Here it is guys. This is your chance to post your FINAL list of your choices for the best albums of 2008. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Deadline for lists will be 11:59 PM on January 9, 2009.
• Membership requirements are: 3-month membership or 30 considerate posts, to make your list count. If you make either requirement by the deadline and you already posted your list, PM me and I will add yours.
• 2008 new releases count. If you had an album on your list from last year, don't count it again.
• No re-issues, EPs are fine.
• You can rank as many albums as you like but only the top 20 will be scored.
The method for scoring will once again be the FKA-EG75 scoring method, which entails:

1. 40 points
2. 35
3. 31
4. 28
5. 25
6. 22
7. 20
8. 18
9. 16
10. 14
11. 12
12. 10
13. 8
14. 7
15. 6
16. 5
17. 4
18. 3
19. 2
20. 1 point

This will be the final method for scoring. However, we have made it so you can choose a Pazz and Jop method, if you so wish. You can score your albums however you like and I will rank that in as well. But the final method will still be the aforementioned one.

I will update as needed. I hope I didn't forget anything. Enjoy your lists and let us rejoice in 2008.

The Top 100 Albums of 2008:

Official List
Top Albums of 2008 (FKA-EG75 Scoring)
Ranking Artist - Album Score
1 TV on the Radio - Dear Science, (2196)
2 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (1772)
3 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (1639)
4 Deerhunter - Microcastle (1513)
5 Portishead - Third (1414)
6 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (1100)
7 The Dodos - Visiter (938)
8 The Walkmen - You & Me (925)
9 Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight (893)
10 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (866)

11 M83 - Saturdays = Youth (824)
12 Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (725)
13 The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (694)
14 Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours (626)
15 Why? - Alopecia (556)
16 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals (515)
17 Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (453)
18 Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster... (430)
19 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (419)
20 Shearwater - Rook (412)

21 No Age - Nouns (409)
22 Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair (408)
23 Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (396)
24 Blitzen Trapper - Furr (394)
25 Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III (379)
26 Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (353)
27 The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave (353)
28 Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (341)
29 Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances (329)
30 Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim (294)

31 Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (291)
32 Drive-By Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark (287)
33 Beach House - Devotion (271)
34 MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (269)
35 Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (265)
36 The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride (264)
37 British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? (259)
38 Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (250)
39 Beck - Modern Guilt (243)
40 The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (234)

41 Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna (229)
42 Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue (224)
43 Sun Kil Moon - April (224)
44 Hot Chip - Made In The Dark (207)
45 Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue (201)
46 The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely (190)
47 Fennesz - Black Sea (187)
48 Calexico - Carried to Dust (183)
49 Flying Lotus - Los Angeles (178)
50 R.E.M. - Accelerate (175)

51 Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane (174)
52 My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (172)
53 Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing (171)
54 Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line (171)
55 She & Him - Volume One (170)
56 Sam Roberts - Love at the End of the World (169)
57 The Black Keys - Attack & Release (162)
58 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War (158)
59 Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (147)
60 Shugo Tokumaru - Exit (145)

61 Women - Women (144)
62 Deerhoof - Offend Maggie (140)
63 Santogold - Santogold (138)
64 The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement (138)
65 The Kills - Midnight Boom (137)
66 Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom (134)
67 School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (132)
68 Evangelicals - The Evening Descends (131)
69 Black Mountain - In the Future (130)
70 Metaform - Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (129)

71 Neon Neon - Stainless Style (124)
72 Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (122)
73 Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (121)
74 Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel (112)
75 Spiritualized - Songs in A&E (110)
76 Horse Feathers - House With No Home (108)
77 The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me (108)
78 El Guincho - Alegranza (105)
79 The Bug - London Zoo (104)
80 Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (103)

81 The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues (103)
82 Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down In The Light (101)
83 Q-Tip - The Renaissance (97)
84 Blue Sky Black Death - Late Night Cinema (95)
85 Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (94)
86 The Hospitals - Hairdryer Peace (94)
87 Robert Forster - The Evangelist (92)
88 Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (90)
89 Sons and Daughters - This Gift (89)
90 Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto (89)
91 Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It And She I (88)

92 Atmosphere - When Life Give You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold (87)
93 Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (87)
94 Peter and the Wolf - Mellow Owl (87)
95 Venetian Snares - Detrimentalist (86)
96 Foals - Antidotes (85)
97 The Week That Was - The Week That Was (85)
98 Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08 (84)
99 Fucked Up - Chemistry of Common Life (83)
100 Johnny Flynn - A Larum (83)

