This is a preliminary list of performers that I will never include in my pop selections, though many of them had big hits in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I will add names as I think of them.
The Mamas and Papas
Peter Paul and Mary
Harpers Bizarre
Frank Ifield
Van Doonican
The Bachelors
Ken Dodd
Jim Reeves
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme
Esther & Abi Ofarim
Peters & Lee
Petula Clark
Roger Miller
The Seekers
The New Seekers
Bert Kaempfert
Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen
Acker Bilk
Horst Jankowski
Tom Jones
Association
The Rooftop Singers
Los Bravos
5th Dimension
Stevie Wonder
Peter Sarstedt
Burl Ives
Dana
The Singing Nun
Ray Stevens
Pinky and Perky
The Chipmunks
Big Dee Irwin
Tommy James and the Shondells
Kyu Sakamoto
Al Martino
Trini Lopez
The Kingston Trio
The New Christy Minstrels
The Newbeats
The Serendipity Singers
B J Thomas
Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto
Nancy Sinatra
When it comes to the Sixties I don’t rule anything out; I love even the corniest, most uncool records from that era, although I do draw the line at “Where Do You Go To My Lovely” by Peter Sarstedt.
(Sarstedt’s brother Eden Kane made some good singles though).
To Seventies music I have more objections. I hope I never hear “American Pie” ever again, although I probably will! Things turned sour at the end of that decade and from then on pop has been dominated by disco-based music. The turn of the 70s/80s was such a bleak time, although looking back some of the classic disco records were great. “Contact” by Edwin Starr for instance.