The Bridge: Genre v. Generation, ’80s to ’10s

Summary

Hit Parade: The Bridge – "Genre v. Generation, ’80s to ’10s"

Slate Podcasts | Host: Chris Molanphy | Guest: Ned Raggett | Date: Nov 15, 2019

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Episode Overview

This edition of Hit Parade: The Bridge dives into the complexities behind musical categorization and generational influence, particularly focusing on the late '70s and '80s UK post-punk/goth wave bands (The Cure, New Order, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, et al.) and how their influence rippled through American pop culture—eventually shaping chart history and musical nostalgia. Host Chris Molanphy welcomes music writer Ned Raggett for a passionate, personal, and insightful discussion about the genres, legacies, and evolving perceptions of these influential alternative bands, concluding with a lively trivia segment looking ahead to the next decade.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Journeys: How ’80s Alternative Broke in the US

• Ned Raggett’s fandom: Came to the music “late”—only after these bands began having radio/MTV hits in the US around 1988-89. His initial exposure was through airplay of songs like The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” and Love and Rockets.
  • Quote: “I was too young or just too unaware at the time, and I started backtracking from there.” (03:33)
• Both Ned and Chris retrace their personal journeys as American fans discovering UK post-punk acts piecemeal—a decade after British fans.

2. Cultural Divide: UK vs. US Mainstream Recognition

• In the UK, ’80s bands like The Cure could be casually referenced in TV comedies as early as 1984 (e.g., The Young Ones), signaling their prominence.
• In contrast, such bands were virtually unknown in the U.S. mainstream at the time.
  • Quote: “Whereas you could have mentioned The Cure on a television program in 1984 in America, and it would have just prompted shrugs.” (05:32)

3. Genre Labeling: "Goth", Post-Punk, or Something Else? (06:05–08:30)

• The hosts wrestle with what to call this loosely associated group of bands—each distinct in sound and geography (e.g., synth pioneers Depeche Mode vs. anti-synth The Smiths).
• Ned: The term “goth” is limiting; the grouping often reflects generational markers more than strict musical similarity.
• Chris draws a parallel to the “British Invasion” of the ‘60s: bands from all over England categorized together due to timing rather than close musical relation.

4. Who Got Credit—and Who Got Omitted? (07:51–11:20)

• Chris reflects on episode coverage choices: Did he overemphasize some acts (like Morrissey/The Smiths) and underplay others (like Siouxsie and the Banshees)?
• Ned highlights Morrissey's longstanding controversies and notes many fans have “canceled” him for decades, though his musical legacy is unavoidable.
  • Quote: “You could say he’s always been canceled by some, but it’s sort of reached a tipping point.” (08:57)
• Discussion turns to Siouxsie Sioux’s resistance to the goth label and the irony of bands disowning the genres critics and fans assign to them.
  • Memorable Moment: Ned recounts interviewing Siouxsie and concluding: “I wanted to make sure I did this entire interview without once mentioning the word goth.” (09:54) Siouxsie’s grateful response: a deep, relieved “Thank you.”

5. Legacy: Influence on New Generations and Institutions (11:44–14:53)

• The Cure and Depeche Mode are "great survivors," regularly recognized by new fans and cultural gatekeepers (e.g., Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations).
• Ned speculates Depeche Mode will soon be inducted.
• These bands’ aesthetics and themes resonate with newer acts—like My Chemical Romance, who explicitly acknowledge their debt to the '80s goth/alt wave.
  • Quote: “All you have to do is look at mid-2000s MCR … it’s like, yeah, Robert Smith, come on.” (13:23)
• Generational shift: What sounded “fake” to rock purists—synthesizers, dark lyrics—is now legit pop history.
  • Sharp Ned quote: “There are less people now who basically look at someone like Depeche and go, like, synthesizers. That’s not real music. … Bless your heart.” (14:20)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s more a generational marking point … But there was never an easy catch-all term for them all.” — Ned Raggett (07:27)
• “It’s almost the audience that applies a term like goth … The minute somebody comes up with a catch-all term, the artists are trying to scurry away from it almost immediately.” — Chris Molanphy (10:40)
• “Suzy essentially is a fantastic art pop / art rock performer.” — Ned Raggett (11:20)
• “I think for a lot of people, the preferred member of the band at this point is easily Johnny Marr … a great way to enjoy the old Smiths songs and not have to think about the guy who originally sang them.” — Ned Raggett (09:39)
• “Younger generations … find their own locus points. My Chemical Romance … you had a whole generation of people just losing their minds over that one.” — Ned Raggett (12:48)
• “I think there are less people now who look at someone like Depeche and go, like, synthesizers. That’s not real music.” — Ned Raggett (14:20)

