Festive Fifty

An annual tradition of Peel's Radio 1 show was the Festive Fifty—a countdown of the best tracks of the year as voted for by the listeners. Despite Peel's eclectic play list, the Festive Fifty tended to be composed largely of "white boys with guitars", as Peel complained in 1988. In 1991 the broadcast of the chart was cancelled due to a lack of votes, although many have speculated that it was because it didn't feature a single entry from the dance acts that Peel had been championing that year. Topped by Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", this Phantom Fifty was eventually broadcast at the rate of one track per programme in 1993.The 1997 chart was initially cancelled due to the lack of air-time Peel had been allocated for the period, but enough "spontaneous" votes were received over the phone that a Festive Thirty-One was compiled and broadcast.

Peel wrote that "The Festive 50 dates back to what was doubtless a crisp September morning in the early-to-mid Seventies, when John Walters and I were musing on life in his uniquely squalid office. In our waggish way, we decided to mock the enthusiasm of the Radio 1 management of the time for programmes with alternative titles. Content, we felt, was of less importance than a snappy Radio Times billing. In the course of our historic meeting we had, I imagine, some fine reasons for dismissing the idea of a Festive 40 and going instead for a Festive 50, a decision that was to ruin my Decembers for years to come, condemning me to night after night at home with a ledger, when I could have been out and about having fun, fun, fun."

After his death, the Festive Fifty was continued on Radio 1 by Rob Da Bank, Huw Stephens and Ras Kwame for two years, but then given to Peel-inspired Internet radio station Dandelion Radio, which continues to compile it to this day.

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

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1977

There was no festive fifty compiled or broadcast in 1977. Peel broadcast his favourite tunes of the year during his yuletide shows.

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'

Definative 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."

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

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

51. Thanks to David John for this listing!

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?

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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.

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

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

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

John Peel Considers His Festive Fifty

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.

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

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

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)

51. Thanks to Edward Arthur for this 50 listing!

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 ..."

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

51. Thanks to Gerard Wood for this listing!

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'

41. Boards Of Canada - 'Roygbiv'

42. Derrero - 'Radar Intruder'

43. Hefner - 'Pull Yourself Together'

44. Rooney - 'Went To Town'

45. Soda Stream - 'Turnstyle'

46. Sportique - 'Kids Are Solid Gold'

47. Ten Benson - 'Evil Heat'

48. Autechre - 'Fold 4 Wrap 5'

49. The Fall (Session) - 'Shake Off'

50. PJ Harvey - 'Is This Desire'

John Peel's Festive 50 1999

01. Cuban Boys - 'Cognoscenti Vs Intelligentsia' (White Label)

02. Hefner - 'The Hymn For The Cigarettes' (To Pure)

03. Hefner - 'Hymn For The Alcohol' (Too Pure)

04. Fall - 'Touch Sensitive' (Artful)

05. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci - 'Spanish Dance Troupe' (Mantra)

06. Elastica with Mark E Smith - 'How He Wrote Elastica Man' (Deceptive)

07. Fall - 'F-Oldin’ Money' (Artful)

08. Flaming Lips - 'Race For The Prize' (Warner Bros)

09. Murry The Hump - 'Thrown Like A Stone' (Shifty Disco)

10. Low - 'Immune' (Tugboat)

11. Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Look Dad No Tunes' (Probe Plus)

