The Acclaimed Music Artists Poll 2013 : Results

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:48 am

Hello everyone and welcome to the results of our new Artists Poll !

First of all, thanks to our 35 voters (that's a bit less than on the previous poll unfortunately).
In alphabetical order :

Blanco
Brad
Bruce
Bruno
Dan
Daniel
DaveC
DocBrown
Gillingham
Henrik
Henry
Hymie
Jackson
jamieW
JimmyJazz
Kingoftonga
Listyguy
luvulongTIM
Mattceinicram
Maximumbeef
Merlo
Michel
Moonbeam
Nassim
Nick
nicolas
Otisredding
pauldrach
PlasticRam
Poliuks
Slick
sonfosamiam
Stephan
stone37
whuntva

We will welcome 16 new bands/artists in our top 100, and thus say goodbye to as many.
Both the newcomers and the losers list has some results we could have expected (surprisingly high/low results last time, fantastic or underwhelming new albums since 2010, influence of the current 80s or moderately acclaimed polls...), others came to me as major surprises (especially the one band relegated to #251...)

To keep the results surprising, I won't post the 500-101 list until later, this should keep the excitement of guessing who did or didn't make the top 100. 2 artists/bands have been kicked from it by the very last vote, including someone's #1 pick (except a big rant about that later one).

So : 100-96 coming very soong !

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:21 am

Only 1 newcomer on this first batch :

100) Belle & Sebastian
190,4 points / 3 votes

AM Rank : 182
2010 poll rank : 43
2008 poll rank : 21

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
If You're Feeling Sinister (69)
Tigermilk (330)
The Life Pursuit (356)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
None in top 1000

Biggest fans :
luvulongtim (2)
Brad (8)
DocBrown (18)

If there is one result I am not completely happy with in this poll, it's that Belle and Sebastian made it to the top 100 with only 3 votes. Nothing against them (I do really like their 90s output) but no one else made it to the top 100 with less than 6 votes, our #101 got 9 votes (and is only 0,2 points behind !!!) and #150 even got 10 votes ! But those are the rules, and that's why top 10 votes are so important !

99) Paul McCartney
190,7 points / 7 votes

AM Rank : 251
2010 poll rank : 58
2008 poll rank : 144

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Band on the Run (with the Wings) (300)
Ram (with Linda McCartney) (492)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Maybe I'm Amazed (528)
Band on The Run (with the Wings) (810)

Biggest fans :
Daniel (4)
stone37 (10)
PlasticRam (28)

98) Billie Holiday
191,3 points / 6 votes

AM Rank : 194
2010 poll rank : 294
2008 poll rank : 125

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
None on the top 500

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Strange Fruit (22)

Biggest fans :
JimmyJazz (7)
Dan (20)
Merlo (26)

#102 and Lady Day are only separated by 1,2 points which is less than what a #100 vote is worth. So basically, if you voted for any of those 3 artists, they are here thanks to you ! (and #101 and #102 are not because of you, there will be blame later !)

97) The Flaming Lips
198,8 points / 10 votes

AM Rank : 110
2010 poll rank : 97
2008 poll rank : 45

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
The Soft Bulletin (77)
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (136)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Race for The Prize (379)
Do You Realize?? (654)
Fight Test (658)

Biggest fans :
Kingoftonga (4)
Jackson (33)
Maximumbeef (42)

96) TV on the Radio
199,6 points / 10 votes

AM Rank : 151
2010 poll rank : 80
2008 poll rank : 170

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Dear Science (96)
Return to Cookie Mountain (172)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Wolf Like Me (134)
Staring at The Sun (627)
DLZ (634)

Biggest fans :
Nassim (17)
Jackson (23)
Gillingham (23)

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:29 am

Hmm ... Some surprises.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:42 am

Yay, I wasn't expecting this results thread until the weekend. Thanks Nassim!

Go Billie!

Post by **Henrik** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:57 am

Great presentation, Nassim!

However, have you considered adding the positions from our 2008 poll? In case you haven't, and you want to, they are here: http://acclaimedmusic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:29 pm

Henrik wrote:Great presentation, Nassim!

However, have you considered adding the positions from our 2008 poll? In case you haven't, and you want to, they are here: http://acclaimedmusic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30

Done !

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:28 pm

Kinda big surprise with Billie Holiday's presence and Belle and Sebastian's major drop. Are we going to see the individual lists that people submitted posted after the poll's results are all done?

Otisredding · Post by **Otisredding** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:03 pm

Good work and good pictures

Thanks Nassim

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:50 pm

Nobody I voted for yet.

