10 Popular Culture Predictions for 2010
Jan 3rd
In a quiet point during a Sunday afternoon Come Dine With Me marathon, my (Highly Effective) Corporate Flatmate and I discussed predictions for our friends in 2010. Whilst those predictions probably would be of interest to my Internet Following (which is mostly comprised of these friends) I have decided instead to publish 10 popular culture predictions for 2010. The aim is that, when each of these come true, I will be heralded as the Voice of Popular Culture and quickly approached by the Guardian to live blog for them.
So here we go:
1. A Friends reunion film will be announced.
After the success of Sex And The City: The Movie, *surely* the cast will realize there’s money in a movie? Friends is still loved (just ask E4) and time is running out. (PS. I still get a point if there is a one-off TV special).
2. The current Sugababes (version 4) will implode.
Due to the lack of a coherent identity. Version 1 will rise from their ashes.
3. Dannii will leave the X Factor and be replaced by Robbie Williams/Victoria Beckham/Eminem.
There was definitely something of the “I know I’ll probably be fired next year so I’m going to be occasionally subversive” about Dannii Minogue on the X Factor this year.
4. Robbie and Take That will properly reform.
At least for a one off charity single.
5. Twitter will be replaced with an even more relevant social networking tool.
Well, Facebook was trumped this year by Twitter: what comes around goes around.
6. Peter and Katie will get back together. And then split up again.
There will be an ITV2 show documenting every step of this process.
7. A group will win the X Factor 2010.
X Factor has shown it can produce successful female winners (Leona, Alexandra) and that it usually doesn’t produce successful male winners (Steve, Leon, Shayne, Joe). Following JLS, 2010 is the year for the show to prove that a group can win. Just so something new happens.
8. Eternal will reform.
Surely it is their year? Who can not love a band that incorporated three plus key changes into one song?
9. The ginger haired one from Girls Aloud will become the new Kate Bush, against all expectations.
Her awkward self-consciousness is the most interesting thing about Girls Aloud videos (after seven years she still looks embarrassed to be a popstar). Just imagine the fascinating solo career.
10. Something truly shocking will happen on Big Brother.
As it’s the final show, the Producers will not give a monkeys and will engineer something *truly* shocking. I predict a “housemates have 1 minute to decide as a group which other housemate to eat” task. Or maybe “one of the housemates is actually a cat” shocker.
So there we go. Please do add your own predictions below.
In-between Christmas and New Year songs: an undiscovered music genre?
Dec 29th
I’m slightly worried. I recently admitted that most of the time I’m listening to my iPod I’m pretending to be in a music video, which I thought was widespread, normal behaviour. Apparently not.
For those unfamiliar with this pastime, the best location to try this is on trains, where looking a bit sad whilst staring out the window is the perfect accompaniment to many songs. Natalie Imbruglia in “Shiver” demonstrates the wistful look I aim for perfectly:
Also good is simple walking through faceless crowds – the underground is ideal – whilst again looking a bit sad or even angry, like Richard Ashcroft:
Possibilities are endless. You can have walking on a beach à la Chris Martin in “Yellow”:
Dramatic walking on a cliff top (Take That, “Patience”):
Even standing in crowded room (as Will Young showed us):
But all this is a distraction from the main reason for the blog post. Today it dawned on me (whilst on train, pretending to be in music video), that, as there are Christmas songs (i.e. “Driving Home For Christmas”), there should also be songs to mark the strange time in-between Christmas and New Year (i.e.“Getting The Train Back After Christmas”). Post-holiday truly is an undiscovered genre.
At least that’s what I thought. Until my Literary Agent Flatmate alerted me to another blog on this topic, which lists a few songs that fit this niche. (Seriously now, this was going to be my first highly innovative blog post and someone got in there first, just 3 days ago).
But I can add one more! Sugababes, “New Year”*. I was reminded of this song when Noddy Holder declared that it was his 37th favourite Christmas Song (“Don’t You Love Me Baby” by Human League was his 3rd though, so we’re not entirely convinced by his chart). A little known song, released when the Sugababes were still great, i.e. when they included Siobhan Donaghy. (Siobahn created officially the most underrated album of all time, Ghosts, which incidentally includes a song sung part backwards. Siobhan deserves a whole blog post of her own, so more on her in the future). For now, here is the underrated “New Year” : a song who’s title promises positivity, but it’s actually mostly about reflecting on the disappointment of the year just gone. I personally think the Sugababes’ bluesy harmonies perfectly sum up this time of year.
And another! Dina Carol’s “The Perfect Year” (remember her?) is set on New Year’s eve. She even says so in the song. I guess the hideous “Millennium Prayer” by Cliff also sort of fits. I’ve found one more: Barry Manilow’s cheery “It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve”.
However, I campaign for a major, relevant artist to release a song that defines that post Christmas pre New Year feeling, please, in the way that Mariah sums up Christmas in “All I Want For Christmas”. It’s a funny time of year, full of post Christmas melancholy and wistful reflection, plus a bit of hope. It would be massive.
And on that note, Happy New Year to all my wonderful Internet Following (i.e. housemates, The Boyfriend, Paul and a few other random people who google rude things about X Factor contestants). Here’s to 2010 and much blogging.
*OK, technically the Sugababes “New Year” could be said to be a Christmas song, as it talks about a “year ago at Christmas”. And they repeat the word Christmas a lot. But it’s set at 2:30am so I’d say it was Christmas evening, and therefore Boxing Day, alright? And it’s all about the the last/New Year really.
P.S. It seems I’m not alone after all! On trains Literary Agent Flatmate believes she is Gabrielle in “Out Of Reach”. As below.
X Factor: Week 3 Results (Big Band)
Oct 25th
Again, I must moderate my many opinions into a bullet point list:
- I was embarrassed for each and every one of them during the group performance. Brian Friedman is either an evil post modern genius or a bit of an idiot (I think we all know which).
- Westlife’s song was chaos. Without a key change, we had no idea when the song was reaching a climax. And they were accidentally positioned too close together and were therefore unable to do any Christ-like gestures. This meant no emotion could be conveyed. Green lasers flashed across the screen in no relationship to the song.
- I love Michael Buble. Take note, Simon: he “acted” his way through this performance, like Lucie did. This makes for an exciting performance.
- My mum knows Dermot O’Leary’s dad, which makes me feel like I am related to him. I have also met Dermot, but he unfortunately thinks I’m called Nicky.
- Big shocker for the bottom two. But, with hindsight, Danyl alienates his audience. His performances are entirely one way: he doesn’t engage with the audience, but shoves himself upon it. I dislike him, but he interests me as a performer, so I’m glad he didn’t go this early. Even though I do want him to go before the final, as apparently he made Stacey cry. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/news/a183552/x-factor-danyl-makes-stacey-cry.html
- Sugababes Part II, whilst never going to win it, shouldn’t have gone so early. I thought Mutya might punch someone at the end (and rightly so).
- All in all, this week has made me resolute that Lucie must win, partly to annoy Simon and partly to carry on the memory of Sarah in Hollyoaks (and partly because she’s the best)
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