Writes about music and sometimes other stuff at markjwray.com He/him
Jazz is an entire genre that I hated (or at least proclaimed that I hated) as a teenager and now love a great deal (although even now have barely begun exploring it)
Dave MooreHot takes are annoying, tell me a strong opinion you had about music at some point in your life that changed
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 50 Fischerspooner Emerge USA 2001 Rank - 1 (12pt bonus) If anyone wants to say Amerie or Missy or Britney are better, I won’t argue too much, but Emerge is the 2000s for me, and no song bought me more joy. youtu.be/M4uSTdJo4zk?...
Fischerspooner - EmergeYouTube video by FischerspoonerVEVOyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 49 Missy Elliott Get Ur Freak On USA 2001 Rank - 2 (11 pt bonus) Was light years ahead of the competition when I first heard it on the radio 25 years ago, and still is today. Whilst I picked one song ahead of it on this list, it would be a worthy winner of the whole thing.
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 49 Missy Elliott Get Ur Freak On USA 2001 Rank - 2 (11 pt bonus) Was light years ahead of the competition when I first heard it on the radio 25 years ago, and still is today. Whilst I picked one song ahead of it on this list, it would be a worthy winner of the whole thing.
Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On [Official Music Video]YouTube video by Missy Elliottyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 48 Peaches Fuck The Pain Away Canada 2000 Rank - 3 (11 point bonus) Started this process unsure if this would make my 50 at all (as one of my 3 non-singles), but listening back to it was reminded just how raw and brilliant it is. youtu.be/3cV6pnvCVM4?...
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 48 Peaches Fuck The Pain Away Canada 2000 Rank - 3 (11 point bonus) Started this process unsure if this would make my 50 at all (as one of my 3 non-singles), but listening back to it was reminded just how raw and brilliant it is. youtu.be/3cV6pnvCVM4?...
Peaches - F*** The Pain AwayYouTube video by XL Recordingsyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 47 LFO Freak UK 2003 Rank - 4 (11 point bonus) This is going to make you freak it says, and you know what? He’s not wrong. After years of silence LFO can out of nowhere with this absolute techno banger. Nothing like it before or since. youtu.be/HgMcNXxtY-4?...
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 47 LFO Freak UK 2003 Rank - 4 (11 point bonus) This is going to make you freak it says, and you know what? He’s not wrong. After years of silence LFO can out of nowhere with this absolute techno banger. Nothing like it before or since. youtu.be/HgMcNXxtY-4?...
LFO - Freak (Official Music Video) 1080p HDYouTube video by AphexAcidyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 46 DJ Mujava Township Funk South Africa 2008 Rank - 5 (11 point bonus) Fresh from the quarter finals of the Pop World Cup, this all time banger would be a good place to send one of your 50 HMs if you have any going spare. youtu.be/_l1bjtjzZFo?...
Back in 2018 I wrote my life story told through the medium of World Cups, with the idea of updating it every 4 years. It seemed like a fun idea at the time, although it has seemed increasingly less fun every 4 years since. In any case, here is the 2026 update for Canada/USA/Mexico:
My life in World CupsMy life stpry, told through the medium of World Cupsmarkjwray.com#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 46 DJ Mujava Township Funk South Africa 2008 Rank - 5 (11 point bonus) Fresh from the quarter finals of the Pop World Cup, this all time banger would be a good place to send one of your 50 HMs if you have any going spare. youtu.be/_l1bjtjzZFo?...
Dj Mujava - Township FunkYouTube video by Indre P.youtu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 45 Life Without Buildings The Leanover UK 2000 Rank - 6 My favourite song of the 2000s with guitar in it, as it turns out, although very different from the indie-rock I was listening to at the start of that decade. I didn’t discover this band until a little later on, and…
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 45 Life Without Buildings The Leanover UK 2000 Rank - 6 My favourite song of the 2000s with guitar in it, as it turns out, although very different from the indie-rock I was listening to at the start of that decade. I didn’t discover this band until a little later on, and…
The LeanoverYouTube video by Life Without Buildings - Topicyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 44 The Knife Heartbeats Sweden 2002 Rank - 7 There are few songs I listen to more regularly than this, even quarter of a century (almost) on youtu.be/pPD8Ja64mRU?...