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:31 pm

Nick wrote:Kinda big surprise with Billie Holiday's presence and Belle and Sebastian's major drop. Are we going to see the individual lists that people submitted posted after the poll's results are all done?

I will post individuals lists since it seems to be an almost universal request !

More surprises coming... right now ! With 3 new comers and 2 dramatical drops saved by a #1 vote each

95) Al Green
207,4 points / 9 votes
AM Rank : 74
2010 poll rank : 123
2008 poll rank : 205

Top Albums (2012 poll)
Call Me (388)

Top Songs (2011 poll)
Let's Stay Together (58)
Jesus Is Waiting (978)

Biggest Fans
Merlo (16)
Maximumbeef (22)
stone37 (23)

Al Green (and Billie Holiday) are the 2 artists who snucked into the top 100 thanks to the last ballot (Merlo's)

94) Nina Simone
212,6 points / 9 votes

AM Rank : 807
2010 poll rank : non ranked
2008 poll rank : 272

Top Albums (2012 poll)
None in the top 500

Top Songs (2011 poll)
Sinnerman (155)
My Baby Just Cares for Me (523)

Biggest Fans
Dan (5)
Sonofsamiam (13)
Henrik (25)

The ongoing or recent polls always have influence on our "major" polls (albums, songs and artists). The Moderately Acclaimed one for instance gave a huge push to Nina Simone who was not even in the top 500 3 years ago. There are other examples, one of the biggest being the jump of Low from 414th to 110th.

93) Daft Punk
212,9 points / 10 votes
[img]http://ed_wp-content_v2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Daft-Punk-Wallpaper-2560x1024-1-800x400.jpg[/img]
AM Rank : 100
2010 poll rank : 122
2008 poll rank : 277

Top Albums (2012 poll)
Discovery (148)

Top Songs (2011 poll)
One More Time (250)
Digital Love (407)
Around The World (527)
Da Funk (577)

Biggest Fans
PlasticRam (12)
Slick (15)
Kingoftonga (30)

Cocorico ! In a poll dominated by UK and US artists, France is one of the few countries represented in our top 100. I'll let you guess how many other countries there are and if there is any other non English speaking country among them.

92) Elliott Smith
215,4 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 138
2010 poll rank : 39
2008 poll rank : 36

Top Albums (2012 poll)
Either/Or (80)
XO (93)
From a Basement on the Hill (309)

Top Songs (2011 poll)
Waltz #2 (XO) (229)
Between The Bars (722)
Twilight (921)

Biggest Fans
Nassim (1)
Brad (29)
Michel (31)

When I said dramatic, I meant it ! Could be worse though, 6 artists who got a #1 vote didn't even make it to the top 100. I really missed John and Penguin's votes this time around... At least he stays above his AM rank, which is not the case of...

91) Pavement
217,9 points / 7 votes

AM Rank : 90
2010 poll rank : 33
2008 poll rank : 54

Top Albums (2012 poll)
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (73)
Slanted and Enchanted (120)
Wowee Zowee (345)
Brighten the Corners (466)

Top Songs (2011 poll)
Summer Babe (195)
Fillmore Jive (275)
Range Life (609)
Cut Your Hair (646)
Gold Soundz (793)

Biggest Fans
Brad (1)
Michel (22)
Kingoftonga (26)

Still Nobody Bruce voted for, but if it is any comfort, same goes for Otisredding, jamieW, Moonbeam and Blanco. Thanksfull, none of you will have to wait much longer.

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:38 pm

And because I don't know when I will be able to post the next batch, here is a first useless stat to keep you waiting :

Tied for last place
Here are the artists stuck at the 1010th position with a single #100 vote

Carter Family (Merlo)
Florence and the Machine (whuntva)
Mendelson (Michel)
Peaches (Moonbeam)
Slim Harpo (Bruce)
Spinners (Hymie)
Youssou N'Dour (Otisredding)

jamieW · Post by **jamieW** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:59 pm

Nobody I officially had on my ballot so far, but a gigantic yikes to me for somehow forgetting Nina Simone. I haven't had a lot of spare time lately, so I went mostly by the songs on my I-Pod, which penalized some artists who have been consistently great but didn't have a lot of absolute favorite songs of mine. I tried to move a lot of these artists up, but somehow missed Nina altogether. If I wouldn't have missed her, I probably would've put her around #50 or so. Hopefully, she will be my only oversight!

By the way, great job on the presentation, Nassim!

