iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

McFerrin is a GB for me. Not quite like anything I'd heard before so I immediately checked out the album. Turns out it's not quite the pioneering underground avant-art I assumed, but The 'Don't Worry Be Happy' guy who does a duet with Robin Williams on the same LP. Makes it even better IMHO.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

IMHO one of life's greatest pleasures is when someone tells you your own joke back to you but you've forgotten all about it.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Ah, this is maybe the least good Spoon album, as the electronics - a noble intention - can't hide the lack of top tier songs (title track aside). Still a decent buy for a quid though.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I think Beck has more great albums than he has great songs.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I missed nominations but if there's room for Goodbye Horses by Q Lazzarus (1988) that feels like a song worth polling (assuming it hasn't already!)

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

“Playlist for an opticians waiting room” would be a fun one to make.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I like Big Thief as much as the next middle aged 6 music dad but the very thought of a new triple album is exhausting me.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Oh. I've accidentally changed the hashtag I was using.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

'Astounded' by Bran Van 3000, who I always had pegged as one hit wonders, passed me by when it was released. The archive Curtis Mayfield vocal was approved by him before his death & against the odds this surprisingly great pop record does him justice. #2001songs open.spotify.com/track/1sn72o...

open.spotify.com

Astounded

Bran Van 3000 · Discosis · Song · 2001

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Continuing my #2001songs playlist & giving Blink 182's The Rock Show some credit as a perfect pop-punk capsule. Those harmonies on the middle eight/bridge are 💯. Baffling how the less-good-but-still-servicable First Date has the higher streaming numbers these days. open.spotify.com/track/2ydUT1...

open.spotify.com

The Rock Show

blink-182 · Take Off Your Pants And Jacket · Song · 2001

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Maybe my favourite Bee Gees song, which is some accolade. I always thought it sounded like Sufjan Stevens - and no disrespect to Sufjan - but better. #2001songs open.spotify.com/track/0Sfpny...

open.spotify.com

This Is Where I Came In

Bee Gees · This Is Where I Came In · Song · 2001

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

What has become apparent in my #2001music quest is that a series of bad decisions were made in my big covid-era CD cull. Ballboy's great comp of early EPs 'Club Anthems' is nowhere to be found in my shed. Anyone know which songs were re-recorded for this comp? open.spotify.com/album/0Mtujw...

open.spotify.com

club anthems 2001 (anniversary edition) - Album by Ballboy | Spotify

Ballboy · album · 2023 · 16 songs

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Ash released Free All Angels in 2001, but also 5 (five!) singles w/ four b-sides on each. Pick of the b-side bunch is, of course, Warmer Than Fire but I also have a real soft spot for this even though it didn't even make their Cosmic Debris b-sides album. #2001music open.spotify.com/track/3kNERp...

open.spotify.com

Skullfull of Sulphur

Ash · Teenage Wildlife - 25 Years of Ash · Song · 2020

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Anita Lane - the former Bad Seed and partner of Nick Cave - covering Gil Scott Heron is some good new-to-me #2001music. Sex O'Clock is a terrible name for an album though. open.spotify.com/track/6eVqlu...

open.spotify.com

Home Is Where the Hatred Is

Anita Lane · Sex O'Clock · Song · 2001

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

1986 music 💥 A chunky 325-song roundup of big hits and cult classics turning 40 this year. My personal rules for what should be on here changed more than once during compiling this but broadly speaking it's a maximum of 2 songs per album. Dive in. open.spotify.com/playlist/3ZJ...

open.spotify.com

What's Going On, 1986?

Playlist · Sam Leppard · 325 items

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

It must be huge. A surprising number of people still get caught out by tribute bands too! And conversely there’s also a weird subsection who assume genuine big name headliners in my local park are actually tribute bands.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Think my introduction to this was hearing a DJ play what I now presume to be the original version at an ATP festival in the mid 00s. Asking a friend who seemed to know it what it was he said it was by 4hero. I downloaded this version soon after but didn't realise it was a cover for years.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

A great cover! Stretching out the original but remaining largely faithful it's easy not to notice it's nearly twice as long as Minnie Riperton's definitive version. It can't quite match her vocals, but it immaculately preserves and extends the vibe. #2001songs open.spotify.com/track/4eLKvH...

open.spotify.com

Les Fleur

4hero, Carina Andersson · Creating Patterns · Song · 2001

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

I've just started making a playlist of 2001 music. It's going to be long and likely take me months, so might as well write some words about it on bluesky as I work through the longlist. #2001music.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

No-one's mentioned it, so - fun fact - verse two of Ladykillers is about Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and verse three Matt Sharp from Weezer. It gets my vote with or without such trivia though.

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Reposted by Sam Leppard

Kenny Stewart @kennystew.art · 24/06/2026

I thought kick off was later and I’m sad I somehow missed it but that’s a great result for Scotland.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

It's back! 💥 My occasional series of year-focussed playlists reaches 1976. A hefty 325 songs that turn 50 this year. open.spotify.com/playlist/6qm...

open.spotify.com

What's Going On, 1976?

