icon
36. Specials - Too Much Too Young
37. Skids - Into The Valley
38. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch
39. Tubeway Army - Are friends Electric?
40. The Fall - Rowche Rumble
41. Mekons - Where were you
42. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
43. Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night
44. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Playground Twist
45. Stranglers - No More Heroes
46. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Helter Skelter
47. Ruts - Babylon's Burning
48. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
49. Clash - Police & Thieves
50. Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?


Originally reconstructed from a listing from David Hill and completed with a list from David John. Thanks!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980


1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
2. Joy Division - Atmosphere
3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
4. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
5. Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
6. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
7. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
8. Damned - New Rose
9. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
10. Joy Division - Transmission
11. Public Image Ltd. - Public Image
12. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
13. Jam - Going Underground
14. Joy Division - Decades
15. Clash - Complete Control
16. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
17. Undertones - Get Over You
18. Cure - A Forest
19. Ruts - In a Rut
20. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
21. The Fall - Totally Wired
22. Joy Division - She's Lost Control
23. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
24. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
25. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
26. The Fall - How I Wrote `Elastic Man'
27. Stiff Little Fingers - Wasted life
28. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
29. Damned - Love song
30. Adam and the Ants - Kings of the wild frontier
31. Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
32. Specials - Gangsters
33. Public Image Ltd. - Poptones
34. Public Image Ltd. - Careering
35. Killing Joke - Requiem
36. Killing Joke - Psyche
37. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
38. The Fall - Fiery Jack
39. Clash - Armagideon Time
40. Spizz Energi - Where's Captain Kirk
41. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
42. Damned - Smash it up
43. Teardrop Explodes - Treason
44. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch
45. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Icon
46. Clash - Bankrobber
47. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
48. Clash - White Riot
49. The Fall - Rowche Rumble
50. Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
51. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Love in a void
52. Killing Joke - Wardance
53. Adam and the Ants - Dog Eat Dog
54. Ruts - West One (Shine on me)
55. Who - My generation
56. Mo-dettes - White Mice
57. Stiff Little FIngers - Tin Soldiers
58. Stranglers - No More Heroes
59. Jam - Eton Rifles
60. Pink Floyd - Shine on you crazy diamond
61. Magazine - Shot by both sides
62. Public Image Ltd. - Death disco
63. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven
64. Joy Division - Dead souls
65. Wah! Heat - Better Scream

Um yea I know there's more than fifty!
Originally reconstructed from a listing from David Hill and then the gaps were filled by Stuart. Thanks!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1981


1. Joy Division - Atmosphere
2. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
4. New Order - Ceremony
5. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
6. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
7. Joy Division - Decades
8. Cure - A Forest
9. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
10. Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
11. Joy Division - Dead Souls
12. Damned - New Rose
13. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
14. Joy Division - Transmission
15. Altered Images - Dead Pop-Stars
16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
17. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
18. Clash - Complete Control
19. Birthday Party - Release the Bats
20. Undertones - Get Over You
21. Specials - Ghost Town
22. Scritti Politti - The `Sweetest' Girl
23. Jam - Going Underground
24. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
25. Theatre of Hate - Legion
26. Public Image Ltd. - Public Image
27. Killing Joke - Requiem
28. Killing Joke - Follow the Leaders
29. Heaven 17 - No Fascist Groove Thang
30. The Fall - Fiery Jack
31. Ruts - In a Rut
32. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
33. The Fall - How I Wrote `Elastic Man'
34. Laurie Anderson - O Superman
35. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
36. B-Movie - Remembrance Day
37. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Israel
38. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
39. Pigbag - Papa's Got a Brand-New Pigbag
40. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Icon
41. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
42. Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
43. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
44. Joy Division - Isolation
45. Killing Joke - Psyche
46. Echo and the Bunnymen - Over the Wall
47. The Fall - Lie Dream of a Casino Soul
48. New Order - Procession
49. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch
50. Altered Images - Happy Birthday
51. Joy Division - She's Lost Control
52. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
53. Magazine - Shot by Both Sides
54. New Order - In a Lonely Place
55. Anti-Pasti - No Government
56. The Fall - Totally Wired
57. Specials - Gangsters
58. Fire Engines - Candy Skin
59. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
60. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden


N.B. Yeah, I know there's more than 50 listed!
Thanks to David Hill for this listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1982


1982 was a dual Festive Fifty year. Peel broadcast a listeners all time favourite 50 listing as well as listing of 50 favourites of the year. Here's a listing of both!

Festive Fifty 1982

1. New Order - Temptation
2. Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
3. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message
4. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Back of Love
5. Tears for Fears - Mad World
6. The Clash - Straight to Hell
7. Wah! - The Story of the Blues
8. Theatre of Hate - Do You Believe in the West World
9. Artery - Into the Garden
10. Wild Swans - Revolutionary Spirit
11. The Jam - Town Called Malice
12. Yazoo - Only You
13. Scritti Politti - Faithless
14. Associates - Party Fears Two
15. Bauhaus - Ziggy Stardust
16. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Fireworks
17. New Order - Hurt
18. Scritti Politti - Asylums in Jerusalem
19. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
20. Killing Joke - Empire Song
21. The Farmers Boys - Whatever is he like?
22. China Crisis - African and White
23. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Slow Dive
24. Aztec Camera - Pillar to Post
25. The Cure - The Hanging Garden
26. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go?
27. The Clash - Know Your Rights
28. The Cure - The Figurehead
29. Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
30. Simple Minds - Promised You a Miracle
31. Redskins - Peasant Army
32. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (in summertime)
33. The Cure - A Strange Day
34. Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
35. Blancmange - Feel Me
36. Musical Youth - Pass the Dutchie
37. Cocteau Twins - Wax and Wane
38. Serious Drinking - Love on the Terraces
39. The Jam - The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)
40. The Clash - Rock the Casbah
41. The Passage - XOYO
42. The Chameleons - In Shreds
43. Weekend - A View From Her Room
44. Shambeko! Say Wah! - Remember
45. Simple Minds - Glittering Prize
46. Bauhaus - Third Uncle
47. The Higsons - Conspiracy
48. Action Pact - Suicide Bag
49. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Melt
50. The Farmers Boys - I Think I Need Help
51. Stranglers - Strange Little Girl
52. Josef K. - The Missionary
53. Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse
54. Everything But The Girl - Night and Day
55. Associates - Club Country
56. Stranglers - Golden Brown
57. Theatre of Hate - The Hop
58. The Fall - Look/Know
59. Captain Sensible - Happy Talk
60. Yazoo - Don't Go

The Associates and Bauhaus drew for fourteenth place!
N.B. Yeah, I know there's more than 50 listed!


