Stowaway World Cup – Group Stages – Games 33-36

Game 33: Jean-Michel Jarre versus Little Boots

  1. 6+3. Goal for highest number of mentions on blog. Early lead for Jarre. 1-0.
  2. 4+2. Goal for most years between first and last hit. 2-0.
  3. 3+4. No goal.
  4. 4+3. Goal for highest number of remixes of another artist. 2-1.
  5. 5+1. No goal.
  6. 1+1. No goal.
  7. 5+1. No goal.
  8. 5+3. No goal.
  9. 6+3. Re-roll. 3+2. No goal.
  10. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Very tough, especially at this stage in the game. I think Little Boots clinches this one. 2-2.

Game 34: Depeche Mode versus Kylie Minogue

  1. 4+2. Goal for most years between first and last hit. Interesting. Depeche Mode can boast 1981-2013, while Kylie has 1988-2021, so a very slight goal for Kylie. 0-1.
  2. 6+4. Goal for highest number of search engine results. This is so close (15.6-15.8 million) so I’m going to rule no goal.
  3. 5+6. No goal.
  4. 3+2. No goal.
  5. 5+3. No goal.
  6. 1+5. No goal.
  7. 1+5. No goal.
  8. 3+4. No goal.
  9. 5+2. No goal.
  10. 2+4. Goal for quality of last album. Depeche Mode‘s wasn’t great, and I haven’t heard Kylie Minogue‘s, so this has to be no goal. Kylie wins 0-1 in a shock result, taking the lead in Group B.

Game 35: Erasure versus Shit Robot

  1. 3+6. No goal.
  2. 4+2. Goal for most years between first and last hit. Erasure take a lead 1-0.
  3. 4+3. Goal for highest number of remixes of another artist. Since Vince Clarke chose to play for Erasure, he takes a clear goal here. 2-0.
  4. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Andy Bell FTW. 3-0.
  5. 6+5. Goal for funniest band picture. Tough. Honestly, it could go either way, but since it’s unlikely to change the result of this game I’ll call this no goal.
  6. 1+5. No goal.
  7. 3+6. No goal.
  8. 3+3. No goal.
  9. 4+5. Goal for number of UK hit albums. 4-0.
  10. 1+3. No goal. Erasure win comfortably, confirming the lead of their group and knocking Shit Robot out of the competition. 4-0.

Game 36: Goldfrapp versus Bent

  1. 1+2. No goal.
  2. 4+1. Goal for highest debut position on UK singles chart. Astonishingly, Human and Swollen tie at number 87 (just two weeks apart in March 2001), so no goal.
  3. 5+6. No goal.
  4. 5+3. No goal.
  5. 1+6. No goal.
  6. 4+5. Goal for number of UK hit albums. 1-0 to Goldfrapp.
  7. 3+6. No goal.
  8. 1+4. No goal.
  9. 5+2. No goal.
  10. 5+3. No goal. Tight win for Goldfrapp there, 1-0, but I think this unfortunately means that neither progresses to the group of 16.
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Stowaway World Cup – Group Stages – Games 25-28

Game 25: Little Boots versus Madonna and Yazoo

  1. 6+4. Goal for highest number of search engine results. Madonna clinches a goal. 0-1.
  2. 1+2. No goal.
  3. 1+4. No goal.
  4. 6+5. Goal for funniest band picture. 0-2.
  5. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Little Boots is great, but Madonna has to take this one. 0-3.
  6. 4+3. Goal for highest number of remixes of another artist. Little Boots has a few to her name, so 1-3.
  7. 2+2. Goal for number of studio albums to date. Easy goal. 1-4.
  8. 5+5. No goal.
  9. 6+4. Replay. 1+6. No goal.
  10. 4+4. Goal for number of UK top ten hits. That’s Madonna again. 1-5.

