Just got my copy of the latest issue of Harp and I figured I'd post their Top 40.

Artists only, to save time, unless multiple releases from that artist came out in '04

1. Tom Waits
2. Brian Wilson
3. PJ Harvey
4. Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter
5. Wilco
6. Iron and Wine
7. Steve Earle
8. Elvis Costello: The Delivery Man
9. Mark Lanegan
10. Rilo Kiley
11. Loretta Lynn
12. Drive By Truckers
13. Anders Parker
14. Ted Leo
15. Ray Lamontagne
16. Black Keys
17. Elliott Smith
18. John Frusciante: Shadows Collide With People
19. Jesse Malin
20. John Dee Graham
21. Richard Buckner
22. Robyn Hitchcock
23. Morrissey
24. Nick Cave
25. Sufjan Stevens
26. Eleni Mandell
27. Paul Westerberg
28. Los Lobos
29. Matthew Sweet: Kimi Go Suki Raifu
30. Interpol
31. TV on the Radio
32. Joanna Newsom
33. Magnetic Fields
34. Patty Griffin
35. Mindy Smith
36. Franz Ferdinand
37. Camper Van Beethoven
38. Slaid Cleaves
39. Nellie McKay
40. David Berkeley

Other bests...

Songwriter: Sam Beam

Group: Rilo Kiley

Comeback: Loretta Lynn

Debut: Roy Lamontagne

Reissue: London Calling


My thoughts: WAY overrated the Elvis Costello and Robyn Hitchcock records. WAAY overrated the PJ Harvey, which was a so-so effort.

Nice that they recognized the Rilo Kiley and Ted Leo, as well as Matthew Sweet and Jesse Malin.

I just got the highly-rated Jesse Sykes and found it quite compelling, on first listen. We'll see where it fits on MY year end best-of...

Is Harp a rock only mag or what? I've never read it and I notices there's no hip-hop or electronica artists on the list...

quote:

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Originally posted by Filmore Holmes:
Is Harp a rock only mag or what? I've never read it and I notices there's no hip-hop or electronica artists on the list...

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It's a rock mag, which leans toward AAA and alt-country. It's not a bad mag, all things considered. The current issue has Conor Oberst on the cover, with articles on Elvis Costello and Tony Joe White.

I own 16 out of the 40, which might end up being the high for my shared albums from music mag year-end best-ofs.