[smrtby123]

So looking over the various top lists of '09 (Spin, RS, Pitchfork, etc) I have to say I am dissapointed by all of them. Lots of albums that don't deserve the top 100 let alone top 10. RS making U2 #1 of 09? Give me a break. Thoughts?

 

[DeusEx]

Many threads on this. take this for example.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f9/200...so-far-435204/

 

[RedSky0]

RS is horribly mainstream-ified and Pitchfork is pretty heavily biased and limited to indie/alt.

Far more reliable lists:

Top Albums of 2009 - Rate Your Music
Sputnikmusic - Charts

There's stuff I disagree with here, but at least when it's based on aggregated user reviews/ratings across a good variety of genres, I can put it down to opinion.

 

[krmathis]

Different taste, different ranking. Not much more to say...

 

[HipHopScribe]

There was nothing surprising about the Pitchfork or Rolling Stone lists, or any other I've seen, you have to know going in what the biases are and approach them accordingly.

 

[leveller1642]

Bias? Don't confuse popular acclaim with critical acclaim.

 

[smrtby123]

I had seen the other threads, but I was mainly focused on the end-of-year lists that are put out. '08 I thought the top lists were pretty good, but this year they seem to be all over the place, with lots of albums I had heard no buzz on being in the top 10. There was a much larger pool to choose from this year than last year, I will say that.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smrtby123 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had seen the other threads, but I was mainly focused on the end-of-year lists that are put out.

yeah, this makes sense for a good thread.
glad DeusEx linked the other personal list thread early on.





in terms of lists, I am surprised Wavves isn't turning up on more lists. They aren't even on the pitchfork list at all right?
Two solid albums, Wavves and Wavvves, plus it annoys me when a band goes so quickly from media favorite to forgotten and discarded.

 

[SweetAdeline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Actual /img/forum/go_quote.gif Two solid albums, Wavves and Wavvves, plus it annoys me when a band goes so quickly from media favorite to forgotten and discarded.

It is amazing how good pitchfork seems to be at doing that on their own.

I keep thinking this is going to happen to Bradford Cox sometime soon. Pitchfork absolutely worships this guy, and they have been worshiping him for a while now. If they follow their own trend, it is about time to try to make him crash and burn.

 

[SweetAdeline]

But the lists-

I thought Pitchfork was worse than usual, especially towards the bottom- there were some ridiculous omissions. Rolling Stone's year end list is always pretty silly, but I thought the decade list was kind of cool if only for the way they did it.

This is my favorite list this year though-

The least essential albums of 2009 | Music | Best of | The A.V. Club

 

[Iniamyen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetAdeline /img/forum/go_quote.gif But the lists- I thought Pitchfork was worse than usual, especially towards the bottom- there were some ridiculous omissions. Rolling Stone's year end list is always pretty silly, but I thought the decade list was kind of cool if only for the way they did it. This is my favorite list this year though- The least essential albums of 2009 | Music | Best of | The A.V. Club

LOL, good read, I almost feel like sampling some of those out of sheer curiosity.

 

[virometal]

About this time every year, list haze sets in for me, as all the selections begin to clump together. Take the top 50 popular albums or so, place in the centrifuge, then press the button.

Well save The Animal Collective - one of the more universal top selections? I didn't think it was a particularly strong year for new music. Many of the trends seem played out.

 

[The Actual]

does Resident Advisor do year end lists or just the year end polls?

RA: Resident Advisor - the dance & electronic music magazine
is interesting to check out a more dance oriented take on 2009 music
the House of House 12" Rushing to Paradise is particularly strong, glad it got mentioned over there

 

[virometal]

Yeah man, your girl made they're #2 on the album top 20:

RA Poll: Top 20 albums of 2009

That is actually the rare list where I can say I heard every album.

/oops, you said polls, sorry.

 

[smrtby123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal /img/forum/go_quote.gif About this time every year, list haze sets in for me, as all the selections begin to clump together. Take the top 50 popular albums or so, place in the centrifuge, then press the button. Well save The Animal Collective - one of the more universal top selections? I didn't think it was a particularly strong year for new music. Many of the trends seem played out.

I think there a lot of strong new stuff so it was hard to pick a real favorite, but this was a year for already established bands (Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, Flaming Lips). I have seen lately that a lot of the bands getting hype are older but put out an album people are drawn to (Phoenix, etc). I do think that AC:MWPP deserved the top but It's Blitz was much higher on a lot of lists than I expected. It was great but in the top 5? Fever Ray and Neko Case were both big ones that I couldn't get through when I tried to listen.

Anyone else angry that The Decemberists: Hazards of Love was passed over for almost every list? I absolutely love this album and it would be 2 or 3 on my own top list, but everyone loved to hate on it for some reason.