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We hit a record amount of visitors yesterday, nearly peaking at 60 thousand, so I thought it might be a nice idea to do a list of lists for the new people on the site. So here are the top 10 lists that are significant on the site for one or another reason.
10. Least Viewed List
Page Views: 1,500
Comments: 8
We often hear about disputes in the region of Palestine / Israel and they are often over ownership of the area. It struck me that we could probably write an interesting list covering the various ages of palestine right back to pre-historic times to give us an overview of the people that have lived there. This was the result. Unfortunately it has shown very poorly and received only 1,500 views. It also ended up with only 8 comments putting it in the bottom 5 in that category as well.
9. Most Viewed List
Page Views: 200,000
Comments: 152
This was also one of our earliest lists and the first to become very popular on the social networking sites. With 1074 diggs, this list gave us the first major boost in traffic and it never really dropped after that. The list contains some very unique recordings such as an exorcism (and later the addition of a bonus recording, the exorcism tape that the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on), the only recorded castrato, the worst female singer, and more. It is a great list that has remained our number 1 visited list since the day I put it up.
8. Best List
Top 15 Great Science Fiction Books
Page Views: 45,000
Comments: 142
This is one of our most commented on lists, and is also one of the least controversial. The majority of commenters liked the list. We also got many recommendations for extra books people may like in the comments, and over 60 books were bought from the list.
7. Worst List
Page Views: 6,500
Comments: 26
This list was hated by virtually every person that saw it. It was so bad that I did something I have only done once: removed it and rewrote it. It eventually became the Top 20 Best Gangster Movies which received a much warmer response from readers. This was the first of our movie lists that ended up being controversial.
6. Least Commented on List
Page Views: 3,700
Comments: 0 (before I posted this list)
There are only two lists on this site without any comments so I had to choose. This is the list that surprises me most for its lack of comments as the topic is often a heated one. In this list I selected 10 popes who are famous for their evil deeds. It was one of the lists that I really enjoyed researching (particularly in relation to the famous trial of a dead Pope,) so I was disappointed to see such a lack of interest in it. In the future I will do a top 10 greatest Popes which will hopefully enjoy more popularity than this one.
5. Most Commented on List
Page Views: 74,000
Comments: 154
This list was very controversial because of my inclusion of the Shroud of Turin. Many people took offense and stated that it was not a mystery because of carbon dating tests. Much debate ensued and the situation is, of course, still unresolved. This was probably our first religious debate – though many have since erupted on other lists. some of the other mysteries on the list are the Mary Celeste, the Zodiac killer, and the Black Dahlia.
4. Funniest List
Page Views: 10,000
Comments: 95
It has to be the top 50 jokes. This was a fun list to do – I added the first ten jokes and our readers added the remaining forty. It was a hugely successful list and people still add new jokes to the comments. For your viewing pleasure, here is a sample joke:
The American pushes his drink toward the bartender and says, “There’s a fly in my drink. Pour me another.”
The Englishman picks the fly out, shrugs and takes a drink.
A sudden noise makes them glance over at the Scot, who is holding the fly over his drink and pinching it, saying “Spit it out, ye wee thievin’ bastard!”
3. Most Controversial List
Page Views: 100,000
Comments: 142
Boy has this list been controversial. It is not so much the content of the list (though there was some debate about notable omissions and the ordering) that caused the controversy – it was the revisionist debate over whether or not the holocaust happened. What surprises me most is that this list is more controversial than the top 10 evil men which sparked of an anti-George Bush debate.
2. Strangest List
Page Views: 80,000
Comments: 39
Featuring, of course, David Lynch. This is a list of video clips from YouTube rather than Bizarre movies, though I did include an excerpt from Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain. These clips are all extremely strange and it is one of my favorite lists as a result.
1. JFrater’s Favorite List
Top 10 Incredible Early Film Firsts
Page Views: 4,500
Comments: 18
You no doubt all know that I love movies and this list is my favorite of all because it is about the origins of the movie industry and firsts within that same industry. It includes the very first piece of recorded film from 1888 (in surprising clarity), the first cartoon, the first talkie, and more. It is a great list – read it!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Whats the other ‘least commented on list’? The ‘evil popes’ one has a comment now, so it shouldn’t be there anymore
October 24th, 2007 at 5:32 am
angironhide: heh thanks
Now it doesn’t feel so bad!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Very nice list Jamie. It is interesting to see how some of the lists are doing
October 24th, 2007 at 5:55 am
Thanks Ravyn
October 24th, 2007 at 6:24 am
i really enjoyed the greatest recordings list, it is one of the main lists that got me hooked.
the gangster list made me happy because Goodfellas was on it. and i love that movie.
the evil women list was also great. not often you see the dark side of women, its always the men that get the attention in that sense.
