(WWW) Before the advent of the internet, buskers had to figure out which songs were popular enough to perform in public. Now, we can simply surf the net and and learn in a matter of seconds.Of course, sprinkling the list with an original here and there is always an option. But it all depends on the pitch and audience. Some songs are drunken sing-alongs and others are thoughtful hits. One thing most have in common is a upbeat rhythm.

Two lists we've found cover the "best" songs to play. One list has 31 recommendations and the other has a top 7.


TOP 7:

1. Friends in low places
2. Summer of '69
3. Sweet Caroline
4. 3a.m.
5. When I come around
6. Free Fallin'
7. Livin' on a Prayer

These are mostly 1990's songs that tend to go over well. However, the seasoned busker will have at least one song by the Beatles...

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A new article at the Evening Times lists the "top ten" buskers who became celebrities. Blues great BB King went town to town in Mississippi playing his guitar for loose change. The stand-up comic Eddie Izzard first took his talents to the streets of Sheffield then on to fame in Europe.Can you guess which future star was kicked out of Spain for vagrancy? How about guessing which star performed fire tricks on the streets of London? Of course, we can't forget the star who performed a mime act on the streets of New York while an acting student.

The top ten is quite entertaining and revealing while the "X" list (ex-busker) contains an incredible list of lists featuring all buskers who became *Stars*. There is a new master compilation currently being built that is due out sometime next year.

Read about...

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(LONDON) An article in The Guardian examines where the streets have no change - and how buskers are surviving in cashless times.A recent hot topic, the article asks is it time performers turned to contactless readers? After all, dropping coins in a hat is increasingly, well, old hat.

Speaking of hats, they're down in London. Again, society is changing. Spending our money is much more convenient nowadays using plastic rather than carrying around coins and notes. Americans have gone plastic for decades but now it's becoming more of a world-wide trend.

For buskers, touchless card readers are now "the thing" since people are carrying around a lot less cash. With plastic, even if you get robbed right there on the street in broad daylight, the poor crook doesn't have access to your PIN number(s)....

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(CHARLOTTETOWN) Things are rapidly shaping up for Prince Edward Island's inaugural buskerfest to be held over Labour Day weekend in August.The festival will not only feature daytime performances but nighttime performances as well. The international event will feature buskers from across Canada, the United States, and Argentina including some who have broken several world's records.

Jason Henderson is the festival’s artistic director and can be seen walking over glass barefoot while juggling fire among other amazing feats. He said the idea for holding the event came last year on Canada Day.

The New Hot 105.5 FM radio station is the media sponsor for the buskerfest. Other performers for the initial event will include Victor Rubilar, Fire Guy, James Jordan, Trulee Odd, and Dave Cox.

For more information, v...

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(SHANGHAI) The magazine That's Shanghai has published a detailed account of a Laowai busker's adventures entitled "Streetside Serenade". Over the past few years, China has relaxed it's laws against any crowd forming in public.As Benjamin Lipschitz reveals, "I soon discovered the true beauty of sidewalks: all cities had them! I traveled to Shandong, Shaanxi, Fujian, Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan. I got more ambitious. I went to the United States and eventually to Mexico where I lived for a year and a half. Everywhere I went, I found that by seeking sustenance in the streets with my music, I could learn more about a place and its culture than by visiting tourist sites."

And that's just the beginning of a fascinating account of a true world-class...

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