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TRIVIA SEGMENT

(14:53–24:12)

Contestant: Amanda (from D.C.)

Key Moments:

• Amanda describes how Hit Parade kept her “alert and awake” during her commute on a congressional campaign (15:19).

• Amanda aces three trivia questions:

  1. Q: First Cure song to reach US Top 40?
     A: "Just Like Heaven" (17:52)
  2. Q: 2010s artist with the most Billboard #1s (including features)?
     A: Rihanna, with 9 (19:04)
     • Ned insightfully connects Rihanna's "goth" aesthetics to the episode theme.
       • Quote: “Rihanna … is very much a good goth artist of the 2010s in many ways.” (19:30)
  3. Q: “Old Town Road” broke the top spot record, but which 2010s song previously tied the record?
     A: "Despacito" (21:01)

• Amanda then successfully stumps Chris Molanphy:

  • Q: Which Drake song spent the most weeks at #1?
    A: “God’s Plan” (11 weeks)—Chris guesses “One Dance” (22:12)

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Looking Ahead / Outro Themes

• Next episode preview: Chris teases a coming bird’s-eye episode on the 2010s decade in pop (23:31).
• Ned Raggett’s plugs:
  • Twitter: @NedRaggett
  • Patreon: patreon.com/nedraggett
  • Podcast: "By the Bywater"—a Tolkien-themed podcast on Megaphonic FM (24:12)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:12–01:49 – Introduction, Ned’s background
• 02:22–03:42 – Ned's personal discovery of post-punk/goth/alt bands in America
• 04:18–05:32 – UK v. US differences in mainstreaming
• 05:32–07:51 – Genre labeling and grouping difficulties
• 08:46–11:20 – What to include/omit; controversies and resistance to being labeled
• 11:44–14:53 – Band legacies, Hall of Fame speculation, new generations influenced
• 14:53–24:12 – Trivia segment with Amanda (three questions and a stump-the-host reversal)
• 24:12–25:18 – Ned’s plugs, wrap up

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Episode Takeaway

Through animated stories, music-critic expertise, and chart trivia, Chris Molanphy and Ned Raggett illustrate why the grouping of ‘80s UK post-punk/goth acts remains as much about generational experience as musical style. Labels are slippery, artists push back, but legacies endure—shaping everything from Hall of Fame ballots to teenage My Chemical Romance fans. The conversation and included trivia bridge not just genres and generations, but also the enduring fuzziness and fascination of pop history.

Transcript

[Amanda]

You're listening ad free on Amazon Music.

[Chris Mullant]

Hey everybody, this is Chris Mullanthe host of Hit Parade, Slate's podcast of pop chart history. Welcome to the Bridge. That's Lament by the Cure, a deep cut on the UK goth rock band's 1983 album Japanese Whispers. An EP culled from that LP was the Cure's first album to chart in America. This song is just one of the many dark, foreboding tracks the Cure were recording in this period. In the song, Cure singer and songwriter Robert Smith sings mournfully about a tragedy he witnessed underneath a bridge. And these mini episodes bridge our full length monthly episodes give us a chance to catch up with listeners and enjoy some Hit Parade trivia this month. I'm thrilled and honored to welcome a guest who's not only a longtime friend, but an estimable writer and critic. I first encountered Ned Raggett when he was a freelancer on AllMusic, where he has written literally hundreds of reviews, including much of the UK post punk. I cover in the latest full length Hit Parade episode. Ned writes for numerous places, including the Quietus, Bandcamp and KQED Arts. Ned, welcome to the Bridge.