All Time Festive Fifty 1982


1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
2. Joy Division - Atmosphere
3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
4. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
5. The Cure - A Forest
6. New Order - Ceremony
7. Joy Division - Decades
8. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
9. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
10. The Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
11. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
12. Joy Division - Dead Souls
13. Damned - New Rose
14. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
15. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Israel
16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
17. Jam - Going Underground
18. New Order - Temptation
19. The Clash - Complete Control
20. Public Image Limited - Public Image
21. Altered Images - Dead Pop-Stars
22. Echo and the Bunnymen - Over the Wall
23. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
24. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
25. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
26. Joy Division - Transmission
27. Scritti Politti - The `Sweetest' Girl
28. Birthday Party - Release the Bats
29. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
30. New Order - Procession
31. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
32. Killing Joke - Requiem
33. Theatre of Hate - Legion
34. Killing Joke - Psyche
35. Ruts - In a Rut
36. Undertones - Get Over You
37. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
38. Joy Division - Isolation
39. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
40. The Clash - Armagideon Time
41. Joy Division - She's Lost Control
42. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch
43. Specials - Ghost Town
44. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
45. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Icon
46. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
47. Magazine - Shot by Both Sides
48. Joy Division - The Eternal
49. Laurie Anderson - O Superman
50. Damned - Love Song

Laurie Anderson and the Damned drew for 49th place!
Thanks to David Hill for these listings!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1983

1. New Order - Blue Monday
2. Smiths - This Charming Man
3. New Order - Age Of Consent
4. This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren
5. Cocteau Twins - Musette and Drums
6. Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain
7. Billy Bragg - A New England
8. The Fall - Eat Y'self Fitter
9. Smiths - Hand In Glove
10. Naturalites and the Mystics - Picture On The Wall
11. Red Guitars - Good Technology
12. P.I.L - This Is Not A Lovesong
13. X-Mal Deutchland - Incubus Succubus
14. Cocteau Twins - Sugar Hiccup
15. Cure - Lovecats
16. Cocteau Twins - From the Flagstones
17. Echo and the Bunnymen - Never Stop
18. New Order - Your Silent Face
19. Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love
20. Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence
21. The Fall - The Man Whose Head Expanded
22. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter
23. The Assembly - Never Never
24. The Imposter - Pills and Soap
25. New Order - Leave Me Alone
26. 10000 Maniacs - My Mother The War
27. Sisters of Mercy - Alice
28. Cocteau Twins - Peppermint Pig
29. Aztec Camera - Oblivious
30. Redskins - Lean on Me
31. Chameleons - Second Skin
32. X-Mal Deutchland - Qual
33. Smiths - Handsome Devil
34. Tools You Can Trust - Working and Shopping
35. The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy
36. Luddites - Doppleganger
37. Sophie and Peter Johnson - Television
38. Cocteau Twins - Hithertoo
39. S.P.K - Metal Dance
40. The Fall - Wings
41. U2 - New Years Day
42. Danse Society - Somewhere
43. Birthday Party - Deep in the Woods
44. Caberet Voltaire - Fascination
45. New Order - The Village
46. Birthday Party - Sonny's Burning
47. Strawberry Switchblade - Trees and Flowers
48. Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
49. Cure - The Walk
50. Tom Robinson - War Baby

Thanks to Stuart for this listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1984


1. Smiths - How Soon Is Now
2. Cocteau Twins - Pearly Dewdrops Drop
3. The Men They Couldn't Hang - Green Fields of France
4. Cocteau Twins - Spangle Maker
5. The Mighty Wah - Come Back
6. Membranes - Spike Milligans Tape Recorder
7. New Order - Thieves Like Us
8. Sisters of Mercy - Walk Away
9. The Fall - Lay of the Land
10. Redskins - Keep On Keepin' On
11. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - St Huck
12. New Order - Lonesome Tonight
13. Billy Bragg - Between The Wars
14. Smiths - Nowhere Fast
15. Sisters of Mercy - Emma
16. Cocteau Twins - Ivo
17. Smiths - What Difference Does It Make
18. The Fall - Creep
19. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
20. New Order - Murder
21. This Mortal Coil - Kangaroo
22. Cocteau Twins - Donimo
23. Smiths - William It Was Really Nothing
24. Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
25. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes
26. Unknown Cases - Masimbabele
27. Very Things - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes
28. Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
29. Billy Bragg - The Saturday Boy
30. The Cult - Spiritwalker
31. Propoganda - Dr Mabuse
32. Yeah Yeah No - Biased Binding
33. This Mortal Coil - Another Day
34. Berntholer - My Suiter
35. Robert Wyatt - Biko
36. Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain
37. Jesus and Mary Chain - Upside Down
38. Cocteau Twins - Pandora
39. Flesh For Lulu - Subteraneans
40. Cocteau Twins - Beatrix
41. Special AKA - Nelson Mandela
42. Frank Chickens - Blue Canary
43. New Model Army - Vengence
44. The Fall - No Bulbs
45. Pogues - Dark Streets of London
46. Hard Corps - Dirty
47. Echo and the Bunnymen - Thorn of Crowns
48. Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy
49. Cocteau Twins - Pepper Tree
50. Working Week - Venceramos

N.B. The Cocteau Twins and Flesh for Lulu actually drew for 39th place.

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1985

1. Jesus and Mary Chain - Never Understand
2. Jesus and Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
3. The Fall - Cruiser's Creek
4. Cult - She sells sanctuary
5. Cocteau Twins - Aikea-Guinea
6. Chumbawamba - Revolution
7. Felt - Primitive Painters
8. Smiths - The boy with the thorn in his side
9. New Order - Perfect Kiss
10. Housemartins - Flag Day
11. The Men They Couldn't Hang - Ironmasters
12. Jesus and Mary Chain - You trip me up
13. Pogues - Sally Maclennane
14. Three Johns - Death of the European
15. Wedding Present - Go out and get 'em boy!
16. New Order - Love Vigilantes
17. Shop Assistants - All that ever mattered
18. New Order - Sub-culture
19. Woodentops - Move me
20. Pogues - A pair of brown eyes
21. Echo and the Bunnymen - Bring on the dancing horses
22. That Petrol Emotion - V2
23. The Fall - Spoilt Victorian Child
24. New Order - Sunrise
25. Pogues - I'm a man you don't meet every day
26. Rose of Avalanche - L.A. Rain
27. Cure - InBetween Days
28. James - Hymn from a Village
29. Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual
30. Age of Chance - Motor City
31. Smiths - That joke isn't funny anymore
32. Smiths - Meat is Murder
33. The Fall - Gut of the Quantifier
34. Beloved - 100 Words
35. Nick Cave/Bad Seeds - Tupelo
36. Sisters of Mercy - Marian
37. Vibes - I'm in Pittsburg and it's raining
38. Prefab Sprout - Faron Young
39. The Fall - Couldn't get ahead
40. Billy Bragg - Between the Wars
41. Smiths - Well I wonder
42. The Fall - L.A.
43. Sisters of Mercy - Some Kind of Stranger
44. Primal Scream - It happens
45. New Order - Face up
46. Husker Du - Makes no sense at all
47. Robert Wyatt - The Wind of Change
48. Woodentops - Well well well
49. One Thousand Violins - Like One Thousand Violins
50. Shop Assistants - All day long
51. James - If things were perfect
52. Del Amitri - Hammering heart
53. Conflict - Mighty and Superior
54. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities in dust
55. The Fall - Rolling Dany
56. Billy Bragg - Days like these
57. Smiths - Barbarism begins at home
58. Big Flame - All the Irish must go to heaven
59. 10000 Maniacs - Can't ignore the train
60. Cabaret Voltaire - I want you
61. Smiths - Shakespeare's Sister
62. Big Flame - Man of few syllables
63. Cocteau Twins - Quisquose
64. Pogues - The band played Waltzing Matilda
65. Bogshed - Hand me down father
66. New Model Army - No rest
67. Cure - Close to me
68. Triffids - Field of Glass
69. 10000 Maniacs - Just as the tide was a-flowing
70. That Petrol Emotion - Keen

Yeah I know there's more than 50!
Thanks to Stuart for this listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1986

1. Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
2. Age of Chance - Kiss
3. The Fall - Mr Pharmacist
4. Primal Scream - Velocity Girl
5. Smiths - Panic
6. Smiths - I Know It's Over
7. Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
8. Shop Assistants - Safety Net
9. Jesus and Mary Chain - Some Candy Talking
10. The Fall - US Eighties - Nineties
11. Smiths - Ask
12. Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
13. Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed
14. Half Man, Half Biscuit - Trumpton Riots
15. The Fall - Living Too Late
16. Wedding Present - Once More
17. Soup Dragons - Hang Ten!
18. Wedding Present - This Boy Can Wait
19. Bodines - Therese
20. The Fall - Bournemouth Runner
21. Cocteau Twins - Love's Easy tears
22. Primitives - Really Stupid
23. Pastels - Truck Train Tractor
24. Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs' Tears
25. Soup Dragons - Whole Wide World
26. The Fall - Realm of Dusk
27. Age of Chance - Bible Of The Beats
28. Wedding Present - You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends
29. That Petrol Emotion - It's a Good Thing
30. Very things - This is Motortown
31. We've Got a Fuzzbox - Rules and Regulations
32. The The - Heartland
33. Freiwillige Selbstokontrolle - I Wish I Could Sprechen Sie Deutsch
34. Mighty Lemon Drops - Like An Angel
35. Smiths - Cemetry Gates
36. Wedding Present - Felicity
37. The Fall - Lucifer Over Lancashire
38. Cocteau Twins - Those Eyes, That Mouth
39. Half Man, Half Biscuit - Dickie Davies Eyes
40. Elvis Costello - I Want You
41. Billy Bragg - Greetings To The New Brunette
42. Flatmates - I Could Be In Heaven
43. Shop Assistants - I Don't Want To Be Friends With You
44. Mighty Mighty - Is There Anyone Out There?
45. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - By The Time I Get To Phoenix
46. Colourbox - The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme
47. Camper van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling
48. The Fall - Dktr Faustus
49. Mission - Serpent's Kiss
50. Pogues - The Body of an American

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1987


1. Sugarcubes - Birthday
2. The Fall - Australians In Europe
3. Wedding Present - Everyone Thinks He looks Daft
4. That Petrol Emotion - Big Decision
5. Smiths - Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me
6. Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress
7. New Order - True Faith
8. Wedding Present - A Million Miles
9. The Fall - Hit the North
10. Wedding Present - Anyone Can Make a Mistake
11. I, Ludicrous - Preposterous Tales
12. Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
13. Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
14. Public Enemy - Rebel Without a Pause
15. Smiths - Girlfriend in a Coma
16. Jesus and Mary Chain - April Skies
17. Barmy Army - Sharp as a Needle
18. Big Black - Colombian Necktie
19. Primitives - Stop Killing Me
20. Cud - You Sexy Thing
21. Smiths - Paint a Vulgar Picture
22. Motorcycle Boy - Big Rock Candy Mountain
23. Smiths - Sweet and Tender Hooligan
24. Smiths - Half a Person
25. Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer
26. The Fall - Athlete Cured
27. Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full
28. Railway Children - Brighter
29. Smiths - I Won't Share You
30. Bhundu Boys - My Foolish Heart
31. Wedding Present - Getting Nowhere Fast
32. Prince - Sign o' the Times
33. James Taylor Quartet - Blow Up
34. Smiths - Sheila Take a Bow
35. McCarthy - Frans Hals
36. Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
37. Sonic Youth - (I got a) Catholic Block
38. Public Enemy - You're Gonna Get Yours
39. Jesus and Mary Chain - Kill Surf City
40. Smiths - I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
41. Jesus and Mary Chain - Nine Million Rainy Days
42. Big Black - L Dopa
43. New Order - 1963
44. Butthole Surfers - 22 Going On 23
45. Smiths - Shoplifters of the World Unite
46. M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up the Volume
47. Colorblind James Experience - Considering a Move to Memphis
48. Gun Club - The Breaking Hands
49. Beatmaster/Cookie Crew - Rok Da House
50. Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh


JOHN PEEL considers his Festive 50

THE FESTIVE 50, you will recall, is a chart lovingly handcrafted from the votes of my Radio 1 listeners for their three favourite tracks of the year. In 1986, as may have slipped your memory, the Festive 50 was made faintly ridiculous by the inclusion of seven tracks by the Smiths, seven by the Fall, and four from relative newcomers, the Wedding Present.

This year the Smiths have 11 entries, including all but three tracks from their `Strangeways, Here We Come' LP, giving me as a compiler of the chart, perhaps the only reason for celebrating the sundering of the group. It will be interesting in passing, to see how long Smiths completists continue to collect records to which guitarist Johnny Marr makes a contribution. The first solo efforts of Morrissey, made for night-time Radio 1 but no, at the singers request, broadcast, were inevitably somewhat tentative.

The Fall, in an LP-less year - there is a new album due at the end of February - have but three entries, two derived from a BBC session. The Wedding Present continue to advance apace, not only placing four of their five entries in the top 10, but also scoring with a selection of Ukrainian and Russian folk tunes, one of the most applauded sessions of the year. Their LP, `George Best', should not, despite it's title, be overlooked.

Whilst acknowledging that the Festive 50 is hardly indicative of nationwide movement towards a more robust form of pop, I was pleased to see Sonic Youth and the disestablished Big Black on the list for the first time. Also a cause for modest celebration is the appearance of hop-hop, rap or whatever we are calling it this week, and my recent policy of writing begging letters to those artists whose independent releases are enthused over in the pages of Maximum Rock `n' Roll, Options, Flipside, and other transatlantic publications has paid off, albeit modestly, with the inclusion of the Colourblind James Experience.

Other Less known American bands - the Donner Party, Expando Brain, White Zombie - were not far off the money. Finally, note at 17 what must surely be the best football record yet. Coupled with `England 2 Yugoslavia 0', `Sharp as a Needle' is a tribute by the visionary producer Adrian Sherwood, a West Ham supporter himself, to Kenny Dalglish. I hope that Sherwood is even now working on a John Barnes song.

John Peel.

Article taken from the Observer newspaper (I think!).

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1988


1. House of Love - Destroy The Heart
2. Wedding Present - Nobody's Twisting Your Arm
3. Jesus and Mary Chain - Sidewalking
4. Wedding Present - Take Me (I'm Yours)
5. Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene
6. My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
7. Pixies - Gigantic
8. Wedding Present - Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?
9. House of Love - Christine
10. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat
11. Inspiral Carpets - Keep The Circle Around
12. Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
13. Morrissey - Suedehead
14. The Fall - Cab It Up
15. Wedding Present - I'm Not Always So Stupid
16. The Fall - Bremen Nacht
17. My Bloody Valentine - Feed Me With Your Kiss
18. House of Love - Love In A Car
19. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
20. Sugarcubes - Deus
21. Robert Floyd & The New Four Seasons - Something Nice
22. Morrissey - Late Night Maudlin Street
23. Morrissey - Disappointed
24. The Fall - Big New Prinz
25. Billy Bragg - Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
26. Cocteau Twins - Carolyn's Fingers
27. The Fall - Kurious Oranj
28. Overlord X - 14 Days In May
29. Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket
30. Pixies - Where Is My Mind
31. Mudhoney - Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More
32. Spit - Road Pizza
33. James - What For
34. Pooh Sticks - On Tape
35. Stump - Charlton Heston
36. The Fall - Jerusalem
37. Shalawambe - Samora Machel
38. McCarthy - Should The Bible Be Banned
39. Pixies - River Euphrates
40. The Fall - Guest Informant
41. Loop - Collision
42. Flatmates - Shimmer
43. Mega City 4 - Miles Apart
44. New Order - Fine Time
45. Pixies - Bone Machine
46. Primitives - Crash
47. Darling Buds - Shame On You
48. Happy Mondays - Wrote For Luck
49. Wedding Present - Don't Laugh
50. Public Enemy - Night Of The Living Baseheads

NME Article

DEEP IN the heart of rural East Anglia JOHN PEEL sits, running his fingers through his beard, opening Festive 50 entries, marking down the votes, and then tossing the envelope into the roaring fire before him.

"People assume it's all computerised but really it's just me marking every single vote down in a ledger. There is obviously the temptation to slip something in that I like, especially if it's just outside the 50, and something crap has gone above it. But I have a very workman-like brain so it just wouldn't be on to fix it.

"I did actually try to write down what my three entries would be if I had a vote but it was impossible. I couldn't get it any fewer than a list of 250.

