Board 8 > Raetsel continues ranking 631 songs (+ extra songs) [Rankings]

(+) Yeah! (+)

Planning on cutting things down until we reach the top 10 tonight, so I have to speed up a bit:

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17: THE EIGHTFOLD ROAD - OPHILIA, THE CLERIC:

https://familyjules7x.bandcamp.com/track/ophilia-the-cleric

Nominator: The_Mighty_KELP (2/32)

Initial Score: 82.27 [#37] {16}
Revised Score: 96.00 (later upgraded to 100) [#14] {14}
Third Score: 100 [#10] {10}
Fourth: 100 [#16] {16}
Fifth: 100 [#8] {8}
Sixth: 100 [#18] {18}
Seventh: 100 [#19] {19}

Rating Score: 101 [#17]

(First Thoughts: The transition between a more traditional take on the song and a metal version works out a lot better here than some other tracks (TRESSA) and its surprisingly pretty throughout. I very much like this.)

A beautiful song thats so amazing that it justifies the album by itself (even more impressive when you realize its not even the best song on the album). The intro is nurturing like a lullaby, and youd expect the electric guitar and drums to ruin the song when they come in, but somehow the transition...just works. It shouldnt, but it does, and its just wonderful.

[Later: Im feeling generous tonight and I do love this track, so lets go ahead and have this leap to the highest tier. Its cheating a bit as this probably wont win (the current top three songs are definitely above it), but its close and I want to entertain the possibility of it winning.

...also this song being so nurturing and prepared to fight reminds me of Toriel, which is worth consideration for first place purely by association.]

[Final Thoughts (Third Round): I think Ive changed my mind to this being the best song from the album.]

[Final Thoughts (Fifth Round): The intro to this song is so warm and soothing that I considered having it win this round, but the metal portion is holding it back a bit... its very, very good metal and really does compliment it quite well, but I want that feeling of peace and security from the intro right now.]

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16: MIRANDA LAMBERT - DARK BARS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UipDjE8G3hU

Nominator: @Snake5555555555 (1/15)

Initial Score: 93.00 [#7] {7}
Revised Score: 100 [#7] {7}
Third Score: 100 [#19]
Fourth: 100 [#21]
Fifth: 100 [#15]
Sixth: 100 [#16]
Seventh: 100 [#15]

Rating Score: 100 [#16]

(First Thoughts: I like this.)

Its nice to get a good song of hers to get some redemption after Little Red Wagon failed spectacularly at the first ranking topic. Other than that: Shes got a classic country sound that I appreciate (Im apparently drawn more to the women of country music than the men) & the song is right in that sweet spot of sad, but not too sad:

Great song, up in the top tier. Kinda unlikely to get first place, but wouldnt be a bad pick for it.

[Final Thoughts (Round Seven): Good song, though its not one that I can find much to say about. ]

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SNAKES NOMINATIONS:

Horror Hotel: 45.00 [#510]
Sex & Stardust: 47.20 [#495]
Ansi.sys: 59.08 [#361]
Nightmare Logic: 59.77 [#347]
New Orleans is a Dying Whore: 59.91 [#336]
Carnaval: 59.96 [#331]
I Feel a Sin Comin On: 60.72 [#321]
Tender Sugar: 69.97 [#204]
Self-Portrait: 77.85 [#137]
Wandering Days: 78.90 [#125]
Searchlight: 87.60 [#84]
Mistakes We Knew We Were Making: 88.50 [#79]
The last great american dynasty: 89.95 [#65]
Cabrona: 99.95 [#26]
Dark Bars: 100 [#16]

Average Score: 72.2906666666

Another nice set of nominations, though I cant find much that I want to say here. New Orleans might have been ranked slightly too low, since I do appreciate how its rather tame for the genre & probably should have been in the early 60s instead (though an extra two or three points to one song wouldnt have much impact anyway).

Either way, you always have a good set of nominations for these.

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Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

Three in the top fifteen o_O

This is the best I've ever done in a ranking topic

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Always appreciate your unique perspective on things and for giving all my songs an honest chance!

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15: HERBAL TEA - GARDEN:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrM38fpJG1E

Nominator: rwlh (1/15)

Initial Score: 93.07 [#6] {6}
Revised Score: 100 [#10] {10}
Third Score: 100 [#16] {16}
Fourth: 100 [#14] {14}
Fifth: 100 [#13] {13}
Sixth: 100 [#19] {19}
Seventh: 100 [#20] {20}

Rating Score: 98 [#15]

(First Thoughts: Wonderfully painful.)

This song hits hard from the first note and only gets more painful once the singing starts. Her voice has a ghostly, ethereal quality to it that really accentuates the sadness.

I was born in a garden
When I liked being me
Before the burden of my body

Its the exact type of vague misery that I wanted and I love the simplicity of the song, combined with all the effects on her voice. Great song.

[Final Thoughts (Round Seven): Not really anything to add. The song does everything right, but it just never quite made it to the absolute top of the list.]

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RWLH:

Stroll Music: 32.60 [#567]
Eleanor Rigby: 51.57 [#429]
Straighten Up and Fly Right: 61.60 [#305]
Im God: 61.84 [#301]
B.o.B.: 63.75 [#276]
Chiraa-Khoor: 65.00 [#272]
Nothing in my Dreams: 69.9999 [#199]
The Cable Has No Name: 72.77 [#179]
Requiem: 75.40 [#158]
The Silken Whip: 84.42 [#100]
Agolo: 89.30 [#72]
Year of the Cat: 93.90 [#55]
Posthuman: 98.10 [#37]
None Shall Pass: 99.99999 [#25]
Garden: 100 [#15]

Average Score: 74.683326

You were aiming for the most unique set of nominations and you definitely delivered on that front. It made your list probably the most enjoyable to listen to in a row, as there was never any way of guessing what type of song was going to come next. You also had quite a few high scoring songs; I do feel a bit bad that you put so much effort in and didnt win, but hopefully knowing that I was thoroughly entertained by the experience makes you feel a bit better about it.

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Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

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13: TAT MING PAIR - (A FORBIDDEN FRUIT EVERY DAY):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtheu_x6Ak

Nominator: handsomeboy (1/15)

Initial Score: 88.74 [#21] {12}
Revised Score: 100 [#21] {21}
Third Score: 100 [#13] {13}
Fourth: 100 [#8] {8}
Fifth: 100 [#7] {7}
Sixth: 100 [#7] {7}
Seventh: 100 [#21] {21}

Rating Score: 89 [#13]

(First Thoughts: So...uhh...is this about genocide? Because it sounds like were using fruit as a metaphor for genocide.

Lemons, watermelons are forbidden fruit
Oranges, pomegranates are tortured
Grapes and bananas are convicted

That really sounds like a fruit related ethnic cleansing in the name of apple supremacy. But I really like this song musically (itd get a good score even if I couldnt find any hint of the lyrics) and its so...well, I use the word intriguing all the time, but I am fascinated with the story its telling, so...very good choice here.)

Trying to find information on this song is difficult. Looking around, I found one blog attempting to explain the song: Obviously, theres a general anti-authoritarianism message:

(auto-translated from someones blog, slightly cleaned up for ease of reading)

[The singer] is lamenting that the world is only pursuing a single standard and trusting the news, instead of looking for more choices and comparisons. Why are mangos worse than apples? Why cant we eat mangoes? People are being pressured to accept the single standard in the world. He is talking about authoritarian thinking and its up to you to think for yourself.

Right, right, that mostly checks out with the auto-translated lyrics. But the blog goes on to paint it as an anti-Christian song:

The second level of the metaphor is religious. Apple is the fruit of the Garden of Eden, representing dogma. It is the missionaries who sell Apples for everyone to accept. [The singer] takes the forbidden fruit to show that he does not accept the norms of religiousism.

Which...feels like its a bit of a stretch. Id like it to be a shot at religion, but even for a metaphor, the only real connection seems to be there was an apple in the Bible. It certainly could be and I guess I dont have a better explanation for why the song is about apples, but Ive never found apples to play much of a role in fundamentalist Christianity.

...also theres some argument that the forbidden fruit in Eden was actually a pomegranate which would completely turn the metaphor of this song around, but I dont really want to go down that road.

Aaanywho... a bit more research and following links and I think I have it. An interview seems to reveal that the song was secretly an attack on Apple Daily, a Hong Kong tabloid that was established around the time this song was made and a critique that its style of paparazzi journalism wasnt a thing in Hong Kong before this tabloid came out. That would explain the choice of apples for the songs metaphor and makes more sense than the earlier blog posts did.

Right, well either way, theres some good anti-authoritarian messages & pro-choice messages coached in enough metaphors that people try to apply it to everything from religion, to the media, to the persecution of the LGBTQ+ community, to whatever. Good song, good message, surprisingly fun to try to look up articles and blogs about, and also came out pretty well when auto-translated.

