Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1996.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Dolly the Sheep and her…umm Dad? (Sir Ian Wilmut the Dolly project leader). She was the only surviving lamb from 277 cloning attempts. Dolly actually helped push stem cell research forward by 20 years. Well done Dolly.

In 1996, the first genetically modified foods go on sale in the UK, the IRA end the 17-month ceasefire and bomb the docklands in London killing two people and injuring 39, Take That (the most successful British band of the 90s) announce that they are splitting up, an IRA bomb explodes on a London bus killing one and injuring eight, in a primary school in Dunblane a gunman kills 16 children and their teacher, wounds 13 others plus another teacher and then commits suicide, as a result of this tragic massacre tighter gun laws are implemented in the UK, a massive IRA bomb is detonated in Manchester city centre which devastates its retail district, Dolly the Sheep the first mammal to ever be successfully cloned from an adult cell is born, the Olympics take place in Atlanta, USA, the Prince and Princess of Wales complete their divorce proceedings after 15 years of marriage, an IRA bomb explodes at British army barracks in Northern Ireland killing one and injuring 31, 4% of the UK population now have internet access, Mad Cow Disease hits the UK, a bomb on the Paris subway kills four people, 12 minutes after leaving JFK airport a jumbo jet crashes into the sea killing all 230 people on board, the films Independence Day, Scream and Trainspotting are all released and I leave my teenage year behind me and turn 20 years old.

By 1996, I’m living in Oxford and having far too much fun. I also celebrated my Birthday exactly 22 years ago, to this day. Yes, that’s right it’s my Birthday today! I’ll extend the deadline to get all your gifts and flowers to me by Monday. I’m kind like that. You can read how I feel about getting older HERE. Whilst, this year we have Bjork and Tori making another appearance, all the other acts here appear for the first time.

1. On & On by Erykah Badu

2. Underground by Ben Folds Five

3. No Diggity by Blackstreet featuring Dr Dre

4. Don’t Let Go (Love) by En Vogue

5. Hyper-ballad by Bjork (I also equally love the Brodsky Quartet Version of this song, so much so that I’ve added it as bonus track at the end of the playlist for you)

6. 2 Becomes 1 by Spice Girls (I will always stand by my opinion that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written).

7. Ladykillers by Lush

8. Professional Widow (It’s Got To Be Big) by Tori Amos

9. Being Brave by Menswear

10. Born Slippy (NUXX) by Underworld

Bjork or Underworld? BJORK OR UNDERWORLD?! I’m not sure I can choose….oh ok, I’m going with Underworld. Probably for personal reasons. Come one then. Which one is your favourite?

As a bonus for this week only, I’m posting an extra song. I wanted to add this to this week’s playlist, but it doesn’t exist on Spotify. So, here’s a YouTube video of it instead for you to enjoy. It is an incredibly stunning song and deserves recognition.

One Night Stand by the Aloof

See you next week for 1997!

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Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1995.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Eric Cantona’s Kung Fu Kick. I love this photo mainly for the spectators’ reactions. A lot are in shock, but one bloke is having the time of his life.

So, at the beginning of 1995, serial killer Fred West takes his own life in prison, French footballer Eric Cantona assaults a spectator when he is sent off whilst playing for Manchester United and he is banned from playing football for 8 months, the first female chief constable in the UK is appointed, Essex student Leah Betts, 18, dies after four days in a coma as a result of taking an ecstasy tablet, this sparks a media campaign against the drugs and its suppliers, Princes Diana gives a candid TV interview detailing her adultery, her depression, bulimia, the media and the future of the monarchy- it becomes the most watched current affairs programme on record, Rose West is found guilty of murdering 10 women and children including her 16-year-old daughter and her 10-year-old stepdaughter- she is sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that she is never released, head teacher Philip Lawrence is stabbed death outside his school whilst trying to protect a pupil who was being attacked by a gang, race riots break out in Brixton, 168 people are killed and 680 are injured during a domestic terrorist attack on a federal building in Oklahoma, an earthquake in Japan kills 6,433 people, broker Nick Leeson loses $1.4billion which results in the collapse of the UK’s oldest investment banking firm (the klutz), an earthquake in Russia kills 2000 people, an unprecedented heatwave in the US kills at least 830 people (the majority of which were in Chicago), Isreali Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated and OJ Simpson is found innocent.

