Wednesday 9 January 2013

The Stories of the Top 100 American Songs (NPR)

The Stories of the Top 100 American Songs (NPR)


The Stories of the Top 100 American Songs (NPR)

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 04:50 AM PST

Seems an interesting blog series looking at the 100 most important american works (songs) and the stories behind them.

Friday 28 December 2012

eMusic Best of 2012 Music

eMusic Best of 2012 Music


eMusic Best of 2012 Music

Posted: 28 Dec 2012 02:00 AM PST

Critics Choice Top 100
Members Vote Top 10

Pitchfork Top Rated Albums 2012 (Critics)
This is actually just there top rated albums of the year and not a year end list.
Aggregated Top Albums 2012 (List Aggregation)
This is a list generated from the top 2012 albums of the major music journalism outlets e.g. MOJO, Rolling Stone, etc.

Saturday 15 December 2012

Music Best of 2012 Lists (Various Sources)

Music Best of 2012 Lists (Various Sources)


Music Best of 2012 Lists (Various Sources)

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 05:21 AM PST

Friday 14 December 2012

NPR Music Podcast The Year in Music 2012 (Best of Year)

NPR Music Podcast The Year in Music 2012 (Best of Year)


NPR Music Podcast The Year in Music 2012 (Best of Year)

Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:57 PM PST

Clockwise from upper left: Cat Power, Frank Ocean, Kishi Bashi, Best Coast and Miguel — just a few of our favorite artists of 2012.
Clockwise from upper left: Cat Power, Frank Ocean, Kishi Bashi, Best Coast and Miguel — just a few of our favorite artists of 2012.
Courtesy of the artists
This has been a phenomenal year for music. Veterans Neil Young and Crazy Horse released not one but two ambitious and ingenious albums. New artists such as Kishi Bashi and Alt-J appeared with exciting and unusual records. Plenty of other surprises popped up along the way: Cat Power returned from a six-year hiatus with the best album she's ever made. Ty Segall, already a prolific artist, released three stellar garage-rock records in 2012 (three!), while the first-ever studio album from Macklemore, a rapper with little name recognition outside his native Seattle, made his debut at No. 1 on iTunes and No. 2 on Billboard. Meanwhile, R&B artists Miguel and Frank Ocean both released records that were unconventional but wildly popular.
That's just some of the wonderful, unpredictable and endlessly fascinating music of 2012.
On this edition of All Songs Considered, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton chat with NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Stephen Thompson about the music that mattered most to them in 2012, including their:
Favorite Discoveries:
Kishi Bashi
The Do
Lianne La Havas
Kacey Musgraves
Biggest Surprises:
Neil Young
The Sea And Cake
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Cloud Nothings
Favorite Albums:
Cat Power's Sun
Alt-J's An Awesome Wave
Frank Ocean's Channel Orange
Japandroids' Celebration Rock
Favorite Songs:
Dirty Projectors: "Offspring Are Blank"
Best Coast: "The Only Place"
Miguel: "Adorn"
Ty Segall: "Thank God For Sinners"
Tell us what you think. Vote now for your favorite albums of 2012.

Songs Featured On This Episode

Cover for 151A

Kishi Bashi

  • Album: 151A
  • Song: Bright Whites
Cover for Is Your Love Big Enough?

Lianne La Havas

  • Album: Is Your Love Big Enough?
  • Song: Lost & Found
Cover for Both Ways Open Jaws Extended

The Dø

  • Album: Both Ways Open Jaws Extended
  • Song: The Wicked & the Blind
Cover for Merry Go 'Round

Kacey Musgraves

  • Album: Merry Go 'Round
  • Song: Merry Go 'Round
Cover for Psychedelic Pill

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

  • Album: Psychedelic Pill
  • Song: Walk Like a Giant
YouTube
Cover for The Heist

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

  • Album: The Heist
  • Song: Thrift Shop
Cover for Attack on Memory

Cloud Nothings

  • Album: Attack on Memory
  • Song: Stay Useless
Cover for Runner

The Sea and Cake

  • Album: Runner
  • Song: On And On
Cover for An Awesome Wave

Alt-J

  • Album: An Awesome Wave
  • Song: Tessellate
Cover for Sun

Cat Power

  • Album: Sun
  • Song: Sun
Cover for Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

  • Album: Channel Orange
  • Song: Lost
Cover for Celebration Rock

Japandroids

  • Album: Celebration Rock
  • Song: The House That Heaven Built
Cover for Swing Lo Magellan

Dirty Projectors

  • Album: Swing Lo Magellan
  • Song: Offspring Are Blank
Cover for The Only Place

Best Coast

  • Album: The Only Place
  • Song: The Only Place
cover

Miguel

  • Album: Kaleidoscope Dream
  • Song: Adorn
Cover for Twins

Ty Segall

  • Album: Twins
  • Song: Thank God For Sinners

Featured Artist

All Songs Considered Top 50 Albums List

Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:54 PM PST

All songs considered release their list of the top 50 albums of 2012. You can hear samples of songs from the albums on each album.

