Goldie's Festive 50 - 2022

I'm bound to have missed something

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As a young music fan, I always found John Peel’s annual Festive 50 an ambiguous highlight of the musical year. On the plus side, it was a great opportunity to celebrate some of the best tunes from the previous 12 months, as well as discover a few tracks that you’d previously ignored.

On the other hand…well, even the great Peelie sometimes got it wrong, and one of two of his selections were always as likely to enrage as they were to entertain.

That’s how it is with music. Even people whose sonic antennae are usually tuned to the same wavelengths can sometimes clash unexpectedly over a song or an artist, leading to unseemly and frankly juvenile name calling in an attempt to prove whose taste is better. Or is that just me?

I’ve got a mate, for instance, who shares my love of Springsteen but who just doesn’t appreciate The Killers, a band who manifestly channel Bruce’s love of the epic, while filtering it through a decidedly British New Wave sensibility. I mean, what’s not to like? But for him, ‘Thunder Road’ is a “yes”; “Mr Brightside” a “no”.

Anyway, all this is to say that musical taste is ultimately a very personal thing, so forgive me my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me…

And in the meantime, enjoy the playlist.

Happy New Year everyone.