The best 24 or 25 tweets we’ve seen about the #885countdown (so far)
Earlier today. #885countdown pic.twitter.com/rTd0BLb4Mg
— Matt Friedman (@dudeimanaspie) October 22, 2014
The above tweet by Philly illustrator Matt Friedman showed up in our Twitter feed yesterday, and nicely sums up the beauty and hilarity of WXPN’s 885 Greatest Songs of All Time countdown. With music jumping all over the spectrum, it sometimes feels delightfully random; with like a bazillion Beatles selections ranking so far, it also feels somewhat predictable; and then, out of nowhere, there will be this sick transition between “Penny Lane” and “Rebellion (Lies)” by Arcade Fire, and you’ll be like “holy cow that was amazing” and you keep listening. It keeps you hooked. Equally addictive is the #885countdown hashtag on Twitter, where some amazing conversation and commentary has been unfolding. Here is some of the best of what we’ve seen so far.
Stereo is significantly louder than usual in the store for the #885countdown. #itgoeswellpasteleven http://t.co/qSn2bHRbf2
— Mr. Bill’s (@MrBillsBicycles) October 21, 2014
I can hear the Commodores and Bjork within 30 minutes of each other = why I love @wxpnfm. #885Countdown
— Kate Chadwick (@KateChadwick616) October 21, 2014
WHOA! @wxpnfm just taught me that @TalibKweli tune “Get By” usues samples from Sinnerman! by NINA SIMONE #MindBlown #885countdown
— Jay Rose (@SJ_CraftBeer) October 22, 2014
Confession – the countdown made me realize that the sample in Kanye West’s “Power” comes from King Crimson. It definitely did not make me any more inclined to listen to King Crimson, but was cool to learn all the same. Woulda rather heard Kanye in the mix though.
Why yes, I did vote for #499 Dance Yrself Clean – LCD Soundsystem. Looks like a few other listeners did too. #885countdown
— juanitamoose (@juanitamoose) October 22, 2014
Not even Michael Jackson falling down a rabbit hole of weird can stop the awesomeness of “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” #885countdown
— Heather Breyer (@beevintageredux) October 21, 2014
Love the deep part of #885countdown. Always hear a few songs/artists I don’t know & get to discover music @wxpnfm listeners think is great! — Laura Grablutz (@grablul) October 20, 2014
Well at this point, I’m straight up live-tweeting the #885Countdown and I don’t feel bad. Big Star to Nirvana to Neutral Milk Hotel. Whoa. — Hannah Abrams (@HannahAbrams1) October 21, 2014
At that point, Hannah, we were live-RT-ing your live-Tweeting. It’s all good.
It is both the beauty and the tragedy of the #885countdown that we can go from Springsteen into Gotye. — JJ (@bustedjj) October 22, 2014
At this point it would be worth mentioning that the #885countdown has not been all candy and roses and good vibes. Some posts have been critical and snarky, hysterically so.
I guess I’m impressed by the way all the Deadheads vote-bombed the #885countdown — Dawn Maglicco Deitch (@maglicco) October 22, 2014
Even faux-radical corporate rock superstars like @RATM make the @wxpnfm #885countdown ! — Jim Daniels (@JimLSprings) October 21, 2014
“In These Shoes” : possibly the worst song Kirsty MacColl ever wrote. Let’s hope her good songs are on the countdown too? #885countdown — Maureen Walsh (@trimmtrabb1977) October 22, 2014
@wxpnfm Kansas?!?!? XPN HAS BEEN TURNED INTO WMMR CIRCA 1988!! #885countdown — Noel Pumphrey (@EmorysGirl) October 21, 2014
Okay, seriously, who voted for Kansas?!? Show yourselves.
the XPN #885countdown so far is basically the Forrest Gump soundtrack on repeat. — Tom McAllister (@t_mcallister) October 21, 2014
@wxpnfm even 3 minutes of #Springsteen burping and snorting may make top 10 thanks #obsessedbrucefans #885countdown — Chris Woods (@chriswoods1977) October 22, 2014
@wxpnfm Uncool: Philly’s obsession with Genesis Uncooler: playing the beginning of a Genesis song overtop “Tonight, Tonight.” #885Countdown — Noel Pumphrey (@EmorysGirl) October 21, 2014
Hey now, I thought Dan Reed crafted a mighty cool transition with that one, and I don’t even like Genesis! Plus, the song was like 47 minutes long so every second he could shave off helps.
Fun fact: Nobody actually voted for U2 in the #885Countdown, their songs just showed up in the playlist.
— E. Schuman (@theericschuman) October 20, 2014
Most popular tweet of the countdown so far?
Grateful Dead: the musical equivalent of car payments. #885countdown
— Brendan Carr (@BCARR_YGGOY) October 21, 2014
What does that even MEAN, man? Last night, the #885countdown hashtag started getting very visual, thanks to 70s dude-rockers Grand Funk Railroad and their epic “I’m Your Captain.” Spurned by host Eric Schuman (who was reading Tweets on the air in real time) and DJ Robert Drake (who was at home delightfully participating), the timeline became a string of images of, well, notable captains in pop culture. A few of the best ones:
The “captain” @HIMYM_CBS #885countdown pic.twitter.com/CJ07NUlHgz — alan (@mboyeast) October 22, 2014
Another Captain #885countdown pic.twitter.com/X4W39WanRL — Bob Perst (@bob_perst) October 22, 2014
Just fantasic! #885countdown pic.twitter.com/36HSxlcWz9 — joshpincus (@joshpincus) October 22, 2014
I’m your captain. #885countdown pic.twitter.com/clwPWjgdm8 — DJRobertDrake (@DJRobertDrake) October 22, 2014
This led to pictures showing up throughout the night; this one during Blondie’s “Rapture” was just too perfect.
#885countdown pic.twitter.com/xMtw7lKF1y — Joe Costal (@JoeCostal) October 22, 2014
A few closing thoughts:
@wxpnfm Great list you guys got going but making it really hard for me to find time to get up & take a work dump #885countdown — Canton Bound Foles (@CBFoles) October 21, 2014
DUDE! Total overshare.
Sorry, I can’t come into work this week. The #885Countdown is on. @wxpnfm
— Hannah Smith (@hannah_raes) October 20, 2014
I feel that, as I’m sure many listeners do, but please don’t lose your job over the #885countdown!
They’re playing “Fairytale of New York” on @wxpnfm #885countdown. It’s officially Christmastime.
— Michael Atchison (@MichaelAtchison) October 20, 2014
Yes, it’s true. We’ve recruited Robert Drake to do a 1,493-hour Christmas music marathon beginning as soon as the countdown end Friday evening. He’s been prepping for it all year.
But in all seriousness, the #885countdown continues through Friday, you can keep tabs on the results here, subscribe to the Spotify playlist here and join the conversation on Twitter here.