October 24th, 2007 at 6:26 am
kass: very true about the women – I am thinking of an evil children list too – another often overlooked topic
October 24th, 2007 at 6:33 am
very interesting. i think an dynamic infographic display on the stats (comments/views etc) of these lists would be neat.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:18 am
the incredible recordings list was my first list i saw and my favorite. can’t wait for part II.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:29 am
dalandzadgad: I can’t do a graph, but I have put the stats in the list now
Phil: I can’t either! I have a couple of items to put on but am waiting for the other 8.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Nice list, Jamie. An Evil children list would be cool, and I bet controversial.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Juggz: I wonder if anyone will try to get Bush on to that one
October 24th, 2007 at 7:58 am
haha, Comments: 0 (before I posted this list)
I couldnt resist
October 24th, 2007 at 8:40 am
When I saw the title of this list, “Top 10 Significant Listverse Lists”, I had the overwhelming desire to gaze into my own navel.
I have no idea why…
As for the “Evil Children” list, please add my kid sister. Growing up, she drove me dippy!
And I’m sure she’ll be along in a little while to nominate me.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:48 am
RobS: I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing! (The navel gazing I mean)
October 24th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
jfrater: I’m really looking forward to the evil children list. Even better though would be evil children in literature.
October 24th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Thanks to StumbleUpon, I found your website, (I think it was the “Incredible Recordings” list that was linked). List Universe is now in my top 10 favorite websites, and honestly, it’s the comments that make it so fun!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Ooh, I am looking forward to the evil children one!
I am proud to have been there for each and every one of those lists. =] What is the other list with no comments? Do we have to find it ourselves? A little game of Listhunt?
October 24th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
The one with no comments now is Top 10 largest arms importers
October 25th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I was *this* close to commenting on the top 10 wicked popes list (as a theology student I thought I might ‘av a word) but I really couldn’t think of anything to say…. I thoroughly enjoyed it though, I guess I could’ve just written that!
If you are going to do a top 10 popes list then you may want to listen to BBC Radio 4 (UK, available on-line http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/tenpopeswhoshooktheworld/) as they’ve just started this series of the ‘ten popes that shook the world’ and you can ‘listen again’ to any previous popes that may interest you (only very short broadcasts, 15mins I think.) There may be some overlap with your existing list, but it might be worth a look anyway. My money is on Pope Innocent III, everyone seems to love him
October 25th, 2007 at 9:15 am
if you do the evil children one, check out mary bell on crime library. holy crap, that little girl is creepy.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/bell/index_1.html
October 25th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Cazz: Thanks for mentioning Innocent III – the only one I had in mind at the outset for a great popes list is Gregory the Great.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:19 am
if you do the evil children list, check out mary bell on crime library. holy crap, that is one creepy little girl.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/bell/index_1.html
October 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
DiscHuker: absolutely – she was the first one that came to mind
October 25th, 2007 at 9:24 am
or the abduction and murder of james bulger by two 11 year olds.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/young/bulger/1.html
man, crime library makes me sad sometimes.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:25 am
No problem! You might start with St.Peter, he might not have technically been a ‘pope’ (though he is more often than not refered to as ‘the first pope’) but as the ‘founder of the christian church’ methinks he ought to get a mention!
October 25th, 2007 at 9:38 am
DiscHuker: I think that will be there too.
Cazz: I consider that Saint Peter was “technically” a Pope and he will definitely be on the list
October 25th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
unsolved mysteries (and its later version(s) ftw!
October 25th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I was going to leave a comment on the arms importers but got called away. Too bad as it would have made your job easier.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:29 am
Oh Yeah !! A list of evil children would be great. I read about Mary Bell years ago. Would love to have a kid like that. I would send her to visit people I don’t like. Hee Hee Hee
October 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Oh dear – it seems we have a new contender for least liked and least commented: Top 10 Medical Tests you need.
October 27th, 2007 at 10:39 am
I went and looked at it…it is a good list but one that might give people the “Um? What?”s Most people don’t like being reminded that they need to see a doctor regularly.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
How about a list of list of lists? Like a list of the top 10 lists of interesting lists of lists?
December 7th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
andy g: as confusing as your comment is – yes – I intend to eventually do a list of lists
January 7th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
5 is actually the 5th most commented on
January 29th, 2008 at 11:45 am
World famous love story will be great
March 7th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Hi JayFray have been a silent (dormant?) observer to the site in the past few days. Am always looking for humor on the web and I must admit since I have seen this site I haven’t logged on to any other site (except for the links given in the comments). Needless to say I go to the comments section first and then read the list
Being a great fan of Brit humor I have, over the last few years, managed to get a few whacky lists do let me know how I can send it. Anything to see your own list commented on by the folks here who seem to be the most civilized lot on the net.
PS – Keep the lists coming pal
March 7th, 2008 at 5:16 am
NikPG: I am always keen to receive new lists – just email them to jamie@frater.com
Welcome to the site btw 
April 21st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Thanks for posting this list of lists.
I came across this site today and have learned quite a bit from reading various lists.
May 15th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
top 10 excuses to hate USA have over 1000 comments