Top 50 Album List

All Songs Considered Top 25 Albums 2012 (Listener's Picks) Podcast

Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:49 PM PST

Listener Picks: Your Favorite Albums Of 2012

NPR listeners picked Mumford And Sons' Babel as their favorite record for 2012.
NPR listeners picked Mumford And Sons' Babel as their favorite record for 2012.
Courtesy of the artist
We're a big family at NPR, with amazing member stations and listeners tuning in or clicking from all over the world. Last week, when All Songs Considered posted its annual poll inviting people to pick their favorite albums of 2012, thousands of votes poured in from those listeners with sometimes surprising results.
Babel, by Mumford & Sons, is the listener pick for the 2012 album of the year. It didn't come out until this fall, but managed to climb quickly as the favorite, at least among those who voted in our year-end poll. It's followed closely by Of Monsters And Men, Alabama Shakes, Jack White and Grizzly Bear in the top five.
As you work your way through the rest of the most popular records you'll probably see a lot that you love, and you'll also likely find some that leave you scratching your head. That's the beauty of what happens when you have a large and wonderfully diverse group of voters with a broad range of tastes.
On this week's All Songs Considered we countdown through the top 25 most popular records from our listener poll.

The Results Are In!

cover

1. Babel

  • Artist: Mumford & Sons
  • Album: Babel
YouTube
Cover for My Head Is An Animal

2. My Head Is An Animal

  • Artist: Of Monsters and Men
  • Album: My Head Is An Animal
YouTube
Cover for Boys & Girls

3. Boys & Girls

  • Artist: Alabama Shakes
  • Album: Boys & Girls
YouTube
Cover for Blunderbuss

4. Blunderbuss

  • Artist: Jack White
  • Album: Blunderbuss
YouTube
Cover for Shields

5. Shields

  • Artist: Grizzly Bear
  • Album: Shields
YouTube
cover

6. Lumineers

  • Artist: The Lumineers
  • Album: Lumineers
YouTube
Cover for Channel Orange

7. Channel Orange

  • Artist: Frank Ocean
  • Album: Channel Orange
YouTube
Cover for Bloom

8. Bloom

  • Artist: Beach House
  • Album: Bloom
YouTube
Cover for Coexist

9. Coexist

  • Artist: The xx
  • Album: Coexist
YouTube
Cover for The Idler Wheel...

10. The Idler Wheel...

  • Artist: Fiona Apple
  • Album: The Idler Wheel...
YouTube
Cover for Some Nights

11. Some Nights

  • Artist: Fun.
  • Album: Some Nights
YouTube
Cover for The Carpenter

12. The Carpenter

  • Artist: Avett Brothers
  • Album: The Carpenter
YouTube
Cover for Celebration Rock

13. Celebration Rock

  • Artist: Japandroids
  • Album: Celebration Rock
YouTube
Cover for What We Saw From The Cheap Seats

14. What We Saw From The Cheap Seats

  • Artist: Regina Spektor
  • Album: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats
YouTube
Cover for Gossamer

15. Gossamer

  • Artist: Passion Pit
  • Album: Gossamer
YouTube
Cover for Break It Yourself

16. Break It Yourself

  • Artist: Andrew Bird
  • Album: Break It Yourself
YouTube
Cover for Sun

17. Sun

  • Artist: Cat Power
  • Album: Sun
YouTube
cover

18. Port of Morrow

  • Artist: The Shins
  • Album: Port of Morrow
YouTube
Cover for The Lion's Roar

19. The Lion's Roar

  • Artist: First Aid Kit
  • Album: The Lion's Roar
YouTube
Cover for Lonerism

20. Lonerism

  • Artist: Tame Impala
  • Album: Lonerism
YouTube
Cover for There's No Leaving Now

21. There's No Leaving Now

  • Artist: The Tallest Man on Earth
  • Album: There's No Leaving Now
YouTube
Cover for Swing Lo Magellan

22. Swing Lo Magellan

  • Artist: Dirty Projectors
  • Album: Swing Lo Magellan
YouTube
Cover for An Awesome Wave