[Final Thoughts: A great song and one that was a lot of fun to research.]

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HANDSOMEBOYS SONGS:

Rhythm Emotion: 95.00 [R#10]
Just Communication: 100 [R#1]
Kiryu Coco ED: 0.01 [#596]
Massacre: 51.31 [#436]
Baroque: 52.55 [#407]
Anita: 61.30 [#310]
This is Haato Bassic Cooking Rap: 66.72 [#259]
Legend: 69.40 [#218]
Unmei no Roulette Mawashite: 72.60 [#181]
Road Angel: 75.45 [#157]
Cherish Tonight: 77.10 [#145]
Desire -Jonetsu-: 78.10 [#134]
The Land: 85.90 [#93]
Ripples: 100 [#20]
A Forbidden Fruit Every Day: 100 [#13]

Average Score: 72.3626666666

Average Score (if we remove the intentional 0 point song): 77.5307142857

I love Gundam, Jpop usually does well, and I always love getting more Cantopop as well. So this was very much a here are those things you love type listwhich works for me, obviously. Trying to find information on said Cantopop songs was also a definite highlight of the topic; they were all popular enough songs that the information was available, but trying to piece together enough translations to figure something out still took some effort... enough effort to feel accomplished when I got something out of it, but not enough effort that it felt like work.

And again, I like getting extremely low scorers, so that was a pretty good move too. The only misfires were the Runescape songswe really could have used some more retro VGM here, but it was a game & style I had no particular nostalgia for, which kinda held things back a bit.

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Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

....Of course I mess up when posting things as leave out #14. </.<

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14: LINKIN PARK - NUMB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXYiU_JCYtU&list=PLlqZM4covn1EbvC_6cuERQ59QaMbPkUyE&index=13

Nominator: Mega_Mana (3/18)
Source: Meteora (2/13)

Initial Score: 94.00 [#4] {4}
Revised Score: 100 [#8] {8}
Third Score: 100 [#9] {9}
Fourth: 100 [#20] {20}
Fifth: 100 [#14] {14}
Sixth: 100 [#20] {20}
Seventh: 100 [#18] {18}

Rating Score: 93 [#14]

(First Thoughts: Ill probably never comment on this song, but I obviously like it quite a bit and Id like to believe thats good enough for you.)

I think I needed this song, though like I said, theres really no way Im getting into it.

[Chronologically speaking, this is almost assuredly the last arbitrary song to be posted in the topic, so Id better make it a good one.]

Or perhaps by talking about a song that I could not talk about earlier in the topic?

SiivaGunner - E.G.G.M.A.N. (CD Version):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5fFT_KpBJ8

I did try listening to a random assortment of SiivaGunner songs last year after getting addicted to the Sonic R remix and this was the only song I found that I started listening to on a regular basis. It just makes Eggman seem so happy! Imagining him dancing around and singing this upbeat version of his theme, I absolutely love it. It may actually be an improvement over the original.

Of course, I couldnt say that earlier... itd kinda give away how high a score Win the Race was going to get since its also a song featuring a happy, dancing Robotnik! But now that were at the end of everything, and weve already established its getting at least 100 points, then I dont need to keep that a secret anymore.

[Final Thoughts (Round Seven): Good song again, still dont really want to talk about it much.]

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#11 [TIE]: MAMOMO - (Night Tide) [mamomo #4]

https://s-mamomo.bandcamp.com/track/--48

Nominator: @FL81 (1/20)
Source: mamomo album (1/13)

Initial Score: 100 [#1] {1}
Revised Score: 100 [#12] {12}
Third Score: 100 [#20] {20}
Fourth: 100 [#18] {18}
Fifth: 100 [#21] {21}
Sixth: 100 [#3] {3}
Seventh: 100 [#2] {2}

Rating Score: 77 [#11]

(First Thoughts: ...This sort of rainy evening ambiance is cheating, you know.)

Its a bit too soon to declare this the definitive winner since Im not even done listening to everything twice, much less three times, and I have a tendency to change my mind on things constantly...

...but this is so beautiful and I have so much bias towards rain effects that its got a very real chance at it.

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): I still love this song, but Ive cooled it on a bit since the first listen... still, it was unquestionably the winner based only on first impressions, so thats an achievement no other song can boast.

The issue with it is that its very dependent on current mood. If Im in the right headspace, theres enough here that the song can hit incredibly hardthe water effects, like the ocean meeting the beach, alongside the emotional playing... there are solid reasons this song was on a tier all by itself after the first trip through the list.

Unfortunately, I just havent been quite there on any subsequent listen. I know why the song hit so hard and I do love what its doing, but its more something to listen to compliment certain emotional states or flashbacks than something that I can play randomly at any point and get full enjoyment from.]

[Final Thoughts (after tallying all scores): Well, the good news is that i was back to being in a mood where I completely loved this song and it was back at the very top of the list. The bad news is that some of the lower placements from the earlier Rounds result in this song just missing the top 10.

Honestly, its rather sad to cut this one before the top 10, but theres not much I can do about it. This surprise format is explicitly created to reward consistent songs and this songs placement was very, very inconsistent. Still, there is a version of the list where the song won.]

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MAMOMO:

Sea Breeze Island (#2): 50.40 [#458]
ON the Roof of Tanaka (#13): 55.90 [#393]
Sea of Clouds Walk (#5): 66.00 [#269]
First Fight (#3): 73.25 [#177]
Eventually the Night Will Come (#10): 73.48 [#174]
In the Garden of God (#9): 75.33 [#161]
Encounter (#11): 75.60 [#156]
Circumzenithal Arc (#12): 82.90 [#109]
At the Embankment (#8): 83.00 [#108]
On the Main Street of the City in the Morning (#7): 86.40 [#90]
Mamomo #6: 92.00 [#58]
Uncles Forest (#1): 100 [#22]
Night Tide (#4): 100 [#11]

Average Score: 78.02

A very high scoring album filled with the types of ambient music that I love. There are a handful of low scorers mixed in, but its mostly great and featured one of the only songs to come in first on any version of the list.

================

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991



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#11 [TIE]: THE EIGHTFOLD ROAD - ALFYN, THE APOTHECARY:

https://familyjules7x.bandcamp.com/track/alfyn-the-apothecary

Nominator: The_Mighty_KELP (?/32)

Initial Score: 93.00 [#7] {7}
Revised Score: 101 [#3] {3}
Third Score: 100 [#18] {18}
Fourth: 100 [#9] {9}
Fifth: 100 [#23] {23}
Sixth: 100 [#9] {9}
Seventh: 100 [#8] {8}

Rating Score: 77 [#11]

(First Thoughts: This is so wonderful, and beautiful, and exactly what I wanted that I need to take a break from listening to things for a bit... the next song cant possibly live up to this and I need a bit of distance before I can give it a fair chance.

...also I really dont like Alfyn or his theme, so big congratulations to these guys for doing so perfectly with it.)

I should make this win. I really should. And the entire writeup should just be me yelling HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SAID WE NEED MORE SAXOPHONES???

But seriously, I wanted a very saxophone heavy song and this song is like 90% sax and 10% electric guitar shredding that feels like it came from a Bill & Ted movie. This is definitely something I wanted and is in consideration for first place.

[Final Thoughts: Another consistently very high scoring song that I just cant quite award first place to, but I really wanted a saxophone focused song somewhere in this ranking and this song delivered.

i may look into insaneintherainmusic later, see if they have any other songs remotely on this level.]

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@The_Mighty_KELP

I dont think you wanted an update on how your album performed, but in case you were curious, heres all the data. All scores are based on a scale of 0 to 100; bracketed numbers tell what placement the song got out of all 599 songs.


THE EIGHTFOLD ROAD:

Battle I: 28.05 [#572]
Cyrus, the Scholar: 40.10 [#552]
A Settlement in the Red Bluffs: 43.55 [#534]
Battle III: 44.13 [#521]
Decisive Battle I: 44.40 [#515]
Decisive Battle II: 44.40 [#515]
Battle at Journeys End: 44.40 [#515]
They Who Govern Reason: 44.70 [#513]
Primrose, the Dancer: 45.55 [#506]
Victors Hollow, Jewel of the Forest: 50.00 [#472]
Beneath the Surface: 50.50 [#455]
Sunshade, City of Pleasures: 50.70 [#449]
Dark Caverns: 50.75 [#448]
Olberic, the Warrior: 51.46 [#431]
Daughter of the Dark God: 52.18 [#415]
The Trees Have Eyes: 55.32 [#396]
Battle II: 55.70 [#394]
Tressa, the Merchant: 56.02 [#390]
The Riverlands: 62.55 [#288]
The Highlands: 63.90 [#275]
Flamesgrace, Guiding Light: 64.50 [#273]
My Quiet Forest Home: 66.56 [#261]
The Cliftlands: 67.15 [#257]
Therion, the Thief: 69.61 [#212]
The Sunlands: 72.10 [#186]
Octopath Traveler Main Theme: 75.70 [#155]
Orewell, Beneath the Crags: 75.80 [#154]
The Frostlands: 76.00 [#152]
Enveloped in Kindness: 86.60 [#89]
Hannit, the Hunter: 91.80 [#60]
Ophilia, the Cleric: 100 [#17]
Alfyn, the Apothecary: 100 [#11]

Average Score: 60.130625

So the good news: I love saxophones and you are the only person to give me a very saxophone focused song (Alfyns theme), so very well done on that end.

