Year-End Analysis, Part 5,420: These Times Deserve Beyonce
This weekend’s New York Times arts section contained all of its year-end best lists, including album and singles round-ups from staff music critics Jon Pareles, Kelefa Sanneh, and Ben Ratliff:
THE GOOD: A surprisingly strong showing from Beyonce’s B’Day (Sanneh’s No. 4, Ratliff’s No. 5), although we’re not sure how she’s going to take having her album described as “gremlinlike.” Plus, how can you not love a year-end singles list that–like Ratliff’s–contains Slayer, Scritti Politti, and Branford Marsalis? THE BAD: Sanneh’s list grabs from all aisles of the record store, but the Arctic Monkeys at No. 1? Is the NME hyperbole from January still ringing in his ears? THE WHAAA? Only one mention of Justin Timberlake across all six tallies? Come on now, guys. Surely each of you got freaky to “SexyBack” at least once in ’06.