12. Flaming Lips - 'Waiting For A Superman' (Warner Bros)

13. Cinerama - 'Pacific' (Elefant)

14. Mogwai - 'Cody' (Chemikal Underground)

15. Orbital - 'Style' (Ffrr)

16. Sonic Subjunkies - 'Do You Even Know Who You Are?' (L Light)

17. Super Furry Animals - 'Fire In My Heart' (Creation)

18. Cinerama - 'Kings Cross' (Elefant)

19. Salako - 'Look Left' (Jeepster)

20. Clinic - 'The Second Line' (Domino)

21. Godspeed You Black Emperor - 'Hung Over As The Oven At Maida Vale' (Peel Session)

22. Hefner - 'I Stole A Bride' (Too Pure)

23. Bonnie Prince Billy - 'I See A Darkness' (Domino)

24. Super Furry Animals - 'Northern Lites' (Creation)

25. Mogwai - 'Stanley Kubrick' (Chemikal Underground)

26. Kraken - 'Side Effects' (Underfire)

27. Super Furry Animals - 'Turning Tide' (Creation)

28. Cuban Boys - 'Flossie’s Alarming Clock' (White Label)

29. Dawn Of The Replicants - 'Science Fiction Freak' (East West)

30. Half Man Half Biscuit - '24 Hour Garage People' (Peel Session)

31. Pavement - 'Major Leagues' (Domino)

32. Hefner - 'I Took Her Love For Granted' (Too Pure)

33. Gene - 'As Good As It Gets' (Polydor)

34. Plone - 'Be Rude To Your School' (Warp)

35. Smog - 'Cold Blooded Old Times' (Domino)

36. Broadcast - 'Echoes Answer' (Warp)

37. Add N To X - 'Metal Finger In My Body' (Mute)

38. Melt Banana - 'Plot In A Pot' (Skin Graft)

39. Atari Teenage Riot - 'Revolution Action' (Digital Hardcore)

40. Blur - 'Tender' (Food)

41. Badly Drawn Boy - 'Once Around The Block' (Twisted Nerve)

42. Aphex Twin - 'Windowlicker' (Warp)

43. Six By Seven - 'Helden' (Mantra)

44. Appliance - 'Food Music' (Mute)

45. Pavement - 'Carrot Rope' (Domino)

46. Stereolab - 'The Free Design' (Duophonic)

47. Marine Research - 'Parallel Horizontal' (K)

48. Miss Mend - 'Living City Plan' (Piao)

49. Hefner - 'Hymn For The Things We Didn’t Do' (Ovni)

50. Wheat - 'Don’t I Hold You' (City Slang)

John Peel's Festive 50 2000

1 Twist The Knife - Neko Case & Her Boyfriends

2 Good Fortune - P J Harvey

3 Dr Bucks Letter - The Fall

4 Mistakes And Regrets - And You Will Know Us By Trail Of Dead

5 Come On Lets Go - Broadcast

6 Big Exit - P J Harvey

7 Greedy Ugly People - Hefner

8 The Light 3000 - Schneider TM

9 No Danger - Delgados

10 American Trilogy - Delgados

11 Dinosaur Act - Low

12 Day That Thatcher Dies - Hefner

13 I Hate Scotland - Ballboy

14 Accused of Stealing - Delgados

15 Good Fruit - Hefner

16 Your Charms - Cinerama

17 Wow - Cinerama

18 Mess Were In - P J Harvey

19 Prayer to God - Shellac

20 In a Beautiful Place - Boards of Canada

21 Somewhere Some Night - Laura Cantrell

22 Ballad of Cable Hogue - Calexico

23 Two Librans - The Fall

24 Whores Hustle, Hustlers - P J Harvey

25 Kid A - Radiohead

26 Brutal - New Order

27 Two Seconds - Laura Cantrell

28 The Second Line - Clinic

29 Vinyl Countdown - Cuban Boys

30 Popping Song - Cowcube

31 Drug Dealer in Park - Herman Dune

32 24 hr Garage People - Hmhb

33 Wonderwall (session) - Catpower

34 Theme From P&P - Cuban Boys

35 Candyman - Lab 4

36 Fresher Than The Sweetness - Gorkys Zygotic Mynci

37 Irk The Purists - Hmhb

38 Witness - Delgados

39 Soul Boy - Mighty Math

40 Dress Sexy At My Funeral - Smog

41 Manhattan - Cinerama

42 Queen of the Coast - Laura Cantrell

43 WB - The Fall

44 Painting & Kissing - Hefner

45 Seached - Orbital

46 Little Boy Blue - Bonnie Prince Billy

47 Svefn G Englar - Sigur Ros

48 Idiotique - Radiohead

49 Fought in a War - Belle & Sebastian

50 Crystal Lake - Gandaddy

John Peel's All time festive 50 - Year 2000

01 Joy Division - Atmosphere (Factory)

02 Undertones - Teenage Kicks (Good Vibrations)

03 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Factory)

04 Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK (EMI)

05 Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (CBS)

06 New Order - Blue Monday (Factory)

07 Smiths - How Soon Is Now? (Rough Trade)

08 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Geffen)

09 Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Rough Trade)

10 This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren (4AD)

11 Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding (Rough Trade)

12 Pulp - Common People (Island)

13 Capt Beefheart & His Magic Band - Big Eyed Beans From Venus (Reprise)

14 Dead Kennedy s - Holiday In Cambodia (Cherry Red)

15 Joy Division - New Dawn Fades (Factory)

16 My Bloody Valentine - Soon (Creation)

17 New Order - Ceremony (Factory)

18 Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet (CBS)

19 New Order - Temptation (Factory)

20 Joy Division - Shes Lost Control (Factory)

21 Wedding Present - Brassneck (RCA)

22 Smiths - This Charming Man (WEA)

23 Sugarcubes - Birthday (One Little Indian)

24 Fall - How I Wrote Elastic Man (Rough Trade)

25 Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress (Reception)

26 Delgados - Pull The Wires From the Wall (Chemikal Underground)

27 My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise (Creation)

28 Joy Division - Transmission (Factory)

29 Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant (Virgin)