"I've been disappointed with this years chart, it's very conservative, more so than last year. Especially as at the time of voting there was an awful lot of good dance music around on the show, but none of it was voted for. No A Guy Called Gerald, no Stakker or Humanoid or whatever it's called, no 808 State. No hardcore even."

James Brown

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1989

1. Sundays - Can't Be Sure(Rough Trade)
2. Wedding Present - Kennedy (RCA)
3. Pixies - Debaser (4AD)
4. Happy Mondays - WFL (Factory)
5. Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven (4AD)
6. Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection (Silvertone)
7. Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums (Silvertone)
8. James - Sit Down (Factory)
9. Inspiral Carpets - Joe (Cow)
10. House of Love - I Don't Know Why I Love You (Fontana)
11. Pale saints - Sight of you (4AD)
12. Dinosaur Jr - Just Like Heaven (Blast First)
13. Jesus and Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun (blanco y negro)
14. Wedding Present - Take Me (RCA)
15. Cud - Only A Prawn In Whitby (Imaginary)
16. Mudhoney - You got it (Keep It Outta My Face) (Glitterhouse)
17. Stone Roses - Made Of Stone (Sivertone)
18. Morrissey - Last of the Famous International Playboys (HMV)
19. Wedding Present - Brassneck (RCA)
20. Morrissey - Ouija Board, Ouija Board (HMV)
21. Inspiral Carpets - Find Out Why (Cow)
22. 808 State - Pacific State (WEA/Creed)
23. Stone Roses - Fools Gold (Silvertone)
24. Wedding Present - Bewitched (RCA)
25. Pale Saints - She Rides the Waves (4AD)
26. Field Mice - Sensitive (Sarah)
27. New Order - Vanishing Point (Factory)
28. Birdland - Hollow Heart (Lazy)
29. Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored (Silvertone)
30. Telescopes - Perfect Needle (What Goes On)
31. Bob - Convienience (House of Teeth)
32. Jesus Jones - Info Freako (Food)
33. Spacemen 3 - Hypnotised (Fire)
34. De la Soul - Eye Know (Tommy Boy)
35. Inspiral Carpets - So This Is How It Feels (Peel Session)
36. Pixies - Wave of Mutilation (4AD)
37. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (4AD)
38. The Fall - Dead Beat Descendant (Beggars Banquet)
39. DubSex - Swerve (Cut Deep)
40. Birdland - Paradise (Lazy)
41. Galaxie 500 - Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste (Rough Trade)
42. Senseless Things - Too much Kissing (Way Cool)
43. Pixies - Dead (4AD)
44. Snuff - Not Listening (Alternative Tentacles)
45. Wedding Present - What have I said now? (RCA)
46. Popguns - Landslide (Midnight Music)
47. Morrissey - Interesting Drug (Parlophone)
48. Family Cat - Tom Verlaine (Big Girl)
49. Inspiral Carpets - Directing Traffik (Cow)
50. Inspiral Carpets - She Comes In The Fall (Cow)
51. Thanks to Edward Arthur for this 50 listing!


NME Jan 13 1990

Since August of last year JOHN PEEL has a year of age for every record in his traditional end-of-year roll of honour. Both Mr Peel and his Festive 50 are now fully fledged Institutions. It's slightly surprising, then, that the news that NME's readers have once again voted him Britain's top DJ should elicit from him not ho-hum complacency but an unmistakaeble sigh of relief:

"I'm genuinely pleased to hear that," he purrs, "this year more than any other. With all the fuss about my being 50 - and I couldn't have avoided being 50 without dying - a lot of letters I've been getting would suggest that people have changed their view of me. They used to open their hearts to me and I'd started to think that they now saw me as some sort of remote, showbiz dickhead. So I guess winning your poll is a demonstration that they don't ..."

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1990

1. The Fall - Bill Is Dead
2. My Bloody Valentine - Soon
3. Ride - Dreams Burn Down
4. Ride - Like A Daydream
5. Sonic Youth - Tunic (Song For Karen)
6. Paris Angels - (All On You) Perfume
7. Wedding Present - Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
8. Happy Mondays - Step On
9. Wedding Present - Corduroy
10. Orb - Loving You (session)
11. Teenage Fanclub - Everything Flows
12. Would-Be's - I'm Hardly Ever Wrong
13. Lemonheads - Different Drum
14. New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Big
15. The Fall - White Lightning
16. Morrissey - November Spawned A Monster
17. Charlatans - The Only One I Know
18. Wedding Present - Don't Talk, Just Kiss
19. Nick Cave - The Ship Song
20. Wedding Present - Heather (session)
21. Boo Radleys - Kaleidoscope
22. Wedding Present - Crawl
23. Nirvana - Sliver
24. Pixies - The Happening
25. Ride - Taste
26. Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Kill Your Television
27. Lush - Sweetness And Light
28. Charlatans - Polar Bear
29. Dinosaur Jr - The Wagon
30. The Fall - Blood Outta Stone
31. Pixies - Velouria
32. Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro
33. Fatima Mansions - Blues For Ceaucescu
34. Shamen - Pro-Gen
35. The Fall - Telephone Thing
36. Sundays - Here's Where The Story Ends
37. Spiritualized - Any Way That You Want Me
38. Babes In Toyland - House
39. Wedding Present - Dalliance
40. Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
41. The Fall - Chicago, Now!
42. Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
43. Teenage Fanclub - God Knows It's True
44. Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart
45. Bastro - Nothing Special
46. Farm - Stepping Stone
47. Farm - Groovy Train
48. Pixies - Allison
49. Pixies - Dig For Fire
50. Inspiral Carpets - Beast Inside
51. Thanks to Gerard Wood for this listing!

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John Peel's Phantom Fifty 1991

Not a Festive Fifty at all as it was never broadcast at the time but a couple of years later! But people voted and I guess that's the main thing.


1. Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit (4:55)
2. PJ Harvey - Dress (3:10)
3. Curve - Ten little girls (4:25)
4. The Fall - Edinburgh man (4:30)
5. Teenage Fanclub - Star sign (4:50)
6. Teenage Fanclub - The concept (6:00)
7. Hole - Burn black (5:00)
8. Wedding Present - Dalliance (4:00)
9. The Fall - A lot of wind (3:45)
10. Hole - Teenage whore (2:55)
11. Primal Scream - Higher than the sun (6:40)
12. Wedding Present - Dare (3:40)
13. Gallon Drunk - Some fools mess (5:00)
14. Wedding Present - Fleshworld (4:25)
15. Catherine Wheel - Black metallic (7:10)
16. Nirvana - Drain you (3:40)
17. Moose - Suzanne (3:20)
18. Babes in Toyland - Handsome and Gretel (1:55)
19. Boo Radleys - Finest kiss (5:25)
20. Slowdive - Catch the breeze (4:15)
21. Foreheads in a Fishtank - Happy shopper (4:25)
22. Wedding Present - Rotterdam (3:20)
23. Slint - Good morning, Captain (7:35)
24. The Fall - High tension line (3:45)
25. Nirvana - Lithium (4:10)
26. The Pixies - Planet of sound (2:05)
27. Smashing Pumpkins - Siva (4:15)
28. 70 Gwen Party - Auto killer UK (3:50)
29. Billy Bragg - Sexuality (3:45)
30. Babes in Toyland - Catatonic (2:45)
31. Babes in Toyland - Laugh my head off (3:30)
32. Wedding Present - Octopussy (6:15)
33. Chapterhouse - Pearl (5:00)
34. Pavement - Summer babe (3:10)
35. The Fall - The war against intelligence (3:15)
36. Teenage Fanclub - Like a virgin (4:20)
37. My Bloody Valentine - To here knows when (4:45)
38. Curve - No escape from Heaven (4:15)
39. Babes in Toyland - Primus (3:55)
40. Electronic - Get the message (5:20)
41. The Fall - The mixer (3:30)
42. Babes in Toyland - Ripe (3:35)
43. The Fall - So what about it? (3:25)
44. Th' Faith Healers - Gorgeous blue flower in my garden (6:25)
45. The Fieldmice - Missing the moon (7:00)
46. The Pixies - Motorway to Roswell (4:40)
47. The Pixies - Bird dream of the Olympus Mons (2:45)
48. Nirvana - Breed (3:00)
49. Mercury Rev - Car wash hair (6:45)
50. Bongwater - Nick Cave doll (2:55)