[Ned Raggett]

All right. Hey, great to be here. Thanks very much for having me.

[Chris Mullant]

Thank you. We had a funny conversation. I can't remember if it was September or October when you were saying, hey, is anybody going to do something about the fact that 30 years ago, right about now, all of these UK post punk and goth rock acts were scoring hits on the charts? Maybe somebody should do something about that. And I pinged you privately and I said, shh, psst. Don't tell anybody. I'm totally doing something with that. So where do I begin? Where did your fandom for this music come from?

[Ned Raggett]

Well, that's an interesting question because even though I have, I claim no great authority, but even though I still have people to this day, for instance, have told me that, oh wow, your all music review of the Joy Division Elms got me into the band and I'm like oh thank you. Is that. I was hardly an early fan of of them or New Order or any of the other bands really discussed. And it really wasn't until 8889 that it fully sunk in with me. And I had only encountered them beforehand because they started scoring pop hits. The Cure is just like Evan Good example.

[Background Singer]

Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick the one that makes me scream she first time I.

[Ned Raggett]

Ever heard them on the radio was that song when it got some airplay Love and Rockets no new tail to tell.

[Background Singer]

No new Tell to Tell. No new Tell to tell.

[Ned Raggett]

MTV airplay, top 40 airplay. And it was backtracking from there in 89, especially the first part of 89. And this was after I'd gone to college at UCLA, that I really started to get a sense of, oh, okay, there's some history here. And here are some bands that I missed. I was too young or just too unaware at the time, and I started backtracking from there.

[Chris Mullant]

Yeah. You know, one of the reasons I was so excited to have you on this episode, besides the fact that I knew that you have fandom and now quite deep knowledge about these bands, is that your journey was very similar to mine. And in the episode, as you heard, the full length episode that I just put out, I really tried to take listeners, including British listeners, who have tweeted at me and commented on the show about the journey that American listeners went on with these bands, because, yes, they had to break on the British charts, you know, back in the late 70s slash early 80s, but it really took the entirety of a decade for these bands to become hitmakers in America.

[Ned Raggett]

Oh, yeah. I mean, here's a good example in terms of, let's say, pop culture at work and where some of these bands already had cachet in the show, the Young Ones, the famed early 80s British comedy.

[Chris Mullant]

Yes.

[Ned Raggett]

Yeah, I hear that laugh. We all have memories if we were of that age.

[Chris Mullant]

I'm picturing Vivian and Neil and Mike right now.

[Ned Raggett]

Yeah, the. The show, which ended up rebroadcast over here on, of course, MTV later in the 80s. There's a joke at one point that one of the characters makes in one of the episodes when they're under the weather and says, oh, I hope so. And so comes back with the Cure. And the response from the other character is, oh, no, the Cure is going to be next week. It's, you know, it's Men. I think it was madness that week.

[Chris Mullant]

I hope Micah is back with the Cure now. Neil.

[Ned Raggett]

Neil. It's madness this way. So the idea that in a admittedly, you know, more culty but still BBC comedy show, you could just throw out a casual reference to the Cure and this episode was from 84. And have it be generally understood, at least by the younger audience that was watching that. Right. There is kind of a sign about the cachet that certain bands already had in play.

