Tom Ewing

Since 2003, I've been writing a blog called&nbsp;<a href="http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Popular</a>, talking about every No.1 single in the UK Top 40. These songs were, once upon a time, the country's highest sellers - I ask why, and what it meant, and whether they were any good. I've been lucky enough to attract a patient readership and some excellent commenters along the way. For the last sixteen years I've been funding my writing via my day jobs. As my responsibilities have increased, the time I have to work on Popular (and other fun things) has shrunk. I'm now going freelance, and funding Popular using Patreon. I need to be very clear about one thing: Popular will still be on Freaky Trigger, and still free to read for non-patrons and patrons alike. What I'm offering backers is early access and the opportunity to help guarantee the Popular project's future.&nbsp; Your very generous contributions let me create space in my life to keep the project moving and maybe even, one day, complete it. This Patreon also funds other critical work, such as my ongoing DISCOURSE 2000 blog looking at British weekly comic 2000AD. Patreon funding lets me set aside writing time each month - patrons on any higher tier ($2 or above) see Popular entries early. Note that if I don't complete 4 Popular (or $5 tier) pieces in a month I suspend billing for the next one, so practically speaking even subscribers get most of this stuff for free. I'm also writing other Patreon-first features:<ul><li>MUSIC CHALLENGE PLAYLISTS AND NOTES: I take part in various Music Challenges over on Bluesky, and will occasionally include extended playlists and write-ups for those. (All paid members get these)</li><li>PARALLEL LINES: Entries for the forty "lost number ones" from the 50s and 60s which hit No.1 on those UK charts that didn't later get retconned into being 'official'. ($5 or above - this has fallen into abeyance but I still intend to get going on it)</li><li>POPULAR CRYSTAL BALL: Occasional pieces on the current No.1 records - a first draft of my thoughts on history as it happens! ($5 or above)</li><li>And I'll occasionally use various tiers to post work in progress pieces and previews.</li></ul>I've never attempted to monetize any of my online writing projects before - this was a scary step for me, and I am thrilled and grateful to anyone who's decided to back me in this, and to anyone who backs me in future.

Free

This is basically a "tip jar" tier - it'll contribute towards wider goals and you'll get early access to the Peoples' Pop Poll mini playlists, plus some posts previewing the brackets. 
This tier (and all above it!) will get early access to Top 100 posts now that goal has been reached.

Friends Of Popular

You get to read new Popular entries (and see the scores!) 3-7 days before they make their way to the actual site. 
 
You also get access to Top 100 posts now that goal has been reached, and the early mini-playlists for the Pop Polls.

Early Readers

You get new entries, Top 100 posts, early playlists, plus access to anything else I put here: - LESS POPULAR (pieces on songs which didn't reach No.1) - PARALLEL LINES (pieces on the "missing" No.1s) - Poll process notes, early podcast access, and other bits and bobs.

Popular Plus

This tier gives you everything the $5 tier gets, and nothing else beyond my enormous gratitude at your generosity! I'm planning on phasing this out once most people on it migrate to the $5 tier.

$10 tier (DEFUNCT TIER)

This tier gives you everything the $5 tier gets, and nothing else beyond my REALLY enormous gratitude at your generosity! I'm planning on phasing this out when I phase out the $10 tier.

Tom Ewing

Choose your membership

Recent posts by Tom Ewing