Game 26: Kylie Minogue versus Everything But The Girl

  1. 3+5. No goal.
  2. 4+1. Goal for highest debut position on UK singles chart. 1-0.
  3. 5+2. No goal.
  4. 6+4. Goal for highest number of search engine results. 2-0.
  5. 1+1. No goal.
  6. 4+4. Goal for number of UK top ten hits. 3-0.
  7. 3+1. No goal.
  8. 1+5. No goal.
  9. 4+2. Goal for most years between first and last hit. 4-0.
  10. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Another easy win for Kylie. 5-0.

Game 27: Massive Attack versus Shit Robot

  1. 5+1. No goal.
  2. 6+2. Goal for highest estimated total sales. 1-0.
  3. 3+6. No goal.
  4. 6+1. Goal for number of BRIT Award wins. 2-0.
  5. 5+1. No goal.
  6. 1+3. No goal.
  7. 2+5. Goal for best artwork. Both have had some great moments, but let’s give this one to Massive Attack. 3-0.
  8. 6+6. Foul. 4+5. Goal for number of UK hit albums. Penalty goal for Massive Attack. 4-0.
  9. 1+5. No goal.
  10. 2+6. Goal for number of permanent members. Another huge win – Massive Attack win 5-0.

Game 28: Hot Chip versus Bent

  1. 2+4. Goal for quality of last album. Both are great, and I don’t think I can call this one. No goal.
  2. 3+3. No goal.
  3. 2+2. Goal for number of studio albums to date. 1-0.
  4. 5+1. No goal.
  5. 4+6. Goal for total weeks on UK album chart. 2-0.
  6. 1+4. No goal.
  7. 2+5. Goal for best artwork. I’m awarding it to Bent for Ariels. 2-1.
  8. 2+4. Re-roll. 5+5. No goal.
  9. 6+3. Goal for highest number of mentions on blog. 3-1.
  10. 1+6. No goal. So Hot Chip win 3-1. Decisive, but not quite as big a win as the other games today.

Stowaway World Cup – Group Stages – Games 9-12

Game 9: Delerium / Front Line Assembly / Conjure One versus Little Boots

  1. 4+1. Goal for debut position on UK singles chart. Little Boots only entered at 97, so Delerium et al score. 1-0.
  2. 6+4. Goal for highest number of search engine results. I tried them all, and got the most for Little Boots. 1-1.
  3. 1+5. No goal.
  4. 2+6. Goal for number of permanent members. Probably a goal for Delerium and friends. 2-1.
  5. 5+2. No goal.
  6. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Easy goal for Little Boots. 2-2.
  7. 3+6. No goal.
  8. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). She’s so much more charismatic that she deserves another. Goal for Little Boots. 2-3.
  9. 2+2. Goal for number of studio albums to date. Easy goal for Delerium and gang. 3-3.
  10. 4+6. Goal for total weeks on UK album chart. Delerium win the category and match with a single song. 4-3.

Game 10: Sparks versus Kylie Minogue

  1. 4+3. Goal for highest number of remixes of another artist. Sparks only have a couple, but that’s enough to put them ahead. 1-0.
  2. 3+3. No goal.
  3. 4+6. Goal for total weeks on UK album chart. Easy goal for Kylie. 1-1.
  4. 5+2. No goal.
  5. 1+2. No goal.
  6. 3+1. No goal.
  7. 6+1. Goal for number of BRIT Award wins. Easy goal for Kylie. 1-2.
  8. 1+4. No goal.
  9. 3+3. No goal.
  10. 1+3. No goal. Tough game for Sparks there, losing 1-2.

Game 11: Saint Etienne versus Shit Robot

  1. 3+1. No goal.
  2. 5+1. No goal.
  3. 5+4. No goal.
  4. 3+6. No goal.
  5. 4+1. Goal for highest debut position on UK singles chart. Well, Shit Robot have/has no hits, so 1-0.
  6. 1+2. No goal.
  7. 1+3. No goal.
  8. 4+4. Goal for number of UK top ten hits. Same. 2-0.
  9. 6+5. Goal for funniest band picture. Late goal for Shit Robot. 2-1.
  10. 4+4. Referee’s decision is to be nice to the underdog and throw again. 6+2. Goal for highest estimated total sales. Another goal for Saint Etienne. 3-1.