[Chris Mullant]

Right. Whereas you could have mentioned the Cure on a television program in 1984 in America, and it would have just prompted shrugs. I mean, it wouldn't have happened, bottom line. So, of course, One thing I struggled with that you heard openly in the first, like, 10 minutes of the episode was what to call this music. Because there's a little bit of a, you know, Supreme Court on pornography. I know it when I see it, that. You know. And no pun on the word pornography right now. Because that, of course, is a Cure album. But, you know, I know that these bands all go together. Admittedly, some of our British friends who were commenting the episode mostly, saying very nice things, said, you know, I consider New Order to be way more dancy than the Cure. I'm not sure I consider the Smiths to be of a piece with Depeche Mode. Because you're literally talking about one band, Depeche Mode, that plays virtually all synthesizers. And one band that literally eschewed synthesizers, avoided synthesizers. So yet, I think, especially to American ears, these bands all go together. What would you call them? And did you feel at the time that they were all of a piece with each other?

[Ned Raggett]

I don't know. If I knew of the terms at the time and in terms what I would call them now, you can't call them goth. It's just too. It's limiting. It's too broad a term, I suppose. I mean, I don't know. Or maybe too limiting a term, ironically. It's one of those things that it's sort of. Because there's an emphasis on melancholia or, you know, you sort of. People look at it through those lens. But again, musically, there's very little connection. There's very little connection in terms of where they're from in the country. Manchester is not the suburbs of London, which is where. Which is where the Cure comes from. And. And similarly Northampton, which is where Bauhaus comes completely different in turn. So you've got this reductive effect. And it's not that far removed, really, from. You could say the original British invasion or the second British invasion of the early 80s, where all these bands from all these different areas get lumped together.

[Chris Mullant]

Right.

[Ned Raggett]

They just happen to be successful at the same time.

[Chris Mullant]

Right.

[Ned Raggett]

But there was never an easy catch all term for them all. And it's hard to say, it's more a generational marking point that people will come up with the terms as they do. I know you and I have exchanged terms like the Holy Trinity or the Holy Quartet because of the certain key bands that seem to be above all else. But it's really hard to get a beat on in many different ways.

[Chris Mullant]

Yeah, I like your analogy of the first British invasion in the 60s. Literally, if you boil it down to the two main bands, the Beatles and the Stones. Beatles are a provincial band from Liverpool. The Stones are basically centered around London. They don't have much in common except the moment when they came up. So, yeah, that's a really great point where it's generational more than it is, you know, strictly musical, even though there's clear sonic hallmarks across these bands. So that's a terrific analogy. So the killer of this episode for me was knowing what to include and what to leave out. And so I guess, what were the roads not taken in this episode? Could I have included more Susie and the Banshees? I frankly felt like I could have given them a little more play. Did we have too much Morrissey? We should probably talk about where Morrissey has been in the last 25 to 30 years. Some people are canceling Morrissey. So what did you feel were the holes or the gaps in this story?

[Ned Raggett]

Well, I mean, you know, part of it certainly can be retrospective, but to give some people their credit, you and I have personal friends who pretty much when Morrissey started making statements, particularly in the late 80s, musically and otherwise, was like, that's it, I'm out. So, you know, there are people who are already pulling the ripcord. And famously, the first time I ever heard of the band Corner Shop, great band, was when they appeared in the Music Press in 1992, burning a Morrissey poster in front of EMI's headquarters. I think was. Or something like that because of a couple of his then recent solo songs that they took understandable exception to. So, you know, you could say he's always been canceled by some, but it's sort of reached a tipping point. You kind of have to include the band because of the. The marker they laid down. I mean, I think for a lot of people, the preferred member of the band at this point is easily Johnny Marr. He has sort of come into his own in recent years. He has been touring and performing Smith songs along with his own solo tracks. And it turns out he has a wonderful singing V. So, as a lot of people said, it's a great way to enjoy the old Smith songs and not have to think about the guy originally sang them. So I thought that's one way to look at it. So. But you can't leave. You can't leave him out. So. And the impact was so huge, you almost have to kind of acknowledge it. As for Susie, yes and no. Because the great thing about Susie is that. And this is something I told her after I interviewed her once when her solo album came out, we wrapped up the interview and I said, thanks for the interview, really great. And by the way, I just want to let you know, I wanted to make sure I did this entire interview without once mentioning the word goth. And her response was this deep. Thank you. She's kind of sick of the association, I think, all this time.

