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Greatest synth sound of all time revealed
Check out Future Music's top 40 here
Ben Rogerson, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 11:14 am UTC
The bassline from D. Ramirez's remix of Bodyrox's Yeah Yeah has been judged the greatest synth sound of all time by Future Music. It saw off the challenge of the legendary sequenced bassline from Donna Summer's I Feel Love to secure its place at number one in the magazine's top 40 list.
"After months of sweat, tears and quite a bit of shouting, we're proud to announce Future Music's Top 40 Synth Sounds Of All Time – our definitive list of our favourite synth sounds (and how to get them)," says FM Editor Daniel Griffiths.
"We debated long and hard, pulling in the expert opinions of all our writers and contributors and asking readers to chip in at futuremusic.co.uk. After months of compiling and chin-rubbing, we think we've cracked it."
Controversial
The choice of Yeah Yeah's bassline as the top synth tone is sure to spark some debate – the song was only released in 2006, so doesn't have the benefit of age to lend it credibility. However, Griffiths believes that it meets the criteria of what a great synth sound should be.
"It's a combination of instant recognition and ingenuity," he says. "You've got to hear the sound and instantly know what record you're listening too. Great sounds grab the ear and make you love a track.
"Plus, you've got to want to slap the maker on the back for doing something totally new."
Other notable artists to make the top 10 include Eurythmics, Harold Faltermeyer, Daft Punk and The Prodigy. You can read the full feature in the December issue of Future Music, on sale 28 November – this also details how each sound was created and how you can recreate it.
The full top 40 is as follows:
40. Utopia - Goldfrapp
39. We Come 1 - Faithless
38. Café Del Mar - Energy 52
37. Ride On Time - Black Box
36. Come To Daddy - Aphex Twin
35. Show Me Love - Robin S
34. Are 'Friends' Electric? - Gary Numan
33. The Final Countdown - Europe
32. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
31. Yeah - Usher
30. Got To Have Your Love - Mantronix
29. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
28. M.E. - Gary Numan
27. Chime - Orbital
26. Inner City Life - Goldie
25. 1999 – Prince
24. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
23. Cars - Gary Numan
22. Higher State Of Consciousness - Josh Wink
21. Aerodynamic - Daft Punk
20. Love Don't Let Me Go - David Guetta vs The Egg
19. Sandstorm - Darude
18. Jump - Van Halen
17. Sussudio - Phil Collins
16. Express Yourself - Madonna
15. Kernkraft 4000 - Zombie Nation
14. Rockit - Herbie Hancock
13. Windowlicker - Aphex Twin
12. Heartbeats - The Knife
11. Slam - Pendulum
10. Insomnia - Faithless
9. Charly - The Prodigy
8. Witness - Roots Manuva
7. Da Funk - Daft Punk
6. Don't You Want Me? - Human League
5. Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
4. Faxing Berlin - Deadmau5
3. Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
2. I Feel Love - Donna Summer
1. Yeah Yeah - Bodyrox (D. Ramirez remix)
User comments (9)
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Seriosly, I'm a bit shocked that there wasn't any entry from Ultravox.
Their screaming, tearing lead lines; pioneers of using guitar effects to synths, making them sound more organic and less like the "bleep, bleep" Depeche Mode and others delivered.
Oh, well, Billy Currie was involved in the works of Gary Numan..... -
LOL! The winner is absolutely the worst song I have ever heard!!!!!!!
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Nothing by OMD??!?
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Dont know what to say but your choice in the other post thats chooses Stevie Wonder's Boogie On Reggae Woman as the best synth sound I agree to this. Anyway it would be lovely to see get that FM issue that ALSO tells you to make those sounds . heehaaaaaa!!!
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And what about Kraftwerk, Visage's Fade to Grey, or some Eno and Barbieri? Mmm...
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Very good picks, but no Duran Duran's Save A Prayer, No Depeche Mode, and no Rick Wright - argh!
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OK, so I've compiled this list into a Spotify playlist. 35 out of the 40 songs were available, so five songs are missing from the playlist.
Also, in a couple of cases, the only available track was a remix, so then I've added that one instead. If anybody finds something wrong with my list or has a suggestion for a better Spotify replacement for something, please let me know at mans@thejonassons.com
Oh, and here's the Spotify Playlist URL:
http://open.spotify.com/user/mungobbq/playlist/2l8wTl3666Zc2Gosz2dyhS
Enjoy!
P.S: You've got to have a Spotify account. But you already do, don't you? If not, why not? :) -
Best synth sound? Is it most recognizable or is it most unique? Not sure but what about Tom Sawyer by Rush? Safety Dance or even Popcorn. I agree with Bobbistyle, that number one is bizarre.
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I do think it's kewl to put in new talent on the list, but yeah, someone got a serious back hander for that number 1! I like the track but it ain't the best synth ever.... For me, out of the top forty, I would have chosen Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams". Classic riff, has done it's time and stood proud. A close second would have been Gary Numan "Cars" for me and where's any Depeche Mode or even Jean Michelle Jarre "Oxygene" in the list? (That could go on forever...!)
Just my 5 pence worth...
Bobs
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mickeh
Mon 29 Dec 2008, 8:33 pm UTC