Game 12: Kraftwerk versus Bent

  1. 5+5. No goal.
  2. 3+3. No goal.
  3. 5+1. No goal.
  4. 5+2. No goal.
  5. 4+3. Goal for highest number of remixes of another artist. Another slow game to get started, and an easy opening goal for Bent. 0-1.
  6. 2+1. Goal for most charismatic performer(s). Very tricky. Kraftwerk are hardly charismatic, but they have a certain Teutonic charm. 1-1.
  7. 5+6. No goal.
  8. 4+6. Goal for total weeks on UK album chart. Easy goal for Kraftwerk. 2-1.
  9. 1+2. No goal.
  10. 2+5. Goal for best artwork. Has to be Kraftwerk, even if they have been busy George Lucassing them in recent years. 3-1.

Stowaway World Cup – The Draw

OK, time for the all-important draw. Pot A consists of the top 8 artists by mentions on this blog:

  • Pet Shop Boys
  • Depeche Mode
  • Jean-Michel Jarre
  • Röyksopp
  • Erasure
  • New Order
  • David Bowie
  • Goldfrapp

Pot B consists of the next eight, except that Moby is busy getting vegan tattoos, so won’t be taking part this year. Delerium, Front Line Assembly, and Conjure One are pretty much the same people anyway, so they have formed a single team together.

  • Saint Etienne
  • Kraftwerk
  • Sparks
  • Delerium / Front Line Assembly / Conjure One
  • The Human League
  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
  • The Future Sound of London
  • The Beloved

Pot C sees a few disqualifications, with Vince Clarke taking part as part of Erasure, and Martin L. Gore playing for Depeche Mode:

  • Air
  • Little Boots
  • Massive Attack
  • Kylie Minogue
  • I Monster
  • William Orbit
  • Ladytron
  • Hot Chip

Finally, Pot D sees Dave Gahan disqualified for being part of Depeche Mode, plus U2 and Coldplay disqualified for not being very good. Yazoo formed a team with Madonna, for no particularly good reason.

  • Madonna and Yazoo
  • The Radiophonic Workshop
  • Leftfield
  • Everything But The Girl
  • Shit Robot
  • Client
  • Enigma
  • Bent

After the draw, the eight groups look like this:

  • Group A: Jean-Michel Jarre, Delerium / Front Line Assembly / Conjure One, Little Boots, Madonna and Yazoo
  • Group B: Depeche Mode, Sparks, Kylie Minogue, Everything But The Girl
  • Group C: Erasure, Saint Etienne, Massive Attack, Shit Robot
  • Group D: Goldfrapp, Kraftwerk, Hot Chip, Bent
  • Group E: Pet Shop Boys, The Beloved, I Monster, Client
  • Group F: Röyksopp, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Air, Enigma
  • Group G: David Bowie, The Human League, Ladytron, Leftfield
  • Group H: New Order, The Future Sound of London, William Orbit, The Radiophonic Workshop

So the first game will be Jean-Michel Jarre versus Madonna and Yazoo, in a couple of days’ time.

NME Awards – 2009-2011

Between 2009 and 2011, the NME Awards were still clinging onto their rock obsession, but started to have a few interesting nominees.

Shockwaves NME Awards 2009

Hosted at the Brixton Academy on 25 February 2009, by Mark Watson.

