First off – thank you everyone for voting. It makes me so happy to do these every year and see so much action from y’all. We had some nail biters in the first round (including our first tie of the year!) and some match-ups that mirrored the real tournament where the higher seed catches a punch to the mouth in the first half and then shows their muscle in the second half, blowing past the weaker competition.

I definitely seeded some of these with my heart instead of where they may have truly belonged but overall, this is the best I have ever done in regard to seeding after Round 1 of voting. We had two regions go scratch with the 1-8 seeds taking care of business, and one region almost go scratch with the exception of the 9 seed overtaking the 8 seed which is pretty much a toss up every time anyway. Then there’s the Rockstar Region. Which, hoo boy, did that region more than make up for the lack of shockers in the other three regions. More on that in a bit.

Just a note here: Last year we had some technical issues with the Round of 64 page loading because there were too many video previews trying to load at once so we had to make individual region voting pages. That wasn’t a problem beginning with the Round of 32 and I’m assuming it should all be solid this year as well, but if you do run into loading issues or whatnot please let me know so I can find a work-around!

The second round begins now and voting will end Wednesday, March 27 at 5pm Central. There are already a few damn near impossible choices to be made. Good luck!

But first — Let’s get on to the results! Remember all “scores” are percentages from voting.

Round of 64

Rockstar Region

(1) “Scotty Doesn’t Know” – Eurotrip vs (16) “African Child (Trapped in Me)” – Get Him to the Greek

“Scotty Doesn’t Know”, our overall 1 seed in this tournament, and the song that started the conversation that lead to this bracket just absolutely crushed their Round of 64 competition in 16 seed “African Child (Trapped in Me)” by a final of 88-12.

(2) “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” – O Brother, Where Art Thou? vs (15) “Master Exploder” – Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

In all honesty, Tenacious D’s “Master Exploder” was woefully underseeded by our selection committee. If I ever figure out who that guy is, I’ll have words with him. JB and KG are personal heroes that can do no wrong. The Jack Black/Kyle Gass masterpiece got out to an early lead but the legs gave up on them as they fell to a big late run by 2 seed “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow”. The final here was 67-33.

(3) “Black Sheep” – Scott Pilgrim vs The World vs (14) “Big Bottom” – This Is Spinal Tap

This was a match-up between the OG of fake bands from This Is Spinal Tap and Brie Larson belting out my favorite song from one of my favorite movies Scott Pilgrim vs The World. I thought this one would be close but the 3 seed really took off early and coasted to a 64-36 win.

(4) “Shallow” – A Star Is Born vs (13) “Fever Dog” – Almost Famous

Confession time: I’ve never seen A Star Is Born. But you couldn’t escape this song a few years ago and it is great. 13 seed “Fever Dog” put up a hell of a fight and got a late push to upset the 4 seed by a final of 53-47. That’s 2 votes!!! Don’t let anyone ever tell you your vote doesn’t matter.

(5) “Stand Up and Shout” – Rockstar vs (12) “School of Rock (Teacher’s Pet)” – School of Rock

I struggled with seeding the finale song from School of Rock so low (see above re: my love of all things Jack Black) and it was criminally underseeded. That being said, 5 seed “Stand Up and Shout” from Rockstar is the quintessential fan guy joins his favorite band because they hear his kick ass voice story… like Journey. There is almost always a 12 seed that knocks off a 5 seed in the actual tournament and ours as well. This year was no different as “School of Rock (Teacher’s Pet)” moves on, upsetting the main song from Rockstar by a final of 83-17. 12/5 match-ups typically aren’t decided through a lower seed beating down the higher seed though. Wow.

With this result and 13 seed “Fever Dog” moving on, we are guaranteed a double digit seed in the Sweet 16 again, which makes at least one double digit seed making it through the first two rounds in every year we have run these brackets.

(6) “Say No More (Mon Amour)” – Empire Records vs (11) “Sugar High” – Empire Records

This was another match-up where I needed the two entries from Empire Records (another all-time personal favorite) to play each other in the first round due to our rules about songs from the same movie/TV show playing in the Round of 64 and personally I enjoy “Sugar High” more, but, you know, Rex Manning Day and all. “Say No More (Mon Amour)” had to be the higher seed. Should have gone with my gut though as the 11 seed powered through at the end of a very back-and-forth match to move on to the Round of 32 via a three-vote 56-44 victory.