30 Pixies - Debaser (4AD)

31 Belle & Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane (Jeepster)

32 New Order - True Faith (Factory)

33 Clash - Complete Control (CBS)

34 Fall - Totally Wired (Rough Trade)

35 Jam - Going Underground (Polydor)

36 Stereolab - French Disko (Duophonic)

37 Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower (Polydor)

38 Fall - The Classical (Situation Two)

39 Damned - New Rose (Stiff)

40 Tim Buckley - Song To The Siren (Straight)

41 Beach Boys - God Only Knows (Capitol)

42 Velvet Underground - Heroin (MGM)

43 Nick Drake - Northern Sky (Island)

44 Bob Dylan - Visions Of Johanna (CBS)

45 Beatles - I Am The Walrus (Parlophone)

46 Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Capitol)

47 Sundays - Can t Be Sure (Rough Trade)

48 Culture - Lion Rock (Strange Fruit)

49 P J Harvey - Sheela-na-gig (Too Pure)

50 Pavement - Here (Big Cat)

John Peel's Festive 50 2001

1 Melys - Chinese Whispers

2 White Stripes - Hotel Yorba

3 Cinerama -Health and Efficiency

4 Bearsuit - Hey Charlie Hey Chuck

5 The Strokes - Last Nite

6 White Stripes -Fell in Love With a Girl

7 The Strokes - Hard To Explain

8 Camera Obscura - Eighties fan

9 New Order - Crystal

10 Mogwai - My Father My King

11 Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia - Morning after pill

12 Saloon - Impact

13 Half Man Half Biscuit - Bob Wilson Anchorman

14 Miss Black America - Human Punk

15 Detroit Cobras - Shout bama lama

16 Half Man Half Biscuit - Vatican Broadside

17 Belle and Sebastian - Jonathan David

18 Strokes - The Modern Age

19 Pulp - Sunrise

20 Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car

21 Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World

22 Mogwai - Two rights make one wrong

23 Cuban Boys - Drink, Drink, Drink

24 Greenskeepers - Low & Sweet

25 White Stripes - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

26 Ballboy – They’ll hang flags from cranes

27 Lift To Experience - These are the days

28 Strokes - New York City Cops

29 Pulp - Trees

30 The Fall - I Wake Up In The City

31 Hefner - Alan Bean

32 Belle and Sebastian - Im Waking Up To Us

33 Ikara Colt - One Note

34 Cinerama - Superman

35 Melys - I Dont believe in you

36 PJ Harvey - This Is Love

37 Seedling - Sensational vacuum

38 Antihero – Who’s looking out for #1?

39 Lift To Experience - Falling from cloud 9

40 Radiohead -Pyramid Song

41 Ballboy - Ive got pictures of you in your...

42 Miss Black America – Don’t speak my mind

43 Shins - New Slang

44 Mercury Rev - Dark is Rising

45 Stereolab - Captain Easychord

46 The Strokes - Someday

47 The Hives - Hate to say I told you so

48 Rock of Travolta -Giant Robo

49 Saloon - Freefall

50 Pico - Chard

John Peel's Festive 50 2002

1. Saloon - Girls Are The New Boys

2. Cinerama - Quick, Before It Melts

3. Miss Black America - Talk Hard

4. Nina Nastasia - Ugly Face

5. Antihero - Rolling Stones T-Shirt

6. M.A.S.S - Hey Gravity

7. Laura Cantrell - Too Late For Tonight

8. Pinhole - So Over You

9. Mark Smith v Safe & Sound - Identify The Beat

10. Ballboy - All The Records On The Radio Are Shite

11. Miss Black America - Miss Black America

12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Bang

13. Cinerama - Careless

14. Half Man Half Biscuit - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (IsThe Light Of An Oncoming Train)

15. White Stripes - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground

16. Low - In The Drugs

17. Asa-Chang & Junray - Hana

18. Low - Canada

19. Coin-Op - Democracies

20. Belle And Sebastian - You Send Me (PEEL ACRES VERSION)

21. Datsuns - In Love

22. The Fall - Susan v Youthclub

23. Jeffrey Lewis - The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song

24. Ballboy - Where Do The Nights Of Sleep Go (When They Do Not Come To Me)

25. Cornershop - Staging The Plaguing Of The Raised Platform

26. Saloon - Have You Seen The Light?

27. The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl

28. Cranebuilders - You’re Song

29. Delgados - Mr Blue Sky (PEEL SESSION TRACK)

30. Bearsuit - Drinkink

31. Ladytron - Seventeen