Thanks to Dougal McKinnon for this listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1992


1. Bang Bang Machine - Geek Love
2. PJ Harvey - Sheela-Na-Gig
3. Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod
4. Wedding Present - Come Play With Me
5. The Fall - Legend of Xanadu
6. The Fall - Free Range
7. Sonic Youth - Youth Against Fascism
8. Pavement - Trigger Cut
9. Babes in Toyland - Bruise Violets
10. Pavement - Here
11. Future Sound of London - Papua New Guinea
12. The Fall - Ed's Babe
13. Jesus and Mary Chain - Reverence
14. Wedding Present - Flying Saucer
15. Suede - The Drowners
16. Sugar - Changes
17. Sonic Youth - Sugar Kane
18. Wedding Present - Silver Shorts
19. Wedding Present - Love Slave
20. The Orb - Blue Room
21. Sugar - A Good Idea
22. Babes In Toyland - Handsome and Gretel
23. Sonic Youth - 100%
24. Wedding Present - Blue Eyes
25. Dr Devious - Cyber Dream
26. Sonic Youth - Theresa's Sound World
27. Pond - Young Splendour
28. Drop Nineteens - Wynnona
29. Datblygu - Popeth
30. Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Language Of Violence
31. Frank And Walters - Happy Bus Man
32. Arcwelder - Favour
33. Therapy? - Teethgrinder
34. The Fall - Kimble
35. Pavement - In The Mouth A Desert
36. Love Cup - Tearing Water
37. Pavement - Summer Babe
38. Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy - TV Drug Of A Nation
39. Boo Radleys - Lazarus
40. Ride - Leave Them All Behind
41. Wedding Present - Sticky
42. Pavement - Circa 1762
43. Drag Racing Underground - On The Road Again
44. KLF & Extreme Noise Terror - 3AM Eternal
45. Buffalo Tom - Tail Lights Fade
46. Wedding Present - Falling
47. Pavement - Conduit For Sale
48. Sugar - Helpless
49. Verve - All In The Mind
50. The Fall - Birmingham School Of Business School

Thanks to Sandy Blair for completing this 50 listing!

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1993


1. Chumbawamba & Credit To The Nation - Enough Is Enough
2. Madder Rose - Swim
3. Huggy Bear - Her Jazz
4. P.J.Harvey - Rid Of Me
5. Stereolab - French Disco
6. Voodoo Queens - Supermodel Superficial
7. Sebadoh - Soul And Fire
8. Breeders - Cannonball
9. Palace Brothers - Ohio River Boat Song
10. Eggs - Government Administrator
11. The Fall - Why Are People Grudgeful
12. Credit To The Nation & Chumbawamba - Hear No Bullshit
13. New Order - Regret
14. Pulp - Razzamatazz
15. P.J.Harvey - 50ft Queenie
16. New Bad Things - You Suck
17. Cornershop - Englands Dreaming
18. P.J.Harvey - Wang Dang Doodle
19. The Fall - Lost In Music
20. The Fall - Glam Racket
21. Senser - Eject
22. The Fall - I'm Going To Spain
23. Archers Of Loaf - Web In Front
24. Credit To The Nation - Call It What You Want
25. Hole - Olympia
26. The Fall - Service
27. Tindersticks - Raindrops
28. Chumbawamba - Timebomb
29. The Fall - Ladybird (Green Grass)
30. Tindersticks - Marbles
31. Radiohead - Creep
32. P.J.Harvey - Naked Cousin
33. Heavenly - Atta Girl
34. J Church - Good Judge Of Character
35. Boo Radleys - Barney And Me
36. Madder Rose - Beautiful John
37. Tindersticks - City Sickness
38. Elastica - Stutter
39. Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline
40. Nirvana - Scentless Apprentice
41. The Fall - A Past Gone Mad
42. Dinosaur Jnr - Get Me
43. The Fall - Behind The Counter
44. Madder Rose - Lights Go Down
45. Nirvana - Rape Me
46. Pulp - Lipgloss
47. Hole - Beautiful Son
48. The Fall - It's A Curse
49. Trans Global Underground - Syrius B
50. The Fall - War

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1994

1. Inspiral Carpets (featuring Mark E Smith) - I Want You
2. The Fall - Hey Student
3. Veruca Salt - Seether
4. Elastica - Connection
5. Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz
6. LSG - Hearts
7. Elastica - Waking Up
8. Portishead - Sour Times
9. Stereolab - Ping Pong
10. Done Lying Down - Just A Misdemeanour
11. H Foundation - Laika
12. Ash - Jack Names The Planets
13. Pulp - Do You Remember The First Time
14. Pavement - Range Life
15. Wedding Present - Swimming Pools Movie Stars
16. Sebadoh - Rebound
17. Hole - Miss World
18. Shellac - Crow
19. Madder Rose - The Car Song
20. Sleeper - Delicious
21. Pulp - Common People
22. Pavement - Gold Soundz
23. Pulp - Babies
24. Shellac - The Dog And Pony Show
25. Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
26. That Dog - One Summer Night
27. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World
28. Ash - Uncle Pat
29. Sabres of Paradise - Wilmot
30. Wedding Present - Click Click
31. Orbital - Are We Here (Industry Standard Mix)
32. Beck - Loser
33. Ash - Petrol
34. Pavement - Cut Your Hair
35. Madder Rose - Panic On
36. Salt Tank - Charged Up
37. Wedding Present - So Long Baby
38. The Fall - City Dweller
39. Wedding Present - Spangle
40. Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night
41. The Fall - M5
42. Elastica - Line Up
43. Underworld - Dirty Epic
44. Nirvana - About A Girl
45. Hole - Doll Parts
46. ROC - Girl With A Crooked Eye
47. Sonic Youth - Superstar
48. Sleeper - Swallow
49. Tuscadero - Angel In A Half Shirt
50. Trans Global Underground - Taal Zaman

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1995

1. Pulp - Common People
2. Pulp - Sorted for E's & Wizz
3. Wedding Present - Sucker
4. Ash - Girl From Mars
5. Dreadzone - Zion youth
6. Ash - Kung Fu
7. The Fall - Feeling Numb
8. Pulp - I-Spy
9. Dreadzone - Maximum
10. Long Fin Killie & Mark E Smith - Heads Of Dead Surfers
11. PJ Harvey - Send His Love To Me
12. Pulp - Mis-shapes
13. Supergrass - Alright
14. Zion Train - Dance Of Life
15. Bluetones - Bluetonic
16. Dreadzone - Fight The Power
17. PJ Harvey - Down By The Water
18. Catatonia - Bleed
19. Gorkys Zygotic Mynci - If Fingers Were Xylophones
20. Elastica - All Nighter
21. Bluetones - Slight Return
22. Tricky - Black Steel
23. Dreadzone - Little Britain
24. The Fall - Don't Call Me Darling
25. Tindersticks - My Sister
26. Dick Dale - Nitro
27. Pulp - Disco 2000
28. Hole - Violet
29. Flaming Stars - Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
30. The Fall - Bonkers In Phoenix
31. Pulp - Underwear
32. Spare Snare - Bugs
33. Stereolab - Pop Quiz
34. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
35. Dreadzone - Captain Dread
36. Cornershop - 6am Jullander Shere
37. Billy Bragg - Northern Industrial Town
38. Van Basten - King of the Death Posture
39. Solar Race - Not Here
40. Pavement - Father To A Sister Of Thought
41. Leftfield - Afroleft
42. Harveys Rabbit - Is This What You Call Change
43. Ash - Angel Interceptor
44. Dose (with Mark E Smith) - Plug Myself In
45. Garbage - Vow
46. Dave Clarke - Red Three
47. Bis - School Disco
48. Dreadzone - Life, Love and Unity
49. The Fall - The Joke
50. Safe Deposit - You Can't