[Chris Mullant]

That's amazing. You make a very good point that in a way, it's almost the audience that applies a term like goth and either in the moment or even retroactively. And the stories are legion about bands that don't want to be tagged with the exact thing they're tagged with. Whether it's grunge or emo in the 2000s, the minute somebody comes up with a catch all term, the artists are trying to scurry away from it almost immediately. I'm not at all surprised that Susi does not want to be overly associated with goth per se. Even though, like bands like the Cure, like Bauhaus at the time, she embodied that aesthetic. To whatever extent, it's the people who.

[Ned Raggett]

Draw on them and created the subculture after it that sort of creates the subculture. They were just sort of like, you know, Suzy essentially is a fantastic art pop slash art rock performer. That's what she is. And then things get applied to the past, right?

[Chris Mullant]

Here we are in the late 2000 and tens, the very end of the 2000s. The cure are still touring off and on. Morrissey is still out there being his obnoxious self. What's the legacy of these bands? And as long as I've got you speculating a little bit, do you think this is the year Depeche Mode gets into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame? Since they're on the ballot again, I.

[Ned Raggett]

Would love it to. I certainly voted for them. I think it's inevitable. I think that we're within at least just no more than another couple of years, that there's finally a tipping point. I think it's just generational. I think enough people are going in there going, look, come on. And they've just been too big a band. And in terms of, yeah, where it goes from there. I mean, both at the Passion, the Cure, who have long had a very much strong mutual appreciation society going pretty much almost from the get go. I think it's telling that those two are, you could say, the great survivors, the ones who could play the big venues, have the special events and tours, things like that, very notably. And even though New Order is sort of, you know, permanently fractured now, that Peter Hulk looks like he's never, ever going to come back. You know, they maintain their own audience as well. It's one of those things that as time has gone on, younger generations, I think, very understandably, find their own locus points. A really good example can be the fact that, speaking of reunions, the My Chemical Romance reunion was announced and you had a whole generation of people younger than us just losing their minds over that one. They were thrilled.

[Background Singer]

What's the worst that I can say since I. Couldn't?

[Ned Raggett]

And it's you. All you have to do is like, look, especially at, you know, mid 2000s MCR when Jarway still had the hair fully, fully teased up. It's like, yeah, Robert Smith, come on.

[Chris Mullant]

And he'll cop to it. I mean, he owns up to his influences. So, yeah, no, as I said at the end of the episode, I really think you can see the legacy both visually and melodically, musically in a lot of these bands. And like you, I'm certainly hoping that this is Depeche Mode's year. I'll be voting for them. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe I shouldn't have been that the Cure got in on this. I believe it was their second time on the ballot this year and just so delighted that they got in. So, you know, maybe our generation is reaching a point where, you know, we have the. The legacy and the influence that a band like Depeche Mode could get into the Rock and Roll hall.

[Ned Raggett]

Yeah, yeah. The numbers are there, the impulse is there. And I think they're just simply. How can I put this? I think there are less people now who basically look at someone like Depeche and go, like synthesizers. That's not real music. And you know, if you're out there and you're listening to that and you still think that way. Bless your heart. That's all. I'm Jesus.

[Chris Mullant]

Now it's time in Hit Parade, the bridge, where we do some trivia. And joining us on the line from the D.C. area is Amanda. Amanda, are you there?

[Amanda]

I am. Hi, Chris.

[Chris Mullant]

You've also got my guest this month, a gentleman named Ned Raggett on the line. Ned, can you hear us as well?

[Ned Raggett]

Yes, I can. How do you do, Amanda? How are you?

[Amanda]

I'm great. I'm really happy to talk to you today.

[Chris Mullant]

Now, I understand that you discovered Hit Parade in a very specific way when you were at work.

[Amanda]

I was. I work in politics and last year I was working on a congressional campaign in New Jersey and had about an hour long commute in both directions each day. And I discovered Hit Parade basically right at the beginning of that endeavor and sort of binged all of the episodes every morning and every evening. And it kept me alert and awake on that hour long commute after very long days on a on a campaign.

