Albums of the year...

[Parkey]

So the lists have begun in earnest. Here's the NME's shite round-up on the year;

50 Test icicles
49 Dead Meadow
48 Ladytron
47 Sleater-Kinney
46 The Duke Spirit
45 Shout Out Louds
44 Field Music
43 Engineers
42 Sigur Ros
41 Nine Black Alps
40 Brakes
39 Vitalic
38 Autolux
37 Circulus
36 The Bravery
35 Elbow
34 Rufus Wainwright
33 We Are Scientists
32 Queens Of The Stone Age
31 Bright Eyes
30 Doves
29 Madonna
28 Absentee
27 Kate Bush
26 Super Furry Animals
25 MIA
24 Oasis
23 Hard-Fi
22 Raveonettes
21 LCD Soundsystem
20 Editors
19 Coldplay
18 Art Brut
17 The Magic Numbers
16 British Sea Power
15 Maximo Park
14 Dungen
13 The Rakes
12 Devendra Banhart
11 The Cribs
10 Gorillaz
9 Babyshambles
8 Kanye West
7 Sufjan Stevens
6 The White Stripes
5 Kaiser Chiefs
4 Antony & The Johnsons
3 Franz Ferdinand
2 Arcade Fire
1 Bloc Party


M.I.A was robbed!

[Kid Presentable]

Test Icicles is the worst name for a band since Psuedo Echo.

[SobaViolence]

oasis and white stripes?


what the holy hell?

[Parkey]

Test Icicles is the worst name for a band since Psuedo Echo.
You should hear them... Jesus wept!

[mickill]

M.I.A was robbed!
No, not really.

I'm just glad Kanye is not in the top 5 and that Coldplay, British Sea Power and Bright Eyes are where they are on the list. Lower would have been nice, but oh well. I suppose Bloc Party deserves it. It was a pretty stale year. I'm sure there was something more deserving of the #2 spot, though. Funeral's good, but not that good. But seriously, The Kaiser Chiefs at #5 and Franz Ferdinand at #3? Yuck.

[voltanapricot]

When we run out of loo roll, I use NME.

Babyshambles in the top 10, how absurd, I mean really.

[Auton]

why aren't the click five on the list? :(

[Parkey]

If you put any faith in the veracity of blogs, it was all fixed anyhow; Read ME Seymour! (http://www.londonist.com/archives/2005/11/scoop_nme_album.php)

[franscar]

Sigur Rós outside the top 10 makes me cry.

Sigur Rós outside the top 40 makes me vomit.

Pete Fucking Doherty in the top 10 makes me realise why I haven't bought the NME in at least four years. Wankers.

[voltanapricot]

Gorillaz.. WHEW! (y)
Behind Babyshambles though. :(

[Drederick Tatum]

Uncut's list (http://rateyourmusic.com/list/ijkidd/uncut_albums_of_the_year_2005/) is alot more interesting. I'm glad that Black Mountain is ranked so highly. that album is badass

1
Arcade Fire
Funeral (2004)

2
Sufjan Stevens
Illinois (2005)

3
Bob Dylan
The Bootleg Series Vol. 7 - No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (2005) [Compilation]

4
Black Mountain
Black Mountain (2005)

5
The National
Alligator (2005)

6
The Rolling Stones
A Bigger Bang (2005)

7
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem (2005)

8
The White Stripes
Get Behind Me Satan (2005)

9
Franz Ferdinand
You Could Have it So Much Better (2005)

10
Rufus Wainwright
Want Two (2004)

11
Ry Cooder
Chávez Ravine (2005)

12
Super Furry Animals
Love Kraft (2005)

13
Devendra Banhart
Cripple Crow (2005)

14
Kanye West
Late Registration (2005)

15
Ryan Adams
Cold Roses (2005)

16
Annie
Anniemal (2004)

17
Neil Young
Prairie Wind (2005)

18
Dungen
Ta Det Lugnt (2004)

19
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
Worn Copy [Paw Tracks] (2005)