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John Peel's Festive Fifty 1996

1. Kenickie - Come Out 2 Nite
2. Arab Strap - First Big Weekend
3. Delgados - Under Canvas Under Wraps
4. Kenickie - Punka
5. Underworld - Born Slippy
6. The Fall - Cheatham Hill
7. Orbital - The Box
8. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Patio Song
9. Sweeney - Why?
10. Helen Love - Girl About Town
11. Stereolab - Cybele's Reverie
12. Billy Bragg - Brickbat
13. The Fall - The Chiselers
14. Bis - Kandy Pop
15. Baby Bird - Goodnight
16. The Fall - Hostile
17. Polly Harvey/John Parrish - That Was My Veil
18. Flaming Stars - 10 Feet Tall
19. Trembling Blue Stars - Abba on the Jukebox
20. Stereolab - Fluorescences
21. Tortoise - DJED
22. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - 2 Kindsa Love
23. Polly Harvey/John Parrish - Taut
24. Quickspace - Friend
25. Dave Clarke - No One's Driving
26. AC Acoustics - Stunt Girl
27. Dick Dale - Nitrous
28. Belle and Sebastian - The State I'm In
29. Aphex Twin - Twin Girl/Boy
30. Force and Stars - Fireworks
31. White Town - Your Woman
32. Zion Train - Babylon's Burning
33. Calvin Party - Lies, Lies and Government
34. Broadcast - The Book Lovers
35. DJ Shadow - Stem
36. Wedding Present - 2, 3, Go
37. The Prodigy - Firestarter
38. Ash - Oh Yeah
39. Placebo - Teenage Angst
40. Broadcast - Living Room
41. Tiger - The Race
42. Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life
43. Half Man, Half Biscuit - Paintball's Coming Home
44. Soul Bossa - Sore Loser
45. Urusei Yatsura - Kewpies Like Watermelon
46. Wedding Present - Go Man Go
47. Orbital - Out There Somewere
48. The Flaming Stars - The Face On The Bar Room Floor
49. Super Furry Animals - God Show Me Magic
50. Stereolab - Les Yper-Sound

Thanks go to Stuart McHugh (with help from Dougal McKinnon) for providing this listing and saving me the typing!

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John Peel’s Festive 50 1997
(Only 31 were broadcast!)

1. Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
2. Mogwai - New Paths To Helicon
3. Helen Love - Does Your Heart Go Boom
4. Period Pains - Spice Girls Who Do You Think You Are
5. Belle & Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane
6. Novak - Rapunzel
7. Fall - Inch
8. Daft Punk - Rollin' & Scratchin'
9. Clinic - IPC Subeditors Dictate Our Youth
10. David Holmes - Don't Die Just Yet
11. Blur - Song 2
12. Belle & Sebastian - Dog On Wheels
13. Hydroplane - We Crossed The Atlantic
14. Stereolab & Nurse With Wound - Simple Headphone Mind
15. Bette Davis & The Balconettes - Shergar
16. Arab Strap - Hey Fever
17. Fall - I'm A Mummy
18. Spiritualised - Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
19. AC Acoustics - I Messiah Am Jailer
20. Stereolab - Fluorescences
21. Hitchers - Strachan
22. Bis - Sweet Shop Avengerz
23. Secret Goldfish - Dandelion Milk Summer
24. Prolapse - Autocade
25. Dreamcity Film Club - If I Die, I Die
26. Stereolab - Miss Modular
27. Delgados - Pull The Wires From The Wall
28. Propellerheads - Velvet Pants
29. Hybirds - Seventeen
30. Prolapse - Slash/Oblique
31. Angelica - Teenage Girl Crush

The 19 that were not broadcast....

32. Jounior Reid - mashing up the earth
33. Stony Sleep - she had me
34. Ash - a life less ordinary
35. DJ Hype - peace love and unity
36. Blur - beetlebum
37. Verve - sonnet
38. Panecea - stormbringer
39. Velodrome 2000 - charity shopping
40. Vynil Junkie - can't forget
41. Idlewild - chandilier
42. Cuff - evapourate
43. Starkey Banton - symposium
44. Ivor Cutler - goosie
45. Underworld - moaner
46. Cornershop - sleep on the left side
47. Pulp - help the aged
49. Velocette - get yourself together
50. Propellerheads - take california

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John Peel's Festive 50 1998


1. Delgados - 'Pull The Wires From The Wall'
2. Mogwai - 'Xmas Steps'
3. Belle & Sebastian - 'Boy With The Arab Strap'
4. Ten Benson - 'The Claw'
5. Pop Off Tuesday - 'Unwordly'
6. Cuban Boys - 'Oh My God They Killed Kenny'
7. Bis - 'Eurodisco'
8. Pulp - 'This Is Hardcore'
9. Delgados - 'Everything Runs Around The Water'
10. Helen Love - 'Long Live The Uk Music Scene'
11. Jesus & Mary Chain - 'Crackin Up'
12. Daniel Johnston - 'Dream Scream'
13. Clinic - 'Cement Mixer'
14. Badly Drawn Boy - 'I Need A Sign'
15. Cinerama - 'Kerry Kerry'
16. Plone - 'Plock'
17. L'augmentation - 'Soleil'
18. Boards Of Canada - 'Aquarius'
19. Solex - 'All Lickety Split'
20. Evolution - 'Copyright Violation For The Nation'
21. Massive Attack - 'Teardrop'
22. Spiritualized (Meltdown) - 'Oh Happy Day'
23. Solex Session - 'One Louder Solex'
24. Melys - 'Lemming'
25. Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Turn A Blind Eye'
26. Belle & Sebastian - 'Sleep The Clock Around'
27. Clinic - 'Monkey On Your Back'
28. Fatboy Slim - 'Rockafeller Skank'
29. Super Furry Animals - 'Ice Hockey Hair'
30. Billy Bragg - 'Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key'
31. Freed Unit - 'Widdershins'
32. Male Nurse - 'My Own Private Patrick Swayze'
33. Mercury Rev - 'Goddess On A Highway'
34. Elbow - 'Powder Blue'
35. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 'Sweet Johnny'
36. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 'Hush The Warmth'
37. Melt Banana - 'Stimulus For Revolting Virus'
38. Delgados - 'The Actress'
39. Quickspace (Session) - 'If I Were A Carpenter'
40. 60ft Dolls - 'Alison's Room'
41. Boards Of Canada - 'Roygbiv'
42. Derrero - 'Radar Intruder'
43. Hefner - 'Pull Yourself Together'
44. Rooney - 'Went To Town'
45. Soda Stream - 'Turnstyle'
46. Sportique - 'Kids Are Solid Gold'
47. Ten Benson - 'Evil Heat'
48. Autechre - 'Fold 4 Wrap 5'
49. The Fall (Session) - 'Shake Off'
50. PJ Harvey - 'Is This Desire'