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:01 pm

Still nobody I voted for.

JimmyJazz · Post by **JimmyJazz** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:33 pm

Dan wrote:Yay, I wasn't expecting this results thread until the weekend. Thanks Nassim!

Go Billie!

I agree, Dan. Along with Nina, it is good to see some jazz (as well as female) representation on the list so early!

JimmyJazz · Post by **JimmyJazz** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:37 pm

Awesome presentation, Nassim! So far 3 of my Top 100 have appeared on the list. It would have been 5 if I had included TV on the Radio and Pavement, but ultimately they got pushed to my runner-up list.

DDD troll account · Post by **DDD troll account** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 6:14 pm

So far Simone is the only one I voted for but there are a couple of others that might have made my list, had I been more familiar with their work.

Nassim wrote:Cocorico ! In a poll dominated by UK and US artists, France is one of the few countries represented in our top 100. I'll let you guess how many other countries there are and if there is any other non English speaking country among them.

As for non English speaking countries I guess Germany and Iceland will have one or two artists in the top 100 each. Jamaica, Canada, Ireland and Australia should also be represented. If we're taking birth place/ancestry into account, Sri Lanka's and Myanmar's chances actually are not too bad. Sweden might be possible but I'm afraid it will rather have a couple of artists who just fall short.

DDD troll account · Post by **DDD troll account** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 6:15 pm

And thanks to Nassim for hosting this poll and for the great presentation!

DaveC · Post by **DaveC** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 7:07 pm

Nassim wrote:The ongoing or recent polls always have influence on our "major" polls (albums, songs and artists). The Moderately Acclaimed one for instance gave a huge push to Nina Simone who was not even in the top 500 3 years ago. There are other examples, one of the biggest being the jump of Low from 414th to 110th.

True, Nina made my list thanks to Moderately Acclaimed putting a spotlight on her work. On the other hand, Low would have been high on my list anyway. It has been pleasing to see how much support they gained in the game.

Great work Nassim. And thank goodness you gave your no 1 to Elliot Smith. It just wouldn't be right for him to miss the list.

Post by **Henrik** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 7:37 pm

Nina Simone was a master of several genres (jazz, soul, blues, pop), but despite this - actually I think it's because of this - she has been ignored by both rock and jazz critics, and as a result she is vastly underrated at AM. I hope this is going to change in the future though. I think that our polls are often indications of changes to come on the main AM list. Not because they come here to read the latest news, but...anyway...

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:34 pm

Nina Simone is the artist that has gained the most prominence for me personally since I joined these forums 4 or so years ago. I often wonder where my head was before I started really listening to her music. Simply awesome.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds would be second on that list.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:07 pm

Just listened to a few of my favourite Nina Simone songs again. And oh boy, she gives me a fuzzy feeling inside like no other musician/singer. Here's hoping the critics will start appreciating her musical talents more.

Nice to see Daft Punk make the top 100 too. Now all I need to really make my month is for a certain French-singing Belgian to make the top 100. We'll see.

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:22 pm

Bruce wrote:Still nobody I voted for.

Yeah I've said that already, thanks for reading my posts, that's heartwarming.
So be prepared for more disappointments, you are the voter with the least artists in the final top 100. (Moonbeam will be happy to know he is only 3rd)

And here we go, let's start with 3 more big falls

90) Blur
219 points / 12 votes
AM Rank : 67
2010 poll rank : 24
2008 poll rank : 24

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Parklife (127)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Song 2 (78)
Girls and Boys (617)
Tender (710)
The Universal (947)

Biggest Fans :
Nick (8)
Slick (19)
Blanco (37)

After ending 24th in 2 consecutive polls, Blur loses 66 places ! Toni's absence is one of the reasons, but they seem to have been a bit forgotten overall

89) Depeche Mode
221,4 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 157 2010 poll rank : 61
2008 poll rank : 63

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Violator (188)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Enjoy the Silence (130)
Personal Jesus (447)

Biggest Fans :
Henrik (3)
Moonbeam (13)
Slick (29)

88) Lou Reed
228,5 points / 13 votes
AM Rank : 40
2010 poll rank : 64
2008 poll rank : 84

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Transformer (72)
Berlin (124)
New-York (385)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Walk on the Wild Side (36)
Perfect Day (143)
Satellite of Love (815)

Biggest Fans :
Stephan (21)
Moonbeam (28)
nicolas (33)

