Isn’t marketing the whole point of having a record label? I get that the artist has a role but seems like the labels are throwing their hands up and saying “IDK, just make a TikTok and have it go viral”. If it’s that easy, what purpose does a label even serve?

turn around, bright eyes!

Hello friends, and welcome to 1998! I recently started listening to a podcast that has made a great companion piece to our journey through the 90s #1s. It’s called “60 Songs That Explain the 90s”, hosted by Rob Harvilla. I believe Tom has actually recommended it. It’s outstanding. He’s not only very knowledgeable about the subject matter, but it’s personal for him, and he weaves in stories from growing up with the songs, and strays off topic frequently, sometimes taking forever to get to the actual song, but it’s always something adjacently interesting to me. The songs he chooses are very diverse in styles as well. He’s shouted out Stereogum and Tom’s column more than once and I would definitely consider him a kindred spirit to what happens here. He covers roughly a song a week, and finished with the 60 songs this past February and then started up an additional 30 songs earlier this month. There’s frequent swearing, like Tom’s column, so Link, consider yourself warned.

Everyday, without my consent, I am subjected to hearing more and more about tiktok.

Wow, didn’t think we would get two posts on the number ones today!

Not a to be a TNOCS downer, but I don’t have the drive to discuss music today as I sit in my office and hear a thousand-plus elementary school kids walk into our builidng. If you’ve got a sec today, reach out to your elected officials about gun control. It’s a couple of Google searches away, and there are plenty of form letters online if you don’t know what to say. I definitely don’t know what to say.

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, please see the lovely and touching note that Pam Boehme Simon posted earlier this morning in the “Candle In The Wind” comment section. Thank you to cstolliver for reaching out to poorlittlefool’s family on behalf of the TNOCS family.

Hey, SG comments section, y’all ok? Seems like since the format switch we’ve gotten a lot more nasty “suck it up, buttercup!” vibes towards artists. Why tho

Hello. My name is Pam and “poorlittlefool” is my brother Chris Boehme. It was recently and so very kindly, brought to my attention his participation with your group. Thank you cstolliver.  

I always knew Chris kept crazy detailed records of music (among other things… he had a fascination with numbers his whole life), but we had no idea how widespread his presence was felt concerning this particular passion of his. We his family were unaware of this involvement, but not surprised… it is so like him.  

He was beyond remarkable and so generous.  He loved sharing any kind of knowledge he could. Especially his stats compilations. He kept them on SO many strangely varied subjects… music, ballet, books, genealogy, languages (he and a friend back in high school taught themselves to read and write Phoenician so they could pass undecipherable, anonymous notes in class), travel, World Of Warcraft, Texas high school football (go figure lol, but ask any Texas high school football coach if they knew WOS87, and they’d say he was THE go to guy before taking on that week’s opponent), and, he even kept stats on numbers themselves.

I am so grateful to you cstolliver, for taking the time to find me, and then send such a beautiful letter telling me all about Chris’s association with The Number Ones. While our loss is devastating, your correspondence gave us joy and comfort. When our sorrow is shared by so many, it can only be lightened. Knowing just how many others were positively affected by him is a great comfort. And since his death, we his family, who already knew him to be so kind, caring, and generous, are finding out at every turn just how many others thought so as well.

I don’t know if this is where I should be relaying my sentiments and thanks, but after finding you online I felt this was the best way to reach those of you who knew Chris. In addition, I plan on sending to you cstollliver, a small thank you package of sorts from our family to all of you so that you might know a little more about my dear brother. We were so close. We often claimed to be twins who just happened to be born 8 years apart lol.  

Thanks again, to all of you in The Number Ones Comment Section, for everything. We, the adoring family of Dr. Christopher Lee Boehme, are grateful to know of yet another facet in an already brilliant life.  There is so much that was good gone from the world now…

Tom

I’m sitting here at break, reading your column and I’m on the verge of tears. It’s like you read my mind and put it on the internet.

I hear Together Again and think of many people, but especially my dad. Dad never met Gbear but in my dreams he has. His presence is still in my life seeing the happiness I’ve found. Dance as a celebration of life has a healing power. Janet gets this, Jam & Lewis get this, Together Again gets this.

I’ve known many who have died of AIDS and many more who have lived decades with it. Someday I’ll find myself on a dance floor and Together Again will bring tears of joy as I celebrate life.

10/10

…And out Jan. 16, 1998: Moon Safari by Air

Best album to make love to? Best album of 1998? Best loungecore/ambient/yacht-rock/synth-pop/chill-funk album of the ’90s? You can say a lot about Air and its jawdroppingly-great debut—hopefully (surely?) other commenters will—but maybe it’s best to let the music do the work. There’s the windswept longing of “Sexy Boy,” the gorgeous funk of “Kelly Watch the Stars,” the gentle heartbreak of “New Star in the Sky” and my favorite, opener “La Femme D’Argent,” with its piles and piles of spacey bliss—and a bassline to die for—until it swirls away into the heavens on a bed of climbing synths. A masterpiece.

https://youtu.be/wLmfNFVDa_U