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

In which Dolly Parton invents country-ska. open.spotify.com/track/1I5gvk...

open.spotify.com

All I Can Do

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Reposted by Sam Leppard

Mr Roger Quimbly @rogerquimbly.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Busy weekend ahead on Facebook asking questions that were already answered in the original post.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Elton John was playing keys for Long John Baldry in ‘66 too. Wonder if he was here as well.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Best group so far. Chloe Q is new to me and that backing track sounds just like INXS covering Bowie's Fame. Might listen to these a few more time before I cement my vote.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

The Florry tune is good, but it keeps threatening to turn into Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting which is a bit offputting.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

I mainly listen to new music, but these were my most listened to albums from the 20th century this year.

R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Garbage - Garbage
Neil Young - Zuma
Richard & Linda Thompson - Pour Down Like Silver
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
R.E.M. - Out of Time
Throwing Muses - The Real Ramona
Bee Gees - Main Course
Joan Armatrading - Back To The Night
The Replacements - Tim
Lloyd Cole and The Commotions - Mainstream
Neil Young - Tonight's the Night
Patti Smith - Horses
Steely Dan - Katy Lied

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Reposted by Sam Leppard

Bill Barnwell @billbarnwell.com · 04/12/2025

I'm at the combination

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Thank you for this, Sean! Always the best list! I don't think the spotify link works though? Perhaps you've left the playlist set on private?

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Ah! I was at both Space and SFA at the Corn Exchange. Have we ever had a conversation about that? I don't remember one! That SFA show is one of my fave ever gigs, and the Space one was fantastic too - was absolutely baffled by the really bad album they put out a few weeks/months later.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Before we're fully immersed in year-end list season I should put this playlist out into the wild. 1985 favourites, cult classics & big hits. 290 40yr-old bangers. Auto-sorted by popularity. open.spotify.com/playlist/2nY...

open.spotify.com

1985 bits

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Looks like I'm off to spend some money then!

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

This is great - not least as I hadn't realised Eddy Grant and The Equals had finally made it to digital/streaming! I think it must have only happened last year. I think I'm right in saying everything available prior to that were re-recordings.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Some personal trivia, but when my youngest son was born by c-section, Let's Hear It For The Boy happened to be playing on the radio in the operating theatre. A memorable, if sightly crazed, soundtrack for what was a pretty intense (and joyful) experience. "Let's hear it for my baby" indeed.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

just going to tag @peoples-pop-polls.bsky.social as I'm not on the spreadsheet yet - and will also use this opportunity to say that Aretha is my main! Forgot about that first time around.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

OK, quick browse through some playlists and lets go for: Valentine Brothers - Money's Too Tight To Mention ('82) Aretha Franklin - Get It Right ('83) Shirley Lites - Heat You Up (Melt You Down) ('83) Klymaxx - Meeting In The Ladies Room ('84)

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

The harmonica solo on Eurythmics' There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) is so good it made me google who it was playing as it is 100% the best thing about that (very decent) song. Delighted to discover that it's Stevie Wonder - apparently 'famously so', but it's news to me.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

My hot Weezer take is that 2021's OK Human is every bit as brutally honest, open and for-all-its-flaws-relatable as Pinkerton, except Rivers is no longer an angst-ridden 20-something rockstar, but now a slightly bored middle-aged rich dude stuck in his nice house with his family during a pandemic.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Entirely fair. I suspect some of these careers have played out slightly differently across the two sides of the Atlantic though as a lot of these are still relative heavyweights over here. Off to listen to your mix now though - lots to discover on there!

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Great work as always! I'm not Gen Z (sorry!) but I AM British, so have taken the liberty of quickly compiling some notable UK tunes not represented here. Appreciate some of it is a bit 'legacy indie', but you might find something useful? All 10m+ streams on spotify. open.spotify.com/playlist/79Z...

open.spotify.com

UK indie 2015-19

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Just listening to Deserter's Songs. Mildly intrigued to discover both Levon Helm and Garth Hudson from The Band make cameos on two different songs. Helm drums on album highlight, Opus 40. That's it. Your obscure music trivia for today. You're welcome. open.spotify.com/album/6MvMOh...

open.spotify.com

Deserter's Songs (Remastered)

Mercury Rev · Album · 1998 · 11 songs

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Norman Records' Bluesky admin: "I will now sell five copies of The Three EPs by the Beta Band" *hits 'post'*

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

I’m not new to this Tubes track but new enough to still find its unexpected weirdness thrilling. Although I don’t think I’ve ever been more aware that at some point that same weirdness will become grating. Hasn’t happened yet though. An easy vote.

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Sam Leppard @spleppard.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

Shameful admission: Having been introduced to Love Rollercoaster via the RHCP version in the Beavis & Butthead movie I always think the Ohio Players original lacks a bit of energy without the Anthony Kiedis “double dipper” rap. I’m Voting Cadogan.

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