2008 is drawing to a close, so how has it been for you? It's been a year of flux, a year of change, credit crunch, contrived tabloid scandals, ending with the historic hopeful election of America's first Black President Barack Obama(pictured in his basketball playing high school days above).
It's been a mixed year for music, often unheralded astounding, innovative highs and quite a lot of disappointments, some big sellers remain amongst the debris, but the industry is shifting every day, changing modes of distribution, funding and promotion see an industry that relies more on personal reaction, blog tips and the live performance to cement an act's place in people's hearts. We've taken a GIITTV writer's vote, gathered our top 50 albums of the year, now we need YOUR help, we need YOU to tell us your TOP FIVE albums of 2008 from the list below (listed in no particular order), marks will be awarded for higher placed albums (eg albums rated first will receive five points, albums listed second will get four and so on). Three randomly selected entrants will receive a stack of CDs, for their trouble.
Then on the 18th of December we'll have a Readers' top 20 albums of '08. On the same day we'll also reveal the GIITTV writers' top 50. So exercise your democratic right!
GIITTV's albums of 08, PICK YOUR TOP 5!
Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto,
The Indelicates - American Demo,
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til It Was Light,
Psychedelia 3,
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular,
Vessels - White Fields and Open Devices,
The Walkmen - You & Me,
Cats in Paris - Courtcase 2000,
Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed,
Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath,
We are the Physics - Are OK at Music,
Matt Elliot - Howling Songs,
The Bug - London Zoo,
The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust,
Metronomy - Nights Out,
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
Fuck Buttons - Street Horrsing,
M83 - Saturdays = Youth,
Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars,
TV On the Radio - Dear Science,
Chase & Status - More Than a Lot,
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid,
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip,
Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight,
Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song,
Portishead - Third,
Neon Neon - Stainless Style,
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!,
Brightblack Morning Light - Motion to Rejoin,
Deerhunter - Microcastle,
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles,
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs,
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid,
Why? - Alopecia,
Bloc Party - Intimacy,
Santogold - Santogold,
Gregory & the Hawk - Moenie & Kitchi,
Vampire Weekend - S/T,
Coldplay - Viva la Vida,
Foals - Antidotes,
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago,
Angil & the hiddentracks - Ouliposaliva,
Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel,
Fleet Foxes - S/T,
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive,
Youthmovies - Good Nature,
Sigur Ros - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust,
Travis - Ode to J. Smith,
Shearwater - Rook
01 Travis - Ode To J. Smith
02 Coldplay - Viva la Vida Or Death And All His Friends
03 Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
04 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
05 MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
I only have 3 of the albums and out of those Ode is my least favourite. Don't get me wrong, Ode is a special album that I love but the other two (Coldplay and Elbow) are career-defining efforts.
Travis and Coldplay are my top 2 albums of the year. Elbow's is also great. They are the only 3 on the list I own. There are others from this year I love though.