This has always been my favourite joke from the show
Daniel CarpenterRewatching 30 Rock and I think this is still possibly one of the best constructed jokes in anything, ever.
The latest in my 'Every Album I Love' series, on Joanna Newsom's The Milk-Eyed Mender, and whether or not a great album needs to be something more than just a collection of songs. markjwray.com/2026/07/19/e...
Every Album I Love – 12. Joanna Newsom : The Milk-Eyed MenderThe 11th in my ‘Every Album I Love’ series, on Joanna Newsom’s ‘The Milk-Eyed Mender’ and whether an album has to be more than just a collection of songs.markjwray.com#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 44 The Knife Heartbeats Sweden 2002 Rank - 7 There are few songs I listen to more regularly than this, even quarter of a century (almost) on youtu.be/pPD8Ja64mRU?...
The Knife - Heartbeats (Official Video)YouTube video by The Knifeyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 43 The White Stripes Fell In Love With A Girl USA 2002 Rank - 8 Not a huge amount of the indie guitar rock I was listening to through the 2000s has survived to make my list, but this is a near perfect record. A giddy rush cramming more joy into 2 minutes than most bands…
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 43 The White Stripes Fell In Love With A Girl USA 2002 Rank - 8 Not a huge amount of the indie guitar rock I was listening to through the 2000s has survived to make my list, but this is a near perfect record. A giddy rush cramming more joy into 2 minutes than most bands…
The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl (Official Music Video)YouTube video by The White Stripesyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 42 Britney Spears Toxic USA 2003 Rank - 9 She has 2 tracks in my 50, 1 in my HMs, and another that narrowly missed. Best singles act of the decade? Quite possibly. Despite a touch of over familiarity possibly preventing it being even higher, this remains my favourite
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 42 Britney Spears Toxic USA 2003 Rank - 9 She has 2 tracks in my 50, 1 in my HMs, and another that narrowly missed. Best singles act of the decade? Quite possibly. Despite a touch of over familiarity possibly preventing it being even higher, this remains my favourite
Britney Spears - Toxic (Official HD Video)YouTube video by BritneySpearsVEVOyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 41 Amerie 1 Thing USA 2005 Rank - 10 I’m a relative newcomer to these challenges, and must admit I was a little sceptical when I saw that 1 Thing had been picked as the best song of the entire century. Good song, sure I thought, but that good? Then I listened to again…
I do wonder if this is any different from how it has ever been. It doesn’t surprise me that much that 40% of people haven’t listened to a full album in a year. My question would be, were they listening to full albums before that?
MixmagA further 8% admitted to having "never" listened to an album from start-to-finish
#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 41 Amerie 1 Thing USA 2005 Rank - 10 I’m a relative newcomer to these challenges, and must admit I was a little sceptical when I saw that 1 Thing had been picked as the best song of the entire century. Good song, sure I thought, but that good? Then I listened to again…
Amerie - 1 Thing (Official Video)YouTube video by AmerieVEVOyoutu.beMark J Wray#TheN0ughtie5 - Day 40 cLOUDDEAD Dead Dogs Two (Boards of Canada Remix) USA/UK 2004 Rank - 11 Not one that I’m expecting to progress, but a wonderful record. I think the perhaps the subject matter and processed vocals district people from what a melodically beautiful song it actually is.
Patti Smith Totally respect her as an artist, understand why other people love her, and she should be totally in my wheelhouse. Have never particularly enjoyed listening to her music though (with the exception of Pissing In a River)
Rob ChapmanWhat band or artist do all your music tastes suggests that you probably should like and yet you don't. Me Plastic People of The Universe. Chet Baker.