Ophilia was another very high ranking song: I think the artist/s perfectly nailed the song, it somehow gives off a very nurturing feelings and a very resolute determined feeling, without the two halves of the song ever feeling in conflict with one another.

Hannit, was basically the textbook definition of a metal remix done right.

The bad news: I do not often like battle themes and the album performing eight battle themes in a row was very... not my type of thing. I wish theyd spaced things out a bit better. (I do get the gimmick of 8 character themes, then 8 environments, then 8 battles... it just led to all my favorite songs being lumped together at the front of the album and everything I didnt like gathered in one long clump that blurred together.)

Still, I am quite thankful for the nomination. I didnt really expect my signature to attract anyone, but not only did it get one extra participant, it led to some songs that I truly loved. So thank you very much!

==============



Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991



And tomorrow, well finish the actual ranking with the top 10.
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Raetsel_Lapin posted...

You were aiming for the most unique set of nominations and you definitely delivered on that front. It made your list probably the most enjoyable to listen to in a row, as there was never any way of guessing what type of song was going to come next. You also had quite a few high scoring songs; I do feel a bit bad that you put so much effort in and didnt win, but hopefully knowing that I was thoroughly entertained by the experience makes you feel a bit better about it.

Hooray! I'm happy you liked a lot of my picks and that I was able to tick off so many boxes for you that you weren't familiar with, which was my goal. Don't feel bad that I didn't get first place - it was fun to compile your nominations!

Mostly just wanted to get a spread like last time, honestly. I wasn't sure about most of my choices. ^_^''

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Awww so close lol

Glad you liked the album though!

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Mildly surprised that I didn't get eliminated today.

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Raetsel_Lapin posted...

I dont think you wanted an update on how your album performed, but in case you were curious, heres all the data.

What I meant was I didn't particularly care how it placed in the ranking. However, I'm very interested in hearing your comments on it!

So the good news: I love saxophones and you are the only person to give me a very saxophone focused song (Alfyns theme), so very well done on that end.

Carlos Eiene (insaneintherainmusic) was the saxophonist on that, he's one of my favorite VGM-focused jazz musicians.
Here are a few of my favorites by him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mun5QNWCWNA (this is a cover of the main theme from Halo 3: ODST, and the original composer posted a comment on the video saying how amazing it was)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHv3VVFbR8w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XweXGMMI8DQ

Also, four of the musicians on the Eightfold Road album perform together on this video, which is a jazz/funk cover of Pollyanna, the main theme from the Mother (Earthbound) series, and it's epic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OebZ5HwdPs

the album performing eight battle themes in a row was very... not my type of thing. I wish theyd spaced things out a bit better.

Agree with you there. I often put the album on shuffle. I might end up outright changing the order of tracks in my playlist, even though I normally keep things in album order.

Still, I am quite thankful for the nomination. I didnt really expect my signature to attract anyone, but not only did it get one extra participant, it led to some songs that I truly loved. So thank you very much!

You're welcome, and thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed them, and pleasantly surprised that one of them made it to #11! I derive a great deal of personal satisfaction from sharing good music with others. =D

Gonna track this thread, I'm interested in what your top 10 favorites were. I'll probably go listen to them.

If you're interested in more ranking of music, particularly VGM, I've been running a series of polls on the Classic Gaming board. It asks whether a game or its sequel had the better OST. I'm also running a series of polls where I ask which version of a game's OST was best (for example, if the same game came out on SNES and Genesis, which do you think was better). I make new rounds every 5-6 days or so. Another vote or post in those threads would not be unwelcome. ;)

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Ooh, I was planning on trying to find a few more insaneintherainmusic songs after this ended, but that saves me a bit of trouble. Thank you.

Ill try to pop into some of your topics when I have timeIve got a massive list of music I need to listen to after the ranking ends and actively fear trying to count how many there are because theres just... so, so manybut listening to more VGM is always good, so Ill check-in once things have died down a bit.

(Current list of post-ranking songs to listen to:)

ZALIST (in no particular order)

Achtung Baby (Album)
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy (Album)
Grind Session (Game OST)
Theodor Bastard - Volchya Yagoda Album
Utopia (Pathologic 2 OST)
The Golden Age (Woodkid Album)
Low Teens (ETiD Album)
Amo (BMtH Album)
Thats the Spirit (BMtH Album)
Maria Mena - Viktoria

[probably play a few songs from The Big Dirty (ETiD), Post Human (BMtH), There Is A Hell (BMtH), Act III (Dear Hunter) at some point]

Steve Reich (Artist)
Master Boot Record (Artist)
Gunship (Artist)
Dusty Springfield (Artist)
Hiroshi Miyauchi (VGM Artist)
Imami Pon and BA.M (VGM Artist)
Riverside (Band)
Shara Nelson (either solo work or some of her other Massive Attack songs)

(Possibly another Sleepytime Gorilla Museum song or two, maybe another Yello song, maybe another Triple-Q song since I do like odd mashups)

Live - We Deal In Dreams
Piano Opera - Terras Theme (Arr. Bill Dobbins)
Piano Opera - The Serpent Trench (Arr. Bill Dobbins)
Piano Opera - Welcome to Our Town! Music Box
Piano Opera - Theme of Love Music Box
Piano Opera - My Home, Sweet Home Music Box
Piano Opera - The Mystic Forest Music Box
Piano Opera - Terras Theme: Music Box
Shooter Jennings - The Low Road
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - Now or Never
Hive - Moves Within Time (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Movements)
The Moody Blues - In The Beginning/Lovely to See You
The Doors - Light My Fire (full version)
ZZ Ward - Ghost
Veracocha VS Axwell - Feel The Carte Blanche
Nina Simone - Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood
Down - Bury Me in Smoke
Down - Stone the Crow
Down - Eyes of the South
Corrosion of Conformity - Clean My Wounds
POWER TRIP - Executioners Tax (Swing of the Axe)
JINJER - Judgement
Jacob Collier - CLARITY
Somunia - last night (virtual cat remix)
Messgram - mother tongue (Bring Me the Horizon Cover)
Afro Celt Sound System - North
Iamthemorning - Post Scriptum
Iamthemorning - I Came Before the Water (Pt.1 & Pt.2)
Savatage - When the Crowds are Gone
Savatage - The Hourglass
Manju - that song in post #40
BMtH ft. Babymetal - Kingslayer
White Moth Black Butterfly - The Serpent
White Moth Black Butterfly - Evelyn
Enigma - Return to Innocence (full version)
Enigma - Sadeness
Aesop Rock - Save Yourself
Aesop Rock - Flashflood
The three insaneintherainmusic songs in post #113 & the Polyanna Cover

And some songs UF8 PMd a while ago

---

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

listening to more VGM is always good

While I'm recommending VGM-focused musicians, you should check out Shnabubula. He's my all-time favorite keyboardist, with a very contemporary style. He's got a ton of amazing solo piano work, but also some arranged remixes and some truly insane keyboard tracks. His soloing is incredible, and he's just so talented that I get completely mesmerized whenever I watch him play.

His YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ShnabubulaVEVO/videos
His OverClocked Remix:
https://ocremix.org/artist/4627/shnabubula/remixes

Some of my favorite piano solos:
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01951
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01538
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpxVS9hGhQE
(jazz piano solo with drums) https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01711
(jazz piano solo with drums) https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01797

Some keyboard insanity (all of these get better as you get further into them):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjkkyV-xMyc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdtkiQKQz0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tw8CdtUgCA

Some arranged favorites:
(jazz/funk) https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01770
(chiptune, sorta? post-chiptune? chiptune+?) https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01485

One last one. This video really shows how skilled he is. He does this thing where he livestreams, and people post animated GIFs in the chat; he improvises music to "fit" the GIF that was most recently posted. He has no idea when a new GIF is going to come up, or what it's going to be. Sometimes they stay up for some time, sometimes they're replaced in just a few seconds. Whatever happens, he instantly, seamlessly transitions into a improvised song that fits it. It's fascinating to watch and listen to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBgpIiDeNNU

Don't feel obligated to watch all of those, lol, I see you've got plenty on your plate as it is. I just like recommending things to people! XD

---

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

18: TEVIN CAMPBELL - STAND OUT:

Also, holy crap, I love that song and still have it in iTunes. It's so outrageously 90's and super cheesy, but I've loved it ever since I was a kid.

