2010 Reader Awards: Best Album
February 23, 2010
When it comes to music, your taste, dear readers, bears very little similarity to ours. In fact of our top ten picks for Best Album in this year's Calvins, you liked only two in your top ten. It's a good thing you're visiting us for your movie fix rather than for music discussions, we suppose.
Your top choice for Best Album was Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix, which did in fact finish in our top ten, but down at number six. The pop sound of the French alternative rock band is indeed irresistible, with just ridiculously fun songs like Lisztomania and 1901 having emerged as the biggest hits from the record in 2009. We can't argue the selection, and the fact that they're getting continued radio airplay is a testament to how appealing their music is.
Second and third place on your list go to albums that didn't break our top ten (though Animal Collective barely missed for us). Clearly, you appreciated the eclectic and occasionally challenging music from Animal Collective more than we did, but seeing how it was a popular choice on a number of critics' lists, its inclusion makes sense. And then there's Lady Gaga, who obviously is sticking in your brain and won't get out. Sing it with us now: "Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah."
Our only other match comes at the number four spot with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and It's Blitz! It's a bit of a different sound for them, but has a nice edge to it while still being danceable. Your remaining picks were The E.N.D. by the Black Eyed Peas, Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest (a bold choice, admittedly), Lungs by Florence + the Machine (Kiss With a Fist is a great song, the Arctic Monkeys' Humbug, All I Ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson and Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown.
Albums that made our top ten but that you omitted include our #1 choice Middle Cyclone by Neko Case, The Decemberists' Hazards of Love, Fantasies by Metric, Lily Allen's It's Not Me, It's You, Dragonslayer by Sunset Rubdown, U2's No Line on the Horizon, Get Guilty by A.C. Newman, and the Handsome Fur's Face Control.
Best Album
|
Position |
Artist |
Album
|
1 |
Phoenix |
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix |
2 |
Animal Collective |
Merriweather Post Pavilion |
3 |
Lady Gaga |
The Fame Monster |
4 |
Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
It's Blitz! |
5 |
Black Eyed Peas |
The E.N.D. |
6 |
Grizzly Bear |
Veckatemist |
7 |
Florence + The Machine |
Lungs |
8 |
Arctic Monkeys |
Humbug |
9 |
Kelly Clarkson |
All I Ever Wanted |
10 |
Green Day |
21st Century Breakdown
|
Return to Reader Awards main page