1997 Pazz & Jop Ballot
Singles
- Hanson, “Mmm-bop”
- Spice Girls, “Wannabe”
- Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life”
- Hanson, “Where’s The Love”
- Spice Girls, “Spice Up Your Life”
- Chemical Brothers, “Block Rockin’ Beats”
- Missy Elliott, “I Can’t Stand the Rain (Supa Dupa Fly Mix)”
- Aqua, “Barbie Girl”
- Erika Badu, “Tyrone”
- OMC, “How Bizarre”
Albums
- (25) Hanson, Middle of Nowhere
- (20) Maxwell, MTV Unplugged
- (15) Colonial Cousins
- (10) Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
- (5) Chemical Brothers, Dig Your Own Hole
- (5) Fatboy Slim, Better Living Through Chemistry
- (5) Nelle Hooper and Various Artists, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture, Volume 2
- (5) Shania Twain, Come on Over
- (5) That Dog, Retreat from the Sun
- (5) Fleetwood Mac, The Dance
The year in jop
On Hanson: I recently learned that the Hanson kids are apparently the products of a really hard-core Christian family, complete with home schooling. Which scares me, because it confirms my fear that maybe a good old-fashioned religious upbringing IS the best way to raise your kids. I mean, Rod and Todd Flanders may be dorks, but what’s so wrong about Ned encouraging his children to look at the world with love, caring, and respect? In this case, these kids turned out not only bright-eyed and optimistic, but with enough of a dark side to spend their first single pondering the vagaries of fame with a level of introspection and compassion Leonard Cohen would kill for. I’m sure the spotlight will fuck ‘em up plenty, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out the other end intact. Except maybe the little drummer guy. He looks like a troublemaker.
On the Puffster: After months of resistance, I was forced to admit a fondness for “Mo Money, Mo Problems,” which made me realize how to make sense of Puffy: he’s the new Hammer. (Except for the “All About the Benjamins” remix video, which is a “We’re Not Gonna Take It” for our times.) So, does the early investment in gangsta bullshit mean he’s kept it “real” enough to never face a backlash? That’s a bummer - that throwing in tired references to your gatt and your dick is enough to make you an artist, and not just a pop star. Maybe Hanson should take some pointers.
On Spiceness: What is there left to say about the Spice Girls? I’ll leave it to others to rave about the wonders of “Wannabe,” the virtues of ass-kicking female role-models, the limitations of British dentistry and skin care. What intrigues me the most at this point in the Spice wave is how clumsy the backlash has been. I mean, at this late date, what do the authenticity weenies think they’re holding out for? Ani Fucking DiFranco?