What follows is a list of 125 household-name artists grouped by the last years in which they appeeared on a single that hit the Top 40 of Billboard's "Hot 100" chart in America. As a recovering teen chart nut, I find this stuff fascinating. It speaks to their relevance as artists in some cases, but speaks to the relevance of having a "hit single" in cases where the artists are clearly still quite successful by other measures.

Most of all, it's just wow-inducing to see how long it's been for some of these artists, who have sold millions and millions of records in their storied careers. It's also interesting seeing the groups of artists who enjoyed their last Top 40 success together...Gloria Gaynor and Patti Smith, for example.

(Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong on any; it's hard juggling artists' singles, featured appearances, etc.)

Enjoy...

I've got over 700 45s, mostly from the 1980s. They represent my being; they represent the time I decided to start buying each week's Top 10, they represent my obsessions with certain artists (Madonna, Eurythmics, Blondie, Pet Shop Boys) and they represent my addiction to imagery.

For fun, I pulled out a few that I think are bona fide pieces of art. Maybe next time I'll choose the tackiest ones...

Paper has debuted some atmospheric stills from James Duke Mason's movie Disappear Here...here.

Gwyneth Paltrow is rumored to be interested in a full-scale Go-Go's musical, and all of the members—even Paula Jean Brown—are said to be involved. It would be nice to have their important place in music and pop-culture history immortalized in a meaningful way; they seem forgotten in comparison to the impact they had.

Via Kenneth in the (212).

Here's that Go-Go's/Justin Bieber/Drake/Naked Eyes/everyone else in the world mash-up you've been longing for...

Prove it!

As of midnight last night, it was exactly six years since my first post. It's been a tough thing to keep up with a dayjob and outside activities, and just when I think I might walk away, a valuable connection or interesting opportunity or a kind word comes my way. Thank you all for reading me.

Of whom are you more jealous?

Here are my favorite 100+ posts out of nearly 11,000. Please take some time to read (or re-read!) a couple and tweet or Facebook any you like.

xoxo Matt

The pocket pool championships were intense this year

BOY CULTURE

Boy-crazy

FROM BOY TO MAN: BC B.C. (2007): The entire history of my novell and novel Boy Culture as well as the movie version; might be my ultimate post.

Jonathon Trent & Derek Magyar make an Allan Brocka sandwich

BOY ON FILM (2006): An account of the NYC launch party for Boy Culture as it played the TriBeCa Film Fest.

I was left "Reeling" by the experience

FRIENDS AND "FAMILY" (2006): The movie version of Boy Culture hits Chicago.

No one would've mistaken me for Taylor Lautner

RAPT PUPIL (2006): The final night of Outfest with Boy Culture; I was fat but on the other hand got to meet Bryan Singer.

 

MY ART

 

Construction worker (shot this week) vs. James Dean

GUYDAR (since at least January 17, 2008) & ENDS OF THE WORLD (since at least January 13, 2008): Attractive men of the world—I got your backs. Your fronts, too.

i-i-i (phone)

Not totally built

Unaltered iPhone image that still blows me away

"Your pictures suck" (2008): An art critic attacks me, but not without sustaining some hits in return.

Let's call it a draw

DRAWN TOGETHER (2008): How my desire to draw related to my secret desire. One of my absolute favorite posts.

The shirtless one

LOST ANGELES (2009): My favorite photographic travelogue of L.A.

Even then, New Yorkers feared 9/11 was the beginning of the end

ART IMITATES LIFE (2006): My 9/11 and my distaste for grief tourism.

ME

Death of the party—Jeff in high school, already halfway through his life

BURNING MAN (2007): Tribute to my late high school friend and first romance.

Signed, sealed (eventually) delivered

LOST BOY FOUND (2011): There is a book in here somewhere.

Be Italian

CIAO HOUNDS: OUR TRIP TO ITALY (2011): Finally got José to Europe.

Death becomes here

ILLINOIS DEATH TRIP (2007): Ruminations on death while revisiting a past home, and the past.

Life is short...and meaningful

PASSING BY (2008): Mourning the loss of a person I only met once.

Lots more...

Finally found (made) some time to upload the rest of my Go-Go's experience from Dallas. Above is what they signed for me—the back side of their "We Got the Beat" 7" single sleeve.

Check out this great scene—they called up two gay (forgive my assumption!) fans and some others to twist the night away to their album track "Cool Jerk":

CLICK HERE for video snippets of all but a couple of the songs on their amazing set list...and below are tons more pictures...

Belinda looks pretty great, no?

Since Thursday, I've been away from The Big Apple of Irene's eye, New York City, and holed up in 110-degree Dallas; my brilliant idea had been to hit up one of the last few Go-Go's VIP meet-and-greets in a city where my "in-laws" (nothing legal about it as José and I are no more than best friends in the eyes of the law) live. Of course, everything is 40 minutes away in Dallas, so the trip itself has consisted of many car rides, lots of eating out and definitely some fun times, even if being apart from José and our dog-children during what was potentially going to be a damaging hurricane stressed us both out far more than a spirited rendition of "We Got the Beat" could make up for.

109 degrees, but my presence *did* make it rain one day in Dallas

Now that things have settled—and FUCK YOU to New Yorkers tripping over themselves to make sarcastic remarks about how Irene was overhyped when people died and damage happened even if not to them—I can summarize my trip in a nutshell.

I was dropped off at the House of Blues in Dallas Friday for The Go-Go's, where I was immersed in a lively crowd of 40something marrieds who arrived pre-loaded to the gills. Not as gay a crowd as their gig outside Chicago. I had instructions to meet at the Park Avenue Room (as if it wasn't already hard enough to forget about NYC for a few hours), so we all gathered around a long table that was set up there. I met several nice fans, including a sports writer who'd forgotten to bring anything for them to sign and a guy and girl (one of whom has a granddaughter, but didn't look it) who'd left their camera in the car. So, since the girls were only signing ONE item PERIOD, I gave my extra CD cover to the first guy and then told the pair I'd let them use my camera and e-mail them the photos. The fan-karma paid off with a pretty flawless night.

First Madonna, now it's HAPPY 53RD BIRTHDAY, BELINDA CARLISLE! (For those who are keeping track, other '80s idols who are hitting 53 this year—or who would've—include Prince, Simon LeBon, Kate Bush, Joan Jett and Michael Jackson, to name a few.)

Oh, and HAPPY 51ST BIRTHDAY, SEAN PENN! Madonna's truest love and a man of conviction, even when I don't agree with him. Who could ever have guessed Madonna and Sean Penn would be such acclaimed and, yes, relevant artists 25 years after their "mad marriage" was in full swing?