The People’s Champion (150 lists):

1 TV on the Radio - Dear Science, (95)
2 Deerhunter - Microcastle (75)
3 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (74)
4 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (74)
5 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (67)

Possibly Overlooked – pt. 1

Only on ONE list but voted #1 by that person:

Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
Ani DiFranco - Red Letter Year
Children 18:3 - Children 18:3
Darkestrah - The Great Silk Road
Donovan Quinn & the 13th Month - S/T
Katie Stelmanis - Join Us
Nadja - The Bungled and the Botched
PAS/CAL - I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura
Pattern is Movement - All Together
Subheim - Approach
Taylor Swift - Fearless
The Matthew Herbert Big Band - There's Me and There's You
Torche - Meanderthal

Possibly Overlooked – pt. 2

Highest Points-per-Vote (Minimum of 3 votes and a maximum of 10 votes):

Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane (21.75)
Calexico - Carried to Dust (18.3)
R.E.M. - Accelerate (17.5)
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement (17.25)
She & Him (17.0)

Best Albums by Genre, top EPs

Hip-Hop:

1 Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
2 Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
3 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War
4 Q-Tip - The Renaissance
5 Blue Sky Black Death - Late Night Cinema
6 Atmosphere - When Life Give You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold
7 Angil & the Hiddntracks - Oulipo Saliva
8 Bun B - II Trill
9 The Cool Kids - Bake Sale EP
10 Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It

Indie:

1 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2 Deerhunter - Microcastle
3 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4 The Dodos - Visiter
5 The Walkmen - You & Me
6 Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
7 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
8 Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
9 The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
10 Why? - Alopecia

Rock:

1 TV on the Radio - Dear Science,
2 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
3 Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
4 Drive-By Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark
5 British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
6 Beck - Modern Guilt
7 The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
8 The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
9 R.E.M. - Accelerate
10 My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

Electronic:

1 Portishead - Third
2 M83 - Saturdays = Youth
3 Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
4 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
5 Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
6 Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
7 Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
8 Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
9 Fennesz - Black Sea
10 Flying Lotus - Los Angeles

Folk:

1 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
2 The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
3 Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
4 The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
5 Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue
6 Sun Kil Moon - April
7 Calexico - Carried to Dust
8 Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
9 Horse Feathers - House With No Home
10 Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down In The Light

Top EPs:

1 Animal Collective - Water Curses EP
2 Jon Foreman - Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer EPs
3 The Cool Kids - Bake Sale EP
4 Breathe Owl Breathe - Ghost Glacier EP
5 Anthony & the Johnsons - Another World
6 Moving Mountains - Foreword
7 Todd Snider - Peace Queer EP
8 Stars - Sad Robots
9 Passion Pit - Chunk of Change EP
10 Stanley Brinks - Stanley Brinks

Release Date Stats

Top Two Seasons with Most Votes:

Spring (April-June): 14,528
Winter (January-March): 12,273

Top Votes per Month:

1 April 6111 votes
2 June 5702 votes
3 September 5187 votes
4 March 5081 votes
5 February 4499 votes

Albums affected by scoring system (Reflected by showing how many more, or how many less, points it would have with the Pazz and Jop poll:

The Walkmen - You & Me (-31)
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (+21)
Deerhunter - Microcastle (20)
Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster... (-20)
Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight (19)
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (-19)
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (+18)
Sons and Daughters - This Gift (-16)
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (-15)
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (+14)

Contributors:

