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Best Music of 2008 [Last.FM gobbles our scrobbles]

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Internet radio / social network / music discover tool Last.FM has released its Best of 2008 list. There are going to be dozens of "best" lists coming out in the next few weeks, but this one should command your attention. The list is not based on radio play, and it is not based on best selling albums. It is based on the number of times we (that's the royal "we" in all it's regal garb) have played tracks from our iTunes, iPods, Songbirds, or any other player that allows scrobbling. It is based on what we wanted to hear. We pressed play. We made the playlists.

The only fault I can find lies in the Top 10 Tracks, which basically MGMT and Colplay. But that's what you get with raw data. To me, the Artists list is the most compelling. You will find no Kanye West on this list; no Britney and no Janet. You will only find the artists played incessantly and obsessively.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Pathetic. And I love you James. Its all in fun. Move to Denver, more bands need you than you know.(practice the tamborine)

I pray to Jesus that someone stole jamies code to log into this blog. Surely a missive on a list that is a pathetic hipster joke was made by a kidnapper?!?!

Come on mate......a list of dance and moody " wrote in a cabin" or "british" rock is a sign of a dearth of creative listening. Gads..didnt we beat them in a war and the answer was Robbie Williams?!

American hipsterdoms answer? A thousand dead a month iraqi civilians and a crumbing economy and its...MGMT??!!

man..these pathetic lists show the ostrich nature of western "underground" writers lists.

At least NPR listed Raphael Sadiq.
What about Wilderness or Nick Cave!!!

You are all pathetic coke sniffing losers who will die in ambiguity as severely as you live in pop music!!!!

richard buckner lived in a cabin..he wrote an album without overproduced falcetto and reverb... Jesus I pray my musical generation shall be forgotten!!!
08 December, 2008
Anonymous said…
All right--the both of you--especially Drew. Gotta dig what the list is--James and Drew, you both missed the nature of the "artists" poll--only artists who released their debut albums this year. That's why no Kanye or Britney, or on the other side of the coin, no Wilderness or Nick Cave (unless you want to call Grinderman a "debut").

Drew, I know we love to blame the "writers," but this is based on last.fm's records of what users are listening to. No voting, no critics. The people speak through their actions. No surprise then when the pap rises to the top. At least the critics will give some credence to stuff like Wilderness, even if no one's listening to it.

MGMT happens exactly because of dying Iraqi civilians and a crumbling economy. Escaping the world's woes with T-Rex all over again, except Marc Bolan comes off like Lord Byron compared to these kids. Eat, drink, and do a line off the toilet seat, for tomorrow we must die.

Love,
Dave
08 December, 2008
Jamie said…
Valid points, dear readers. @drew: Thanks your highly elaborate and emotional outburst. I will practice tambourine-ing. @dave: Touche. I overlooked why both Kanye's and Britney's albums wouldn't be on the list. Good spotting.
09 December, 2008
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