Parsing the Pop: Categorical Errors, Sez They

Inevitably, some of the ballot comments in this year’s poll have taken our methodology to task. Fair enough–you can’t satisfy everyone. And even if we can’t help but respond to something like Julianne Escobedo Shepherd’s suggestion that we eliminate albums and ask everyone to vote for 100 tracks with a knee-jerk, “Why, do you wanna tabulate it?,” we still understand and appreciate the suggestion. Still, the most entertaining of these cavils comes from Kurt Gottschalk, who takes issue with our nomenclature.

First off, singles are singles. Ever since the pilgrims. I know the I’olator says it can be whatever songs we think are worth mention, but that’s weak. Uphold and cherish the single, I say! Even if it’s a single released via cell phone or something, like Prince’s killer “Guitar.” A tacky bit of shilling to be sure, but still better than Elvis Costello playing concerts only for people who hold the proper credit card.

Indeed. We’re still happy with calling it Tracks–how else could I have voted for track 11 from the Jens Lekman album?–but someone’s gotta stand up for beleaguered old-school hit-making. Or non-hit-making, as the case may be with . . . the vast majority of the songs Kurt Gottschalk voted for!