Do not take this list too seriously. It's a useless list and I did it just for fun. These are personal favourites. I wasn't trying to make "a complete power pop song book" or anything. Some classics are therefore not included due to reasons like a) I don't like the song b) I simply forgot it c) I haven't even heard it yet. I'm no expert and there is huge holes in my power pop education (like XTC or early Costello for example).

And if you feel that some song is not Power Pop, just live with it. Perhaps few of these could be categorized as punk, some as vocal pop and some others as god knows what. Most of them should fit quite nicely under the term "Power Pop" which to me is something like great songs, vocal harmonies, stunning melodies, powerful playing and usually lyrics about the girl you either have, have lost or are only dreaming about (because you're too shy and quiet to do anything about it...getting too personal again). So basicly it's like Backstreet Boys with guitars, better songs and uglier band members.

Only rules were that the song was released before 1990 (a few might have slipped in because I trusted my memory) and there was a maximum of three songs per one band/artist. There was hardly any logic because I left out few huge names (couple of "B"-bands which are above any lists) to make room for slightly less known artists but still included some of them (who, byrds). Alphabetical order could have been a better choise, because this list wouldn't be much worse if you put it into reverse order. How on earth could one decide which perfect pop song is better than the other perfect pop song.

TOP 100

1. The Raspberries: Go All The Way
2. The Byrds: I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
3. The Nerves: When You Find Out
4. The Only Ones: Another Girl, Another Planet
5. Rubinoos: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
6. Pezband: Baby It's Cold Outside
7. The Posies: I May Hate You Sometimes
8. The Zombies: Leave Me Be
9. Big Star: September Gurls
10. The Flamin' Groovies: Shake Some Action
11. Left Banke: Pretty Ballerina
12. Cheap Trick: Surrender
13. Stiv Bators: Not That Way Anymore
14. Phil Seymour: Precious To Me
15. The Records: Starry Eyes
16. Left Banke: Let Go Of You Girl
17. The Raspberries: I Wanna Be With You
18. Someloves: Sunshine's Glove
19. Cheap Trick: I Want You To Want Me
20. Big Star: Ballad Of El Goodo
21. Raspberries: Let's Pretend
22. Chris Bell: I Am The Cosmos
23. The Who: Pictures Of Lily
24. The Buzzcocks: Ever Fallen In Love
25. The Zombies: Hung Up On A Dream
26. The Shoes: Tomorrow Night
27. 20 / 20: Yellow Pills
28. Stiv Bators: It's Cold Outside
29. The Last: Every Summer Day
30. The Shoes: Cruel You
31. The Names: Why Can't It Be?
32. db's: Bad Reputation
33. 20 / 20: Cheri
34. Sweat: Why'd You Have To Lie
35. The Toms: Other Boys Do
36. Someloves: I'm Falling Down
37. Bram Tchaikovsky: Girl Of My Dreams
38. The Explosives: A Girl Like You
39. The Undertones: Teenage Kicks
40. Merry Go Round: Live
41. Emitt Rhodes: Lullabye
42. The Nerves: Hanging On The Telephone
43. The Undertones Get Over You
44. Phil Seymour: Baby It's You
45. Nick Lowe: Cruel To Be Kind
46. Pezband: On And On
47. Chris Stamey: Summer Suns
48. The Rockers: Don't Leave Me Tonight
49. Flashcubes: Christi Girl
50. Fotomaker: Where Have You Been All My Life
51. Stiv Bators: Make Up Your Mind
52. Pointed Sticks: Apologies
53. Eastern Dark: Julie Is A Junkie
54. The Kinks: All Day And All Of The Night
55. VIP's: Need Somebody To Love
56. Badfinger: No Matter What
57. Late Show: What Can I Do
58. The Keys: I Don't Wanna Cry
59. Someloves: Now You Know
60. Big Star: You Get What You Deserve
61. The Replacements: Alex Chilton
62. The Romantics: Tell It To Carrie
63. Numbers: Partys
64. Rockin Horse: Biggest Gossip In Town
65. Margo Guryan: Sunday Morning
66. Cheap Trick: Southern Girls
67. The Hollies: Bus Stop
68. Gene Clark: She Don't Care About Time
69. The Left Banke: Walk Away Renee
70. The Who: Glittering Girl
71. The Shoes: Your Very Eyes
72. Emitt Rhodes: You Should Be Ashamed
73. Dwight Twilley Band: Chance To Get Away
74. Bill Lloyd: Lisa Anne
75. Badfinger: Baby Blue
76. The Scruffs: My Mind
77. Robyn Hitchcock: So You Think You're In Love
78. Artful Dodger: Don't Close To Me
79. Paul Collins' Beat: Different Kind Of Girl
80. The Last: That Kind Of Feeling
81. Flamin' Groovies: You Tore Me Down
82. The Who: Can't Explain
83. Dave Clark Five: Because
84. Paley Brothers: Stick With Me Baby
85. Go-Betweens: Spring Rain
86. B Girls: Fun At The Beach
87. Flying Color: Dear Friend
88. The Poppees: Jealousy
89. Kicks: Get Off The Telephone
90. The Summer Suns: All Away
91. Nazz: Open My Eyes
92. The Ramones: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
93. The Action: Get Back To Me
94. Dwight Twilley Band: Trying To Find My Baby
95. The Orbits: Make The Rules
96. Any Trouble: Foolish Pride
97. Paul Collins' Beat: Rock'n'Roll Girl
98. The Plimsouls: Zero Hour
99. Spongetones: Here I Go Again

And let's end the list with something so beautiful

100. Emitt Rhodes: You Must Have

I know I forgot a lot of great tunes, so I might change or add more songs to this later on. I already had over 130 songs to choose from after a week and more seem to pop into my mind every day.

And then same list about 90's powerpop. Well probably not, because it would end up being something like top 250 or something, because I've surely been listening too much of it. That kind of list wouldn't even be interesting to anyone. Partly because it would be even more obvious than this with all the Posies, DM3, Teenage Fanclub, Lemonheads, Matthew Sweet, Weezer, Jellyfish, Sloan etc with few more obscure choises such as Three Hour Tour's "Love Sick Trip" or Frank Blake's "Don't Let Love Pass You By".

Written: January 2004