Year-End Analysis, Part V: Stereogum’s Readers Are More Indie Than You

Earlier today, Stereogum released the results of its readers’ poll, newly christened The Gummys; the albums list was topped by The Hold Steady’s Boys and Girls In America, with TV On The Radio, Grizzly Bear, Joanna Newsom, and The Decemberists rounding out the top five. If you want to get a bead on the tastes of the indier-than-thou folks out there, this poll is it; for evidence, we present the fact that the ‘Gum has a bloc of readers who thinks Colin Meloy (No. 3 in the “Mr. Indie Rock” balloting) is attractive.

THE GOOD: Stereogum readers aren’t completely clueless: 42% of them have the sense to think that Ryan Adams should go into a period of radio silence for the next year. And hey, an actual hip-hop record–Hell Hath No Fury, at No. 27–made the best-albums list! Way to go! THE BAD: The “Mr. Indie Rock” (Sufjan Stevens) and “Ms. Indie Rock” (Chan Marshall) polls–the Gummys’ equivalent of crowning the king and queen of the prom–offend us on general principle, although it’s nice to see that Thom Yorke’s inclusion on the former list bore out the old “a guitar can make any guy hot” theory. Also, a note to whoever wrote up the “Mr. Indie Rock” section: Never, ever use the phrase “indie rock your boat” again. Yeesh. THE WHAAA? Bob Dylan at No. 28? Isn’t he, like, old?

2006 Gummy Award Winners [Stereogum]