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Music Monday: Bracket Talk

by Scott Lydon


Happy Music Monday! At this point, we're three weeks in to Music Madness so there's no point in recapping the rules. The important facts to know are these: We've created four brackets ('70s, '80s, '90s and '00s) and picked sixteen one-hit wonders for each one. Each Wednesday and Friday in March, you'll be able to vote via our Facebook page to help determine the winners! We're also giving away real trophies in three categories: Most Right Answers, Least Right Answers, and Prettiest Hand-Made Bracket. And by this point, well, a lot of the brackets look something like this.

That's what Poor Scott's bracket looks like. Today he's going to look at his biggest mistakes and explain what we was thinking. Then you can do the same with YOUR bracket in the comments below. Ready? Let's commiserate together!

70s Bracket: Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love beat Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood

 

I picked Knock On Wood because it's AMAZING. It's high energy, and a disco classic they still play even today! There's nothing wrong with the Elvin Bishop song, but it's so mellow and neutral. Maybe everyone knew it better from the Guardians Of The Galaxy soundtrack? Maybe that's why it won? OR MAYBE THEY WERE JUST ALL JUST WRONG!

More whining from Scott coming right up. Hey, let him have this. He's done a lot of work on these brackets.

80s Bracket: Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy beat Laid Back - White Horse

 

I hate this Bobby McFerrin song. I hated it in the 1980s. I hated the video. I almost hated Bobby McFerrin until I heard him doing something else and accepted that he really wasn't just a smooth jazz-pop version of that guy from Police Academy. I really, really, REALLY wanted Laid Back to win this round. No disrespect to Bobby McFerrin the man. I just think White Horse is a much better song.

90s Bracket Biz Markie - Just A Friend beat Bingoboys feat. Princessa - How To Dance

 

This one was one of my massive successes! And probably everyone else got this one right too. I've got Biz Markie down all the way to the end on this one, a head-to-head between Just A Friend and Come On Eileen to find the true powerhouse pop song. Remember: Nobody beats the Biz.

00s Bracket: Fountains Of Wayne - Stacy's Mom beat Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

 

It was a heartbreak either way for '00s kids. But the iconic hot mom won out over the high school angst. I called this one correctly but some of my younger co-workers were really sad.

00s Bracket: Hoobastank - The Reason beat Daniel Powter - Bad Day.

 

These two songs were EVERYWHERE in the early 00s. You couldn't turn on a pop station in your car without hearing one or the other. But ultimately it was Daniel Powter who had the bad day, and Hoobastank goes on to the next round, smashing more than a few brackets in the process no doubt.

Sad about your bracket? Happy you beat the curve? Feel free to talk about 'em in the comments below. Also let us just remind you: some images come from the corresponding Wikipedia page and are here under fair use. Be back here on Wednesday for the start of the finish, as we reveal THE SOLVENT SIXTEEN and kick Round Three into the highest of gears!