---

yeah shnabubula is p good

I particularly like https://soundcloud.com/shnabubu1a/green-hell-zone
https://soundcloud.com/shnabubu1a/kyogre-buys-a-drink-pokemon-market-song
---

shnabubula's actually really good friends with both me and sergiocornaga here haha. i think if it weren't for shnabubula personally introducing me to sergio...sergio and i wouldn't have ever met, and as a result sergio almost certainly would not have come to this board?! Crazy Chain Reaction Connection to think about. Because of shnabubula raetsel had to listen to a whole mazedude album...

i've also actually nommed at least one shnabubula track for Raetsel's topic before (Genetically Enhanced Grapefruit, i know i picked for sure)
---

Toxtricity posted...

i've also actually nommed at least one shnabubula track for Raetsel's topic before (Genetically Enhanced Grapefruit, i know i picked for sure)

I knew that name sounded familiar! Didn't know you personally knew them, that's pretty neat.

And I'll add all those to the list later. As UF8 can attest, I do eventually get to everything.
---

Toxtricity posted...

shnabubula's actually really good friends with me

That's really cool! I don't get excited about most things in general, but I am unashamedly a fanboy of Shnab. XD
EDIT: That is to say, even things I like I don't generally geek out over, but something about Shnab's music makes me want to share it at every opportunity.

---

I have somehow gotten a song into the top 10, and it's the song off those two albums that I've legit listened to the fewest times.

---

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

20: DANNY CHAN - RIPPLES:

I don't know if the translated lyrics got this, it's implied that the love has ended but he's glad that it happened. One of those sad-but-not-that-sad songs that you like.

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

13: TAT MING PAIR - (A FORBIDDEN FRUIT EVERY DAY):

The first part is pretty straightforward but the second part is very open to interpretation when the song came up, I'm impressed you managed to dig up the interview because I didn't find it at first, and they don't do a lot of interviews.

It is also extremely ironic that it has an anti-authoritarian and anti-Apple Daily message, because Apple Daily is the only anti-authoritarian newspaper here today, and it probably won't be long before it gets completely dismantled too.

handsomeboy2012 posted...

I don't know if the translated lyrics got this, it's implied that the love has ended but he's glad that it happened. One of those sad-but-not-that-sad songs that you like.

That didn't fully come across; the lyrics are past tense with lines like "you leave behind wonderful memories" which implies the target of his affection has left, but it's vague enough that it's open to personal interpretation.

(The fan translations that is; I'll presume it's more explicit in its native language)

That is neat, but I don't think it would change anything... the song rises this high because of the beauty of the performance and strength of his voice. It's one of those songs where I don't think the lyrics matter much to my enjoyment.
---

I can also fully endorse Yello as a band. They're an odd band, in the best way possible, and their music is usually at the minimum interesting.

---

Awesome! Wasn't sure I was quite gonna make it to the top 10.

I figured when I nominated Act IV that Bitter Suite IV/V was either gonna a huge hit or huge miss for you just because, as you says, it goes so hard at the corrupt priest angle that it's completely audacious in every way. This is another TDH song that's always a blast at concerts - the Pimp/Priest songs pretty much all are because of how bouncy they tend to be. He definitely has that cartoony, comic-book villain-y vibe nailed perfectly.

That lack of subtext that makes it so lovable means there's not a whole lot to say about it, but I do feel compelled to even further highlight the We can lead you to salvation with the right denomination line. It's such a wonderful piece of poetic writing that's just fun to sing along with, and that's without even considering the super clever triple entendre in there. The surface-level satire is obvious enough, but then you can also look at it from the perspective that the "salvation" being offered could just as easily be meant as an invitation to his brothel, or that it's a commentary on that well-traveled idea that pretty much every denomination of Christianity insists that theirs is the only true path, which is something that as a self-described Christian myself has always bothered me about churches as institutions and always will.

Nice to see If All Goes Well took such a big jump, especially since a big drop preceded it! It's pretty interesting to see that, actually, because there's been a pattern I've gone through many, many times with Dear Hunter songs (and the band as a whole, I guess), including with my first exposure to them with A Night on the Town:

First listen: "Huh, this is pretty good stuff and there's some interesting ideas in there, but it's not really clicking with me on a really deep level."
Second listen: "Oh, I didn't notice that before... Or that... Oh, damn, that's a really solid lyric... Man, what a nice harmony they got there."
Third listen: "Okay, I think I love this song."

And then it just keeps going from there. They're the only band I can think of that doesn't have a single song I've come to like less over time - it's all been upward trajectory. So I'm curious what would've happened if you had, you know, infinite free time and listened to every song five or ten times prior to ranking. Whether you'd have ended up having that same relationship with a lot of their stuff or if I'm just a weirdo.

Anyway, as far as the track itself goes, it's definitely a big-time earworm. TDH pulls out the call-and-response style of song every once and a while and pretty much nails it every time. It's also kind of notable in being the last song in the whole story where Hunter's ego is really out of control, and with that being such a big part of his character (i.e. why bad things tend to happen to him more times than not), it ends up being kind of memorable in that way. The character in If All Goes Well feels like a different man entirely from the one we see even a few songs later in Ouroboros and then the majority of Act V... Which I guess is another reason that it plays even better on re-listens and so forth.

Very much looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Runaway Train!

---

Oh gosh, Nuage in the top 10. It was pretty much my "Oh, I have one more nom, let's just throw this thing in here". I mean it is a favorite of mine for sure, especially within the Eurobeat genre, but I didn't expect too much from it. Goes to show what I know.

===============

#10: THE MONKEES - OUR OWN WORLD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ueUViJ8MZg

Nominator: Mega_Mana (2/18)
Source: Megas Extra Songs (1/5)

Initial Score: 90.00 [#13] {8}
Revised Score: 100 [#6] {6}
Third Score: 100 [#12] {12}
Fourth: 100 [#11] {11}
Fifth: 100 [#16] {16}
Sixth: 100 [#15] {15}
Seventh: 100 [#6] {6}

Rating Score: 74 [#10]

(First Thoughts: I actually own this album and have listened to it....I think twice? *she asked as though you were somehow in charge of keeping track of these matters*

Well I love The Monkees and lines like We dont need reality are practically worth +infinity bonus points. And since I dont actually remember this song (I havent listened to the album in quite a while), it avoids being lumped in with the R Numbers.)

One of the most perfect selections ever. A band Ive loved my entire life singing lyrics that could not possibly appeal to me any more than they already do. It even almost passes as a villainous love song at one point:

And youre a schemer just like me
Got no fear of authority

Its so easy to picture a comedic cartoon villain using this as a love song and its so wondrous.

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): Band I love with lyrics I love, yeah, pretty easy recipe for a high score.]

===============



==============

MEGA MANAS EXTRA SONGS:

Fresh Goes Better: 100 [R#2]
Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood: 51.38 [#434]
Too Swiss: 75.97 [#153]
Page To: 78.70 [#127]
Our Own World: 100 [#10]

Average Score: 81.21

Only five songs and you still managed to get two 100s out of it, I think you should be rather proud of this list.

==============
---

===============

#9: EARTHA KITT - SNUFF OUT THE LIGHT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pYGvplG5Q

Nominator: @GavsEvans133 (2/15)

Initial Score: 63.099 [#190] {22}
Revised Score: 83.447 (upgraded to a 93.24) [#49] {22}
Third Score: 100 [#4] {4}
Fourth: 100 [#5] {5}
Fifth: 100 [#1] {1}
Sixth: 100 [#5] {5}
Seventh: 100 [#13] {13}

Rating Score: 72 [#9]

(First Thoughts: I love singing about eternal darkness and I love songs performed in character, but Im not wild for this particular song.)

I dont know why this song was so low originally. Like, come on! Overly theatrical villain songs and songs about eternal darkness are my jam! This song is so tailor made for me that I cant help but love it.

[Later: Im not sure if I want this song above or below Cabrona, but its very close between them either way (if not an actual tie)... so if Cabrona is going up to the 90s, then this song has to come with it. To a world of darkness!]

[Slightly Later: ...Eh, lets put it above Cabrona. Slightly.]

[Still Later, sometime after the Revised Score portion officially ended with this in 49th place & before the ranking officially started: Ive decided I now refuse to give this less than one hundred points. I SHALL HAVE DARKNESS!

....It... it probably wont actually win, but I definitely wish to entertain the possibility of it winning.]

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): I do kinda want to have this win. Its so very specifically created for me and I do love darkness.]

[Final Thoughts (Round 5): WATCH THE DYING SUNLIGHT FADE!]

