Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

at last, as promised:

Best singles of all-time, 1970-2002**
1971: “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” Rod Stewart
runner-up: “Theme from Shaft,” Isaac Hayes
runner-up: “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye
1972: “Girl You Need a Change of Mind,” Eddie Kendricks
runner-up: “Do You Want To Dance?,” Bette Midler
runner-up: “Walk on the Wild Side,” Lou Reed
1973: “That Lady (Part 1),” Isley Brothers
runner-up: “Abandoned Luncheonette,” Daryl Hall John Oates
runner-up: “Let’s Get It On,” Marvin Gaye
runner-up: “Personality Crisis,” New York Dolls
1974: “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe,” Barry White
runner-up: “Help Me,” Joni Mitchell
runner-up: “Jazzman,” Carole King
1975: “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” Barry White
runner-up: “Magic,” Pilot
runner-up: “I’m Not In Love,” 10cc
runner-up: “Walk This Way,” Aerosmith
1976: “Lowdown,” Boz Scaggs
runner-up: “Let the Music Play,” Barry White
runner-up: “Moonlight Feels Right,” Starbuck
runner-up: “Lonely Boy,” Andrew Gold
1977: “God Save the Queen,” Sex Pistols
runner-up: “Peg,” Steely Dan
runner-up: “Aja,” Steely Dan*
runner-up: “The Killing Of Georgie (Part I and II),” Rod Stewart
runner-up: “Lovely Day,” Bill Withers
1978: “When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You,” Marvin Gaye*
runner-up: “FM (No Static At All),” Steely Dan
runner-up: “Last Dance,” Donna Summer
runner-up: “You Belong To Me,” Carly Simon
1979: “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick,” Ian Dury and the Blockheads
runner-up: “Good Times,” Chic
runner-up: “Broken English,” Marianne Faithfull
1980: “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Joy Division
runner-up: “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” George Jones
1981: “”Your Imagination,” Daryl Hall John Oates
runner-up: “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),” Daryl Hall John Oates
1982: “Easy For You To Say,” Linda Ronstadt
runner-up: “Poison Arrow,” ABC
1983: “Sexual Healing,” Marvin Gaye
runner-up: “That Girl,” Stevie Wonder
1984: “How Soon Is Now?,” the Smiths
runner-up: “I Would Die 4 U,” Prince and the Revolution
runner-up: “The Glamorous Life,” Sheila E.
1985: “Sun City,” Artists United Against Apartheid
runner-up: “Slave to the Rhythm,” Grace Jones
runner-up: “Into the Groove,” Madonna
1986: “Kiss,” Prince
runner-up: “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out,” the Smiths
runner-up: “Experiment IV,” Kate Bush
1987: “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before,” the Smiths
runner-up: “The Pleasure Principle,” Janet Jackson
runner-up: “U Got The Look,” Prince
runner-up: “Strings of the Strings of Life,” Rythim Is Rythim
1988: “Bring the Noise,” Public Enemy
runner-up: “Teenage Riot,” Sonic Youth
runner-up: “Left to My Own Devices,” Pet Shop Boys
runner-up: “Welcome to the Jungle,” Guns ‘N Roses
1989: “Fight the Power,” Public Enemy
runner-up: “Disintegration,” the Cure*
runner-up: “Keep On Movin’,” Soul II Soul
1990: “Vogue,” Madonna
runner-up: “Drive That Fast,” Kitchens of Distinction
runner-up: “de-luxe,” Lush
1991: “Mind Playing Tricks On Me,” Geto Boys
runner-up: “Unfinished Sympathy,” Massive Attack
runner-up: “Only Shallow,” My Bloody Valentine
runner-up: “Romantic,” Karyn White
1992: “Sexy M.F.,” Prince and the New Power Generation
runner-up: “Erotica (Masters at Work Underground Club Mix),” Madonna
1993: “Outside Your Door,” Me’Shell Ndegéocello
runner-up: “Jazz (We’ve Got),” A Tribe Called Quest*
1994: “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get,” Morrissey
runner-up: “Flava In Ya Ear (The Bad Boy Remix),” Craig Mack featuring
the Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, Rampage and L.L. Cool J
runner-up: “burn (from Natural Born Killers),” nine inch nails
1995: “Soul Searchin’ (I Wanna Know If It’s Mine) (from Higher Learning),” Me’Shell Ndegéocello
runner-up: “Creep,” TLC
runner-up: “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need To Get By
(Puff Daddy Remix),” Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige
1996: “Born Slippy (NUXX),” Underworld
runner-up: “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” Maxwell
runner-up: “Funkorama,” Redman
1997: “It’s All About the Benjamins (Remix),” Puff Daddy and the Family featuring
the Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim and the LOX
runner-up: “Bachelorette,” Björk
runner-up: “Runaway,” Nuyorican Soul featuring India
1998: “Music Sounds Better With You,” Stardust
runner-up: “Are You That Somebody? (from Dr. Doolittle),” Aaliyah
1999: “You Get What You Give,” New Radicals
runner-up: “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Thunderpuss 2000 Club Mix),”
Whitney Houston
runner-up: “Race For The Prize,” Flaming Lips
2000: “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” D’Angelo
runner-up: “B.O.B.,” Outkast
runner-up: “Tempermental (Wamdue Project Remix),” Everything But The Girl
2001: “One More Time,” Daft Punk
runner-up: “Get Ur Freak On,” Missy Elliot
runner-up: “I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow,” the Soggy Bottom Boys
runner-up: “Bootylicious,” Destiny’s Child
2002: “Work It,” Missy Elliot
runner-up: “Angel Boy,” Tim McGraw

*Okay, it wasn’t actually a single. It’s my list. Deal.
**I wasn’t actually born until December of 1970, so I can't possibly remember that year's singles.