32. Boom Bip & Dose One - Mannequin Trapdoor

33. Von Bondies - It Came From Japan

34. Wire - 99.9 (PEEL SESSION TRACK)

35. Mclusky - Alan Is A Cowboy Killer

36. Low - (That’s How You Sing) Amazing Grace

37. Antihero - You Got Nothing (PEEL SESSION TRACK)

38. Half Man Half Biscuit - Breaking News

39. Cinerama - Cat Girl Tights

40. Mclusky - To Hell With Good Intentions

41. Burning Love Jumpsuit - Cheerleader

42. Interpol - Obstacle 1

43. Melys - So Good

44. Delgados - Coming In From The Cold

45. Miss Black America - Infinite Chinese Box

46. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Celebrate Your Mother

47. The D4 - Get Loose

48. Mum - Green Grass Of Tunnel

49. Aphrodisiacs - This Is A Campaign

50. The Dawn Parade - The Hole In My Heart

John Peel's Festive 50 2003

1. Cinerama - Dont Touch That Dial

2. The Fall - Theme From Sparta FC

3. Mogwai - Hunted By A Freak

4. Undertones - Thrill Me

5. Bearsuit - Itsuko Got Married

6. Mogwai - Ratts Of The Capital

7. Half Man Half Biscuit - Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years

8. The Crimea - Baby Boom

9. CLSM - John Peel Is Not Enough

10. White Stripes - 7 Nation Army

11. Belle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby

12. Melt Banana - Shield Youre Eyes

13. Nina Nastasia - You, Her & Me

14. Ballboy - The Sash My Father Wore

15. Vive La Fete - Noir Desir

16. Sluts Of Trust - Piece O You

17. White Stripes - Black Math

18. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

19. Broken Family Band - At The Back Of The Chapel

20. The Darkness Vs S.F.B - I Believe In A Thing Called Love

21. Million Dead - I Am The Party

22. Undertones - Oh Please

23. Ballboy - I Gave Up My Eyes

24. Party Of One - Shotgun Funeral

25. Futureheads - First Day

26. The Fall - Green Eyed Loco Man

27. The French - Porn Shoes

28. Half Man Half Biscuit - It Makes The Room Look Bigger

29. Architecture In Helsinki - The Owls Go

30. Camera Obscura - Suspended From Class

31. Amsterdam - Does This Train Stop On Merseyside

32. Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Open Field

33. Neulander - Sex, God, Money

34. Black Keys - Have Love Will Travel

35. Mass - Live A Little

36. The French - Gabriel In The Airport

37. Radiohead - There, There

38. Ballboy - Born In The USA

39. Cat Power - Werewolf

40. Broadcast - Pendulum

41. Keys - Strength Of Strings

42. Golden Virgins

43. Belle & Sebastian - Stay Loose

44. Hyper Kinako - Tokyo Invention Registration Office

45. Grandmaster Gareth - The Minute Melodys (Any Of)

46. Super Furry Animals - Slow Life

47. Camera Obscura - Keep It Clean

48. Blizzard Boys - Aint No Stoppin This

49. Freddy Fresh - You Can See The Paint

50. The Vaults - Im Going

John Peel Stats

From Paul Jenkins

I've done a chart based on the number of placings a band received in the Festive 50 each year. Basically each time a band got into the Festive 50 they would get a point for their ranking (50 for 1, 1 for 50th etc). If a band had several mentions over different years for a particular song then only their highest ever charting would count. Anyway here is the Top 50.

1 Fall 2131

2 Wedding Present 1393

3 Smiths 1035

4 New Order 760

5 P.J. Harvey 494

6 Cocteau Twins 469

7 Pulp 430

8 Jesus and Mary Chain 415

9 Cinerama 400

10 Half Man Half Biscuit 370

11 Joy Division 345

12 Belle and Sebastian 315

13 Delgados 315

14 Pixies 303

15 Hefner 301

16 Sonic Youth 298

17 Clash 283

18 Mogwai 277

19 Siouxsie and the Banshees 273

20 Billy Bragg 271

21 Pavement 250

22 Morrissey 237

23 Stereolab 226

24 Undertones 206

25 Echo & the Bunnymen 205

26 White Stripes 201

27 Jam 200

28 Ash 193

29 Sex Pistols 189

30 Cuban Boys 185

31 Inspiral Carpets 182

32 Ballboy 178

33 Hole 178

34 Cure 175

35 Nirvana 173

36 Stone Roses 173

37 Dreadzone 170

38 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci 167

39 House of Love 166

40 Low 165

41 Stiff Little Fingers 161

42 Sisters of Mercy 158

43 Teenage Fanclub 154

44 Strokes 151

45 Babes in Toyland 150

46 Elastica 144

47 Super Furry Animals 144

48 My Bloody Valentine 142

49 Miss Black America 140

50 Public Image 139