20
Elbow
Leaders of the Free World (2005)

21
Lightning Bolt
Hypermagic Mountain (2005)

22
Antony and the Johnsons
I Am a Bird Now (2005)

23
Richard Thompson
Front Parlour Ballads (2005)

24
Animal Collective
Feels (2005)

25
Gorillaz
Demon Days (2005)

26
My Morning Jacket
Z (2005)

27
Bruce Springsteen
Devils & Dust (2005)

28
Brendan Benson
The Alternative to Love (2005)

29
Josh Rouse
Nashville (2005)

30
Big Star
In Space (2005)

31
The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers (2005)

32
John Cale
Black Acetate (2005)

33
Espers
Espers (2004)

34
Bright Eyes
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)

35
Vitalic
Ok Cowboy (2005)

36
Pernice Brothers
Discover a Lovelier You (2005)

37
Beck
Guero (2005)

38
Hal [IRL]
Hal (2005)

39
The Go-Betweens
Oceans Apart (2005)

40
Vic Chesnutt
Ghetto Bells (2005)

41
Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation
Mighty Rearranger (2005)

42
Richmond Fontaine
The Fitzgerald (2005)

43
Smog
A River Ain't Too Much to Love (2005)

44
Kraftwerk
Minimum - Maximum (2005)

45
Kaiser Chiefs
Employment (2005)

46
Paul Weller
As Is Now (2005)

47
CocoRosie
Noah's Ark (2005)

48
Boards of Canada
The Campfire Headphase (2005)

49
Richard Hawley
Coles Corner (2005)

50
M.I.A.
Arular (2005)

[mickill]

Haha, M.I.A. at #50.

I think Coco Rosie should have been higher up, Ryan Adams and Bright Eyes should have been left off, I'm glad Antony is lower on this list, I don't appreciate Funeral being even higher on this list because I'm still positive there were better albums, I don't like that Bloc Party was left off this list entirely and I think Hal sucks.

[DroppinScience]

Ryan Adams and Bright Eyes should have been left off


:mad:

[SobaViolence]

the sooner everyone realizes that Funeral was an outstanding album the better for society as a whole. it really is as good as people say.

[DroppinScience]

the sooner everyone realizes that Funeral was an outstanding album the better for society as a whole. it really is as good as people say.

Then why were you so resistant to listen to it initially?

[Drederick Tatum]

the sooner everyone realizes that Funeral was an outstanding album the better for society as a whole. it really is as good as people say.

yeah, it is rather good.

except for a couple of songs, Bloc Party sind meh.

[mickill]

yeah, it is rather good.

except for a couple of songs, Bloc Party sind meh.

I think they sind pretty good. That's probably one of the tighest rhythm sections happening right now. And the drummer's nuts, man.

[Documad]

Devandra Banhart, Vic Chesnutt, and Antony and the Johnsons? Uncut sure is going for the oddball rather than the good. I saw Vic Chesnutt a few weeks ago--one of the most painful nights of the past year.

[Drederick Tatum]

That's probably one of the tighest rhythm sections happening right now. And the drummer's nuts, man.

for sure. still, something's not clicking for me. who knows, maybe it'll be one of those albums that I'll bring out in a couple of months and wonder why I didn't dig it when it first came out.

[Mr Films]

pretty sure i saw Funeral on all of the 2004 best of lists.

what gives with this second go round?

[mickill]

for sure. still, something's not clicking for me. who knows, maybe it'll be one of those albums that I'll bring out in a couple of months and wonder why I didn't dig it when it first came out.
Well, maybe it's the gay front man's semi-flamboyant vocal stylings. I could see that being a bit of a hurdle for some people, including myself. Their album's by no means perfect, but neither is Funeral, really, with that same grandiose bombast happening on just about every song on the entire album.

[DroppinScience]

pretty sure i saw Funeral on all of the 2004 best of lists.

what gives with this second go round?

I guess it came out in late 2004 and ended up passing some reviewers by.

Since 2005 was a very big year for the band, I guess the ones that missed out initially had to jump onto the bandwagon...

[Rancid_Beasties]

[QUOTE=mickill]I don't like that Bloc Party was left off this list entirely/QUOTE]
Bloc party should be in the top 10 on any best album list this year. And Silent Alarm remixed should be in the top 50. If you dont agree then I suggest you take a good long look in the mirror and evaluate your life.

Also, LCD soundsystem should be in anybody's top 5. Yes I am dictating but personal preference and choice only goes so far before a general consensus on the awesomeness of a band has to be achieved :) (y)

[paulb]

White Stripes, Get Behind Me Satan is an awesome cd!!! def deserves to be in the top 10

[thegoodmrbrodie!]

I AM COME.

[ToucanSpam]

Arcade Fire at #2??? Holy shit. Kayne West and Franz Ferdinand should switch places.