[Final Final Thoughts: Still one of the only songs to get a first place finish, but the low placements from the first two rounds held it back.]

===============



Its purely a coincidence that the first two song eliminations in the top 10 come from the people who still had two songs left, setting up a Top 8 where everyone is one the verge of elimination... but I do like how that turned out.
---

@GavsEvans123

...sorry, I typod your username up there in the previous post. I hope I didnt mess that up on earlier rankings, but I may have not paid as close attention as I should have.
---

===============

#8: LIVE - HORSE:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4ZyesJaAYfWvk5Q3mVkIyB

Nominator: Azuarc (1/28)
Source: Throwing Copper (1/15)

Initial Score: 26.39 [#546] {24}
Revised Score: 88.73 [#69] {24}
Third Score: 100 [#1] {1}
Fourth: 100 [#1] {1}
Fifth: 100 [#3] {3}
Sixth: 100 [#8] {8}
Seventh: 100 [#4] {4}

Rating Score: 65 [#8]

(First Thoughts: Not exactly the best drinking song Ive ever heard.)

I bounced hard off of this track the first time I heard it, but Im fairly into it tonight. I dig the lazy country vibe weve got going, the I dont care sentiment, and

I tried to think of something deep to say
But my well is dripping dry today

Is strangely relatable after having nothing to say about the past... however many songs its been at the time of this writing, to say nothing of all the many songs yet to come that I have nothing to say about. And while its a simple lyric, Ill pick you up and itll be all right is very...sweet.

*wags tail*

...You know what, lets jump this song up to the 80 point tier for a bit. We need more tail wagging inducing songs up there anyway.

[Not Final: Most of the lyrics arent my favorite, but I absolutely love the overall vibe the song gives off. Its got a soothing beat, a great singing voice, and I just kinda happily bounce around nodding my head and wagging my tail along it and this is such a happy place song and...

...You know what? Any tail wagging song gets an automatic hundred points. The odds that this wins are fairly low, but its not impossible. I want to take this song to the finals and reevaluate it in context of all the other hundreds.]

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): Im sure everyones going to say that I cant let a song win purely because I now wag my tail along to the beat, but I dont care. No, I dont care.]

[Final Final Thoughts: The only song to get two first place finishes! Incidentally, the reason I went with seven trips through the top 24 was to try and give this song as many chances to get a high placement as possible... but in the end, it still wasnt enough to overcome the deficit of two last place finishes. Well, it was enough to get it into the top ten and its placement seems to be floating around that general areaI did give it an 8th place finish recentlyso I suppose the system worked fine.

Also, this is the last song in the raised over 500 rankings from the Initial Score camp.

Incidentally, if the Initial and Revised scores for all songs were tossed out so that only the five rounds of the top 24 songs going head-to-head counted, this song would have tied for first place.]

===============



=============

THROWING COPPER:

Stage: 43.10 [#541]
White, Discussion: 43.83 [#528]
The Dam at Otter Creek: 51.34 [#435]
Susquehana: 52.30 [#413]
T.B.D.: 52.43 [#410]
I Alone: 58.12 [#372]
Waitress: 60.00 [#329]
All Over You: 67.50 [#248]
Lightning Crashes: 73.45 [#175]
Selling the Drama: 77.63 [#140]
Top: 79.33 [#121]
Shit Towne: 85.50 [#95]
Pillar of Davidson: 89.99999 [#64]
Iris: 98.40 [#36]
Horse: 100 [#8]

Average Score: 68.8619993333

I think this is the album that took me the most tries to get through on the first trip through the nominations . As Ive said, I tend to avoid serious topics, so you can kinda imagine exactly how well an album with references to rape, Hitler in a robe of truth, accidental drowning deaths of real people, childbirth, Jesus, and everything from T.B.D. went on my first attempt. There was a point in which I was taking a break after every song.

Thankfully, first impressions dont really matter much and things started turning around by the revised trip. Once I was properly prepared for what the album was, I was able to start enjoying Eds vocals and there were quite a few fantastic songs. As Ive said: Iris has the best chorus in the topic, Horse is the only song to get first place multiple times, Shit Towne turned out to be something I actively needed (even if it took me a while to admit it)... it was definitely one of the best albums here, I just needed the time to learn to appreciate it.

==============

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

===============

#7: LINKIN PARK - EASIER TO RUN:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5zdmjVeQzE&list=PLlqZM4covn1EbvC_6cuERQ59QaMbPkUyE&index=6

Nominator: Mega_Mana (1/18)
Source: Meteora (1/13)

Initial Score: 98.00 [#2] {2}
Revised Score: 100 [#13] {13}
Third Score: 100 [#8] {8}
Fourth: 100 [#6] {6}
Fifth: 100 [#12] {12}
Sixth: 100 [#11] {11}
Seventh: 100 [#10] {10}

Rating Score: 62 [#7]

(First Thoughts: Ahhh, there it is... I had a feeling there would be at least one song on this album that hit the exact tone I was looking for.)

This song is everything I had hoped to find on the album. You get a bit of self-loathing with lines about taking back the pain and retracing the wrong moves that were made, and we also get some blunt sadness (Wounds so deep they never show!) and general sadness about past trauma

Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have

I was looking for something that could join I Think Im OKAY and Misery from last years topic, and this song fits in perfectly. Very well done and exactly what I was looking for.

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): Very good pick.]

===============



==============

METEORA:

Session: 50.64 [#451]
Foreword: 56.16 [#385]
Hit the Floor: 58.40 [#366]
Nobodys Listening: 62.72 [#284]
Dont Stay: 76.60 [#150]
Faint: 77.30 [#143]
Lying From You: 78.50 [#129]
From the inside: 79.22 [#122]
Somewhere I Belong: 79.44 [#120]
Breaking the Habit: 79.66 [#118]
Figure.09: 89.40 [#71]
Numb: 100 [#14]
Easier to Run: 100 [#7]

Average Score: 76.0030769230

Album is exactly what I wanted and what I expected it to be. I wanted a lot of songs that were sad without being completely miserable and this album (mostly) straddled the line quite nicely.

==============

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

==============

#6: DUX CONTENT - DUX MIX 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VQrAS0__UI

Nominator: @Toxtricity / Mycro (1/15)

Initial Score: 74.99 [#67] {18}
Revised Score: 100 [#5] {5}
Third Score: 100 [#17] {17}
Fourth: 100 [#10] {10}
Fifth: 100 [#4] {4}
Sixth: 100 [#1] {1}
Seventh: 100 [#5] {5}

Rating Score: 60 [#6]

(First Thoughts: I dont know why this suddenly turned into Higher Love, but I love that it did.)

This may have been the song I was most excited to listen to for a second time. I know it had a fairly low score originally, but every day since I started the second wave of listening, I was like: Is it time to listen to Dux Mix yet? Do we get to Dux Mix today? Do we get to Dux Mix today?.

This song is so... bizarre? Offbeat? Its just ten minutes of musical nonsense; you think you know where its going, then suddenly its a distorted instrumental version of Higher Love (or maybe the entire thing is?) and its almost brain-meltingly abnormal. Its music as created by an alien who was only given access to Steve Winwood music, a computer voice generator, and ancient Geocities websites. Its something that doesnt feel like its even from this plane of existence and even at ten minutes long, the song feels almost too short? I want more of this.

[Final Thoughts (Round Three): By far the strangest song on the list and arguably the greatest as a result of that.]

[Final Thoughts (Round Five): Its interesting. With most bizarre songs, I tend to adjust to what theyre doing and lose some interest in them over time. With Dux Mix 1, even here at Round 5, I still havent parsed what this is and its still mesmerizing.]

===============



===============

TOXTRICITY / MYCROS SONGS:

Decisive Battle: 81.00 [R#21]
Plasma: 50.19 [#467]
Gatling Carapaces: 50.36 [#460]
Meltdown: 54.08 [#401]
Dark Force: 57.75 [#383]
The Roots of Coincidence: 61.90 [#300]
Rasdan: 62.40 [#291]
Chromatic Garden: 67.35 [#254]
Mutant Standard: 68.85 [#220]
Light It Up On Me: 69.95 [#206]
Guerreros: 69.9999 [#199]
Tundra: 77.20 [#144]
Fraguglie: 81.50 [#113]
The Duplicate Man: 84.42 [#100]
Dux Mix 1: 100 [#6]

Average Score: 69.1299933333

Your lists are always a highlight, as they always serve as introductions to styles of music I never had any idea existed. Youre also one of the only participants to get a song with a first place finish, so while it didnt pay off with an official victory, its still a pretty big accomplishment.