  • Godlike Genius Award: The Cure
  • Outstanding Contribution to Music: Elbow
  • Best British Band supported by Shockwaves: Oasis. Also nominated: Bloc PartyThe Last Shadow PuppetsMuseRadiohead
  • Best International Band supported by 4music: The Killers. Also nominated: Crystal CastlesKings of LeonMGMTVampire Weekend
  • Best Solo Artist: Pete Doherty. Also nominated: LadyhawkeLaura MarlingLightspeed ChampionJay-Z
  • Best Live Band supported by Red Stripe: Muse. Also nominated: The KillersKings of LeonOasisRadiohead
  • Best New Band supported by Bench: MGMT. Also nominated: GlasvegasLate of the PierVampire WeekendWhite Lies
  • Best Album supported by HMV: Kings of Leon, for Only by the Night. Also nominated: Bloc Party, for IntimacyGlasvegas, for GlasvegasThe Killers, for Day & AgeOasis, for Dig Out Your Soul
  • Best Track supported by NME Radio: MGMT, for Time to Pretend. Also nominated: Kings of Leon, for Sex on FireThe Last Shadow Puppets, for The Age of the UnderstatementThe Ting Tings, for That’s Not My NameVampire Weekend, for A-Punk
  • Best Dancefloor Filler: Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris, for Dance Wiv Me. Also nominated: Bloc Party, for MercuryCrystal Castles, for Courtship DatingFriendly Fires, for ParisLate of the Pier, for Bathroom Gurgle
  • Best Video supported by NME TV: The Last Shadow Puppets, for My Mistakes Were Made For You. Also nominated: Late of the Pier, for HeartbreakOasis, for The Shock of the LightningRadiohead, for House of CardsVampire Weekend, for A-Punk
  • Best DVD: Arctic Monkeys, for Live at the Apollo. Also nominated: Foo Fighters, for Live at Wembley StadiumKaiser Chiefs, for Live at Elland RoadMuse, for HAARPThe Rolling Stones, for Shine a Light
  • Best Live Event: Glastonbury Festival. Also nominated: Isle of Wight, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park, V Festival
  • Best TV Show: The Mighty Boosh. Also nominated: Gavin and StaceyThe IT CrowdNever Mind the BuzzcocksSkins
  • Worst TV Show: Big Brother
  • Best Film: [not stated]. Nominated: The Dark KnightJunoQuantum of SolaceTwilightWall-E
  • Hero of the Year: Barack Obama. Also nominated: Alex TurnerBrandon FlowersNoel FieldingNoel Gallagher
  • Villain of the Year: George W. Bush. Also nominated: Amy WinehouseGordon BrownJohn McCainPete Doherty
  • Best Dressed: Alexa Chung. Also nominated: Alex TurnerBrandon FlowersNoel FieldingNoel Gallagher
  • Worst Dressed: Amy Winehouse. Also nominated: Brandon FlowersJohnny BorrellKaty PerryPete Doherty
  • Best Website: YouTube. Also nominated: Bebo, Facebook, Last FM, MySpace
  • Best Venue: London Astoria. Also nominated: Brixton Academy, Manchester Apollo, Glasgow Barrowlands, London O2 Arena
  • Worst Album: Jonas Brothers, for A Little Bit Longer. Also nominated: Britney Spears, for CircusColdplay, for Viva La Vida or Death and All His FriendsRazorlight, for Slipway FiresScouting for Girls, for Scouting for Girls
  • Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Also nominated: Fall Out BoyOasisScouting for GirlsTokio Hotel
  • Sexiest Man: Matt Bellamy. Also nominated: Carl BaratKeith MurrayMiles KanePete Doherty
  • Sexiest Woman: Hayley Williams. Also nominated: Alison MosshartKate JacksonLykke LiStephanie Dosen
  • Best Album Artwork: Muse, for HAARP. Also nominated: The Cure, for 4:13 DreamGuillemots, for RedThe Killers, for Day and AgeWe Are Scientists, for Brain Thrust Mastery
  • Best Band Blog: Noel GallagherOasis. Also nominated: FoalsLightspeed ChampionLittle BootsRadiohead
  • Philip Hall Radar Award: The Big Pink

Shockwaves NME Awards 2010

The awards took place at the Brixton Academy on 24 February 2010, and were hosted by Jarvis Cocker, with performances by Kasabian with Noel FieldingThe SpecialsBiffy Clyro featuring Marina DiamandisThe Big Pink with Lily Allen.