The films Toy Story, Braveheart, the Usual Suspects and Heat are released and yours truly turns 19 years old. Aren’t I growing up?

So, here we are in the deepest, darkest “Brit Pop” era. I was going to say that only one act isn’t British this week, but then I remembered that Bjork wasn’t British either. We did kind of adopt her though, but I don’t think the Icelandic would ever let us claim her as one of us. Quite rightly. 1995 saw me hop on a plane and travel around Australia all by myself because -well- I quite I fancied it. It was one of the best experiences of my life. My obsession with music and seeing bands live continued on, so much so that yet again, I really struggled trying to narrow this list down to just 10 songs. Here they are, nevertheless, in no particular order.

WARNING: the first bit of the first song is a bit sweary- just in case you’re listening to the playlist near young ears.

1. Reverend Black Grape by Black Grape

2. Yes by McAlmont and Butler

3. The Universal by Blur

Blur winning 4 Brit awards in one night in 1995

4. Inbetweener by Sleeper

5. C’mon Billy by PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey giving very few fucks at Glastonbury Festival ’95. As I was there right at the front for this performance, I can confirm she was indeed fucking glorious.

6. Common People by Pulp

7. Isobel by Bjork

It’s just a suggestion from Bjork, not an instruction.

8. Human Nature by Madonna

9. Missing by Everything but the Girl

10. Never Forget by Take That (no, you sat with your best mate watching Take That perform on Top of the Pops for the first time without Robbie and cried throughout. Shut up)

Black Grape is a very close second, but I have to go for Pulp as my favourite, for so many reasons. So, pray tell me, which one is your top choice?

See you next week for 1996!

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Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1993.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

In 1993, James Bulger a 2-year-old is murdered by two 10-year-old boys, unemployment reaches 3,000,000, IRA bombs are planted and explode at gas holders in Warrington, the IRA bomb Warrington again this time in the town centre and kill a 3-year-old and a 12-year-old and injure 50, black London teenager Stephen Lawrence is stabbed to death in London in a racially motivated attack, massive IRA bombs explode in London destroying a medieval church, badly damaging the NatWest tower and Liverpool Street tube station and killing one person, the government declare the end of the recession, the Queen opens Buckingham Palace to the public for the first time, Bill Clinton becomes the president of the United States, Islamic Fundamentalists bomb the World Trade Centre killing 6 and injuring over a thousand, tennis player Monica Seles is stabbed by a spectator– an obsessed Steffi Graff fan, Slovakia gains independence when Czechoslovakia divides into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the films Schindler’s List, Groundhog Day, Jurassic Park and Mrs Doubtfire were all released and I turned 17-years-old.

1993 is another fantastic year for music. And oh yes, there’s Blur again, there’s REM again and there’s Queen Bjork again. Here, in no particular order are the top ten tunes from 1993 (Spotify playlist at the end).

1. Jump Around by House of Pain

2. Cannonball by the Breeders

3. Stutter by Elastica

And as a bonus, here’s a photo of peak Justine (Elastica) and Damon (Blur). Gawd bless ’em.

4. Regret by New Order

5. It Was a Good Day by Ice Cube

6. Venus as a Boy by Bjork

7. Animal Nitrate by Suede

8. For Tomorrow by Blur

9. La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh) by Manic Street Preachers

10. Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.

Tell me fam, which is your favourite from this week’s list? For me, it’s the Breeders. Oh, but also, try and keep me off the dance floor when House of Pain come on.

See you next week for 1994!

