“Blender” Sneaks A Best-Of Into Its Pages

noah | December 17, 2007 10:30 am
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Blender‘s year-end issue did, in fact, have its list of the year’s top 25 albums–although you wouldn’t know it by looking at the mag’s cover, which did take the time to tout a) its list of “the 209 best songs of 2007” (which run in eight-point type underneath the list); b) its readers’ poll, which allowed visitors to Blender’s Web site to choose the “best of 2007” from a narrowly defined set of parameters (how else do you think the Arcade Fire placed in the “Best Band” category?); and c) the 20 essential CDs of 2008. M.I.A., whose Kala landed at No. 1 in Blender‘s estimation, only gets a passing mention on a “Plus:” coverline, and she’s billed third to Rihanna (No. 25 and Best Single in the readers’ poll) and freaking Feist (No. 13 and “Breakthrough of the Year” in the readers’ poll).

THE GOOD: This list is a near-perfect execution of the Blender-patented blend of mainstream music (Brad Paisley, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse), just-outside-the-mainstream music (Spoon, Okkervil River), and hot babes (Rihanna, Feist, Miranda Lambert). THE BAD: I can think of about 10 albums that came out last month that are more interesting than Band Of Horses’ Cease To Begin. Just… no. THE WHAAAA? For an album that just came out last Tuesday, The Dream’s Lovehate sure made an impact! It’s No. 7, just behind In Rainbows.

25. Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad 24. Bright Eyes, Cassadaga 23. Lily Allen, Alright, Still… 22. Band Of Horses, Cease To Begin 21. Okkervil River, The Stage Names 20. Brad Paisley, 5th Gear 19. Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank 18. Justice, 17. Bruce Springsteen, Magic 16. Jay-Z, American Gangster 15. Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Raising Sand 14. The White Stripes, Icky Thump 13. Feist, The Reminder 12. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 11. LCD Soundsystem, Sound Of Silver 10. Rilo Kiley, Under The Blacklight 9. Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 8. Amy Winehouse, Back To Black 7. The Dream, Lovehate 6. Radiohead, In Rainbows 5. Against Me!, New Wave 4. Kanye West, Graduation 3. Lil Wayne, The Carter 3 Sessions 2. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible 1. M.I.A., Kala

Blender [Official site]