  • Godlike Genius Award: Paul Weller
  • Outstanding Contribution to Music: The Specials
  • Best British Band: Muse. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, Kasabian, Oasis
  • Best International Band: Paramore. Also nominated: Green Day, Kings Of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  • Best Solo Artist: Jamie T. Also nominated: Dizzee Rascal, Florence And The Machine, Julian Casablancas, Lady Gaga
  • Best New Band: Bombay Bicycle Club. Also nominated: The Big Pink, Mumford & Sons, The xx, La Roux
  • Best Live Band: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Kasabian, Muse, Radiohead, Them Crooked Vultures
  • Best Album: Kasabian, for West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Humbug, Muse, for The Resistance, The Cribs, for Ignore The Ignorant, The Horrors, for Primary Colours
  • Best Track: The Big Pink, for Dominos. Also nominated: Animal Collective, for My Girls, Arctic Monkeys, for Crying Lightning, Florence + The Machine, for Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), Jamie T, for Sticks N’ Stones
  • Best Video: Biffy Clyro, for The Captain. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Cornerstone, Kasabian, for Fire, The Maccabees, for Can You Give It, Oasis, for Falling Down
  • Best Live Event: Blur at Hyde Park. Also nominated: Jay-Z at Alexandra Palace, Muse at Teignmouth, Oasis at Heaton Park, The Dead Weather at Shoreditch Church
  • Best Festival: Glastonbury Festival. Also nominated: Download, Reading and Leeds Festivals, T In The Park, V Festival
  • Best TV Show: The Inbetweeners. Also nominated: Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Peep Show, Skins, True Blood
  • Best Film: Inglourious Basterds. Also nominated: (500) Days Of Summer, In The Loop, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Where The Wild Things Are
  • Best Dancefloor Filler: La Roux, for In for the Kill (Skream Remix). Also nominated: Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden, for Bonkers, Florence + The Machine, for You’ve Got The Love, Lady Gaga, for Poker Face, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, for Zero
  • Best DVD: The Mighty Boosh Live – Future Sailors Tour. Also nominated: Kings Of Leon, for Live At The The O2 Arena, Flight Of The Conchords, for Complete HBO Second Season, The Killers, for Live From The Royal Albert Hall, Nirvana, for Live At Reading
  • Hero of the Year: Rage Against The Machine. Also nominated: Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher, Matt Bellamy, Alex Turner
  • Villain of the Year: Kanye West. Also nominated: Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Simon Cowell, Lady Gaga
  • Best Dressed: Lady Gaga. Also nominated: Liam Gallagher, Noel Fielding, Florence Welch, Karen O
  • Worst Dressed: Lady Gaga. Also nominated: Matt Bellamy, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Elly Jackson (La Roux)
  • Worst Album: Jonas Brothers, for Lines, Vines and Trying Times. Also nominated: Green Day, for 21st Century Breakdown, Lady Gaga, for The Fame, U2, for No Line On The Horizon, Arctic Monkeys, for Humbug
  • Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Also nominated: Green Day, Oasis, Paramore
  • Hottest Man: Matt Bellamy (Muse)
  • Hottest Woman: Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
  • Best Website: Muse.mu. Also nominated: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, GreenDay.com
  • Best Album Artwork: Kasabian, for West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Also nominated: Muse, for The Resistance, Green Day, for 21st Century Breakdown, The Cribs, for Ignore The Ignorant, Manic Street Preachers, for Journal For Plague Lovers
  • Best Band Blog: Radiohead (Radiohead.com/deadairspace). Also nominated: Muse (Muse.mu and Twitter.com/muse), Noel Gallagher (Oasisinet.com), Los Campesinos! (Loscampesinos.com), Paramore (Paramore.net)
  • Giving It Back Fan Award: Lily Allen, for her Twitter ticket treasure hunt. Also nominated: Kasabian and Noel Fielding for free Vlad The Impaler video, Danger Mouse for leaking Dark Night Of The Soul, Arctic Monkeys for their Oxfam golden tickets, Vampire Weekend for giving away Horchata from the album Contra
  • Phillip Hall Radar Award: The Drums

Shockwaves NME Awards 2011

Hosted by Angelos Epithemiou at the Brixton Academy on 23 February 2011. Performances by My Chemical RomanceHurtsPJ HarveyCrystal Castles, and Foo Fighters.