(7) “3 Small Words” – Josie and the Pussycats vs (10) “Backdoor Lover” – Josie and the Pussycats (DuJour)

I. Love. Josie and the Pussycats. Whew. That feels good to get out in the open. It’s funny, sweet, and a perfect satirical take-down of the music industry circa 2000. Both of these songs are great but my heart belongs to “3 Small Words”. They are so close to me though. Y’all definitely agreed as this match-up was back-and-forth every time I checked and was never lead by either song by more than 3 votes. In the end, the 7 seed “3 Small Words” moves on 53-47.

(8) “I’m So Humble” – Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping vs (9) “Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)” – Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping should be much more popular than it is. It never really found a home but it’s just so, so good. While the 9 seed “Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)” sparks joy, in my mind it never really stood a chance against the 8 seed “I’m So Humble”. The song is great, obviously, but the video’s cameo at the end is *chef’s kiss*. This was a closer final than the experts (me) expected but the higher seed “I’m So Humble” moves on 67-33.

Cartoon/Kid Region

(1) “The Climb” – Hannah Montana: The Movie vs (16) “She’s So Gone” – Lemonade Mouth

This is the wife’s 1 seed in the Cartoon/Kid Region. “The Climb” was such a massive hit that it had to be the final 1 seed for this region. The 16 seed put up more of a fight than I expected but eventually fell to Hannah Montana 73-27.

(2) “Peaches” – The Super Mario Bros. Movie vs (15) “Technical Foul” – Eight Crazy Nights

This is the kid’s 1 seed in the Cartoon/Kid Region. I love Jack Black so much and “Peaches” is just a perfect song. While I’m a big fan of all the Eight Crazy Nights songs and “Technical Foul” in particular, Bowser reigns supreme in this one by a final of 82-18.

(3) “I 2 I (Eye to Eye) – A Goofy Movie vs (14) “Can You Smell Us Now?” – Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules

This is my 1 seed in the Cartoon/Kid Region. I think this jam from A Goofy Movie is going to be a very tough out. They started off proving me right, coming up 1 vote short of the ever elusive 100-0 victory over the 16 seed from Löded Diper (just a phenomenal fake band name) in Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules. The final score here was 96-4.

(4) “Nobody Like U” – Turning Red vs (13) “Flashlight” – Pitch Perfect 2

The kid really likes the music from Turning Red a lot so this seeding may have been higher based on my overhearing these songs a lot. The original song from Pitch Perfect 2 is really good and this was the best matchup of the whole Round of 64. Even as late as Saturday night this one was locked in a tie. 4/13 matchups can be surprising sometimes. As Sunday drew to a close, this match-up was tied 50-50. As in previous years, Mrs. Clumsy Optimist does not cast votes in the case we need a tie breaker. She chose and moves on the 4 seed “Nobody Like U” from Turning Red.

(5) “Hanging Tree” – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 vs (12) “Supernova Girl” – Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century

The 12 seed Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century is a show I know nothing of but it seems to have a bit of a loving fandom as it pushed 5 seed “Hanging Tree” early but ultimately fell to the higher seed 74-26.

(6) “What Dreams Are Made Of” – The Lizzie McGuire Movie vs (11) “Amigas Cheetahs” – Cheetah Girls 2

Idk, man. This matchup was very clearly not my doing but I enjoyed the songs when I listened to them. At the end of the weekend, “What Dreams Are Made Of” cruised to an easy win over the 11 seed 80-20.

(7) “Sunny Side Up Summer” – The Bob’s Burgers Movie vs (10) “Breaking Free” – High School Musical

The entirety of the Bob’s Burgers universe makes me so happy but especially this number from the Belcher clan in The Bob’s Burgers Movie. It got a tough show from the High School Musical 10 seed but ultimately the higher seed moves along by a final of 64-36.

(8) “Blame Canada” – South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut vs (9) “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” – South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut

Looking back, I probably should have flipped the seeding on these two in my mind. In the end it doesn’t really matter as they were destined to play each other in the first round. In the battle of the two biggest and longest lasting songs from the South Park movie, and this is not going to make Mrs. Broflovski very happy, “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” easily came out on top via a 71-29 beating of 8 seed “Blame Canada”.

