Magazine/website/record store BEST OF 2011 end-of-year list pile-up

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KATY B!

it was predictable for me but that's cuz i knew who else was voting and what their tastes were (which is why i was certain that beyoncé would be top 10, too). i imagine it is not so predictable to the beloved comments box massive

*gets popcorn out*

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:22 (twelve years ago) link

This list has just lost its last shred of credibility.

Poor show all round for people whose taste in music is meant to be at professional levels.

Hang your head in shame, Guardian Music.

los krampusinos! (pomplamau5), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:22 (twelve years ago) link

haha

just to post in character, did any metal make the list? A token album even? Mastodon?

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:24 (twelve years ago) link

The Lex is obviously truly invested in r'n'b and gets frustrated with critics fawning over this spruced up, watered down, crossover stuff when in his experience there's much better stuff out there

framing in the argument in this way cracks me up since there are a LOT of people who would characterize the kind of R&B that lex stumps for as spruced up, watered down, crossover stuff. that's kind of why i shy away from these "REAL R&B" convos because i'm used to being on the other end of those kinds of debates about soul music traditions and purism.

that said, R&B is having a serious identity crisis these days, critically as well as commercially and creatively, but i feel like that also makes it an exciting time with a lot of music that's great and/or worth talking about.

some dude (Mr. Stevenson #2), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:25 (twelve years ago) link

i dont read the guardian so i dont know what the 'comments box massive' listen to generally, but i can make a guess at radiohead,gapdyxx,fleet foxes, bon iver etc?

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:25 (twelve years ago) link

43 Machine Head – Unto the Locust

^ metal on the Guardian list

los krampusinos! (pomplamau5), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:26 (twelve years ago) link

i didn't expect machine head to be the token metal act! I've not heard that album but it's popping up a lot. I suppose I should give it a listen. I did like a couple of their older albums

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:28 (twelve years ago) link

But... but... this is top of the pops fodder. This is uninteresting, unintelligent, plain boring pop music. There is really only one album issued this year that you think is better than this? Only one?

:D

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:32 (twelve years ago) link

pop music is boring?

pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:33 (twelve years ago) link

Innerspeaker

15 December 2011 1:25PM
Response to rupert303, 15 December 2011 1:17PM

Hang your head in shame, Guardian Music.

Both Katy B and Beyonce are in the Hipster's Bible's (Pitchfork's) Top 30 albums of the year.

You know, just saying.....

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:34 (twelve years ago) link

Just sayin'

Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:35 (twelve years ago) link

Yes nothing in the guardian list should appear in any other list.

pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:37 (twelve years ago) link

lex do you know how many people voted?

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:37 (twelve years ago) link

No! Considering 2011 was one of the best years for music in years (much better than the last two anyway) this list is your worst ever...

Where on earth are Girls, Yuck and WU LYF?

where indeed!

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:39 (twelve years ago) link

HA HA.

(I say this not having heard the Katy B album. But I do know that Girls and Wu Lyf are shitty shit shit. Not heard Yuck either.)

Illia Rump (emil.y), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:41 (twelve years ago) link

lex do you know how many people voted?

not exactly sure how many, all the regular contributors i'd guess

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:42 (twelve years ago) link

the Katy B has been the perfect December record.

Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:42 (twelve years ago) link

Pretty sure as part of Guardian Music's application process you have to submit a 500 word essay on how you would pleasure Thom Yorke.

Wait, remind me, why don't I write for the Grauniad agane>?

Thomosexual II (Fotherington Thomas), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:42 (twelve years ago) link

i've never heard wu lyf, but i do know that yuck and girls are among the worst music i've heard, like, ever

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:43 (twelve years ago) link

funnily enough I thought of you K when I read that

I mean jesus! Fucked Up release an absoutely jaw dropping call to arms concept album loaded with fight and fire and that doesnt get in the top 50 but you see fit to give this school disco faux-chav pop drivel NUMBER 2!

It fucking is a number 2 but not of the 'record of the year' kind.

whiney playing brit again?

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:47 (twelve years ago) link

See if Mastodon were to be #1. The comments box would explode with metal stereotyping wouldnt it?

Guardian missing the chance to troll there.

