Latest Additions p The Year So Far p List By Year p Lists By Publication

    European Lists p Steve Parker Micro Site p Banned Recordings

    Site Search p Email Site p News/Discussion Forum

 

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

Back to index

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

Back to index

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

Thanks to David John for this listing!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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.

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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

Back to index

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

Back to index


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!).

Back to index

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

Back to index


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

Back to index

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)

Thanks to Edward Arthur for this 50 listing!

Back to index


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 ..."

Back to index

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

Thanks to Gerard Wood for this listing!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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

Back to index

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

Back to index

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

Back to index

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!

Back to index

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
 

Back to index

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'