Solo Region

(1) “That Thing You Do” – That Thing You Do vs (16) “Kevin G’s Rap” – Mean Girls

Boy. “That Thing You Do” got a hell of a first half punch from the 16 seed rap from Mean Girls, which was up by multiple votes very early on, but the Tom Hanks of it all was just too much in the second half as the 1 seed moves on to the Round of 32 by a final of 71-29.

(2) “Lose Yourself” – 8 Mile vs (15) “Love Me Sexy” – Semi-Pro

“Lose Yourself” very easily could have been a 1 seed but the committee slotted them at 2 for some reason we may never know. They took that perceived sleight from whoever the selection committee is and put an absolute beatdown on their first victim, taking out the Will Ferrell 15 seed 89-11.

(3) “Grow Old With You” – The Wedding Singer vs (14) “Take Me Away” – Freaky Friday

Probably the sweetest song of the bunch, 3 seed “Grow Old With You” got out to an early lead and never looked back, knocking out Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis body switch archetype by a final of 77-23.

(4) “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie vs (13) “Walk Hard” – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

It’s hard out here for Dewey Cox. When you run up against a cultural phenomenon, you gotta be perfect. And our plucky 13 seed tried their damndest, but ultimately comes up short, falling to the Gosling ballad 70-30.

(5) “Never Enough” – The Greatest Showman vs (12) “Stu’s Tiger Song” – The Hangover

This was another match where the lower seed was actually up at one point and then the anthem from The Greatest Showman put the gas down and ran to a 63-37 win.

(6) “Boats ‘n Hoes” – Step Brothers vs (11) “City of Stars” – La La Land

I also have never seen 11 seed La La Land. I know. But in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered if I was familiar with their game or not as the 6 seed from Step Brothers just destroyed the competition 85-15.

(7) “Dracula’s Lament” – Forgetting Sarah Marshall vs (10) “Inside of You” – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I cannot tell you guys how much I love “Dracula’s Lament”. The whole scene and song is perfect. I’m glad the voting ended up the way it did if only because I’m forced to watch the clip again when I make the polls. The 7 seed moves on to the Round of 32 via a 63-37 victory.

(8) “I Cross My Heart” – Pure Country vs (9) “Country Strong” – Country Strong

I’m not as familiar with the 9 seed here but both of these movies were pretty big. The thing is only one of them has George Strait. And King George doesn’t lose in a country battle, man. The final we all knew was coming was 76-24.

TV Region

(1) “Little Sebastian” – Parks & Recreation vs (16) “Loser Like Me” – Glee

We’ve never had a 1 seed fall to a 16 seed. The closest we have ever come was a shocker to me in the Breakfast Foods Bracket where the Cereal Region 1 seed Fruity Pebbles beat 16 seed Raisin Bran of all things by 1 vote. Still wild to me. But I thought we were going to have our first true shocker of our 9 years together as 16 seed Glee‘s “Loser Like Me”, which was a last minute addition from Mrs. Clumsy Optimist was ahead by a few votes when I checked on Friday. The 1 seed Parks & Recs jam, our 5,000 candles in the wind, fought back to get a 56-44 victory.

(2) “Let’s Go To the Mall” – How I Met Your Mother vs (15) “I Love You So Much (It’s Scary)” – Bob’s Burgers (Boyz 4 Now)

I seem to have made a mistake in seeding here since technically this Boyz 4 Now joint is from Bob’s Burgers, it should have played against Linda Belcher’s “Kill The Turkey” in the first round. My bad. As it were, the Boyz weren’t long for this world either way as the 2 seed from How I Met Your Mother knocked them to the moon by a final of 60-40. I think that would have happened if they would have played “Kill The Turkey” in the Round of 64 as well but we’ll never know – I apologize for not following my own rules. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(3) “Smelly Cat” – Friends vs (14) “Straight Outta Scranton” (Michael’s Rap) – The Office

A battle of some of the silliest, somehow still sweetest characters to ever grace our TV screens. I enjoyed the hell out of Michael Scott rapping “Straight Outta Scranton” but the fan favorite 3 seed Phoebe Buffay’s “Smelly Cat” would not be stopped and moves on to the Round of 32 after a 74-26 win.

