Charles Barkley turns 50 today.
The Greatest Radio Song/Greatest Opening Track Tourney got off to a great start, with four convincing wins.
Black Dog (Led Zeppelin) def. Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon), 85-76.
Where the Streets Have No Name (U2) def. Lust for Life (Iggy Pop), 92-75.
Do You Remember Rock ‘n Roll Radio (Ramones) def. Mexican Radio (Wall of Voodoo), 81-52.
Radio Free Europe (R.E.M) def. Last DJ (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), 71-62.
Today’s match-ups have something for everyone- hip-hop, classic rock, even hair metal. We’ve got a Nirvana classic on what would have been Kurt’s 46th birthday and the first song ever played on MTV, signalling the end of the Radio Era.
For newcomers, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. Listen to all the songs here and vote by Friday at midnight (EST).
Track Ones
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) vs. Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1)
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) vs. Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2)
Radio Songs
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) vs. Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen)
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) vs. Turn Up The Radio (Autograph)
Coming up Friday…The Modern Lovers, LL Cool J vs. Eazy E , “Thunder Road” and more…
Living the Dream 
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) vs. Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1)
8.5 : 8
8.6 : 7
Abstention: Abstention
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) vs. Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2)
7.5 : 7.8
7 : 8.8
abstention: anstention
Radio Songs
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) vs. Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen)
8.9 6
4.9 4
5 1
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) vs. Turn Up The Radio (Autograph)
9 : 5
8.5: 7.4
10: 1 (he was willing to abstain rather than cast this vote, but his 10-1, while not recommended as a voting style, seemed justified in this particular case)
Dude, I kinda want to veto this- mystery voter couldn’t ever manage to give the competing song higher than a 1 on two different occasions but didn’t explain it?
Let’s veto it then. No problem.
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) 9
vs. Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1) 6.5
Oh, that sweet Nirvana riff that plants itself in your head for days
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) 5.5
vs. Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2) 8
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) 7
vs. Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen) 5
With songs like VKTRS, I never know whether it’s just nostalgia that makes me drawn to it or whether it’s actually a good song. Same might be true if I’d heard Make Me Lose Control before but I haven’t and it just seems fine. Perhaps I just answered my own question there….?
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) 6.5
vs. Turn Up The Radio (Autograph) 4
Can we please run an experiment where we intro a teenager to Spirit of the Radio? I’d genuinely be fascinated to hear the opinion of someone who has most likely never heard this song before…
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) vs. Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1) = 6 to 9.5
Oof, hard to listen to Teen Spirit as an actual song. Regardless, Handle Me With Care is an exemplary tune.
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) vs. Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2)
=10 to 10
Radio Songs
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) vs. Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen) = 6.5 to 3.5
Damn nice bass in the Buggles tune. The lyrics are pretty cool too.
I like hearing these Eric Carmen type songs that I know all too well but never had any idea who sang them. There are a bunch of these songs like this that when I hear them I immediately feel like I’m in the back seat of my mom’s car looking at baseball cards or a gi joe guy.
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) vs. Turn Up The Radio (Autograph) = 9 to 6.5
I think Ozzy ripped Autograph off for “No More Tears”
Track Ones
10- Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) vs.
7- Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1)
10- Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) vs.
8.5- Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2)
Radio Songs
9.5- Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) vs.
3- Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen)
7- Spirit of the Radio (Rush) vs.
6- Turn Up The Radio (Autograph)
I have the horrible feeling that with a few exceptions the Track Ones are going to romp the Radio Songs. Although I agree that nostalgia + great sound makes Video Killed the Radio Star a contender.
Smells like teen spirit – 9
Handle me with care – 7.2
As much as I love the Wilburys, they really just couldn’t stand up to Nirvana. Although for general listening purposes, I would reach for the Traveling Wilburys album over Nevermind, nine times out of ten.
Purple Haze – 7.4
Hard Knock Life – 7.5
Such a toughie, I had to listen twice.
Video killed the radio star – 7
Make me lose control – 5
Its placement in Empire Records cements “video killed the radio star” in my heart forever. Also, it’s a better karaoke number.
Spirit of the Radio – 6.8
Turn up the radio – 4
Track Ones
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) vs. Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1): 8/10
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) vs. Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2): 9/7
Radio Songs
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) vs. Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen): 5.75/5
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) vs. Turn Up The Radio (Autograph): 6.75/4.5
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana- Nevermind) 7.4
Handle Me With Care (Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Volume 1) 7.2
Tough draw. SLTS is going to need a competitor with a bit more kick to stumble
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?) 7.7
Hard Knock Life (Jay-Z – Vol. 2) 5.9
Jay-Z lost steam that fast for me.
Video Killed the Radio Star (Buggles) 6.5
Make Me Lose Control (Eric Carmen) 7
I pushed for MMLC to get a shot. Baby, baby!
Spirit of the Radio (Rush) 8.3
Turn Up The Radio (Autograph) 7
It’s not that Turn Up The Radio is bad- it’s that Spirit of the Radio has a real shot to take the right side of the bracket.