VA - John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (Original BBC Radio 1 Broadcast) [1980] + John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] (7 x CDs)

K's XMAS SPECIAL

VA - John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (Original BBC Radio 1 Broadcast) [1980] + John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] (7 x CDs)

IT'S CHRISTMAS!

John Peel's annual rundown of listeners' fifty favourite tracks of the year, 'The John Peel Festive 50' became a Christmas institution more loved than fairy lights and Christmas crackers.  Listeners of John's Radio 1 show picked the chart by voting for their three favourite tracks of the year before the end of November. The Festive 50 were then played on air. John originally let listeners choose their all-time favourite three tracks for the 1976 chart. The Beatles, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix all cropped up in the run-down, even though the Beatles had split up and The Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix were dead by then. John counted the listeners' votes and compiled the chart himself.

The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's 50 (though the exact figure varied above and below this number) best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. It was usually dominated by indie and rock songs which did not fully represent the diversity of music played by Peel but rather the majority opinion among his listeners. After Peel's death the tradition of the Festive Fifty was continued, first by other Radio 1 DJs and then (when Radio 1 decided to discontinue it) by the Internet radio station Dandelion Radio.

John Peel: "Listeners in the month of November were invited to send in a list of their three favourite tracks ever and I was going to... in order, y'know, whether they be album tracks or singles, and I have worked these into an attractive chart to be broadcast between now and, well, Tuesday week, tomorrow week. And it's difficult to say, actually, because I never count the cards to be honest, but I suppose that probably something of the order of 6 or 7,000 people bothered to write in."

"The stamped addressed envelopes have been pouring into the BBC - well at least to Brian and myself - during the past couple of days, from people wanting copies of the Festive Fifty. Photocopies of the list that I so neatly typed myself too, which has got maybe messed up slightly

with pencil marks made by Walters, but it still looks a pretty neat bit of typing. Not a single mistake on it, y'know, on the whole thing. And you also get #51 - 65 if you ask for a copy of it. What you have to do is send us a stamped address envelope - and you won't get one unless you do, frankly, because we can't afford them to mail out millions of them - stamped addressed envelope to Music Loving Johnny Plee, care of BBC Radio One, London, W1A 4WW, and mark your envelopes, if you would, 'Sheena Easton', so that we know that it's a copy of the Festive Fifty that you're after." "And at #1, and with more than twice the number of votes that "Atmosphere" had, this again."

John Peel's Festive Fifty (December 1980)

ANARCHY STILL RULES UK

It's number one! It's top of the pops! Just to prove that old classics die hard, particularly in the midst of all the sentimentality of the festive season, the listeners of Radio One's John Peel Show have voted ‘Anarchy in the UK' as the country's most popular single for the third year in

succession, a full four years after it was first released and pretty hastily withdrawn on EMI. The Sex Pistols single polled twice as many votes as any other record in the Festive Fifty chart, which was broadcast to Peel’s listeners during Christmas week 1980.

The only band to dare challenge the Pistols supremacy were, unsurprisingly, Joy Division, who moved into the top three themselves for the first time with 'Atmosphere' and 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' in addition to being the top act overall with seven entries in the fifty. Also showing well were The Clash with five tracks making the fifty and The Fall, Siouxsie & the Banshees and Stiff Little Fingers with four apiece.

In a refreshingly hard-edged chart, not quite as predictable as might have been expected, the biggest surprise is probably The Damned's ‘New Rose' sneaking upwards for the second year running. But the old guard of Peel's diehard listeners still keep the flag of trad rock flying:  bubbling under at number 63-- still! - is 'Stairway to Heaven'.

https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/1980_Festive_Fifty

As a special gift to all, I decided to tackle what is generally considered to be John Peel's best Festive Fifty (1980). Compiled as always using the very latest and highest quality digital remasters for superior sound quality and enjoyment.  Although advertised as a festive '50', John actually played 65 tracks, with 15 bubbling under classics that just couldn't be ignored, which all feature in this 2022 compilation.

• Part 1 contains the complete original 3.4 hour BBC Radio 1 broadcast of John Peel's 1980 Festive Fifty, spread over several nights. 

• Part 2 & 3 contains all 65 fully remastered tracks.

Wishing all BB's visitors and contributors a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays around the world. This is my way of saying thanks to BB for posting so many of my compilations this year for all to enjoy.

All the best to everyone for a Happy New Year 2023 and may the compilations continue!

K

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Pt.1 

Pt.2     Pt.3    + Art 

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Track lists

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (Original BBC Radio 1 Broadcast) [1980]  CD1

01 Various Artists #50-41. John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980: Tracks 50-41 40:47

02 Spizzenergi #40. Where's Captain Kirk? 2:25

03 The Clash #39. Armagideon Time 4:02

04 The Fall #38. Fiery Jack 5:08

05 Siouxsie And The Banshees #37. Jigsaw Feeling 4:54

06 Killing Joke #36. Pssyche 5:10

07 Killing Joke #35. Requiem 3:54

08 Public Image Ltd #34. Careering 4:35

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (Original BBC Radio 1 Broadcast) [1980]  CD2

