In the greatest upset since Brighton's cup win at Anfield, rank outsiders The Jam have beaten all the odds to snatch a dramatic last minute triumph in this year's readers poll.
The virtually unknown Woking-bred threesome are in fact no longer with us but there can be no doubt as to the impression they have made on the nation's pop pickers. They have won not only top group — for the fourth year running, beating Led Zeppelin's record of three consecutive triumphs in the 70s — but also 12 other categories, twice as many as they took last year.
Not even the Falklands war or the Greenham Common peace protest could impinge on their immovability and so our hearty commiserations, sorry congratulations must once again go out to Messrs Weller, Foxton and Buckler.
Beneath the Woking Wonders, however, things are nowhere near as settled as they have been for the past two years. If one ignores the votes cast for The Jam and looks instead at the runners-up spot in each category a more varied and shifting picture emerges: in this new hierarchy, Simple Minds have risen to number two band, Kid Creole And The Coconuts make second best live act and Elvis Costello is runner up both as songwriter and male singer.
Of the old guard, The Clash have enjoyed their best poll position for years — they copped second best LP, third best band, songwriters and haircut — while Siouxsie has triumphed yet again in the female vocal stakes, narrowly beating a strong challenge by Alf of Yazoo and even a small threat by Boy George. The Banshees also showed up strongly elsewhere, A Kiss In The Dreamhouse winning best dressed sleeve and Siouxsie finishing best dressed female, with drummer Budgie and guitarist John McGeoch finishing runners-up in their respective instrumental sections.
But '82 was also a great year for new names. Wham taking the dance floor section with "Young Guns." ABC making the top five in the group category. Grandmaster Flash running up in the singles list with "The Message," Tracey Thorn among the female singers while even one-time NME tealady Gary Crowley sneaks into the top ten radio shows with his Tuesday Club.
Apart from The Jam, one or two others managed to hold on to their titles. John Peel hosting the hottest thing on the airwaves for the 21st year running and Margaret Thatcher proving opinion polls correct with her Creep Of The Year accolade.
Other worthy winners — all for the first time were Madness (video), Vince Clark (electronics), The Young Ones (TV show). E.T. (film) and Helen O'Hara of The Emerald Express (miscellaneous instrument).
There were also some notable absentees — The Human League, Squeeze, Ultravox all slipped dramatically along with last year's best new group Altered Images — and those such as Echo And The Bunnymen who failed to capitalise on last year's success in the way they might have hoped.
Still, there's always next year and who's to bet that The Style Council won't be up there making the running. As things stand. Paul Weller looks very unlikely to surrender.
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