BContrat ● JeffinNYC ● youandwhosearmy ● WinnebagoWarrior ● naive ● paradox ● BigBrother ● Jodofosho ● dignanandmax ● thecosmos ● outis ● cody ● Sicnarf ● Kuro ● MilotheMayor ● Vaygus ● skelington_ ● spudthemagicelf ● IsaacAshe ● thefanste ● EricG75 ● keylimetrev ● colliefletch ● Antiquity ● Medicated Soap ● L. R. William Spencer ● ajar ● jayman ● Noe Montez ● onFire ● blueskyoas ● FragileKidA ● public access ● Lawrence_Of_Suburbia ● Portable Joystick ● Everyoneanindividual ● Vypa ● bonzob ● Peewee ● SDF ● ANinBC ● DFelon204409 ● Il Mago ● Deku ● Valzu ● Lir ● ¡Ya Lo Tengo! ● His Dudeness ● Chamberk ● gomad361 ● DrAwesome ● sans_success ● downwithstarbucks ● The Fall of Troy ● DimsiRupsi ● petrolfire ● V ● kelly 1l1 ● Hophead ● TotalTrash ● BAfé ● nmeiborg ● joymonger ● kendocubano ● tsnydermtg ● *Termina* ● droganzundt ● modestryan ● frontman17 ● Herald! Frankenstein ● RAWR ● Filmore Mescalito Holmes ● fearlessweaver ● Neon Boxer ● Claybay ● Winterlong Pixies ● Thisheregiraffe ● pak ● Drum Drives the World ● winstonpeters ● E ● juanboy ● Soft Silly Music ● JustSomeIdiot ● Cyrone ● Ralph M ● [douglasdickel] ● Illiniq ● MJ88 ● theelfpat ● Senator _Colin ● bushn ● MattD ● dza360 ● Mycroft Wooster ● City ● cait36 ● JACOK ● Kalib Tweli ● bustajonez22 ● j-pop ● Dork ● crob3888 ● either_or ● mymindsBlank ● Nibbish ● PrairieFire ● golly_g_wiz ● Stocky ● airboy paul ● BigMouth ● I should coco ● Turenne ● BSmooth ● Alecks ● crazed ● odysseyandoracle ● The Doctor ● goathouse’s jolliness ● Liberalkid ● grabblegarrr ● CandyFlossGirl ● brainofp ● PRG ● Mike ● eggtweedyegg ● Proposition_Gob ● golden flea ● Shadrach ● CoCoCo ● stereo ● -[Johno]- ● besttasteinmusicever ● dagadabooboo ● RavingLunatic ● Rygar ● hal ● space75 ● MXH ● Mick_DH ● Elitist_Pretentious ● mr_sir ● Casper ● Briznow ● Borachon ● nathanielkt ● DMT ● I Am The Red Wizards ● efrigo ● musicfanatic ●


A very exceptional and HUGE thanks goes out to Shadrach for all that he did to help me. Mostly unknown to everyone else, this would have been nearly impossible and much, much harder without his lending hands. Thanks, so much.

I hope everyone had a good year and to hoping that 2009 is as good. But most of all, thanks to everyone that contributed lists, for everyone that contributes to our wonderful forums and to anyone that can and wants to contribute more, please do. Here's to being here.

And in case I forgot anyone else, it was unintentional and as Jim James sings, thank you too!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FragileKidA,

So, it has started. This is so exciting period of the year. I am curious what you guys have and what our final list will look like. There are some potential winners according to our keeping track thread: TVotR, Fleet Foxes, Rural Alberta Advantage (though many don't know them yet), Walkman, The Dodos, Portishead etc ... Even Bon Iver, though some of you won't recount it. Wait, FKA, you mean Bon Iver doesn't count?!

I have a lot to re-re-listen to before some final decisions to be made.

Good choices and as little as possible post final list regret posts.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Neon Boxer,

Rural Alberta Advantage have got this.

I knew last year was going to be Radiohead or The National no matter what, but this year I'm completely unsure. My guess is that Portishead or TV on the Radio will be #1.

quote:

Originally posted by BAfé:
I knew last year was going to be Radiohead or The National no matter what, but this year I'm completely unsure. My guess is that Portishead or TV on the Radio will be #1.

I think TVOTR or Fleet Foxes. I never got the impression that Portishead album was that popular around here, but a few people seem to be really big on it.

My bet is on TVotR. Though I'm not in love with this band and personally it probably won't rich my top 5, it is extremly hard not to enjoy this great record.

It straddles the line between accessiblity and highbrow in a uniquely unassuming 2008-ish way. I think it's the facelessness of it that is effectively capturing imaginations and creating, like, nu-mystique. What the hell? Beats me.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

However, we have made it so you can choose a Pazz and Jop method, if you so wish. You can score your albums however you like and I will rank that in as well.

??

quote:

Originally posted by theelfpat:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

However, we have made it so you can choose a Pazz and Jop method, if you so wish. You can score your albums however you like and I will rank that in as well.

??

Since there was some discussion about wether or not the Pazz and Jop method would effect the scoring, I included a way for FragileKidA to test the effect of the two methods.

To participate in this experiment, you should arrange your albums in your typical top 20 list. This is how they will be scored for the final list. However, after arrange them in this way you may go through and distribute 307 points however you feel to those 20 albums. This will allow you to weight the significance of your album ratings more clearly. It is important that you only alocate 307 points. If your total score over 20 albums is not 307 points it will not be able to be counted.

If this is too confusing for you, just list your top 20 albums, and everything will work out just the same.