[Chris Mullant]

Well, I'm touched to hear that it kept you awake. I've definitely gotten the odd comment from people who said, oh, it's so lulling and soothing. It helps me go to sleep. So the fact that it was keeping you awake I take as a compliment. Thank you.

[Amanda]

It was nice to indulge in some music history rather than all of the politics that I was engaging in all day long.

[Chris Mullant]

Oh, I can imagine. Let me also ask, and I think I know the answer to this question, but are you a Slate plus member?

[Amanda]

I am a Slate plus member.

[Chris Mullant]

About how long have you been a Slate plus member?

[Amanda]

I think it's about two years now.

[Chris Mullant]

Fantastic. Well, of course, this is the moment when I remind folks that while this bridge episode is available to all Hit Parade subscribers, we only open our trivia rounds to Slate plus members. So if you are a member and would like to be a trivia contestant, visit slate.com hitparadesignup that's slate.com hitparadesignUp so, Amanda, I'm pretty sure you know how this works. But briefly, I'm going to ask you three trivia questions. The first will be a callback to the most recent episode of Hit Parade, and the next two will be a preview of the next full length episode of Hit Parade. And then at the end, you're going to get a chance to turn the tables and ask me a trivia question. Are you ready for some trivia?

[Amanda]

I am. I'm a little nervous my Mancunian father will disown me if I get this first one wrong.

[Chris Mullant]

Holy cow. Okay, well, here we go. Let's see how this turns out. Question one. Last month, I discussed the slow emergence of UK post punk bands as US Hitmakers. The Cure, in particular took about a decade to score their first top 40 hit on Billboard's Hot 100. What Cure song barely qualified by peaking at number 40? A, let's go to Bed, B In Between Days, C Just Like Heaven or D Love Song.

[Amanda]

I believe it is C, just like Heaven.

[Chris Mullant]

And that is correct. The correct answer is C, Just Like Heaven. The second single from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me scraped the top 40 the first week of January 1988. For the record, let's Go to Bed bubbled under the Hot 100 at number 109. In 1983 in between days spent a single week on the chart at number 99 in early 86. And of course, LoveSong was a number two smash in 1989. Fantastic. One for one. And now we're going to do our preview questions on are you ready for.

[Amanda]

The next Yes, I am.

[Chris Mullant]

All right, here we go. Question 2. We are less than two months away from the end of the 2010s. From January of 2010 through October of 2019, which of these recording artists, including their featured performances, has scored the most number one hits on Billboard's Hot 100? A, Bruno Mars B Rihanna C Katy Perry or D Drake?

[Amanda]

I'm gonna go with Rihanna.

[Chris Mullant]

And that is also correct. The correct answer is Rihanna. She has had nine number one hits this decade, including her featured performances on on two Eminem singles. For the record, Katy Perry has generated eight number ones this decade. Bruno Mars has seven and Drake six.

[Ned Raggett]

I'll throw in quickly at this point. My my firm belief that Rihanna, tying in the theme the earlier episode discussion is very much a good goth artist of the 2010s in many ways. You can't call exactly call her music goth, but in terms of inspiration, aesthetic, how she presents herself, there's a definite through line that emphasizes the darker side. And that I think has been to her benefit both musically and both. And with her makeup and fashion lines too.

[Chris Mullant]

That is a great point, Ned. Thank you for tying together the 2010s and the Goths. I hugely appreciate that. All right, so two for two. Let's try and make a three for three. Here we go.

[Amanda]

Let's do it.

[Chris Mullant]

Question three. Famously, Old Town Road by Lil Nas X spent 19 weeks at number one this year, beating a 23 year old record for most weeks at number one. But what other song this decade almost beat that record and is tied for the second most weeks on top? A Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk B the Chainsmokers featuring Halls Closer, C Ed Sheeran, shape of you or D Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, Despacito.