  • Godlike Genius Award: Dave Grohl
  • John Peel Award for Innovation: Crystal Castles
  • Philip Hall Radar Award: The Naked and Famous
  • Outstanding Contribution to Music: PJ Harvey
  • Best British Band: Muse. Nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, Foals, Kasabian
  • Best International Band: My Chemical Romance. Nominated: Arcade Fire, Kings Of Leon, The Drums, Vampire Weekend
  • Best Solo Artist: Laura Marling. Nominated: Florence Welch, Frank Turner, Kanye West, Paul Weller
  • Best New Band: Hurts. Nominated: Beady Eye, Everything Everything, The Drums, Two Door Cinema Club
  • Best Live Band: Biffy Clyro. Nominated: Arcade Fire, Foals, Kasabian, Muse
  • Best Album: Arcade Fire, for The Suburbs. Nominated: Crystal Castles, for Crystal Castles II, Foals, for Total Life Forever, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys, Two Door Cinema Club, for Tourist History
  • Best Track: Foals, for Spanish Sahara. Nominated: Cee Lo Green, for Fuck You, Gorillaz, for Stylo, Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi, for Tightrope, Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., for Bang Bang Bang
  • Best Video: My Chemical Romance, for Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na). Nominated: Arcade Fire, for We Used To Wait, Brandon Flowers, for Crossfire, Chase & Status, for Let You Go, Gorillaz, for Stylo
  • Best Festival: Glastonbury. Nominated: Download, Reading And Leeds Festivals, T In The Park, V Festival
  • Best TV Show: Skins. Nominated: Misfits, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Peep Show, The Inbetweeners
  • Best Film: Inception. Nominated: Get Him To The Greek, Kick-Ass, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, The Social Network
  • Best Dancefloor Filler: Professor Green, for Jungle. Nominated: Crystal Castles, for Baptism, Kele, for Tenderoni, Plan B, for Stay Too Long, Tinie Tempah, for Pass Out
  • Hero of the Year: Lady Gaga. Nominated: Gerard Way, Julian Assange, Kanye West
  • Villain of the Year: David Cameron. Nominated: Axl Rose, Justin Bieber, Nick Clegg, Simon Cowell
  • Most Stylish: Brandon Flowers. Nominated: Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher, Noel Fielding
  • Least Stylish: Justin Bieber. Nominated: Cheryl Cole, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher
  • Worst Album: Justin Bieber, for My World. Nominated: Cheryl Cole, for Messy Little Raindrops, Katy Perry, for Teenage Dream, Kings Of Leon, for Come Around Sundown, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
  • Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Nominated: 30 Seconds To Mars, JLS, Kings Of Leon, Tokio Hotel
  • Hottest Man: Matt Bellamy. Nominated: Alex Turner, Billie Joe Armstrong, Dominic Howard, Jared Leto
  • Hottest Woman: Alison Mosshart. Nominated: Emily Haines, Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Shakira
  • Best Album Artwork: Klaxons, for Surfing The Void. Nominated: Foals, for Total Life Forever, Gorillaz, for Plastic Beach, MGMT, for Congratulations, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
  • Best Band Blog or Twitter: Hayley Williams. Nominated: Frank Turner, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Theo Hutchcraft
  • Best Book: John Lydon, for Mr Rotten’s Scrapbook. Nominated: Carl Barât, for Threepenny Memoir, Jay-Z, for Decoded, Keith Richards, for Life, Russell Brand, My Booky Wook 2
  • Best Small Festival (50,000 capacity or lower): RockNess. Nominated: Bestival, Kendal Calling, Latitude, Underage Festival

See also

Greatest Hits – Vol. 11

Time for another selection of reviews that you might have missed in the last year or two.

You can also see Vol. 10 here.