Top Albums of 2008:

1. The Faint- Fasciination
2. Fight With Tools - Flobots
3. Beck – Modern Guilt
4. The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound Girl Talk – Feed The Animals
5. Weezer – Red Album
6. We Are Scientists- Brain Trust Mastery
7. Vampire Weekend – Self-Titled
8. Folie a Deux – Fall Out Boy 9. 808s and Heartbreak – Kanye West
10. Day and Age – The Killers
11. The Offspring- Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
12. R.E.M. – Accelerate
13. Radiohead – In Rainbows
14. Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
15. Story of The Year – The Black Swan
16. Death Cab For Cutie – Narrow Stairs
17. The Classic Crime- The Silver Cord
18. Panic At The Disco – Pretty. Odd.
19. The Academy Is… - Fast Times At Barrington High
20. The Matches- A Band in Hope
21. Sing It Loud – Come Around
22. Mindless Self Indulgence – If
23. Kings of Leon - Only by The Night
24. Slipknot – All Hope Is Gone
25. Coldplay- Vida la Vida
While it may be opinionated, I have my reasons. A lot of these are the same as many top album lists, and the reasons for that is the fact that there’s only one year to work with, and not an immense number of albums to choose from. This is why I do top 5 lists, and not top 25.
The Faint did their best album since Danse Macabre, outdoing Media and Blank Wave Arcade by far. Flobots did great with their stuff, and Beck is better than Evan gives it credit before. Modern Guilt isn’t as random or beat-centric as some of his others, it has it’s moments. Notably Gamma Ray, Walls, and Profanity Prayers.
Some others may have been apparent, but I think I managed my share of new insights. I’ve always been a fan of We Are Scientists, and the Matches generally produce good stuff. The Classic Crime have the most played song on my iPod, so it’s rather natural I include them on here.
I’m also generally expected to throw Coldplay on here, so don’t bitch.


Best Videos of 2008:

1) Four Year Strong – Bada Bing! ‘Wit A Pipe!
2) Fall Out Boy – I Don’t Care
3) Tegan and Sara – Call It Off
4) The Classic Crime - Abracadavers
5) We are Scientists- Chick Lit

Cowboys, dead people, and Gabe Saporta. What else could a creepy Japanese fangirl want?


Best Live Albums of 2008:

1) Fall Out Boy - ****
2) Muse – H.A.A.R.P.
3) Billy Talent – 666
4) Paramore – The Final Riot!
5) Thrice- Live at the House of Blues


I’ll admit, some of these I just listened to and didn’t see, but I liked what I heard. Plus seeing Pete Wentz crawl through a wall and slide down a hill on honey was too funny to miss. It was even better when they threw his bass in a lake though.


Most Disappointing Albums of 2008:

The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
Granted it still makes my list, but it was still a major disappointment musically. Compared to past things like Smash, this album sucked. The worst since the very first.

The Band I just Don't Get
Portugal: The Man

What? The Fuck? Maybe someone out there can help me out with this one.


Best Label:
Fueled By Ramen

“This was a great freaking year for Fueled By Ramen. Panic At The Disco, Paramore, The Hush Sound, Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, and The Academy Is combined generated more buzz than anything except Chinese Democracy. Not to mention the resurrection of Phantom Planet, the genius of Razia’s Shadow, and the uber-fun marketability of The Cab and Cobra Starship. This label can do no wrong right now. All this being said, 2009 probably won’t be the most profitable for them, but all eyes are on 2010. Seriously, they couldn’t have had a better year. I don’t even know what else can be said – Not only were tehse guys on their “A” game, they brought it. Hard. I saw PATD, Paramore, The Hush Sound, Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, and Fall Out Boy all this year, and (almost) every show was exemplary (I will admit, I walked out on Paramore because a) I’d seen them before, b) Katy Perry was vaguely more interesting at the moment, and c) I had to go see Say Anything).” (Culbertson 3)
There you go. Correctly cited and all.


Best New Band:
N/A or Katy Perry

Frankly, I’m disappointed in you music business. Have you nothing to offer me? And as a peace offering, a moderately talented pop-punk wannabe singer. Hell, at this point I’ll take what I can get.

Most Overrated Band:
Jonas Brothers

On this I agree with Evan. I don’t get where the craze started, but someone needs to find that one PR rep and bash his head in with a car door. In the most polite manner possible of course. They get their fame through looks and name recognition, along with hundreds of screaming tween girls, and therefore, they are scum in my eyes. They Osama Bin Laden, and they flew a giant plane into this year’s musical America. Thanks a ton, you shit-brained, limp-dicked fucks.


Most Underrated Band
The Faint

Seriously, am I the only person to like these guys? I’ll mention them, and people will get a glazed look, then abruptly change the topic. I feel like I’m on the Truman Show. Is this all an elaborate joke? Somebody tell me what’s happening!


Worst Band:
Moby

It’s got to stop, Ethan.

Best Single:
The Faint – The Geeks were Right

It wasn’t the best song on the album, but the song’s damned catchy. It got me into the album when I heard it, and then I bought it, like a single is supposed to make you do.

Most Improved Band:
The Classic Crime

If you don’t like them now, you should have heard them in 06. Long story short, they built up their song-writing skills to a level that pleases me, and probably others.


MOST ANTICIPATED 2009:

1) Swoon – Silversun Pickups
2) Reel Big Fish- Fame, Fortune, and Fornication
3) Two Tongues – Self-Titled
4) Eros – Deftones
5) Franz Ferdinand – Tonight
6)Untitled- Bad Religion
7-10)Untitled- The Red Hot Chili Peppers/Shins/Smashing Pumpkins/Green Day