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John Peel's Festive 50 1999


01. Cuban Boys - 'Cognoscenti Vs Intelligentsia' (White Label)
02. Hefner - 'The Hymn For The Cigarettes' (To Pure)
03. Hefner - 'Hymn For The Alcohol' (Too Pure)
04. Fall - 'Touch Sensitive' (Artful)
05. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci - 'Spanish Dance Troupe' (Mantra)
06. Elastica with Mark E Smith - 'How He Wrote Elastica Man' (Deceptive)
07. Fall - 'F-Oldin’ Money' (Artful)
08. Flaming Lips - 'Race For The Prize' (Warner Bros)
09. Murry The Hump - 'Thrown Like A Stone' (Shifty Disco)
10. Low - 'Immune' (Tugboat)
11. Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Look Dad No Tunes' (Probe Plus)
12. Flaming Lips - 'Waiting For A Superman' (Warner Bros)
13. Cinerama - 'Pacific' (Elefant)
14. Mogwai - 'Cody' (Chemikal Underground)
15. Orbital - 'Style' (Ffrr)
16. Sonic Subjunkies - 'Do You Even Know Who You Are?' (Iris Light)
17. Super Furry Animals - 'Fire In My Heart' (Creation)
18. Cinerama - 'Kings Cross' (Elefant)
19. Salako - 'Look Left' (Jeepster)
20. Clinic - 'The Second Line' (Domino)
21. Godspeed You Black Emperor - 'Hung Over As The Oven At Maida Vale' (Peel Session)
22. Hefner - 'I Stole A Bride' (Too Pure)
23. Bonnie Prince Billy - 'I See A Darkness' (Domino)
24. Super Furry Animals - 'Northern Lites' (Creation)
25. Mogwai - 'Stanley Kubrick' (Chemikal Underground)
26. Kraken - 'Side Effects' (Underfire)
27. Super Furry Animals - 'Turning Tide' (Creation)
28. Cuban Boys - 'Flossie’s Alarming Clock' (White Label)
29. Dawn Of The Replicants - 'Science Fiction Freak' (East West)
30. Half Man Half Biscuit - '24 Hour Garage People' (Peel Session)
31. Pavement - 'Major Leagues' (Domino)
32. Hefner - 'I Took Her Love For Granted' (Too Pure)
33. Gene - 'As Good As It Gets' (Polydor)
34. Plone - 'Be Rude To Your School' (Warp)
35. Smog - 'Cold Blooded Old Times' (Domino)
36. Broadcast - 'Echoes Answer' (Warp)
37. Add N To X - 'Metal Finger In My Body' (Mute)
38. Melt Banana - 'Plot In A Pot' (Skin Graft)
39. Atari Teenage Riot - 'Revolution Action' (Digital Hardcore)
40. Blur - 'Tender' (Food)
41. Badly Drawn Boy - 'Once Around The Block' (Twisted Nerve)
42. Aphex Twin - 'Windowlicker' (Warp)
43. Six By Seven - 'Helden' (Mantra)
44. Appliance - 'Food Music' (Mute)
45. Pavement - 'Carrot Rope' (Domino)
46. Stereolab - 'The Free Design' (Duophonic)
47. Marine Research - 'Parallel Horizontal' (K)
48. Miss Mend - 'Living City Plan' (Piao)
49. Hefner - 'Hymn For The Things We Didn’t Do' (Ovni)
50. Wheat - 'Don’t I Hold You' (City Slang)

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John Peel's Festive 50 2000

1 Twist The Knife - Neko Case & Her Boyfriends
2 Good Fortune - P J Harvey
3 Dr Bucks Letter - The Fall
4 Mistakes And Regrets - And You Will Know Us By Trail Of Dead
5 Come On Lets Go - Broadcast
6 Big Exit - P J Harvey
7 Greedy Ugly People - Hefner
8 The Light 3000 - Schneider TM
9 No Danger - Delgados
10 American Trilogy - Delgados
11 Dinosaur Act - Low
12 Day That Thatcher Dies - Hefner
13 I Hate Scotland - Ballboy
14 Accused of Stealing - Delgados
15 Good Fruit - Hefner
16 Your Charms - Cinerama
17 Wow - Cinerama
18 Mess Were In - P J Harvey
19 Prayer to God - Shellac
20 In a Beautiful Place - Boards of Canada
21 Somewhere Some Night - Laura Cantrell
22 Ballad of Cable Hogue - Calexico
23 Two Librans - The Fall
24 Whores Hustle, Hustlers - P J Harvey
25 Kid A - Radiohead
26 Brutal - New Order
27 Two Seconds - Laura Cantrell
28 The Second Line - Clinic
29 Vinyl Countdown - Cuban Boys
30 Popping Song - Cowcube
31 Drug Dealer in Park - Herman Dune
32 24 hr Garage People - Hmhb
33 Wonderwall (session) - Catpower
34 Theme From P&P - Cuban Boys
35 Candyman - Lab 4
36 Fresher Than The Sweetness - Gorkys Zygotic Mynci
37 Irk The Purists - Hmhb
38 Witness - Delgados
39 Soul Boy - Mighty Math
40 Dress Sexy At My Funeral - Smog
41 Manhattan - Cinerama
42 Queen of the Coast - Laura Cantrell
43 WB - The Fall
44 Painting & Kissing - Hefner
45 Seached - Orbital
46 Little Boy Blue - Bonnie Prince Billy
47 Svefn G Englar - Sigur Ros
48 Idiotique - Radiohead
49 Fought in a War - Belle & Sebastian
50 Crystal Lake - Gandaddy

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John Peel's All time festive 50 - Year 2000


01 Joy Division - Atmosphere (Factory)
02 Undertones - Teenage Kicks (Good Vibrations)
03 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Factory)
04 Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK (EMI)
05 Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (CBS)
06 New Order - Blue Monday (Factory)
07 Smiths - How Soon Is Now? (Rough Trade)
08 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Geffen)
09 Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Rough Trade)
10 This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren (4AD)
11 Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding (Rough Trade)
12 Pulp - Common People (Island)
13 Capt Beefheart & His Magic Band - Big Eyed Beans From Venus (Reprise)
14 Dead Kennedy s - Holiday In Cambodia (Cherry Red)
15 Joy Division - New Dawn Fades (Factory)
16 My Bloody Valentine - Soon (Creation)
17 New Order - Ceremony (Factory)
18 Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet (CBS)
19 New Order - Temptation (Factory)
20 Joy Division - Shes Lost Control (Factory)
21 Wedding Present - Brassneck (RCA)
22 Smiths - This Charming Man (WEA)
23 Sugarcubes - Birthday (One Little Indian)
24 Fall - How I Wrote Elastic Man (Rough Trade)
25 Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress (Reception)
26 Delgados - Pull The Wires From the Wall (Chemikal Underground)
27 My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise (Creation)
28 Joy Division - Transmission (Factory)
29 Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant (Virgin)
30 Pixies - Debaser (4AD)
31 Belle & Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane (Jeepster)
32 New Order - True Faith (Factory)
33 Clash - Complete Control (CBS)
34 Fall - Totally Wired (Rough Trade)
35 Jam - Going Underground (Polydor)
36 Stereolab - French Disko (Duophonic)
37 Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower (Polydor)
38 Fall - The Classical (Situation Two)
39 Damned - New Rose (Stiff)
40 Tim Buckley - Song To The Siren (Straight)
41 Beach Boys - God Only Knows (Capitol)
42 Velvet Underground - Heroin (MGM)
43 Nick Drake - Northern Sky (Island)
44 Bob Dylan - Visions Of Johanna (CBS)
45 Beatles - I Am The Walrus (Parlophone)
46 Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Capitol)
47 Sundays - Can t Be Sure (Rough Trade)
48 Culture - Lion Rock (Strange Fruit)
49 P J Harvey - Sheela-na-gig (Too Pure)
50 Pavement - Here (Big Cat)