===============

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

Wooooo Top 5

---

===============

#5: BRING ME THE HORIZON - HAPPY SONG:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58LeVo7j46w&list=PL1djAjAZEwIaB0KaDGDu8uF99OV2Q4FA4&index=2

Nominator: @BlackDra90n (1/21)
Source: Live at Royal Albert Hall (1/14)

Initial Score: 73.10 [#82] {19}
Revised Score: 100 [#4] {4}
Third Score: 100 [#3] {3}
Fourth: 100 [#2] {2}
Fifth: 100 [#6] {6}
Sixth: 100 [#13] {13}
Seventh: 100 [#12] {12}

Rating Score: 59 [#5]

(First Thoughts: It was going well until he stopped to address the crowd. I much prefer being alone with my thoughts and talking to the crowd is... bothersome.

The album version doesnt have the crowd (yay!), but I dislike how harsh the vocals sound in comparison to the original (boo!), so... yeah, I think I definitely prefer this live version, though its still a bit disappointing.)

Id say this song is exactly as dark as you can go without taking things too far. The song opens with theres a voice in my head, says Im better off dead and doesnt particularly let up at any point. But theres no actual death, suicide, or rampant drug use so... its right up to the line, but not over it.

I cant decide if I like the crowds presence or not. Taking a break to interact with the crowd in the middle of the song probably works great for those in the crowd, but is rather dull when youre just watching a recording... but then theres also something funny about a crowd that large turning out to dance & sing along with a song containing the line Were all fucked in the head, alone and depressed.

...also, its almost inspirational to see just how many people will relate to the lyrics, turn up, and be miserably alone together.

You know, lets go ahead and bounce this song up to the 100 point tier. I shouldnt as it has a fairly low chance of getting first place, but I actually do want to entertain that possibility for a little while.

[Final Thoughts (Round 3):

The world has coalesced
Into one giant mess of hate and unrest
So let's sing along a little goddamn louder
To a happy song and pretend it's all okay

Somehow that line hits harder after recent events. Either way, songs exactly what I was looking for in terms of bleak without being soul-crushing, so well done.]

==============



================

BRING ME THE HORIZON - LIVE AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL:

Shadow Moses: 59.65 [#351]
Follow You: 67.40 [#251]
It Never Ends: 68.62 [#225]
Empire (Let Them Sing): 68.68 [#224]
Throne: 79.00 [#124]
Avalanche: 79.55 [#119]
Sleepwalking: 84.00 [#102]
Go to Hell, For Heavens Sake: 87.85 [#82]
Doomed: 95.00 [#50]
Can You Feel My Heart: 96.00 [#46]
True Friends: 96.25 [#45]
Drown: 96.55 [#43]
Oh No: 99.74 [#29]
Happy Song: 100 [#5]

Average Score: 84.16135714285

Honestly, this album hits a lot of the same notes for me as Linkin Parks Meteora did. Its very sad, but not soul-crushingly sad (though Avalanche might have been a bit too depressing) and exactly what I was looking for, which paid off with a lot of very high scoring songs.

Oh, the playlist you nominated did leave off the song Antivist, but there wasnt a good upload of it until well after the topic started, so theres not much you could have done about that. Its not a bad song, but my first impression is that it probably wouldnt have had much of an impact on things... good enough to not get a low score, not so amazing that it would have raised the average score.

Also, this is officially the album with the highest average in the topic! I didnt think any album was going to pull it off, but this managed to defeat History Repeating Blues score of 82.025.

================

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
BlackDra90n: 73.3910714285
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

Also, this is officially the album with the highest average in the topic! I didnt think any album was going to pull it off, but this managed to defeat History Repeating Blues score of 82.025.

Yessss. This is a win in my books.

I thought the BMTH songs would do well in the rankings but I didn't expect them to do this well, especially since one ended up in the top five. My other songs also did surprisingly well, so overall a decent result.

---

well I'm glad you liked the dux content one!!! It was maybe the nom i was most confident you would like, so I'm glad those instincts were right, even more right than i was expecting!

there's a whole label called "pc music" that's kinda founded by one of the members of Dux Content, but most of it doesn't get quite as weird as dux content ever got. easyFun is the one artist on there i'd probably recommend most besides looking into more of dux content.

At some level their mission statement is much like your writeup described, it's often to exaggerate cliches in pop music SO far that it winds up actually being extremely weird instead of sounding like cliche pop music at all anymore, and feels more like it's written by an alien trying to imitate it

though honestly everything that comes out of pc music as a label is extremely hit or miss for me and I feel like it would be that way for you as well, i'll just link a couple favorites for now that I feel are more similar to Dux Mix 1, and you can decide if you want to explore further in anything, just don't expect any of it to sound quite like Dux Mix 1---to me nothing can beat that either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V06V4Od9bUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGlIT5gelcc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDx66obrD7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drICxAYG9sQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzind8htaMI
---

==============

#4: AVANTASIA - RUNAWAY TRAIN:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrtwoQRQVAQ

Nominator: NBIceman (1/22)
Source: NBIcemans Extra Songs (1/7)

Initial Score: 87.13 [#22] {13}
Revised Score: 100 [#9] {9}
Third Score: 100 [#5] {5}
Fourth: 100 [#3] {3}
Fifth: 100 [#10] {10}
Sixth: 100 [#6] {6}
Seventh: 100 [#11] {11}

Rating Score: 57 [#4]

(First Thoughts: Great song.)

Im tempted to listen to an Avantasia album at some point. This song gives me reason to believe itd be worth my time.

Back to this specific song: The Scarecrows descent into madness and arguing with voices in his head gives me most of the dissociation I was looking for and the way the song continually ramps up is somewhat reminiscent of The Mighty Echo from last years topic. So... yeah, of course its getting a good score.

I also need to take a detour and listen to Crestfallen from this songs album right now because a review of the album attempts to insult the song and only succeeds in making me want it. They complain about it sounding like Broadway, like a pop hit single, and that it has too many synthesizers. Like... seriously, were you trying to describe this as the greatest song ever written? Because thats what you just did!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNhx4fWzpIA

Not bad. Not nearly what that reviewer hyped it up to be (its definitely a metal song, unlike Runaway Train which is certainly a lighter type of rock), but Id say I have generally positive feelings towards Crestfallen.

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): This was the song I was most looking forward to for the third time, so thats a fun statistic. Great song.]

==============



===============

NBICEMANS EXTRA SONGS:

Otriad: 67.60 [#245]
Lighthouse: 77.76 [#139]
Gutter Ballet: 79.77 [#117]
La Muerta: 84.60 [#99]
Tempest: 86.20 [#91]
Tightrope: 87.83 [#83]
Runaway Train: 100 [#4]

Average Score: 83.3942857142

A high scoring set of songs and the playlist that went the longest without losing a single nomination, Id like to believe those statistics can speak for themselves.

I think this is the non-album playlist with the highest average score, so thats impressive. While some of the lower scoring songs from Act IV drag your average down a bit, its still enough for you to hit third place on the average scoreboard.

================

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
NBIceman: 76.6188061904
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
BlackDra90n: 73.3910714285
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

Seeing Happy Song live is fun, for the tour I saw them on at least they set up confetti shooters and such to activate during it and it does add to the mood of it

---

A bit disappointed that none of it will compare to Dux Mix 1, but i do look forward to adding them to the list and trying them later.

I meant to say that last update, but forgot to copy it.



===============

#3: PSO2 - SCATTERED LIGHTS - AI:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL_O3YEhv6Y&list=PLeKaE-gusMmaq2FecWApCcMOVGJblcdrD&index=4

Nominator: NFUN (1/37)

Initial Score: 90.00 [#13] {8}
Revised Score: 100 [#15] {15}
Third Score: 100 [#14] {14}
Fourth: 100 [#7] {7}
Fifth: 100 [#5] {5}
Sixth: 100 [#4] {4}
Seventh: 100 [#1] {1}

Rating Score: 54 [#3]

(First Thoughts: I keep saying Ill make a meditative playlist, but I never do; but if I ever did, Im sure this would go on it. This is... staring out the viewport of a spaceship watching the stars drift by music. Definitely one of the better soundscapes to ever be nominated for one of these topics.)

I absolutely adore this tracks atmosphere. Its so relaxing and so space that its soothing on an almost spiritual level and I love it. I dont think its going to take first place, but I have considered it... ambient piano instrumental would certainly be a unique winner and I love it enough that itd be justified... but I think I like the other 100 point songs more. At the moment anyway, who knows how thingsll play out by the time we actually get to the end?

[Final Thoughts (Round 7): Great meditative ambience and I definitely want to let it get a win in.]

