Tibi Puiu
There was a time when Rolling Stone’s editorials and features could rise or break an artist. In time, though, it’s influence has steadily decreased, as the magazine became increasingly irrelevant. I blame MTV – damn kids.
A lot of years back, one of the most awaited issues was the December one, as it presented Rolling Stone’s take on the years best albums. For 2008, Rolling’s Stones list is surprisingly diversed, but as usual with some awkward additions and, of course, exclusions.
1. TV on the Radio, Dear Science
2. Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
3. Lil’ Wayne, Tha Carter III
4. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
5. John Mellencamp, Life, Death, Love and Freedom
6. Santogold, Santogold
7. Coldplay, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
8. Beck, Modern Guilt
9. Metallica, Death Magnetic
10. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
11. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
12. Guns n’ Roses, Chinese Democracy
13. Blitzen Trapper, Furr
14. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Cardinology
15. The Black Keys, Attack & Release
16. Randy Newman, Harps and Angels
17. B.B. King, One Kind Favor
18. Lucinda Williams, Little Honey
19. Erykah Badu, New Amerykah, Part 1 (4th World War)
20. Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
21. Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads
22. Jockson Browne, Time the Conquerer
23. Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst
24. Girl Talk, Feed the Animals
25. The Magnetic Fields, Distortion
26. Mudcrutch, Mudcrutch
27. Brian Wilson, That Lucky Old Sun
28. The Knux, Remind Me in Three Days…
29. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
30. Duffy, Rockferry
31. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
32. Jamey Johnson, The Lonesome Song
33. Ne-Yo, Year of the Gentleman
34. Stephen Malkmus, Real Emotional Trash
35. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
36. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
37. Nine Inch Nails, The Slip
38. Ra Ra Riot, The Rhumb Line
39. Taylor Swift, Fearless
40. Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer
41. AC/DC, Black Ice
42. David Byrne and Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
43. Nas, Untitled
44. The Raconteurs, Consolers of the Lonely
45. Be Your Own Pet, Get Awkward
46. The Academy Is…, Fast Times at Barrington High
47. Of Montreal, Skeletal Lamping
48. Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It
49. Hot Chip, Made in the Dark
50. No Age, Nouns
Like I said, the list’s incredibly diversed and a lot more relevant then those of the past years. Glad to see bands like No Age, Hot Chip or The Black Keys getting some love, but, common, Jonas Brothers on #40? Guns ‘n’ Roses #12 ? (the album’s decent, but not that good) And where’s Portishead for crying out loud?
Any artists you guys miss from the list? Anyone you feel doesn’t belong on it? Would be interesting to hear some opinion. Be sure to check out the blog in the next couple of days, as we’ll be posting our own ‘best of 2008’ list soon.
