Along with at least 8 million other people I continue to follow Pop Master, the mid-morning quiz on BBC Radio 2. It has been the subject of many pieces on this Blog, most recently this summary from week ending 8 April 2022.

Currently I make a note of the following: my score, the bonus questions, any questions I have got wrong, any that feature information that is new to me or that I guessed right, and finally the “3 in 10” challenge.

Here is a summary of the information I noted down for the week ending Friday 15 April 2022. Answers to the questions are in brackets. Capitalized text is used for questions that I got wrong, along with the word “NOPE”. Capitalized text within a question indicates information that is either new or noteworthy, for example CHRISTOPHER WALLACE, the real name of rapper Notorious BIG. Other notes appear in square brackets.

Monday 11 April 2022: 33, 33

Round 1: 80s Groups [Not Intros]

BONUS questions: Name the lead singer of this 80s group who has since achieved over 20 solo hits; this is a clip from Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths (Morrissey)/ The only Top 20 by this group in the 80s, Come Dancing (Kinks) / Madness had 19 Top 20 hits in the 80s, including this, Michael Caine; name their only #1 (House of Fun)

Q4: If I thought you’d ever changed your mind, Every time that you walk in the room were both hits for which Abba singer? (Agnetha Fältskog) YES

What was the name of Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman’s 1986 Top 3 duet? (Before you say goodbye) is my guess, NOPE (ALL I ASK OF YOU)

Q10: 2006 Orson follow-up to their 2006 #1 single was a Top 20 single and #1 album called Bright (IDEA) NOPE I went for (Eyes)

33 for me, 33 for him, we both got the same 2 questions wrong

Round 2: Intros [Not 60s Hits]

BONUS questions: Intro to a 2011 release by Noah & the Whale, please give the title NOPE, can’t think of anything by them (LIFE GOES ON) [Or, more accurately, Life … Goes … On] / Name this 1988 Top 10 by Prefab Sprout (King of rock ’n roll) YES / a 2009 hit by Kelly Clarkson (My life would suck without you) is my guess, YES

Q8: Complete the title of this Bran Van 3000 Top 3 hit from 1999: Drinking in (LA) YES

Q10: Family group, Top 10 with He’s the greatest dancer (Sister Sledge)

33 for me, 9 for her

3 in 10: The Weeknd, NOPE, 2 for me, 1 for him

Weeknd (11 April 2022): Can’t feel my face / Blinding Lights / I feel it coming / Save your tears [41 hits in all, already]

Tuesday 12 April 2022: 39, 39

Round 1: Weather Forecast [Not Real Names]

Q2: Too nice to talk to, early 80s hit for (The Beat)

BONUS questions: Weather Girls, It’s raining men, name the singer who took it to #1 in 2001 (Geri Halliwell) / Only one chart appearance for this artist, name him; the song is Informer (Snow) / #1 from 1963, Restless Wind; identify the performer (Frank Ifield)

Q4: Complete the title of this Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men 1995 hit: One Sweet (Day)

Q5: Close to you, 2001 Top 10 hit for the lead singer of Wet Wet Wet (Marti Pellow)

Q7: New entries on this date: 5 Star Can’t wait another minute, Janet Jackson What have you done for me lately, Simple Minds All the things she said (1986) [YES; tricky this one, because I thought it might be too early for Janet Jackson, but it was her first hit, got to #3; Nasty and When I think of you were also hits in 1986 for her]

Q8: Name the 1999 hit for Sixpence None the Richer (Kiss Me) YES

Q10: Having had several hits in the 1960s, which band’s first hit of the 70s was I can’t tell the bottom from the top? (Hollies)

18 for her, 39 for me

Round 2: Real Names [Not Neil Diamond]

Q2: Jive Bunny spent 5 weeks at #1 in 1989 with Swing the (Mood)

BONUS questions: Love don’t live here any more, a Top 10 by James Michael Aloysius Bradford, better known as (Jimmy Nail) / Top 20 from the 1970s by Steely Dan, Haitian Divorce, name either of the leaders of the group (Walter Becker) YES [I couldn’t remember the other name, Donald Fagan] / Concetta Franconero, had a 1958 chart-topper with this song, Who’s sorry now; what name was on the record label? (Connie Francis)

Q4: Three Natasha Bedingfield hits of the 00s have one-word titles, name any of them (Single) YES [Also: Unwritten, Soulmate]

Q9: Brand New Heavies had a 1997 hit with which Carole King song that had also been a hit for James Taylor? (You’ve got a friend)

Q10: In 1971 Get down and get with it was the debut hit for which band? (Slade)

18 for him, 39 for me, it’s a tie-break

Tie-Break Questions: In 1974, Hey rock ’n roll was a Top 10 debut for which group? (Showaddywaddy) / In 1978 there were two hit versions of Blame it on the boogie, one by the Jacksons; who was the other version by? (Mick Jackson)

3 in 10: Lily Allen, yes for me, not for her

Lily Allen (12 April 2022): The Fear / Somewhere only we know / Smile / LDN

Wednesday 13 April 2022: 39, 39

Round 1: Lady Luck [Not Ex Group Members]

BONUS questions: Cliff Richard 1963 hit (Lucky Lips) / A 2014 hit for Kylie Minogue 2014 , name her first chart hit (I should be so lucky) / Top 10 from 1978, With a little luck, give the exact artist credit on the label (Wings)