===============



==============

PSO2:

Deus Esca ~ Yggdrasil Shining on the Earth: 24.00 [#580]
Esca Falz Mother ~ Superiority: 25.10 [#576]
False Credo ~ Earthguide: 41.90 [#547]
Tears of the Moon ~ Artemis: 42.90 [#543]
Eclipse for Esca: 43.42 [#537]
Metamorphosis to Esca Falz: 43.60 [#533]
Superluminal ~ Danger ~ Esca Falz Mother: 46.25 [#501]
The Perfection ~ Phaleg (Midnight): 47.40 [#494]
Superluminal ~ Chase ~ Esca Falz Mother (Phase2): 47.60 [#493]
Sacredness ~ Adam: 49.99 [#483]
Superluminal ~ Rush ~ Esca Falz Mother: 50.00 [#472]
Sacred Corridor Probe ~ Inner Earth: 50.24 [#465]
Neon Nights ~ The Earth (Battle): 50.27 [#464]
Ice-Covered Love ~ Kohri: 50.58 [#453]
Esca Falz Mother ~ Deathblow: 51.11 [#439]
Sakura ~ Francas Cafe: 51.79 [#423]
Hitsugi: 54.00 [#403]
Neon Days ~ Race Through El Dorado! (1st Stage): 58.15 [#370]
Superluminal ~ Chase ~ Esca Falz Mother (Phase1): 58.40 [#364]
Advent of Deus Esca: 59.13 [#360]
The Place of Death ~ Esca Falz Mother Battle: 59.84 [#343]
Path to the Future: 59.92 [#335]
Yggdrasil ~ Stand By: 59.97 [#330]
The Replica ~ Mother: 60.18 [#327]
The Whole New World ~ Esca Falz Mother: 60.45 [#324]
Cherub Alpha: 61.64 [#304]
Erosion of Nightmare: 62.62 [#286]
Tears of the Moon ~ Selene: 62.90 [#281]
Eden: 65.80 [#270]
Lunar Base ~ Stand By: 66.20 [#266]
Restored Bonds: 68.20 [#234]
Yggdrasil ~ Appear: 71.75 [#190]
Yggdrasil: 71.80 [#189]
Neon Days ~ The Earth Scenery: 78.00 [#135]
Lights End (Epilogue Ver.): 86.80 [#88]
Snowball ~ Francas Cafe: 100 [#23]
Scattered Lights - AI: 100 [#3]

Average Score: 58.1594594594

The album with the most songs in the entire contest. While it didnt have a lot of very high scoring songs, it did manage to get two tracks into the finaleone of which even won a version of the list (a feat only accomplished by six songs). Also, it won the final trip through the list, which is a somewhat special achievement.

All in all, not a bad album. Only two really stand out tracks, but I liked 14 of the songs and I cant complain about anything giving me that many songs I liked.

==============

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
NBIceman: 76.6188061904
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
BlackDra90n: 73.3910714285
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
NFUN: 58.1594594594
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

I completely forgot that song even existed
---

I know I should probably wait a bit and let the suspense build, but I think its time to draw the main ranking to a close:



===============

#2: ITEACHVADER - WIN THE RACE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZEPgLkzhwE

Nominator: @GavsEvans123 (1/15)

Initial Score: 84.16 (later upgraded to 94.50) [#3] {3}
Revised Score: 101 [#2] {2}
Third Score: 100 [#11] {11}
Fourth: 100 [#15] {15}
Fifth: 100 [#11] {11}
Sixth: 100 [#12] {12}
Seventh: 100 [#7] {7}

Rating Score: 50 [#2]

(First Thoughts: NOW ROBOTNIK HAS WINNED THE RACE AND THIS STORY IS HAPPY END.

[Later: This is the first song that I listened to an extra time for fun outside of the required listens. I havent finalized a system for giving bonus points to such songs that receive extra plays, but this probably gets somethingand my initial score was way underselling itthis songs going up to the top of the list!])

This was the first and only song that I absolutely had to listen to a second time before I finished my first trip through the list. It was so stuck in my head and addictive that I literally could not wait to hear it again.

I feel like it should probably win the topic for that reason alone. I love Sonic, I love comedy songs (those that I actually find funny anyway), andwhile Id never watch it again because the humor doesnt appeal to me anymoreI do still have a lot of nostalgia for Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. And theres just something so charming about Robotnik dancing and singing about how happy he finally is and that he does actually let Tails go at the end of the song... oh, this song is so wonderful, I actually am going to have to let it win, arent I?

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): Catchy, funny, and Ive spent an awful lot of time of indicating that this song is exactly the type of thing I love (see: Dancebot needing more Robotnik and Heaven Sent specifically naming E.G.G.M.A.N. as a villain song done right) but I dont quite think its first place material tonight... still fantastic and always a very high scorer though.]

===============



===============

GAVSEVANS123s SONGS:

Simpsons Christmas Boogie: 95.00 [R#10]
Call Me Maybe: 100 [R#8]
The Sorcerers Apprentice: 10.60 [#587]
Portals: 43.94 [#525]
Ultra Instinct Theme: 44.60 [#514]
Pokemon World (Pokemon 2000): 51.20 [#438]
Ghost Love Score (Live): 59.60 [#352]
The Road to El Dorado Remix!: 72.30 [#184]
Where Theres a Whip, Theres a Way: 74.10 [#170]
Youre Not Me: 78.80 [#126]
Venom: 89.30 [#72]
Activate the Dancebot: 96.00 [#46]
Friends Halation: 99.50 [#30]
Snuff Out the Light: 100 [#9]
Win the Race: 100 [#2]

Average Score: 74.3293333333

There are a lot of high-scoring songs here. Three hundred point songs, three ninety point songs, and a very high eighty point song. That is one stacked line-up; the average score is tanked a bit due to Sorcerers Apprentice (that type of orchestral music is actively not my thing, though I do like that someone tried it anyway), but theres definitely a lot of things that I love here and it paid off with two songs in the top 10including the song that came in second out of the entire topic.

===============

Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
NBIceman: 76.6188061904
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
GavsEvans123: 74.3293333333
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
BlackDra90n: 73.3910714285
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
NFUN: 58.1594594594
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

================

#1: NUAGE - IM GONNA CARRY ON:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8DjVkq8tYA

Nominator: Djungelurban (1/15)

Initial Score: 81.77 [#40] {17}
Revised Score: 101 [#1] {1}
Third Score: 100 [#6] {6}
Fourth: 100 [#4] {4}
Fifth: 100 [#2] {2}
Sixth: 100 [#2] {2}
Seventh: 100 [#3] {3}

Rating Score: 35 [#1]

(First Thoughts: To take a song featuring something I often hate (like...this entire genre, basically) and make it one that I really like in spite of everything, brings high ratings. Well played.)

I have no idea how my train of thought derailed to Sonic R and Classic Amy Rose with her completely random car that could drive over the water. In my defense, the song has enough of a quick tempo to it to work for a racing theme and it does have the word sunshine in the lyrics at one point.

And I suddenly love this. This song makes me feel like an eight year old pink hedgehog driving a car. Thats right up there with inspired Gundam related dreams and has a pool table as one of the dumbest reasons to give a song a high score, but having this song win would be the most me decision possible and theres actually a non-zero chance that I actually let this song get first place based entirely on this imagery.

[Slightly Later: Oh, this is definitely winning the second round of the list. Its too soon to say it wins everything forever, but

[[EDITORS NOTE: Per usual, the sentence just stops there with no punctuation or closing bracket.]]

[Final Thoughts (Round 3): I still love this, but I cant quite get into that specific fantasy dream sequence again... too bad. Still, this song was the winner of the second trip through the list, so you can be happy that it was one of only a few songs to have won during a version of this list.]

[Final Final Thoughts: Well, this actually wasnt even close. This song beat second place by 15 ranking points... I suspected it was going to have the best Rating Score, but I certainly wasnt prepared for it to be such a complete domination.

Id like to believe this song serves as an example as to why you shouldnt put too much effort into trying to nominate things that I like. You can do everything perfectly and lose to a song Im supposed to hate because makes it me feel like a two-foot tall child hedgehog with pink fur.]

================



==============

DJUNGELURBANS SONGS:

No Good (Start the Dance): 37.10 [#557]
My Tamako, My Sookee: 50.44 [#457]
Carte Blanche: 51.08 [#440]
Saltwater: 60.54 [#323]
Unforgivable Sinner: 66.40 [#264]
Glitter: 68.53 [#227]
I Show You Secrets: 69.9999 [#199]
Home [Radio Edit]: 73.60 [#172]
Catch Me If You Can: 79.99 [#115]
Dom Andra: 84.84 [#98]
Run: 85.30 [#96]
Unfinished Sympathy: 89.80 [#67]
Return to Innocence: 96.50 [#44]
I Dont Wanna See You With Her: 98.74 [#34]
Im Gonna Carry On: 100 [#1]

Average Score: 74.19066

A good set of nominations. It may not have the highest average score, but it did have the winning song on it. Congratulations!