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Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1992.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Windsor Castle ablaze

In 1992, IRA bombs in Omagh kills 7 and injures more, the Queen commemorates her Ruby Jubilee, the Duke and Duchess of York (Andy & Fergie) separate, the Conservative party are re-elected for the fourth consecutive term, the IRA detonate two bombs in central London killing 3 people, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons is elected- Betty Boothroyd, the Olympics takes place in Barcelona, two IRA bombs explode in London, but no one is injured, the government closes a third of all mines, the IRA force a taxi driver to drive to Downing Street where they detonate a bomb- again no one is hurt, the Church of England vote to allow women to become priests, a fire breaks out in Windsor Castle causing over £50 million worth of damage, another IRA bomb is detonated in Manchester city centre causing millions of pounds of damage and injuring 65 people, Prince Charles and Diana separate, 4 people are injured by an IRA bomb on Oxford St, London, Euro Disney opens in France, rioting breaks out across Los Angeles following the acquittal of four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King, Mike Tyson is convicted of rape and the Maastricht Treaty is signed founding the European Union…

The films Reservoir Dogs and Basic Instinct are released and I turn sweet sixteen.

I loved 1992. In 1992 I did my GCSEs, left school and started at Henley College where I did my A-Levels, met Stephen and went to my first ever Glastonbury festival (the first of muddy many). At Glastonbury, I saw Shakespear’s Sister, Blur, Joan Armatrading, Primal Scream (you can read about how that went here) and PJ Harvey (and many, many others). I ended 1992 by attending a Blur gig and gate crashing their afterparty in a recording studio. 1992 marked the start of my regular and slightly obsessive attendance of gigs around London. Brixton Academy, the Town & Country club (later the Forum) and the Astoria were all regular haunts of mine. Here, in no particular order are my favourite songs from 1992.

1.People Everyday by Arrested Development

2. Hit by the Sugarcubes (this will not be the only time Queen Bjork features in these playlists)

3. Finally by CeCe Peniston

4. End of the Road by Boyz II Men (Mate, I loved a bit of Boyz II Men back in the day and I’m here all day, everyday for the Barry White-esq sexy talk bit in the middle of this song).

5. Motorcycle Emptiness by Manic Street Preachers

6. Friday I’m in Love by the Cure

Robert Smith’s 1992 hair game was strong

7. Pretend We’re Dead by L7 (thought I’d add the video of L7’s infamous 1992 appearance on the brilliant/awful The Word. Anyone around my age and from the UK will remember watching this programme half-cut on a Friday after the pubs closed)

8. Stay by Shakespear’s Sister

9. Creep by Radiohead

Aah look at baby Radiohead

10. Winter by Tori Amos

My favourite song from this lot is Tori Amos. That song is just stunning and I still have to stop what I’m doing and just listen whenever I hear it now. Sooooooo, which one of these gems is your favourite? Please someone say Boyz II Men…

See you next week for 1993!

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Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1991.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

The release of John McCarthy

In 1991, 27 people die in gale-force winds across the UK, a train crash at Cannon Street, London injures over 500 people and kills one, the Gulf War begins, the PIRA (provisional IRA) attacked 10 Downing Street and blew all the windows in of the cabinet room during a session at the War Cabinet, the IRA detonates bombs at both Paddington and Victoria stations, John McCarthy a British journalist who had been held captive for 5 years in Lebanon is free, rioting breaks out across the country, business tycoon Robert Maxwell is found dead, two IRA bombers die in St. Albans when a bomb detonates prematurely, Terry Waite a British hostage held for 4 and a half years is freed, Freddie Mercury announces he has AIDS and sadly dies the next day, USSR is dissolved and many countries gain independence, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated, apartheid is dismantled in South Africa, Slovenia and Croatia declare independence from Yugoslavia, police are captured on video beating Rodney King, the internet is now made available for commercial use and the films Boyz in the Hood, Thelma and Louise and Silence of the Lambs are released. I turn 15 years old.