23. An Awesome Wave

  • Artist: Alt-J
  • Album: An Awesome Wave
YouTube
Cover for The Heist

24. The Heist

  • Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  • Album: The Heist
YouTube
Cover for Good Kid M.A.A.D. City

25. Good Kid M.A.A.D. City

  • Artist: Kendrick Lamar
  • Album: Good Kid M.A.A.D. City
YouTube
You can see the top 100 albums at the bottom of the page and download a pdf of the full list.
The Top 100 Listener Picks:
  1. Mumford & Sons, Babel
  2. Of Monsters And Men, My Head Is An Animal
  3. Alabama Shakes, Boys And Girls
  4. Jack White, Blunderbuss
  5. Grizzly Bear, Shields
  6. The Lumineers, The Lumineers
  7. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
  8. Beach House, Bloom
  9. The xx, Coexist
  10. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
  11. fun., Some Nights
  12. The Avett Brothers, The Carpenter
  13. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
  14. Regina Spektor, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats
  15. Passion Pit, Gossamer
  16. Andrew Bird, Break It Yourself
  17. Cat Power, Sun
  18. The Shins, Port Of Morrow
  19. First Aid Kit, The Lion's Roar
  20. Tame Impala, Lonerism
  21. The Tallest Man On Earth, There's No Leaving Now
  22. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
  23. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
  24. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Heist
  25. Kendrick Lamar, good kid, M.A.A.D. city
  26. Gotye, Making Mirrors
  27. Grimes, Visions
  28. Lana Del Rey, Born To Die
  29. Kishi Bashi, 151a
  30. David Byrne & St. Vincent, Love This Giant
  31. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
  32. Sigur Ros, Valtari
  33. Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas
  34. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
  35. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
  36. Amanda Palmer, Theatre Is Evil
  37. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Here
  38. Norah Jones, Little Broken Hearts
  39. Purity Ring, Shrines
  40. Bob Dylan, Tempest
  41. The Mountain Goats, Transcendental Youth
  42. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Psychedelic Pill
  43. Best Coast, The Only Place
  44. Santigold, Master Of My Make-Believe
  45. The Walkmen, Heaven
  46. Sleigh Bells, Reign Of Terror
  47. Cloud Nothings, Attack On Memory
  48. Bat For Lashes, The Haunted Man
  49. Band Of Horses, Mirage Rock
  50. M. Ward, A Wasteland Companion
  51. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
  52. Gary Clark, Jr. Blak & Blu
  53. Flying Lotus, Until The Quiet Comes
  54. Lord Huron, Lonesome Dreams
  55. Yeasayer, Fragrant World
  56. Now, Now, Threads
  57. Animal Collective, Centipede Hz
  58. Hot Chip, In Our Heads
  59. Django Django, Django Django
  60. Glen Hansard, Rhythm And Repose
  61. Ellie Goulding, Halcyon
  62. Dr. John, Locked Down
  63. Kimbra, Vows
  64. Rufus Wainwright, Out Of The Game
  65. Taylor Swift, Red
  66. Divine Fits, A Thing Called Divine Fits
  67. Patrick Watson, Adventures In Your Own Backyard
  68. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Americana
  69. Pink, The Truth About Love
  70. Aimee Mann, Charmer
  71. Bonnie Raitt, Slipstream
  72. Dinosaur Jr, I Bet On Sky
  73. Wild Nothing, Nocturne
  74. Spiritualized, Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
  75. Shovels & Rope, O' Be Joyful
  76. Chromatics, Kill For Love
  77. Stars, The North
  78. Calexico, Algiers
  79. Dan Deacon, America
  80. Kathleen Edwards, Voyageur
  81. Bobby Womack, The Bravest Man In The Universe
  82. Titus Andronicus, Local Business
  83. Death Grips, The Money Store
  84. The Magnetic Fields, Love At The Bottom Of The Sea
  85. Shearwater, Animal Joy
  86. Twin Shadow, Confess
  87. Killer Mike, R.A.P. Music
  88. Heartless Bastards, Arrow
  89. Esperanza Spalding, Radio Music Society
  90. Swans, The Seer
  91. Benjamin Gibbard, Former Lives
  92. Rodrigo y Gabriela, Area 52
  93. Lost In The Trees, A Church That Fits Our Needs
  94. Smashing Pumpkins, Oceania
  95. Perfume Genius, Put Your Back N 2 It
  96. Nas, Life Is Good
  97. Ty Segall, Twins
  98. DIIV, Oshin
  99. Patti Smith, Banga
  100. Dum Dum Girls, End Of Daze EP