EDIT (a bad one at that):

I think if they use anything close to 307 (plus or minus 10, for example) points, you should count it. The one thing we never discussed was a maximum, so now's your chance.

I realize that this may screw all the work you put into helping out, and you're a "Major MoFo Jedi" for doing it, Shaddy, but I will personally try to fix and upgrade anyone who wants to go "Maverick"! HA!

Remember, you can do both!

EDIT: I'm sorry. I was trying to quote and I edited. This often happens when I disappear for awhile. However, I thik I'm still accurate. Shaddy, correct me if I'm wrong and cuss me out for my ignorance!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark f,

quote:

Originally posted by goathouse's seminal post:
It straddles the line between accessiblity and highbrow in a uniquely unassuming 2008-ish way. I think it's the facelessness of it that is effectively capturing imaginations and creating, like, nu-mystique. What the hell? Beats me.

I've always enjoyed the way you can express those things, GSP

I'm hoping its Bon Iver, but I'm guessing its going to be the Fleet Foxes.

I'll be pretty happy just as long as I see Laura Marling, Sam Roberts and Bon Iver in the final list. A Hip-Hop album that wasn't made by Lil Wayne and Kanye would be nice as well, but I won't hold my breath.

nOOb question: can The Decemberists' "Always The Bridesmaid" appear on the best albums list? I know it's been declared a "singles series," but you now can buy the songs together in a hefty 6-song EP. Ok, maybe a more general question would be better: can we include EPs?

Sorry, this is first time I've been here for the year end list festival.

EDIT: Oh, and don't freak out, I'll have 30 posts before I post my final list in January.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
EPs are fine.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
EPs are fine.

Yikes, I need to read more carefully. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

If this is too confusing for you, just list your top 20 albums, and everything will work out just the same.

Sweet. Can I also be a dick and assign all of my 307 points to my 20th favorite album to skew the results and make sure I won't be confused by this "experiment" next year?

01. TV on the Radio: Dear Science,
02. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
03. Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III
04. No Age: Nouns
05. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
06. The Tallest Man on Earth: Shallow Grave
07. Cut Copy: In Ghost Colours
08. The Dodos: Visiter
09. Hercules and Love Affair: Hercules and Love Affair
10. Girl Talk: Feed the Animals
11. The Hold Steady: Stay Positive
12. Beach House: Devotion
13. M83: Saturdays=Youth
14. Shugo Tokumaru: Exit
15. Flying Lotus: Los Angeles
16. Department of Eagles: In Ear Park
17. Titus Andronicus: The Airing of Grievances
18. Jamie Lidell: Jim
19. Luomo: Convivial
20. Okkervil River: The Stand-Ins

I think "Emma" will rank highly, but it's gotta be hurt by the fact that it also ranked highly LAST year. There are plenty of people who love it but won't vote for it twice.

TVotR is the frontrunner, I think. Fleet Foxes is a potential upsetter.

(Nice list, BC!)

quote:

Originally posted by theelfpat:

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

If this is too confusing for you, just list your top 20 albums, and everything will work out just the same.

Sweet. Can I also be a dick and assign all of my 307 points to my 20th favorite album to skew the results and make sure I won't be confused by this "experiment" next year?

no.

Wow, we got a list already, very cool. I like a lot of your list, BC, we share some similar albums. Can you tell me a bit about Shugo Tokumaru and Luomo please?

I am glad everyone is enjoying themselves; this is a great time of year.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Wow, we got a list already, very cool. I like a lot of your list, BC, we share some similar albums. Can you tell me a bit about Shugo Tokumaru and Luomo please?

I am glad everyone is enjoying themselves; this is a great time of year.

I agree! Christmas season is basically the only thing keeping me sane what with finals at my first semester of college eminent.

Thanks for the compliment.

Luomo: This guy is a Finnish electronic artist that makes house/ambient/techno music that would fit in a chill European club, but is more artistic and musically varied than most music in the genre. The album has similarities with Four Tet or Junior Boys. I found Luomo on a Stylus (R.I.P.) list which heralded another excellent album of his, "Vocalcity".

Shugo Tokumaru: This guy is a Japenese singer/songwriter. Essentially he could be classified as folk-or pop almost in the vein of Jens Lekman, except that his music is adorned with all kinds of eclectic instrumentation, much of which I would never be able to identify by name. The Japanese vocals give the album a whimsical effect, much in the way that Sigur Rós' Icelandic singing adds some allure to their music.

edit: oops - was logged in my best friend's account

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BContrat,