I was once quoted in a book. The Age of Netflix.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd84ecb01-47d3-4923-8f95-2a7bb3f354cc_764x268.png)
I do not remember writing this. But that makes sense, once I realized this was part of a bracket I’d done: Who Won 2013?
After about 10,000 words, I’d landed on the answer.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7515f4b0-2ebb-4ddf-b29d-1335ffe8df44_960x960.jpeg)
After defeating the City of Toronto, Netflix, Vine, and LeBron James, Cultural Appropriation took the crown, defeating Kanye West (who had just beaten the Pope).
I’ve been doing brackets a long time now. They’re exhilarating, they’re exhausting. And after their completion, I always say the same thing:
I’m never doing that again.
Took three years off, but I’m back. Because Luther.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff73323eb-219f-4d78-8614-62e32329dff4_2026x1536.png)
Looking at this image, four questions will race to your mind, all of which I have answers for.
How’d you pick the songs?
Great question. I picked the best 32 Luther Vandross songs, decided entirely by me.
Wait, so how’d you get to 16?
I seeded the songs, based on their popularity ranking on Spotify’s This is Luther Vandross playlist.
Did you include any Vandross that wasn’t on that playlist?
Absolutely, and they were given 8 seeds.
Are you accounting for live Luther versions?
Yes — in this bracket, each song included is being evaluated (and celebrated) by its finest version [album version, live performance, or music video].
Wait, you never said how you’d got to 16?
Oh, my bad. I already played out the first round.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c0ff1c9-fbbc-49d2-a768-5f93090ff2e5_1952x1200.png)
Sorry, to these songs, which are all bangers:
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc13ad47d-1c3f-4cae-b374-c652aea7082f_1564x888.png)
Click here for the full playlist.
Saturday: Sweet 16
Sunday: Elite 8
Monday: Final 4
Tuesday: THE VANDROSS INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP