The 2021 End Of Year music lists thread

The RS list is, as is increasingly the case, a grab bag of stuff I’ve never heard of (~65%), stuff I’ve heard of but haven’t heard (~20%), and stuff I’ve heard and think has moments (the rest).

But it’s fine. Long ago I realized that culture is going a different way than I am and to read one of these lists is just to peek at what the culture cares about.

That's fair and fine, but the homogeneity is what gets me! Something like that Sasha Geffen list stands out for being defiantly different (and also having some stuff I like on it, lol)

That's mostly an individual vs collective list distinction ofc but even so, we on ILM have generally been able to come up with fairly idiosyncratic collective EOYS, so it is possible so long as there isn't overhead editorial pressure to push what sells I guess

I'd love to hear from someone involved in a zine EOY - how is it, in short, made? Unless you're at the Quietus in which case it's 'scroll through phone numbers of all our mates and randomise' juuuust kidding

I haven’t checked to see what their 2021 has to offer but Vice’s is always pretty unique.

at Pitchfork we check off albums and songs from a Google spreadsheet. If neither appears, write it in.

we do??? i am prob not involved at that level

i opted out this year after two straight years of not getting assigned blurbs which i don’t enjoy writing anyway lol

the NPR and GvB lists have been really enjoyable this year

The RS list is, as is increasingly the case, a grab bag of stuff I’ve never heard of (~65%), stuff I’ve heard of but haven’t heard (~20%), and stuff I’ve heard and think has moments (the rest).

But it’s fine. Long ago I realized that culture is going a different way than I am and to read one of these lists is just to peek at what the culture cares about.

― Legalize Suburban Benches (Raymond Cummings), Saturday, December 4, 2021 11:10 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't think the RS lists presents a coherent representation of any "culture" and more like an attempt to join many siloed popular cultures under one umbrella

read it as “soiled” at first

I don't think the RS lists presents a coherent representation of any "culture" and more like an attempt to join many siloed popular cultures under one umbrella

I don't see any real distinction between that and the ethos of Pfork, teh Graun, etc. I'm a little mystified by R. Cummings perspective tbh, was there some golden age of pop to pine for? Was there a time in recent years when the RS list was noteworthy?

None of the lists posted so far appeal much to me, but then I continue to maintain that the album is an obsolete format, and that social media has largely devastated most niche music scenes with any potential for mass appeal.

I don't think there was any real golden age of pop, but I do suspect a Pitchfork list from 15 years ago would be of considerably higher quality overall than what's on offer now.

I am quite smitten with the Floating Points - Pharoah Sanders collaboration tho.

I'm a little mystified by R. Cummings perspective tbh, was there some golden age of pop to pine for?

when did he imply this?

Viborg, I don’t think there was a golden age of pop during my lifetime. What I meant was that there was a time when I had some familiarity with the majority of artists on the RS list, even if I didn’t like them. Now? Most of this stuff is a total mystery.

I don't see any real distinction between that and the ethos of Pfork

Well, we'll see what they have to cook up this year, but last year's list did have a pretty cohesive identity! 48 of the albums were "millennials aging out of indie rock" + "zoomers aging into the new indie pop/rock/R&B/dance" + "cool kid endorsed poptimism."

The other two were Bad Bunny and "Drakeo the Ruler recorded an album over a prison phone"

A lot of that is down to being a 44 year old man, of course. But if I showed my 15 year old son the list he’d be mystified too, if less mystified.

A lot of that is down to being a 44 year old man, of course. But if I showed my 15 year old son the list he’d be mystified too, if less mystified.

Until today I didn’t know that Tomorrow X Together existed!

None of this is a comment on the quality of these acts, by the way. I have no idea. Just saying that this landscape is vast in a way that is mind-boggling.

I think it all comes down to "music increasingly markets itself to more and more niche communities" and these big tent pubs all have to either A) Establish their own identity (I think P4k, Revolver, maybe Mojo are doing a good job of that, regardless of what you think of their music tastes) or trying to be everything to everyone, which, well, good fucking luck

Agreed.

Earlier this year, Rolling Stone literally said BTS' 'Dynamite' is better than "Heartbreak Hotel." I don't think they're exactly a marker of our "vast musical landscape" and more a marker of 40somethings tripping over their dicks to try and stay relevant

Anyway, the rap choices on all these lists makes me feel 10,000 years old, peace out

I continue to maintain that the album is an obsolete format

Why? It still seems central to me.

yeah that's a headscratcher to me, too

Not like all these album lists are being topped by aging artists in obscure microgenres (although mine surely will be).

Earlier this year, Rolling Stone literally said BTS' 'Dynamite' is better than "Heartbreak Hotel." I don't think they're exactly a marker of our "vast musical landscape" and more a marker of 40somethings tripping over their dicks to try and stay relevant

― licorice in the front, pizza in the rear (Whiney G. Weingarten)

Lol they did what!?

their top 500 songs of all time list had some really goofy stuff

Or are you referencing the fact that “dynamite” scored one place higher than “heartbreak hotel” on their 500 song list?

yeah

Maybe there are earlier examples, I don't know, but for me better-than insanity started with Spin's two '88 lists, both singles and albums. I liked some of their left-field picks a lot at the time, especially their #1 song, but there was also a lot of Depeche Mode's Black Celebration better than The Velvet Underground & Nico, and Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" better than "Heat Wave," "I Can't Explain," and "Anarchy in the U.K."

killing moon is absolutely better than anarchy in the uk!

yeah agreed

Even BTS “dynamite” is better than Anarchy in the UK

Someone's future dream is a shopping spree.

My apologies to the Sex Pistols for making this happen.

I was responding to the Bunnymen fwiw. I know I have consciously sought out and listened to "Dynamite" and some other BTS songs but I have zero memory of what it sounds like.

i wish bts would make another gqom track lol

Dynamite is the one that sounds like Jonas Brothers.

"butter" from this year was much better than "dynamite", not really exciting but very solid for what it is

The title “Butter” grosses me out.

Not no Parkay, not no margarine

STRICTLY BUTTER, BABY

wau wau collectif album is really nice

modern rs trying to be poptimist or whatever they're doing feels even weirder than when their top 10 was mostly just classic rock acts way past their prime

to elaborate on this, it's bc their poptimist taste is weird and bland? like if they were going all in on say billie eilish's album this year that would be a much better poptimist pick than adele & olivia rodrigo (whose album was fine just not like, aoty material lol) or previously that harry styles album

i love reading the music analyses on here and discovering music myself, but i find it funny how people forget music is such a subjective thing. having said that, i always assume by "best album/song", the person is saying this is their "favourite" instead of making a statement that something is intrinsically superior than something else

having said that, i wasn't really feeling any of the stuff on best-of lists this year either. i think the weather station's album was fine. but i do love "parking lot" and i really like tamara lindeman (guinevere jones!)

i wish bts would make another gqom track lol

― ufo, Sunday, 5 December 2021 00:12 (seven hours ago) link

what is the bts gqom song????

"idol"

TIME 10 BEST SONGS

https://time.com/6125601/best-songs-2021/

Farruko - "Pepas"
Wizkid - "Essence"
Taylor Swift - "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)"
Lucy Dacus - "VBS"
YOASOBI - "怪物"
City Girls - "Twerkulator"
Olivia Rodrigo - "good 4 u"
El Alfa, Chael Produciendo, CJ - "La Mamá de la Mamá"
Morgan Wade - "Wilder Days"
Doja Cat - "Woman"

That's one hideous mash-up. Reminds me of those bands doing ridiculous pop pastiche for people to make fun of, except BTS sound serious.

Pretty diverse list

Was the song a near carbon copy of Paramore’s “Misery Business”? Sure.

goddammit, stop with this; It’s been very effectively debunked (retroactive credit not withstanding)