2004 singles

(annotated list here)

1. Cappo presents "Resilience" (Main Rock)
2. Forest Giants "Postcards" (Invisible Hands)
3. Hoodz Underground ft. Big Critz and Ricochet Klashnekoff "How Do You Feel ?" (Trackshicker)
4. Wiley "Wot Do U Call It ?" (XL)
5. The Wedding Present "Interstate 5" (Scopitones)
6. Psychic Phenomena "Psychic Phenom" (Ancient)
7. Airport Girl "Salinger Wrote" (Where It's At Is Where You Are)
8. Tempa "Ya Get Me ?" (Sureshot)
9. Morrissey "Irish Blood, English Heart" (Attack)
10. Skinnyman "I'll Be Surprised" (Lowlife)

11. Styly Cee ft. Scor-zay-zee "Want What's Yours" (Son)
12. Pipas "Bitter Club" (Matinee Recordings)
13. Lethal Bizzle "Pow!" (Relentless)
14. Lady Sovereign "Ch-Ching (Cheque 1-2)" (Casual London)
15. Kano "P's and Q's" (679)
16. C-Mone "Default" (Dark Whisper)
17. Hood "The Lost You" (Domino)
18. Tender Trap "Cómo Te Llamas ? (Tell Me Your Name)" (Elefant)
19. Universal Soldiers "Life's Like A Movie" (Tongue Tied)
20. Cappo and Konny Kon "Capkon Entertainment" (Skullsnap)

21. Frontline "Poizun Penz" (Illegal Aid)
22. Roll Deep Crew "Poltergeist Relay" (white label)
23. Gang Starr featuring 2 Pac and B.I.G. "Ownerz" remix (White Label)
24. Dizzee Rascal "Stand Up Tall" (XL)
25. Taz "Can't Contain Me" (Mercury)
26. C-Mone "Stan Bac" (Son)
27. Shitmat "Full English Breakfest vol 4" (Planet Mu)
28. The Fall "Theme From Sparta FC #2" (Action)
29. Estelle "1980" (Virgin)
30. Blade "A&Rsehole" (691 Influential)

31. Ant & Nick Grater "Emergency Red" (Maximum Minimum)
32. Morrissey "The First Of The Gang To Die" (Attack)
33. Skinnyman "No Big Ting" (Lowlife)
34. P Brothers ft. Imam T.H.U.G. "Across The Planet" (Heavy Bronx)
35. Cappo / Zero Theory "The Get Out EP" (Breakin' Bread)
36. Dirty Diggers "Diggers Don't Get Days Off" (Zebra Traffic)
37. Eyezofman and A Bomb "Lost Kingdomz EP" (NGU)
38. Ice Cube featuring Mack 10 and Ms. Toi "You Can Do It" (All Around The World)
39. Trembling Blue Stars "Southern Skies Appear Brighter" EP (Elefant)
40. Nancy Sinatra "Let Me Kiss You" (Attack)

41. Zygote featuring Sundragon / Hug "Grizzly" / "Rachael Corrie" (Boot)
42. Blade vs. Million Dead "Pop Idol" (691 Influential)
43. Salvo "Uncontained Rage" (Last Minute)
44. Future Pilot AKA "Love Music Hate Racism EP / Mein Nehi Jana Versions" (Geographic)
45. Chris Liberator & Ant "The Big Shot" / "Demon" (Yolk)
46. Rodney P "Trouble"(Riddim Killa)
47. Arms Length "Metropolitics" (Kemet)
48. Death Before Dishonour "Bout Time" (Ninth Letta)
49. Wiley "Pies" (XL)
50. Defisis featuring Blade "It's Like That"(SFDB)

Although this was not, of course, quite the way it worked, we now think of launching the blog as a kind of tribute to John Peel, who of course passed away in 2004. For every band in our lists he used to play (and these ranged from Cappo to Hood to P Brothers to Chris Liberator to Wiley to the Wedding Present) there were plenty more we think he would have, if only he could have. The maddest thing of all is that we first discovered eski or UKHH et al through our own steam, having very wrongly struggled to listen to his show that much during the new century, but we made those discoveries through enquiries I'm sure we'd never have made had he not given us that spirit of adventure.

Anyway. A top 20, in particular, that looks ever-more amazing as time passes, with Forest Giants desperately unlucky to have come up with "Postcards" in the year that Cappo produced such an astounding EP, with vocals from himself, Lee Ramsay and Mr 45, in order to top the rankings. In the full 50, there were 2 entries each for Blade (who also guested on the Defisis track), Wiley, Morrissey and Skinnyman; and 3 for Cappo, who also featured on the B-side of the P Brothers / Imam T.H.U.G. track. A very UK-centred list, mind, with only Pipas, Imam T.H.U.G., Ice Cube, Nick Grater and the not-to-be-messed with combination of DJ Premier, Guru and the deceased Biggie showing for anywhere else. And the lack of female vocalists rather strikes us now: just Amelia Fletcher, Lupe from Pipas, C-Mone, Tempa, Estelle, Lady Sovereign and Nancy Sinatra.