Christmas 2024.
Here is my Christmas Top 20 for 2024.
Johnny Marr is an English musician, songwriter, and singer (born Johnny Martin Maher) in Manchester in October 1963 and at the age of 13 formed his first band, the Paris Valentinos. He played in several bands, the most recent being Freak Party. But by early 1982, after losing their singer, Marr approached Rob Allman, the singer with White Dice. He showed little interest and instead suggested Steven Morrissey, the singer with the Nosebleeds. In May, and through a third-party it was arranged for Marr to meet Morrissey at his home. They seemed to hit it off and with Marr’s first bass player, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce on drums they formed the Smiths.
Within months they signed to Rough Trade Records and in May 1983 released their first single “Hand in Glove.” Now with an ever-growing fan base they recorded their first album, which was released in early 1984 and reached number two in the UK Chart. This was quickly followed by their second album, the controversial, “Meat is Murder.”
Their third album “The Queen Is Dead” was awarded the accolade by Spin magazine as being one of the greatest albums ever made. This resulted in the NME dubbing the Smiths the most important rock band of all time.
Marr's guitar sounds are instantly recognisable, with his jangly Rickenbacker and Fender Telecaster and synonymous with the Smith’s sound. Marr said, when performing with the band, he wanted to play a music which was pop. "100% of my focus was on providing interesting guitar hooks and putting some kind of space-age twist on the guitarist's role. The pop guitarist crossed with the mad professor. That's how I thought of myself."
In early 1986, Rourke was fired by the band for his use of heroin, but within weeks he was reinstated. But other problems were already looming and despite their continued success, personal differences within the band and the increasingly strained relationship between Morrissey and Marr created a huge problem.
Marr left the group in July 1987, and despite auditions to find a replacement no one was considered suitable. So, by the time their next tranche of music was released the band had long split.
One of the reasons given by Morrissey was the fact that Marr was working and recording with other artists, however, he later told Tim Samuels, a BBC journalist, that it was due to the lack of a managerial figure and business problems.
Marr's guitar playing had a massive effect on many of the Manchester bands that followed the Smiths including: John Squire - Stone Roses, Noel Gallagher - Oasis, and no doubt many more. He has since performed with numerous other bands and singers including: the Pretenders, Pet Shop Boys, collaborating with Hans Zimmer, on film soundtracks, Talking Heads. Joss Stone, Bryan Ferry and so many more.
In 2010 in a poll conducted by the BBC, Marr was voted the fourth-best guitarist of the last 30 years and Phil Alexander, editor-in-chief of Mojo described him as "arguably Britain's last great guitar stylist." In 2013, the NME, honoured Marr with its "Godlike Genius" award: "Not content with rewriting the history of music with one of the world's greatest ever bands, the Smiths, he's continued to push boundaries and evolve throughout his career, working with some of the best and most exciting artists on the planet."
Despite several attempts at reforming the Smiths it seems very unlikely.
.
BY-------Graham Sclater
There are several new seasonal recordings to look out for this year, and my choices are songs from Tom Grennan's “It Can’t Be Christmas” and Kelly Clarson’s “You for Christmas” and tracks by the Elevator Boys and Laufrey. I thought I would revisit songs and recordings that have earned the highest revenue over the past forty years. There are many charts of the biggest sellers, and no two agree. But now, with the advent of downloads and streaming the figures have become distorted and income for the songwriters has diminished dramatically.
My Top 20 contains some non-Christmas songs but are regularly played at this time of year on the radio and television music channels. The chart is not exhaustive. You may have your own choices, so I apologise if I left out your favourite song or listed it in a different position.
My Top 20 contains some non-Christmas songs but are regularly played at this time of year on the radio and television music channels. The chart is not exhaustive. You may have your own choices, so I apologise if I left out your favourite song or listed it in a different position.
Up until the late fifties, sheet music was used to compile the top-selling songs and, ultimately, the charts until vinyl, cassettes, and CDs were introduced, which have now all been surpassed by downloads and streaming music.
“White Christmas”, written by Irving Berlin in 1940, is obviously the top title based on sheet music sales and has sold more than 100 million copies, a combination of sheet music and sales of recorded versions. It is still considered the biggest seller of all time and was considered a “Hit” even before the introduction of the record charts. Bing Crosby has recorded the song many times and has been featured singing the song in three films: Holiday Inn, Blue Skies, and White Christmas. His versions have sold more than 50 million in their own right. Over the past forty years, it has also been recorded by artists as diverse as Bette Midler, Michael Bolton, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and Andrea Bocelli.
“I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” by Wizzard was first released in 1973 and was kept off the top of the charts by Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody.” It has reached the charts (Top 50) more than fifteen times since 2007, and when downloads were included in sales figures, it has appeared every year since. The version we hear now is a rerecording made in 1981 when it was discovered that the original master tapes were lost.
“Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade was also released in 1973. With massive pre-orders, it reached number one on the day of release, beating Wizzard’s track. Like the Wizzard release, it has consistently reached the Top 100 in the UK since its release.
The previous titles by Wizzard and Slade are still rumoured to net their writers and publishers a minimum five-figure royalty payment annually from the PRS and MCPS, and their use in advertisements is a welcome income for them.
“Last Christmas” by Wham was released as a double “A” side along with the song “Everything She Wants,” which also became a huge hit after Christmas. “Last Christmas,” having spent 129 weeks in their charts, is recognised as the most successful Christmas song of all time in German music history. This and many of George Michael’s songs were also used in the 2019 film “Last Christmas.”
Clearly, a successful Christmas title can be very lucrative for the writer and publisher. Every year, dozens of hopeful writers and artists release their songs in a race to have the next “Hit,” which will be included in most, if not all, future seasonal compilations and played across the world every December.
As a music publisher and record label, we have also released our share of original Christmas tracks and have achieved success around the world. Our tracks continue to be played on radio stations every December.
TABITHA BOOKS