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:49 (twelve years ago) link

the Katy B has been the perfect December record.

i was going to say this about the andy stott or demdike stares discs, if and when it finally gets cold around here.

Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:54 (twelve years ago) link

The Andy Stott is now out in a 2CD version with bonus tracks (which are of a similar level of quality to the rest)

Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:01 (twelve years ago) link

i dont read the guardian so i dont know what the 'comments box massive' listen to generally, but i can make a guess at radiohead,gapdyxx,fleet foxes, bon iver etc?

― Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:25 (41 minutes ago) Bookmark Permalink

the thing is that most ppl who comment there literally just do so to complain about stuff, so for the most part who the fuck even knows

to an extent that's because there's no real sense of community and personal interaction that you get on an actual messageboard, but I think another important factor is that they're the worst group of people on the face of the planet

Extreme Lifestyle, Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:12 (twelve years ago) link

I used to love pop music, and the pop music I used to love back then I still love now. But this is rubbish, and all of the other items on your list are rubbish. The rot set in about 1987 and we've had a terminal decline ever since that leaves us with just this drek to listen to. And you know it too: you can pretend all you like, but you feel the vacuum deep inside.

:D

degas-dirty monet (lex pretend), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:20 (twelve years ago) link

Terrible, awful pop nonsense - and for the record I really do like good pop music. Ting Tings was a superb pop album. This is not.

^this is the best so far I think

Extreme Lifestyle, Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:41 (twelve years ago) link

Innerspeaker
15 December 2011 1:25PM
Response to rupert303, 15 December 2011 1:17PM

Hang your head in shame, Guardian Music.

Both Katy B and Beyonce are in the Hipster's Bible's (Pitchfork's) Top 30 albums of the year.

You know, just saying....

duly noted, person named after Tame Impala album

he said "grody" (henrietta lacks), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:48 (twelve years ago) link

also: wtf @ Machine Head making one of the best metal albums of the year? They were around when I was in high school I think...?

he said "grody" (henrietta lacks), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:51 (twelve years ago) link

the thing is that most ppl who comment there literally just do so to complain about stuff, so for the most part who the fuck even knows

to an extent that's because there's no real sense of community and personal interaction that you get on an actual messageboard, but I think another important factor is that they're the worst group of people on the face of the planet

― Extreme Lifestyle,

so if pj harvey wins everyone will moan its predictable safe boring ,a nadir for music journalism and rockist and if its excluded they will instead complain the guardian is out of touch, a terrible shame on music journalism, a nadir for the guardian and poppist ?

Wonder if the daily mail or the sun publish a best albums list. I would imagine the comments there would be far worse.

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:54 (twelve years ago) link

also: wtf @ Machine Head making one of the best metal albums of the year? They were around when I was in high school I think...?

is there any writers there who cover metal or did they just pick it out of nowhere?
Anyway having not heard it i cant comment on it, but I doubt it's one of the best but maybe it has crossover potential? Their 3rd album had some terrific pop moments on it.

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:57 (twelve years ago) link

Neu75

15 December 2011 2:47PM

Pop lists tend to be a bit homogenus these days.

Take 1981 for example for the #1's:

NME - Nightclubbing - Grace Jones
Melody Maker - Penthouse And Pavement - Heaven 17
Sounds - Dare - Human League

No doubt PJ Harvey's album is good but where's the variety or are the media class that decides these things are all of a similar mindset?

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:59 (twelve years ago) link

lex youre a part of the guardian mindset!

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:00 (twelve years ago) link

Heaven 17 and Human League? My god, how diverse!

los krampusinos! (pomplamau5), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:02 (twelve years ago) link

lol

he said "grody" (henrietta lacks), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:03 (twelve years ago) link

lex is totally right though about getting the popcorn out for the comments section. I think whoever said they dont even know why they are arguing or what about is totally right

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:11 (twelve years ago) link

really really fuck these people who are voting the clams casino instrumental versions of 'i'm god' and 'motivation' over the lil b vocal versions. i know lil b isn't always great but he absolutely owns those two tracks :'(

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:12 (twelve years ago) link

and "I'm God" is nearly two years old at this point

Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:14 (twelve years ago) link

Yeah! Fuck all these guys who aren't voting for something even its fans admit is patchy as fuck!