[roosta]

glad to see kanye there...but hip-hop got shafted

where's :
Cage - Hell's Winter
Edan - Beauty and the Beat
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show

[EN[i]GMA]

I agree about Edan's album. It's amazing.

Cage's ain't bad either.

[mickill]

The Minstrel Show is definitely one of the 3 best rap albums to drop in '05. I was pretty surprised since I thought The Listening was pretty eh.

And as asinine as most of the vocals were, I still think The Documentary was among the better rap releases this year.

[roosta]

The Minstrel Show is definitely one of the 3 best rap albums to drop in '05. I was pretty surprised since I thought The Listening was pretty eh.

And as asinine as most of the vocals were, I still think The Documentary was among the better rap releases this year.

Production-wise, the Documentary was one of the most solid albums. As you say pity Game's lyrics are so weak.

[Parkey]

Q Magazine Top 50... it's that bad your eyes may bleed;

50 Our Shadows Will Remain Joseph Arthur
49 Arular M.I.A.
48 Horse Fabulous The Stands
47 Red Book Texas
46 Language. Sex. Violence. Other? The Stereophonics
45 Ruby Blue Rosin Murphy
44 Where The Humans Eat Willy Mason
43 Dynamite Jamiroquai
42 Be Common
41 More Adventureous Rilo Kiley
40 Cripple Crow Devandra Bandhart
39 Pushing The Senses Feeder
38 With Teeth Nine Inch Nails
37 Lullabies To Paralyze Queens Of The Stone Age
36 Nashville Josh Rouse
35 Z My Morning Jacket
34 Playing The Angel Depeche Mode
33 Leaders Of The Free World Elbow
32 Coles Corner Richard Hawley
31 Tourist Athlete
30 Oceans Apart The Go-Betweens
29 LCD Soundsysyem LCD Soundsysyem
28 29 Ryan Adams
27 Some Cities Doves
26 Confessions On A Dance Floor Madonna
25 Silent Alarm Bloc Party
24 Life In Slow Motion David Gray
23 Aerial Kate Bush
22 One Way Ticket To Hell…And Back The Darkness
21 Want Two Rufus Wainwright
20 Devils And Dust Bruce Springsteen
19 Blinking Lights and Other Revelations Eels
18 Finally Woken Jem
17 As Is Now Paul Weller
16 Prarie Wind Neil Young
15 I Am A Bird Now Antony & The Johnsons
14 The Magic Numbers The Magic Numbers
13 Get Behind Me Satan The White Stripes
12 Late Registration Kanye West
11 Supernature Goldfrapp
10 Stars Of CCTV Hard-Fi
9 Eye To The Telescope KT Tunstall
8 Funeral The Arcade Fire
7 You Could Have It So Much Better Franz Ferdinand
6 Back To Bedlam James Blunt
5 I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning Bright Eyes
4 Don't Believe The Truth Oasis
3 Employment The Kasier Chiefs
2 Demon Days Gorrilaz
1 X&Y Coldplay

[Mr_Complex]

http://www.londonist.com/archives/music/

SCOOP - NME Album Of The Year

Today, NME publishes its annual Album Of The Year poll. For the benefit of our overseas readers, that's the New Musical Express, the UK's longest-running weekly music journal. The NME being the tastemakers that they are, this is a well-respected poll, with a coveted #1 spot. Well-respected, that is, until now...

It has come to our attention that this year, NME may have chosen to publish a doctored version of the aforementioned poll. According to our source, the list of albums printed in this week's publication does not reflect the opinions of its writers, as you might expect. Instead, we're told you'll find a heavily edited version which, we have on good faith, takes some commercial and political factors into consideration.

In the document we saw were the actual results of the poll, according to the votes of the NME staff, which we can now compare with the version that appears in today's NME.

We notice, for example, that Babyshambles appear at #9 in the published poll, despite fairing particularly badly in the 'genuine' poll. Dare we speculate that Mr. Doherty shifts too many papers for him to be outside the top 10? At least we can glean what NME's reviewers really think of Babyshambles album...

Another band who seem to have shot up the rankings according to the list in today's paper is Oasis, who appear at number 24. This hefty leap is nearly matched by Elbow, who have also made the move from near the foot of the chart to a quite respectable number 35.

There are four other artists whose positions in the published chart are nothing short of miraculous when compared to the original: Madonna, Kate Bush, the Brakes, and Test Icicles.

