I don't really have time to write what I really want to write cuz I should be getting ready for work right now. However in viewing Pitchfork's alleged Top 50 albums of the year I noticed a couple of glaring omissions. It's really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things as it's just a snobby website...that I visit frequently. However, if you set yourself up as the so-called experts in a certain field then you'd think that you'd be a bit more careful about something like this.
Common's Be and Edan's Beauty and the Beat received ratings of 8.6 and 8.8, respectively. Yet neither album is anywhere to be found on Pitchfork's list. I didn't go through the whole list but I focused on the the limited selection of hip-hop albums they selected. #2 on the overall list was Kanye West's Late Registration which received a rating lower than both Common and Edan. Cam'ron's Purple Haze was number nine and got a strong 8.7 when it was originally reviewed. The Clipse's We Got it 4 Cheap Vol. 2 is the third highest ranked rap album and it got an even stronger 8.8 so theoretically, it should have been ranked higher than any of 'em (on a side note I think the Clipse pretty much suck but oh well.)
The next, as well as final, two rap albums on the list are the Game's The Documentary and whatever Young Jeezy's album was called. Both albums received ratings lower than either Common or Edan. Just for kicks I checked a lower ranking rock album that made the list, My Morning Jacket's Z and it received a 7.7!
What's the point of having a rating system if those ratings are thrown out the window when you pick your so-called best of the year? I'd e-mail Pitchfork themselves but they'd never bother to respond. So I figured I'd point it out here.
I'm not that upset, well actually I am a little upset. For a website that sells itself as the tastemakers in modern somewhat popular music they have no problems picking smart and innovative indie rock albums for the best of list but give them a chance to highlight some awesome and intelligent rap albums and outside of M.I.A (sorta) and Kanye West they settle for mostly gangsta rap albums. (Okay I forgot to mention that they do have the grime compilation Run the Road pretty high on their list as well so they did get something right.)
kate [email] said at 11:41 AM 12-22-2005: It's that problem I have with top ten list. You can't listen to every album that comes out in 2005. And even if one does, the next person won't have the same opinion even if both have very good taste. It's totally subjective. I noticed that they did this ratings business to other albums. I know that after listening to albums throughout the year, the initial rating may seem bunk? Do they scratch the ratings and just hold up the albums again, and just say, "Folks, name the top 50. Go." This is what I would do. However, this would get messy. Maybe they just voted. God, how ridiculous is this task? All I know is there was so much good music this year, that it would take me another year to listen to it all. That is what I get out of the top 50 album list from pitchfork. I like to see who is number 1, and who i have never heard of in the top 20 and kind of check them out. I also make sure to remember the names of all fifty sort of so that if they ever go on tour I will be sure to see them live, in case they are like the very first band playing on a rainy Monday night.
Randy said at 7:15 PM 12-22-2005: Oh, I read it every day. I really enjoy their news section, and I read reviews of the albums that seem interesting to me. But I rarely take what they say (outside of their news) seriously.
denman [email] said at 1:57 PM 12-22-2005: So, all that crap and no mention of the new Ballast album, or even the just released Magrudergrind discography?! But seriously, Blackalicious "The Craft" screw pitchfork.....
Bob said at 3:14 PM 12-22-2005: Screw Pitchfork yeah... I stopped reading them after they trashed a band with two friends of mine in it.
That out of the way, I think the discrepancy between the list and the individual reviews has to do with the reviews being one lone reviewer's opinion of an album and the top 50 list being made up of all the reviewers' choices.
Charles said at 3:25 PM 12-22-2005: "That out of the way, I think the discrepancy between the list and the individual reviews has to do with the reviews being one lone reviewer's opinion of an album and the top 50 list being made up of all the reviewers' choices."
Well, duh.
How anyone can continue to be confused by this is baffling to me.
The reviews are done by individuals. The end of the year lists are created by compiling the votes by all of the staff.
I'm sure the people who ranked [whatever album you're incredibly angry about being underrated] so highly in the original review also ranked it highly in their year-end list.
Be annoyed that good music got left off if you want. That's the point of these lists anyways, to generate discussion. But to be angry because the ratings don't match up is pretty silly.
denman [email] said at 3:41 PM 12-22-2005: Oh charles, what did we peasants ever do before your sage wisdom came along? I was so wrong to question why the Medic/Triac 7" split did not make this list. Thank you for wiping the ignorance from my eyes.
reggie [email] said at 12:30 AM 12-23-2005: Okay, David Fricke (I'm pretty sure he was the original reviewer) gave Kanye West's album -- undeservedly so -- five stars. You know what album topped their year-end list? Kanye West's. I'm pretty sure they do the list by committee thing as well but it's a lot more consistent.
Okay, so yeah it is Rolling Stone but that's beside the point.
reggie [email] said at 1:14 AM 12-23-2005: Editor's Note: I will admit to having some information screwed up. P'fork's rating for Late Registration was a 9.5
(You see that Dubya, it is possible to admit you've screwed up)
Randy said at 1:00 PM 12-23-2005: Late Registration belongs at #2. Animal Collective's Feels belongs at #1. Sufjan Stevens' Illinois deserves to be MUCH lower, as it's basically just a rehash of Michigan (and that one song sounds way too much like The Polyphonic Spree).
