After taking a ton of great comments and some not so great ones from fans all around the globe, each year I also like to highlight other people's tastes in music and showcase their lists. After all music, like film is so subjective that also like people, no two lists or types are the same.
Here are five music buffs like yours truly, whose taste in music and knowledge of the art form and media I hold to high regard. Trust me I wouldn't give you lists of someone who does not know any better.
The first list comes from my long time musical companion, former writer of Good Times magazine and current writer for Skope and Editor of Playbill, Mr. Bill Reese.
1. Raconteurs Consulars of the Lonely
2. Dr. Dog Fate
3. The Hold Steady Stay Positive
4. TV on the Radio Dear Science,
5. R.E.M. Accellerate
6. Vampire Weekend
7. Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs
8. Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago
9. Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All his Friends
10. Counting Crows Saturday Nights and Sunday Morningss
honors
Ryan Adams Cardinology
Girl Talk Feed the Animals
Conor Oberst
Okkervil River The Stand ins
Q-Tip The Renaissance
Santogold
Sigur Ros Med....
The Verve Forth
Weezer
The next list comes from premiere New York City DJ and one of New York's true Renaissance men, DJ Rich D Smoov. Richie's list is a tad different as is not broken down numerically but but superlatives...
1.mgmt:alternative album
2.vampire weekend:indie album
3.girl talk:mash album
4.cut chemist and dj shadow:the hard sell.turntablisim album
5.krallice:black metal album
6.king khan:rock album
7.metallica:thrash album
8.diplo vs santogold:dub/reggae mix cd
9.karl hector:afro latin funk album
10.jackson conti:brazilian album
honorable mentions:
11.boyznoise:electro album
12.justice:best live album
13.koushik:psycedelic album
14.awesome color:retro rock album
15.mad villian2:best remix album
16.droppin science:bluenote best jazz compilation
17.leviathan: usbm album
18.natchmysium:metal album
19.one day as a lion:best ep
20.stones throw:best podcast
21.black moth super rainbow: best leftfield album
22.does it offend you yeah?!: best new comers
23.kon and amir:best disco/soul comp
24.glasvegas: best uk act
25.mr.thing:best breakbeats comp
26.portishead:comeback of the year
27.tv on the radio:best bklyn band
28.coldplay:commercial album
29.united nations:hardcore album
30.santogold:best female act
The next list comes from fellow online blogger (Hindsighting) and former WQAQ DJ, Mike Clancey.
1. Bayside - Shutter
2. Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw
3. Jaymay - Autumn Fallin'
4. Rise Against - Appeal to Reason
5. Connor Oberst
6. Thrice - Alchemy Index: Air and Earth
7. Atmosphere - Strickly Leakage
8. Flogging Molly - Float
9. The Used - Shallow Believer EP
10. Islands - Arm's Way
Honorable Mention:
Meaghan Smith - The Cricket's Quartet
The following list comes from another musical companion of mine and former WQAQ DJ, we call him Logo.
10. The Kooks-Konk!
9. She and Him-Volume 1
8. Kidz in the Hall- The In Crowd
7. Tokyo Police Club- Elephant Shell
6. Kings of Leon- Only by the Night
5. Coldplay- Viva La Vida or Death and all his Friends
4. The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
3. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
2. The Cool Kids- The Bake Sale EP
1. Vampire Weekend
...and last but not least another musical companion, Mr PJ Sievering
1. Lil Wayne- Tha Carter 3
2. TV on Radio- Dear Science
3. Coldplay- Viva la Vida
4. My Morning Jacket-Evil Urges
5. Deathcab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
6.The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
7. Kings of Leon- Only by the Light
8. Fleet Foxes
9. Beck-Modern Guilt
10. Vampire Weekend
Honorable Mentions:
Best "I used to hate you but now your cool again": R.E.M. Accelerate
Best Dance: Hot Chip Made in the Dark Tied with Girl Talk Feed the Animals
Best Sophomore Album: Okkervil River The Stand-Ins
So there are five much different takes on this past year and now we look on to the road ahead...Happy 2009!
