History of the TOP5:

I didn’t invent the TOP 5, though I wish I had. I’m sure it’s been around for a long time. My first encounter and where I truly discovered both the genius and the beauty in motion of the TOP 5 was in the movie High Fidelity. Based on Nick Hornby’s book, High Fidelity is a story about a record storeowner who constructs his life with the TOP 5. The plot unfolds as he narrates his TOP 5 break- ups.

High Fidelity is a great movie for music lovers and is my favourite Jack Black performance. One of the best lines in the film happens when Barry (Jack Black) asks Rob (John Cusack) the following:
“Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?”

As you can see, thinking in ‘Top 5s’ forces one to distill what would otherwise float by unevaluated, undiscovered, wasted. The TOP 5 is a great conversation starter, it helps you get to know other’s tastes, and it provides a grid through which to view one’s life.

As you will quickly notice, I hold ‘TOP 5’ as mere a guideline. Where a given topic demands, I will stretch to 6 or at times 7. Where a given topic is unfinished or requires a more modest cataloging, I will withhold to 4 or even 3.

This TOP 5 is organized in the following: music, books, film, and miscellaneous. Since the nature of the TOP 5 is to promote greater understanding, air one’s own idiosyncratic opinions, and create rigorous debate, please, feel free to respond. Offer your own TOP 5 in a corresponding category, take issue with any of my given TOP5s, counter with your own suggestions, offer supplemental submissions.

1. top five movies: CLICK HERE

2. top five music: CLICK HERE

3. top five books: CLICK HERE

4. top five misc: CLICK HERE