[Amanda]

Just purely based on the fact that I think it played for truly forever. I'm going to go with Despacito.

[Chris Mullant]

And you have run the table. That is absolutely correct. Despacito.

[Background Singer]

Despacito.

[Chris Mullant]

When it spent its 16th week at number one, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's bilingual hit with Justin Bieber tied the record set in 1996 by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's One Sweet Day. That record was broken this year by Lil Nas X For the record, uptown funk spent 14 weeks on top and closer and shape of youf, 12 apiece. That was spectacular. My gosh, three for three. Well done, Amanda. You must be very proud.

[Amanda]

I am. I think the fact that I was in college for a good chunk of that period of time of those songs playing is probably helpful. You know, played on repeat at college parties.

[Chris Mullant]

Yeah, well, so that doesn't hurt. A little firsthand experience, as Ned and I will say about the 1980s, certainly goes a long way in a trivia question. I understand that you have a trivia question for me, Is that right?

[Amanda]

I do, Chris.

[Chris Mullant]

Okay, lay it on.

[Amanda]

Are you ready?

[Chris Mullant]

Ready as I'll ever be.

[Amanda]

All right. Drake was the artist who spent more weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other artist in the 2010s. Which of his songs held that spot for the longest? A, God's Plan, B, In My Feelings, C, One Dance, or D, Nice for what?

[Chris Mullant]

All right, I can eliminate nice for what straight away because I'm pretty sure that it cycled in and out pretty quickly. If my memory is correct, I think improbably it was none of the 2018 number one hits, and it was actually the 2016 number one hit, which was One Dance. So I'm gonna go with that.

[Amanda]

That is incorrect. The answer is A got plan at 11 weeks at number one.

[Ned Raggett]

I don't wanna die for them to miss me Yes, I see the things that they wishin on me in my.

[Amanda]

Feelings and one dance are tied for second at 10 weeks.

[Chris Mullant]

My goodness, how the mighty have fallen. Well, you. You ran the table on my trivia questions. I blew a trivia question. I absolutely should have gotten, and you have stumped the band. So nice job, Amanda. Well done.

[Amanda]

Thank you very much. I feel very accomplished now.

[Chris Mullant]

As well you should. I would like to thank you very much for joining us on Hit Parade. The Bridge.

[Amanda]

Thank you so much, Chris.

[Chris Mullant]

So, as our last two questions of the trivia round indicated, the next episode of Hit Parade will be about the decade of the tens, the decade that is about to end. As I record this episode in early November 2019. It should be an interesting bird's eye view of a decade that we probably didn't think too much about until it was almost over. And now we may have enough perspective to figure out what the 2000 and tens was about musically and where it fits in with the last 50 to 60 years of pop rock and R and B and hip hop history. My thanks to Ned Raggett for joining me for this episode of the Bridge. Ned, tell us where folks can find you online, and it's not just at the usual social media sites. You're kind of all over, aren't you?

[Ned Raggett]

Oh, I just do a few things here and there. Well, just to say where to find me, probably the easiest thing is Twitter. It can be found at my name nedraggett. That's spelled R A. I also do have a Patreon that I've recently started. This is to continue some various writing projects, revive some other ones and things like that on a variety of subjects. A lot of them have been, oddly enough, sort of got the UK related lately, but not solely that, trust me. Anyway, that can be [e-mail] Nedraga Again, my name. But the final thing just to throw out there, if you'd like to know what else I get up to, is my own podcast, which is not a musical podcast. My friends Orianna Schwindt and Jared Pekachek, we have a podcast on the Megaphonic FM network called by the Bywater and it's all about JRR Tolkien, everything to do with Middle Earth and beyond. We record monthly. We just recorded our latest episode yesterday and it should be out around the time this episode's out, so if you have an interest in that, please do give a listen. Really appreciate it.

[Chris Mullant]

Fantastic. Thanks so much, Ned. This episode of Hit Parade, the Bridge was produced by Asha Saluja and I'm Chris Melanfi. Keep on Marching on the one.