Q10: This Corrosion, Top 10 in 1987 for the band The Sisters of (Mercy) YES

39 for me, 27 for him

Round 2: Ex Group Members [Not David Bowie]

BONUS questions: #1 hit from 2011 by Nicole Scherzinger, Don’t Hold Your Breath, name the successful group she was a member of (Pussycat Dolls) / From 1985, a #1 solo single by Feargal Sharkey, A Good Heart, name the group he was lead vocalist with (Undertones) / Top 20 by one of the Spice Girls, something about Summertime and a happy song; which Spice Girl? (Emma Bunton)

Q8: In 1992 I WONDER WHY was the Top 5 chart debut for Curtis who? (Stigers)

Q10: Name the Top 3 Mary Hopkin Eurovision entry from 1970 (Knock Knock Who’s There)

36 for him (he didn’t get Q10), 39 for me

3 in 10: The Cure, yes for him and for me – he’s the SECOND Champions League Pop Master contestant of the year, the FIRST time it’s happened for Scott Mills

Cure (13 April 2022): Lullaby / Friday on my mind / Love Cats / Boys don’t cry

Thursday 14 April 2022: 24, 30

Round 1: 21st century hits [Not Debut Hits]

BONUS questions: From 2011, most recent Top 10 hit by this act (BLACK EYED PEAS) [NOPE, didn’t recognize this, it’s called Just can’t get enough] / This band’s last hit of the 90s was in 1995, and they had to wait until 2001 for this, their next hit (NEW ORDER) [NOPE, I should have got this, Crystal, got to #8] / Debut hit and only #1 for this performer, from 2002, Colour Blind (Darius)

Q7: Whitney Houston 1999 hit My love is (YOUR LOVE) [NOPE, I should have got that, it was Stuck at 2, kept off the top by ATB 9pm Till I Come]

Q10: Self Control was a 1984 hit for the US singer Laura (Brannigan)

21 for her, 24 for me

Round 2: Debut Hits [Not Diana Ross]

BONUS questions: Cover of A night to remember, debut hit for this group in 1996 (911) YES, good guess / Debut for this singer in 2011, NOPE something like Skinny love (BIRDY) / First #1 by The Jam, from 1980, Going Underground, name their first Top 40 hit (In The City)

Q4: Don’t Tell Me has been a hit title for 3 different acts, name one (Blancmange) Madonna, Avril Lavigne

Q10: Come back to what you know, My weakness is none of your business, Top 10 singles in 1998 for a group (EMBRACE) NOPE

12 for her, 30 for me

3 in 10: Kool and the Gang, yes for me, not for her

Kool and the Gang (14 April 2022): Cherish / Joanna / Get down on it / Ladies Night

Friday 15 April 2022: 36 [+ 3 in 10], 27

Round 1: Here and Now [Not More Room]

BONUS questions: Part of an intro to a 1984 top 10 by Eurythmics (Here comes the rain again) / From 1992, a hit by Heavy D and the Boys, Now that we’ve found love; name the act that had the original hit in 1978 (Third World) / The first hit for this female artists, Here with me (Dido)

Q4: Which act released their first album in 18 years recently, called The Tipping Point? (TEARS FOR FEARS) NOPE

Q10: These Dreams, Never and Alone were all Top 10 hits in the 80s for which band? (Heart)

27 for her, 36 for me

Round 2: Verses [Not More Room]

BONUS questions: Part of a verse from a 1970 hit by Jimmy Cliff (Wild World) / The most recent Top 10 by REM (Leaving New York) [YES, good guess, from the clue, I didn’t recognize the song] / Name this Garbage song, lyrics include Cut my tongue out, I’ve been caught out like a giant juggernaut, Happy Hours, Golden Showers, On a cruise to freak you out (WHEN I GROW UP) NOPE, never heard that

Q4: Complete the title of this STEPS 1999 Top 3 hit Love’s got a (HOLD ON MY HEART) [NOPE, and it was STUCK AT 2!! 1 week at 2, kept off the top by Ricky Martin, Livin’ La Vida Loca]

Q10: Soak up the sun, a 2002 hit on this date for (SHERYL CROW) NOPE

27 for me, 15 for her

3 in 10: Spandau Ballet, yes for me, 2 for her (Gold & True)

Spandau Ballet (15 April 2022): True / Gold / To cut a long story short / Instinction / Chant #1 / Only when you leave / Lifeline

A summary of the questions I didn’t get

Monday 11 April: Cliff Richard and Sarah Brightman 1986 Top 3 duet All I ask of you / Orson follow-up to 2006 #1 No tomorrow was #1 album & Top 20 single Bright idea / Noah & the Whale 2011 Life goes on [Or: Life … goes … on]

Tuesday 12 April: [none]

Wednesday 13 April: [none]

Thursday 14 April: Black Eyed Peas last Top 10 Just can’t get enough (bonus question) / New Order first 21st century hit Crystal (bonus question) / Whitney Houston 1999 My love is your love / Birdy 2011 debut Skinny love (bonus question) / Embrace 1998 hits Come back to what you know & My weakness is none of your business

Friday 15 April: Tears for Fears recent album The tipping point / Steps 1999 #2 Love’s got a hold on my heart, / A verse from a Garbage song When I grow up / Sheryl Crow 2002 hit Soak up the sun

Sequence of scores: 33, 33, 39, 39, 39, 39, 24, 30, 36, 27

Total points: 339

Daily Average: 33.90

Top score, 39 points: 4

2nd top score, 36 points + “3 in 10”: 1

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