Machine Head will be Dom Lawson's number one I guess. Good to see him writing for the Graun. About time they had a dedicated metal writer. (Although they did have some sterling work done by sub Jamie Thomson.)

Doran, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:15 (twelve years ago) link

i've listened to so little of these lists apart from the rap/r&b. even all the electronic music listed i've mostly never heard of and i've probably been out clubbing more / listened to more house music than ever before. even that RA albums list is looking like fact-music to me. hopefully their singles list will be better.

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:15 (twelve years ago) link

and "I'm God" is nearly two years old at this point

the instrumental version appears on one of the lists upthread

Fuck all these guys who aren't voting for something even its fans admit is patchy as fuck!

i didn't say those songs were patchy as fuck, i'm saying they are classics.

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:16 (twelve years ago) link

I was agreeing with you tpp

Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:18 (twelve years ago) link

ah sorry - having a bit of a bad day

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:19 (twelve years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyS9kU4F9x4

Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:20 (twelve years ago) link

:-) love that song

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:22 (twelve years ago) link

Machine Head will be Dom Lawson's number one I guess. Good to see him writing for the Graun. About time they had a dedicated metal writer.

That's cool. He used to write for Kerrang didn't he? and now Metal Hammer

btw as an aside doran, as you know I've been really critical of Metal Hammer in the past, but ive bought the last 2 issues (yeah im a sucker for lists) but they are covering some of the bands I like and its not bad, even if really expensive £4.75!!!! It's not as good as Terrorizer or ZT or Rock-A-Rolla for me but might pick it up again if there's someone i really like in it. Enjoyed the Subterranea section, wish the whole mag was like it though! and again it's nice to read a magazine with loads of reviews.

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:23 (twelve years ago) link

also it's first time since 2008 that hawtin/villalobos haven't taken the top 2 places of the RA DJ chart

gucc_ebooks (tpp), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:26 (twelve years ago) link

*sigh*

To all the rockist complainers why don't you just accept that rock music is creatively dead and The Guardian writers are acknowledging that also proving they are not luddite old farts stuck in the past of rocks history like the great majority of posters here.
The only way this list could be ruined would be if a metal album was number 1. And I'd hope Guardian writers would have more taste than liking the whitest anti-minorities music of all time. Funny how black metal is played and listened to by exclusively white men. Metal is very much a whites only club so all of you whinging that there is no Mastodong, Wolves In The Bathroom or Shiturgy should go read kerrap or terrorizer with the other spotty oiks in their midlands estates.
I just wish Katy B or Beyonce had been number 1 to see all your collective heads explode.

if that guy is typical of the commentors on the site then fuck them

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:33 (twelve years ago) link

i might use wolves in the bathroom as a d/n though

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:33 (twelve years ago) link

Fair enough about 'lady gag'. Im not trying to be hipster. i just find her whole persona so empty and her songs more-so. I think for reading articles linked under culture in one of the most popular newspapers in the world we can do better.

I try to read this site so maybe i can find something inspiring that relates to my life, but with gaga its just insipid i find..there is nothing there.

Btw i dont hate pop music. Blondie are my favorite band, i just cant stand meaningless bland over-hyped pop, which i find gaga to be.

Minga Frump (Jimmy Riddle), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:36 (twelve years ago) link

'all songs considered' listeners taking a stand

1. Bon Iver: Bon Iver

2. Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues

3. Adele: 21

4. The Decemberists: The King Is Dead

5. Radiohead: The King Of Limbs

6. Black Keys: El Camino

7. Wilco: The Whole Love

8. Florence + the Machine: Ceremonials

9. Beirut: The Rip Tide

10. Foster The People: Torches

11. M83: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

12. Feist: Metals

13. Iron & Wine: Kiss Each Other Clean

14. tUnE-yArDs: w h o k i l l

15. St. Vincent: Strange Mercy

16. The Civil Wars: Barton Hollow

17. Death Cab for Cutie: Codes And Keys

18. Tom Waits: Bad As Me

19. My Morning Jacket: Circuital

20. Bright Eyes: The People’s Key

21. Jay-Z and Kanye West: Watch The Throne

22. Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto

23. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake

24. Cults: Cults

25. James Blake: James Blake

maura, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:37 (twelve years ago) link


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