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John Peel's Festive 50 2001

1 Melys - Chinese Whispers
2 White Stripes - Hotel Yorba
3 Cinerama -Health and Efficiency
4 Bearsuit - Hey Charlie Hey Chuck
5 The Strokes - Last Nite
6 White Stripes -Fell in Love With a Girl
7 The Strokes - Hard To Explain
8 Camera Obscura - Eighties fan
9 New Order - Crystal
10 Mogwai - My Father My King
11 Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia - Morning after pill
12 Saloon - Impact
13 Half Man Half Biscuit - Bob Wilson Anchorman
14 Miss Black America - Human Punk
15 Detroit Cobras - Shout bama lama
16 Half Man Half Biscuit - Vatican Broadside
17 Belle and Sebastian - Jonathan David
18 Strokes - The Modern Age
19 Pulp - Sunrise
20 Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car
21 Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
22 Mogwai - Two rights make one wrong
23 Cuban Boys - Drink, Drink, Drink
24 Greenskeepers - Low & Sweet
25 White Stripes - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
26 Ballboy – They’ll hang flags from cranes
27 Lift To Experience - These are the days
28 Strokes - New York City Cops
29 Pulp - Trees
30 The Fall - I Wake Up In The City
31 Hefner - Alan Bean
32 Belle and Sebastian - Im Waking Up To Us
33 Ikara Colt - One Note
34 Cinerama - Superman
35 Melys - I Dont believe in you
36 PJ Harvey - This Is Love
37 Seedling - Sensational vacuum
38 Antihero – Who’s looking out for #1?
39 Lift To Experience - Falling from cloud 9
40 Radiohead -Pyramid Song
41 Ballboy - Ive got pictures of you in your...
42 Miss Black America – Don’t speak my mind
43 Shins - New Slang
44 Mercury Rev - Dark is Rising
45 Stereolab - Captain Easychord
46 The Strokes - Someday
47 The Hives - Hate to say I told you so
48 Rock of Travolta -Giant Robo
49 Saloon - Freefall
50 Pico - Chard

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John Peel's Festive 50 2002

1. Saloon - Girls Are The New Boys
2. Cinerama - Quick, Before It Melts
3. Miss Black America - Talk Hard
4. Nina Nastasia - Ugly Face
5. Antihero - Rolling Stones T-Shirt
6. M.A.S.S - Hey Gravity
7. Laura Cantrell - Too Late For Tonight
8. Pinhole - So Over You
9. Mark Smith v Safe & Sound - Identify The Beat
= Ballboy - All The Records On The Radio Are Shite
11. Miss Black America - Miss Black America
= Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Bang
13. Cinerama - Careless
14. Half Man Half Biscuit - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (IsThe Light Of An Oncoming Train)
= White Stripes - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground
16. Low - In The Drugs
17. Asa-Chang & Junray - Hana
18. Low - Canada
19. Coin-Op - Democracies
= Belle And Sebastian - You Send Me (PEEL ACRES VERSION)
21. Datsuns - In Love
22. The Fall - Susan v Youthclub
23. Jeffrey Lewis - The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song
24. Ballboy - Where Do The Nights Of Sleep Go (When They Do Not Come To Me)
= Cornershop - Staging The Plaguing Of The Raised Platform
26. Saloon - Have You Seen The Light?
27. The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
= Cranebuilders - You’re Song
29. Delgados - Mr Blue Sky (PEEL SESSION TRACK)
30. Bearsuit - Drinkink
= Ladytron - Seventeen
= Boom Bip & Dose One - Mannequin Trapdoor
= Von Bondies - It Came From Japan
34. Wire - 99.9 (PEEL SESSION TRACK)
35. Mclusky - Alan Is A Cowboy Killer
= Low - (That’s How You Sing) Amazing Grace
37. Antihero - You Got Nothing (PEEL SESSION TRACK)
= Half Man Half Biscuit - Breaking News
39. Cinerama - Cat Girl Tights
= Mclusky - To Hell With Good Intentions
41. Burning Love Jumpsuit - Cheerleader
= Interpol - Obstacle 1
43. Melys - So Good
44. Delgados - Coming In From The Cold
= Miss Black America - Infinite Chinese Box
46. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Celebrate Your Mother
47. The D4 - Get Loose
48. Mum - Green Grass Of Tunnel
49. Aphrodisiacs - This Is A Campaign
50. The Dawn Parade - The Hole In My Heart

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John Peel's Festive 50 2003

1. Cinerama - Dont Touch That Dial
2. The Fall - Theme From Sparta FC
3. Mogwai - Hunted By A Freak
4. Undertones - Thrill Me
5. Bearsuit - Itsuko Got Married
6. Mogwai - Ratts Of The Capital
7. Half Man Half Biscuit - Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years
8. The Crimea - Baby Boom
9. CLSM - John Peel Is Not Enough
10. White Stripes - 7 Nation Army
11. Belle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby
12. Melt Banana - Shield Youre Eyes
13. Nina Nastasia - You, Her & Me
14. Ballboy - The Sash My Father Wore
15. Vive La Fete - Noir Desir
16. Sluts Of Trust - Piece O You
17. White Stripes - Black Math
18. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
19. Broken Family Band - At The Back Of The Chapel
20. The Darkness Vs S.F.B - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
21. Million Dead - I Am The Party
22. Undertones - Oh Please
23. Ballboy - I Gave Up My Eyes
24. Party Of One - Shotgun Funeral
25. Futureheads - First Day
26. The Fall - Green Eyed Loco Man
27. The French - Porn Shoes
28. Half Man Half Biscuit - It Makes The Room Look Bigger
29. Architecture In Helsinki - The Owls Go
30. Camera Obscura - Suspended From Class
31. Amsterdam - Does This Train Stop On Merseyside
32. Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Open Field
33. Neulander - Sex, God, Money
34. Black Keys - Have Love Will Travel
35. Mass - Live A Little
36. The French - Gabriel In The Airport
37. Radiohead - There, There
38. Ballboy - Born In The USA
39. Cat Power - Werewolf
40. Broadcast - Pendulum
41. Keys - Strength Of Strings
42. Golden Virgins
43. Belle & Sebastian - Stay Loose
44. Hyper Kinako - Tokyo Invention Registration Office
45. Grandmaster Gareth - The Minute Melodys (Any Of)
46. Super Furry Animals - Slow Life
47. Camera Obscura - Keep It Clean
48. Blizzard Boys - Aint No Stoppin This
49. Freddy Fresh - You Can See The Paint
50. The Vaults - Im Going


PEEL Stats

From Paul Jenkins

I've done a chart based on the number of placings a band received in the Festive 50 each year. Basically each time a band got into the Festive 50 they would get a point for their ranking (50 for 1, 1 for 50th etc). If a band had several mentions over different years for a particular song then only their highest ever charting would count. Anyway here is the Top 50.


1 Fall 2131
2 Wedding Present 1393
3 Smiths 1035
4 New Order 760
5 P.J. Harvey 494
6 Cocteau Twins 469
7 Pulp 430
8 Jesus and Mary Chain 415
9 Cinerama 400
10 Half Man Half Biscuit 370
11 Joy Division 345
12 Belle and Sebastian 315
= Delgados 315
14 Pixies 303
15 Hefner 301
16 Sonic Youth 298
17 Clash 283
18 Mogwai 277
19 Siouxsie and the Banshees 273
20 Billy Bragg 271
21 Pavement 250
22 Morrissey 237
23 Stereolab 226
24 Undertones 206
25 Echo & the Bunnymen 205
26 White Stripes 201
27 Jam 200
28 Ash 193
29 Sex Pistols 189
30 Cuban Boys 185
31 Inspiral Carpets 182
32 Ballboy 178
= Hole 178
34 Cure 175
35 Nirvana 173
= Stone Roses 173
37 Dreadzone 170
38 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci 167
39 House of Love 166
40 Low 165
41 Stiff Little Fingers 161
42 Sisters of Mercy 158
43 Teenage Fanclub 154
44 Strokes 151
45 Babes in Toyland 150
46 Elastica 144
= Super Furry Animals 144
48 My Bloody Valentine 142
49 Miss Black America 140
50 Public Image 139