==============

Final Player Averages

UF8: 81.3146666666
Mega_Mana: 78.6065384615
NBIceman: 76.6188061904
Jesse_Custer: 75.6406666666
rwlh: 74.683326
GavsEvans123: 74.3293333333
Djungelurban: 74.19066
Shonen_Bat: 73.6884285714
BlackDra90n: 73.3910714285
FL81: 72.7471428571
Handsomeboy: 72.3626666666
Snake: 72.2906666666
Murphiroth: 70.2560714285
Toxtricity: 69.1299933333
IhatethisCPU: 68.876
Cakophon: 68.4806666666
azuarc: 68.1417688974
LOLIAmAnAlt: 64.7993333333
DoctorJimmy133: 60.5125
paulg235: 60.3446666666
The_Mighty_KELP: 60.130625
Metalmind: 59.3499999999
NFUN: 58.1594594594
Bane: 58.1471428571
Steiner: 54.2413311687
Haste_2: 53.8109523809
Xeybozn: 53.3525
Hbthebattle: 53.0054545454
Pyresword + sergiocornaga: 50.2062698412
Player_0: 44.991
---

Can't believe you actually went and ranked so many songs. This was a fun topic.

---

Oh dear god! I certainly did not expect this. As you say, this is probably something you should dislike based on your preferences. I mean, it definitely ranks quite highly on the pulsating beat scale. And yet here it is, on to of the charts! I'm not sure if I should take pride in this or something, I'm mostly just happy that I've been able to share something I like with someone who appreciated it... In fact, I think you might actually have ended up liking it more than I do in the end! :D
But the song is undeniably high energy and uplifting, I'm not sure it's possible to feel sad when listening to it. It's like the song just wanna be your friend and cheer you up and somehow it kinda reminds me personally of being a kid, having a sleepover at a friends house and the two of you secretly playing Unirally until 4AM instead of going to sleep. It has that kind of youthful simplicity to it.

And the racing angle is actually a good catch since this genre is generally associated with the Initial D anime where it apparently plays a featured role. And while many of the songs in that show are noticeably more directly related to cars and driving in terms of lyrics and even sound effects at times, that association has made the entire Eurobeat genre intrinsically linked with racing.

BlackDra90n posted...

Can't believe you actually went and ranked so many songs. This was a fun topic.

This. Enjoyed the write-ups too.

Congratulations!

This was definitely a fun time! Wish I had time to listen to everything.

---

I was not expecting many of my songs to do as well as they did! I wasn't really thinking of anything specifically that I thought would rank highly.

Techincally, Win the Race is a posthumous Long John Baldry song.

Thank you all! Some quick thoughts on the project, in no particular order:

1: I think the main gimmick of Chaos-Neutral-Order actually worked out quite well. All three paths were represented in the top 4, so they were reasonably balanced against each other. I dont know Id repeat this same format again for 2021s topic, but its definitely a viable way of including albums & a variety of random songs.

2: The R-Numbers also worked well enough, for me personally. Im sure it felt like a cheat to spring it on people unannounced, but it made things so much easier on me.

A: It gave me a small number of songs to use as practice, so I could play around with formatting and get a feel for how I wanted things to work before starting the main 599 list.

B: Ive always had a bit of a hard time weighing songs that Ive always loved against new songs. I always wind up undervaluing the old favorites because I want to focus on new things... just dividing them into separate groups made sure the old songs would get a fair chance to shine.

C: Thematically, I liked opening the topic with songs that I liked. I think it was nice to start things off on a positive note, before going into the negative parts.

Again, I dont know that Id repeat it again next time, but it certainly worked for me and accomplished everything I wanted it to.

...also I still have no idea where the term R-Number came from. Closest Ive come is that it might have been a Mega Man joke, owing to the fact that the Numbers were mostly Mega Man related? With the Japanese L/R confusion, the character is sometimes referred to as Dr. Right and Rocks designation is sometimes written as DRN 001 (Doctor Right Number 1) which could be further abbreviated to R Number (or R#)?

[Most likely, it has no significance at all, like anything else written at 4 in the morning. But its the only R Number I can think of and seems like the type of meta joke that might have seemed funny in the middle of the night.]

4: i made pretty good time with this topic. Nominations started in early September, so I can do 600 songs in four months. Part of me wants to go wild and try to out-do NFUNs 1000 songs (a 1,111 song topic has a certain ring to it), but that would likely turn into a year long project... probably too much, but well see how stupid I feel around September.

5: The Final Round worked out well for being a surprise. I wish Id brought more songs to it though; Dead Is The New Alive to add some darkness, None Shall Pass to get some more genre variety, BoLla Twins Mashup so Win the Race isnt the only comedy song, Cabrona, and whatever other 99 point songs there were.

Shorten it a bit (six rounds instead of seven) and up the number of included songs to 30, and it probably goes better. Still, fairly happy with how it went.



Either way, the topic was successful and I thank everyone for continuing to humor me with these yearly endeavors. Ill get to work on the list of extra songs, though fair warning, itll probably be a bit of a slow-burn... just going to listen to whatever I want, whenever I want, as opposed to trying to speed through the list as quickly as possible. Going to start with all the Shnabubula songs in the next post (partially out of laziness; dont have to add all the songs to the list if you get them all out of the way in one post. *taps forehead*)
---

Shnabubula - Canine Labyrinth: Pleasant and not bad, but piano remixes usually arent my thing (see: Piano Operas rather low scores)... itd probably score somewhere in the mid-50 point range; I dont dislike it or have any real complaints, its just one of those impressive, but not really for me type songs.



Shnabubula - Sugar, Water, Purple: The opening is a bit too harsh for me, one of those things that sets my fur on edgethen it kinda becomes a completely different song just before the 1:40 mark. Once it slows down, its more pleasant to listen to. It switches again shortly before the four minute mark, and I presently lack the adjectives to adequately describe it.

Its a bit of an odd song... theres definitely some value in trying to figure out why the early parts of the song bother me and/or working out how to describe the last section. Something Id be grateful to hear again, not something Im so immediately drawn to that I would actively seek it out. Not going to guess on a starting score for it



Shnabubula - Terranigma, Home: A vast improvement. Its like Im very, very close to emotionally connecting with the song (especially the outro)... Id probably start the score at... 75.13 points and see where it went from there. One of those songs that could rise to the top of the list if I was in the right emotional state when I heard it. Should probably make a note to come back to it later.

Shnabubula (& Dustin Kaufman) - In the Beginning There Was Jazz & Chrono Moonstone: Ehh... fair warning, Im very rarely into drums. Theres certainly nothing wrong with either of their performances on either song (actually I rather like Sams playing on Moonstone before the drums kick in), but its so not my type of genre or choice of instruments. Probably mid-40s for both with a note thanking you for taking a chance on something like this.

...on a related note, I have so much nostalgia for Chrono Trigger (though who on this board doesnt?) that I should probably listen to some more remixes at some point.



Shnabubula - Norfair UNLEASHED: Huh. Its different and very technically impressive, but its so different that Im finding it difficult to parse exactly I feel about it.

Shnabubula - Super Mario World Loopstation INSANITY!: Im not the biggest fan of SMW music (outside of the Fortress Theme, for some reason?), so most of the early parts of this dont work for me. Thats not a commentary on him, so much as I strongly doubt Id like to hear anyone doing anything with this particular sound to it.

I do like the Fortress Theme part because, surprise, doing a rendition of that thing I like results in a thing I like. Somewhere around the five minute mark (I think), the style of music changes so completely that I dont recognize it and that works better for me than the earlier parts.



Shnabubula - Rhodes Jam: I know we just established that Toxtricity & Sergio know him, but seeing Sergio mentioned in the video description was a bit of a trip. Either way, this is definitely the best of the three keyboard ones, and its not particularly close. I like the simpler, earlier parts of it thoughwhile I highly enjoy the early parts of it, the song kinda loses me after the six minute mark when it intensifies a bit too much, but he dials it down a notch before too long. Probably around 70 points for this?

Shnabubula - Samus Bubblebath: Its fine. I wish I had more to say about it, but I dont have anything here at the moment.

Shnabubula - Dueling Consoles: Love his explanation for the song, like the songs opening (its funny and switching between two styles of chiptunes it unique), really like the last minute of the songits got this distorted future sound to it that I find highly appealing.

Shnabubula - Gif Improv Compilation: Very technically impressive, though by necessity it doesnt really stay with any one thing long enough to fully enjoy it. Highlights: The opening train ride, the cute Zorua (was that the Pokemons name? Im not quite as well-versed on the names after the original 151), the surprise dog, Inspector Gadget was worth a quick chuckle, I kinda like the laid-back style of playing for the WOW! Guy gif [would like entire song in that style], and the overly emotional sequence starting at around 14:55.

Shnabubula - Green Hell Zone: A bit too hellish and intentionally unpleasant.

Shnabubula - Kyogre Buys a Drink (Pokemon Market Song): ...Kay.
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