(4) “Kill the Turkey” – Bob’s Burgers vs (13) “San Diego” – South Park

Guys, I listen to “Kill the Turkey” every single Thanksgiving morning. It hasn’t truly been Turkey Day til I’ve seen Santa in the Macy’s Parade, I’m asleep on the floor watching football with a tryptophan coma, and I’ve heard Linda Belcher scream singing at me. It took care of the 13 seed “San Diego” fairly easily 76-24

(5) “Peeno Noir” – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt vs (12) “Famous 5Eva” – Girls 5 Eva

In all honesty, I haven’t gotten around to Girls 5 Eva but this song is fun as hell so it may be one to visit soon. The 5 seed here “Peeno Noir” is hilarious as well. I had no idea what y’all were going to decide on this one. The decision was fairly easy it seems as the 5 seed moves on 71-29.

(6) “Cop Cuties” – The Rookie vs (11) “Look At Us Now (Honeycomb)” – Daisy Jones and the Six

If you haven’t watched the “Cop Cuties” scene go give it a watch again all the way through. I’ve seen it so many times and still giggle every time that garage door goes down. The video attached has both parts 1 and 2. Skip to the 1:45 mark for the one from 2024. So good. The 11 seed from Daisy Jones and the Six truly had their work cut out and showed a valiant effort. In the end, the 6 seed held serve moving on to the Round of 32 via a 57-43 victory.

(7) “Butter on a Pop-Tart” – Family Guy vs (10) “Let Me Be Your Star” – Smash

Let me tell you that our 7 seed “Butter on a Pop-Tart” is a freaking earworm. Since putting this bracket together it’s in my head semi-constantly. Smash was a show that put out some great music and launched a Broadway musical about Broadway musicals somehow. I had a feeling about this match-up that came through as the 7 seed from Family Guy gets the win 73-27.

(8) “Muffin Top” – 30 Rock vs (9) “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” – 30 Rock

Our final match of the first round was a battle between Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan. I had no idea what to do here, so I abstained. I was a conscientious objector in the battle of 30 Rock. Our final score saw Jenna and the 8 seed “Muffin Top” take down the 9 seed “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” 67-33.

That leaves us with our bracket looking like this:

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Round of 32

Rockstar Region

(1) “Scotty Doesn’t Know” – Eurotrip vs (8) “I’m So Humble” – Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

(12) “School of Rock (Teacher’s Pet)” – School of Rock vs (13) “Fever Dog” – Almost Famous

(3) “Black Sheep” – Scott Pilgrim vs The World vs (11) “Sugar High” – Empire Records

(2) “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” – O Brother, Where Art Thou? vs (7) “3 Small Words” – Josie and the Pussycats

Cartoon/Kid Region

(1) “The Climb” – Hannah Montana: The Movie vs (9) “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” – South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut

(4) “Nobody Like U” – Turning Red vs (5) “Hanging Tree” – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

(3) “I 2 I (Eye to Eye) – A Goofy Movie vs (6) “What Dreams Are Made Of” – The Lizzie McGuire Movie

(2) “Peaches” – The Super Mario Bros. Movie vs (7) “Sunny Side Up Summer” – The Bob’s Burgers Movie

Solo Region

(1) “That Thing You Do” – That Thing You Do vs (8) “I Cross My Heart” – Pure Country

(4) “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie vs (5) “Never Enough” – The Greatest Showman

(3) “Grow Old With You” – The Wedding Singer vs (6) “Boats ‘n Hoes” – Step Brothers

(2) “Lose Yourself” – 8 Mile vs (7) “Dracula’s Lament” – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

TV Region

(1) “Little Sebastian” – Parks & Recreation vs (8) “Muffin Top” – 30 Rock

(4) “Kill The Turkey” – Bob’s Burgers vs (5) “Peeno Noir” – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

(3) “Smelly Cat” – Friends vs (6) “Cop Cuties” – The Rookie

(2) “Let’s Go To the Mall” – How I Met Your Mother vs (7) “Butter on a Pop-Tart” – Family Guy

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Polls are now live and will stay open until 5pm Central time on Wednesday the 27th. We’ve gone scratch more than most years so far but there are a ton of these high seeds that are facing some massive challenges in the second round. Good luck figuring out how you’re going to vote on this round. I have absolutely no idea what to do on some of these already! It will be fun to see how this all shakes out!

Alright everybody, let’s get to voting! See you guys on Thursday with our Sweet 16!