09 Public Image Ltd #33. Poptones 7:51

10 The Special A.k.a. #32. Gangsters 2:52

11 Dead Kennedys #31. California Über Alles 4:18

12 Adam And The Ants #30. Kings of the Wild Frontier 3:58

13 The Damned #29. Love Song 2:09

14 The Only Ones #28. Another Girl, Another Planet 3:37

15 Stiff Little Fingers #27. Wasted Life 3:25

16 The Fall #26. How I Wrote 'Elastic Man' 4:42

17 Sex Pistols #25. God Save the Queen 3:23

18 Stiff Little Fingers #24. Suspect Device 2:44

19 Sex Pistols #23. Pretty Vacant 3:28

20 Joy Division #22. She's Lost Control 4:30

21 The Fall #21. Totally Wired 3:48

22 Joy Division #20. New Dawn Fades 6:13

23 The Ruts #19. In a Rut 3:46

24 The Cure #18. A Forest 6:05

25 The Undertones #17. Get Over You 2:55

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (Original BBC Radio 1 Broadcast) [1980]  CD3

26 Stiff Little Fingers #16. Johnny Was 9:24

27 The Clash #15. Complete Control 3:26

28 Joy Division #14. Decades 6:14

29 The Jam #13. Going Underground 3:03

30 Sex Pistols #12. Holidays in the Sun 3:41

31 Public Image Ltd #11. Public Image 4:07

32 Joy Division #10. Transmission 3:45

33 Stiff Little Fingers #09. Alternative Ulster 2:52

34 The Damned #08. New Rose 2:51

35 The Undertones #07. Teenage Kicks 2:45

36 Dead Kennedys #06. Holiday in Cambodia 4:26

37 The Clash #05. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais 4:11

38 The Jam #04. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight 4:02

39 Joy Division #03. Love Will Tear Us Apart 3:28

40 Joy Division #02. Atmosphere 4:24

41 Sex Pistols #01. Anarchy in the UK 4:15

 John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] CD1

01 Sex Pistols Anarchy in the UK 3:32

02 Joy Division Atmosphere 4:09

03 Joy Division Love Will Tear Us Apart (Original 1980 Factory Records 7" Single Version) 3:24

04 The Jam Down in the Tube Station at Midnight (Original 1978 7" Single Edit) 3:59

05 The Clash (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais 4:01

06 Dead Kennedys Holiday in Cambodia (Original 1980 7" Single Version) 3:45

07 The Undertones Teenage Kicks 2:25

08 The Damned New Rose 2:42

09 Stiff Little Fingers Alternative Ulster 2:43

10 Joy Division Transmission 3:38

11 Public Image Ltd Public Image 2:58

12 Sex Pistols Holidays in the Sun 3:23

13 The Jam Going Underground 2:53

14 Joy Division Decades 6:11

15 The Clash Complete Control 3:14

16 Stiff Little Fingers Johnny Was 8:09

17 The Undertones Get Over You 2:45

 John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] CD2

18 The Cure A Forest (Original 1980 12" Single Version) 5:55

19 Ruts In a Rut 3:41

20 Joy Division New Dawn Fades 4:47

21 The Fall Totally Wired 3:25

22 Joy Division She's Lost Control (Original 1980 12" Single Version) 4:47

23 Sex Pistols Pretty Vacant 3:17

24 Stiff Little Fingers Suspect Device (Original 1978 Rigid Digits 7" Single Version) 2:44

25 Sex Pistols God Save the Queen 3:19

26 The Fall How I Wrote 'Elastic Man' 4:20

27 Stiff Little Fingers Wasted Life (Original 1978 Rigid Digits 7" Single Version) 3:15

28 The Only Ones Another Girl, Another Planet 3:00

29 The Damned Love Song (Ed Hollis 1979 7" Single Version) 2:03

30 Adam And The Ants Kings of the Wild Frontier 3:55

31 Dead Kennedys California Über Alles (Original 1979 7" Single Version) 3:28

32 The Special A.k.a. Gangsters 2:48

33 Public Image Ltd Poptones 7:46

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] CD3

34 Public Image Ltd Careering 4:34

35 Killing Joke Requiem 3:41

36 Killing Joke Pssyche 5:05

37 Siouxsie And The Banshees Jigsaw Feeling 4:37

38 The Fall Fiery Jack 4:44

39 The Clash Armagideon Time 3:51

40 Spizzenergi Where's Captain Kirk? 2:17

41 Joy Division Twenty Four Hours 4:26

42 The Damned Smash It Up (Original 1979 7" Single Edit) 2:51

43 The Teardrop Explodes Treason 2:58

44 Siouxsie And The Banshees Switch 6:47

45 Siouxsie And The Banshees Icon 5:26

46 The Clash Bankrobber 4:34

47 Siouxsie And The Banshees Hong Kong Garden 2:54

48 The Clash White Riot 1:59

49 The Fall Rowche Rumble (Original 1979 Step-Forward 7" Single Version) 4:01

50 Gang Of Four Damaged Goods 3:28

 John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980 (2022 Remastered Expanded Edition) [1980] CD4

51 Siouxsie And The Banshees Love in a Void 2:35

52 Killing Joke Wardance 3:48

53 Adam And The Ants Dog Eat Dog (Original 1980 7" Single Version) 3:03

54 Ruts West One (Shine On Me) (Original 1980 7" Single Edit) 2:57

55 The Who My Generation (Original 1965 7" Mono Single Version) 3:20

56 Mo-dettes White Mice 3:38

57 Stiff Little Fingers Tin Soldiers 4:47

58 The Stranglers No More Heroes 3:27

59 The Jam The Eton Rifles (Original 1979 7" Single Version) 3:29

60 Pink Floyd Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts I-V) 13:32

61 Magazine Shot by Both Sides (Original 1978 7" Single Version) 3:58

62 Public Image Ltd Death Disco (Original 1979 7" Single Edit) 4:14

63 Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven 8:02

64 Joy Division Dead Souls 4:52

65 Wah! Heat Better Scream 3:18

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