From here on in, watch me delve into the British alternative music scene, but never fear there will always be plenty of pop and American tunes thrown into the mix too. So, here in no particular order, are my top ten tunes from 1991.

1. There’s No Other Way by Blur

2. Gett Off by Prince

3. I Touch Myself by The Divinyls

Clearly playing a particularly tricky game of Twister

4. The Size of a Cow by the Wonder Stuff

5. Dress by PJ Harvey

6. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

7. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

8. The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (originally released in 1985, it was only when it was re-issued in 1991 that it became a big hit)

9. Sit Down by James (I had to include this. My first ever gig was James at the Oxford Apollo in 1991)

10. Losing My Religion by REM

REM are a close second, but it’s the lads- Nirvana that are a clear winner this week.

So, gang…….which is your favourite?

See you next week for 1992!

Just Another Blog From a Woman has been nominated for an award. If you enjoy my blog and you have a spare few seconds, would you mind voting for me HERE It’s very simple and there’s no need to register or provide an email address, just vote for Just Another Blog From a Woman under the Best Pal category. Thank you SO much.

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1990. Oh yes, I welcome you to the Nineties!

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

OK brace yourself, the news doesn’t really get any better during this year. In 1990, hurricane force winds kill over 50 people in the UK, the IRA bomb Leicester city injuring 3 people, Princess Eugenie is born, riots opposing the Poll Tax take place across London, four soldiers are killed by an IRA bomb in County Down, riots take place in Strangeway prison which then prompts riots to take place in other prisons across the UK, an army recruit is shot dead and two others are injured by an IRA gunman in Staffordshire, an IRA bomb explodes at the base of the London Stock Exchange building, an IRA car bomb kills a British MP, British hostages in Iraq are paraded on TV, the whole of the UK enters a recession, Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation as Leader of the Conservative party and therefore as Prime Minister- she was the longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th Century, John Major becomes Prime Minister, Channel Tunnel workers from the UK and France meet establishing land connection between the UK and mainland Europe for the first time in 8,000 years, Roald Dahl dies at 74, Tim Berners-Lee publishes his proposal for the World Wide Web, the demolition of the Berlin Wall officially begins and East & West Germany are reunited, a stampede of religious pilgrims in Mecca leaves 1,400 people dead, a fire in an illegal social club in New York kills 87 people, an earthquake in the Philippines kills over 1,600 people, Twin Peaks premiers on TV and Nelson Mandela is released from prison (see something good DID happen in 1990). The films Ghost, Misery, Home Alone and Goodfellas are released. I turn 14 years old.

Oh and also, in case you’re all wondering, this is what I looked like in 1990 and I think we can all agree that I was quite the catch:

Can anybody tell me why I couldn’t get a boyfriend in 1990?

So this week, I give you not one, but two female British rappers (yep Brits can rap, a post on British rap is literally brewing as you read this post). Also, our George makes another appearance (as does Madge and our Kylie). The nineties are here and they’re looking mighty fine.

1. Doin’ the Do by Betty Boo

2. Step Back in Time by Kylie Minogue

3. Dub Be Good To Me by Beats International

4. Vogue by Madonna

5. Freedom ’90 by George Michael

6. It’s A Shame (My Sister) by Monie Love

7. Loaded by Primal Scream

8. There She Goes by The La’s

9. Hold On by Wilson Philips

10. Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor

So, whilst Madge and Beats International are very close runners up, it’s Battersea’s finest Monie Love that is my absolute favourite. I can still do the whole rap word perfectly (this may come as a surprise to you, but despite all of my many, MANY talents- I can’t actually rap). So, pray tell me, which is your 1990 favourite?

See you next week for 1991!

Just Another Blog From a Woman has been nominated for an award. If you enjoy my blog and you have a spare few seconds, would you mind voting for me HERE It’s very simple and there’s no need to register or provide an email address, just vote for Just Another Blog From a Woman under the Best Pal category. Thank you SO much.