Putting these all into a double-elimination, although lets many gems filter ahead, also means some get hit up against all-stars and is over too soon.
https://challonge.com/ldpm241qRight now there's 64 artists with 0 losses and 128 artists with 1, but now the next two rounds will narrow the 128 to 32 and thus cut it down to 96 remaining.
Here's the first 10 gone:
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Perfectly fine, although sometimes the New Radicals You-Get-What-You-Give-like vocals irritate me (and they show up on hundreds of songs, crazy that song might be the most influential song of the 90s)
Grouper - Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
I love twee lofi songs, I love listening to them, I love writing and recording them, but at the same time, many times they don't stand out, and we're talking best songs here. But I will probably check out this band, because they sound great.
TORRES - Sprinter - bummed this is out so early. It's a super-solid song. As I noted above, probably a Top 100 finalist but came up against some superstars.
Arooj Aftab - Lullaby Sweet harmless little song
Others gone that are fine and also I'm fine they are gone:
International Contemporary Ensemble - In the Light of Air: I. Luminance
KING - The Greatest
Emel Mathlouthi - Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free)
La Insuperable - Damelo (feat. Chimbala)
Lori McKenna - Humble & Kind
Matana Roberts - All Is Written