These entries might be excused on the basis that they are relatively recent albums that might have been released after the votes were counted. But hang on, the Brakes album came out back in July, did it not? So why do the Brakes now find themselves at #40? And how come their sibling band British Sea Power drop down several places from their initial standing?

Others disappear completely, having featured in the writers' votes. Whither have New Order, Patrick Wolf, Beck, Wrens, Cut Copy and the Tears fled?

Lastly - and this is probably the most contentious discrepancy of all - the order of the top four or five results (including the number one spot, which is taken by Bloc Party in the published list) appear to have been shifted around slightly to reflect what is presumably editorial bias. If we were Arcade Fire, we'd be feeling pretty cheated right about now.

As any music lover will know, end-of-year polls are important, as are lists in general (see High Fidelity). Hence, it would be extremely disappointing if the Album Of The Year list we spend hours discussing in the pub is almost completely arbitrary. They might as well have plucked the results out of a hat, for God's sake...

Care to explain what external factors could possibly have influenced the poll to this extent, NME?

[franscar]

To be fair, that Q magazine top 5 is more or less right. Apart from all of it.

[Parkey]

Any chart that can feature Athlete, Stereophonics, James Blunt and KT Tunstall needs to be treated with maximum disdain.

[DroppinScience]

Q Magazine Top 50... it's that bad your eyes may bleed;


You're pretty snobby, no?

I see the dubious choices, but there's plenty of worthwhile releases...

[Parkey]

You're pretty snobby, no?

I see the dubious choices, but there's plenty of worthwhile releases...
Not snobby; just averse to crap.

A list is only as good as the worst thing on it, and that Q list makes the NME one read like Wire.

[DroppinScience]

Not snobby; just averse to crap.

A list is only as good as the worst thing on it, and that Q list makes the NME one read like Wire.

So if there's a "best of" list with 49 awesome albums and 1 album you don't like, it's not worthwhile?

[Parkey]

So if there's a "best of" list with 49 awesome albums and 1 album you don't like, it's not worthwhile?
Well that's taking it to the extreme, but with a Top 10 that features Oasis, Hard-Fi, James Blunt and KT Tunstall, I think it's fair to critisise.

[DroppinScience]

Well that's taking it to the extreme, but with a Top 10 that features Oasis, Hard-Fi, James Blunt and KT Tunstall, I think it's fair to critisise.

Oh, I'll agree with you on the Oasis. If I'd have heard of those other guys, maybe I'd agree too.

I guess I'm just overjoyed if I see a list with more then 5 or 6 good albums. :p

[Parkey]

Oh, I'll agree with you on the Oasis. If I'd have heard of those other guys, maybe I'd agree too.

I guess I'm just overjoyed if I see a list with more then 5 or 6 good albums. :p
Think yourself lucky that you've yet to be exposed to the horror of James Blunt...

My Top 10 will be up soon on Boomkat.com so my snobbery will soon be exposed for all to see!

[Rancid_Beasties]

Hard-fi are ok (y) and the Oasis album wasnt their worst by a mile. Deserved to be in the top 50 maybe not very high though. I saw them last night actually.

[Kid Presentable]

There's never been a less genuine, talent free lyricist/performer than Chris Martin. He makes The Game come off like Socrates. That new album blows hard.

Parachutes forever!

I'm glad The Game doesn't use Triple H samples.

[Tzar]

...I'm glad The Game doesn't use Triple H samples.

the fark?!

[DroppinScience]

There's never been a less genuine, talent free lyricist/performer than Chris Martin. He makes The Game come off like Socrates. That new album blows hard.

Parachutes forever!

Yet you look just like Christ Martin. Maybe you could kidnap Chris Martin and then impersonate him and revamp the whole "Coldplay sound" to your liking.

"X&Y" is underwhelming, sad to say. But "Parachutes" (and to a lesser extent "A Rush of Blood to the Head") will always remain dear to my heart.

[Parkey]

Coldplay's high-point came with 'Shiver'... It's been downhill ever since.

[Kid Presentable]

Yet you look just like Christ Martin. Maybe you could kidnap Chris Martin and then impersonate him and revamp the whole "Coldplay sound" to your liking.

"X&Y" is underwhelming, sad to say. But "Parachutes" (and to a lesser extent "A Rush of Blood to the Head") will always remain dear to my heart.

L-O-L. :D