87) Buddy Holly & Crickets
229,5 points / 12 votes

AM Rank : 93 2010 poll rank : 137
2008 poll rank : 86

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
None in the top 500

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
That'll Be the Day (255)
Peggy Sue (621)

Biggest Fans :
Bruce (12)
Hymie (20)
Daniel (20)

At last someone Bruce have voted for ! On the other hand, let's continue with a band he might never have heard any song of :

86) My Bloody Valentine
236,2 points / 11 votes

AM Rank : 117
2010 poll rank : 96
2008 poll rank : 115

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Loveless (63)
Isn't Anything (402)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Soon (194)

Biggest Fans :
Jackson (2)
Mattceinicram (22)
pauldrach (38)

Next post tomorrow morning (communist Europe time)

JimmyJazz · Post by **JimmyJazz** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:36 pm

Now 4 artists from my list! Once again, artists like MBV, Lou Reed, and Depeche Mode were in contention but ultimately we're left out (I find that there are too many great artists to narrow down to just a 100 list!)

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:38 pm

Blur only at 90????

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Toni, the Blur super fans of the AMF NEEDED you!

Post by **Henrik** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:55 pm

Whatever we do, let's not have any sort of fights in this thread.

I was probably wrong, but it felt like a reminder was necessary.

HRS · Post by **HRS** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:43 pm

Belle and Sebastian) I have mixed feelings when it comes to wish they would've been placed a little bit higher. Sometimes I wonder what would've been of their legacy had they broken up after The Boy with the Arab Strap. Their first three records contain plenty of my favorite music of all time and their debut decade. Their indie pop records from last album are kind of a hit or miss, and their last one felt a little calculated and accommodated in a way those first works, full of spontaneity, didn't. In my opinion, Camera Obscura did the kind of pop they seemed to be aiming for during the 00s better.

Nina Simone) Unforgettable. She even owns the highlight of Kanye West's new record. Nina Simone had the technique to transform any song one of her own; translate feelings, emotions. The power of her dictation is unbelievably painful to hear in the best way. I can think of few piano players that worked throughout popular music as gifted as her. Even Nina's breakdown years, according to some around the time she recorded her Montreux participation, gave us the incredible, powerful rendition of an otherwise forgettable pop song.

Daft Punk and My Bloody Valentine) Both apparently benefited from their 2013 releases. Two records I understand where people are coming from when they claim their love for them, but that haven't so far clicked with me.

Elliott Smith) Wish he would rank higher. There are not many male singer/songwriters creating great music these days and when compared to Smith, plenty of those who do good music fails in comparison. My first experience with him was with Roman Candle and I still hold that record in high esteem; sounds as if he sneak into someone's closet to record them, since most would find him mentally ill for singing some of those things. With time, I started to admire his self-titled record more, especially the dreaminess of Alphabet Town. He had a great atmospheric way of playing his guitar and producing his record that went arm-in-arm with the feelings of plenty of his songs. The pop flavors of his latter recordings also aged greatly. I think Figure 8 is one of the liveliest records I ever experienced. He did angst in a terrific way. A way that sounds completely different in execution, but cut from the same spiritual cloth of Nico's The Marble Index; they kind of encapsulate what David Lynch said once: the more darkness, the more light. Both of them had terrible endings on their own, but their music, while mostly driven by dark surroundings in and out also translated into a kind of honest hopefulness, hope in honesty, perhaps.

Pavement) It's been a long time since I played a Pavement record. I still remember their sense of humor and how they blended noise and accessibility so well in Slanted and Enchanted. Wish I would listen to that record more often. I'm one of the few who find both Crooked Rain and their follow ups kind of disappointments after that first record of them, since they sound rather standard indie rock -- maybe because they were the ones that set the standard and I had the unfortunate destiny to discover that sound during the Indie Rock Revival of the 00s. But Slanted has a life of its own that still lingers in my memory, though I still feel the others had Cut Your Hair, Range Life, We Dance, Stereo and Shady Lane, but not much more.

Lou Reed) Did his contributions with the Velvets count for that? Berlin is a great record -- so is Transformer, but, in my opinion, both John Cale and Nico went to have far more interesting careers and recordings.

Blur) I wish I would listen to some Blur records more often for non-nostalgic reasons. They marked my teenager years and that brings me memories; on the bright side, it is a cool feeling to experience while a song like This is a Low or Tender are playing, but on the other, darker side of it, some bands that I used to listen to at the same era have retained much of their appeal or even enhanced -- even Britpop-colleague Pulp. Both Parklife and Modern Life is Rubbish remain great pop music and Blue Jeans is still my favorite hidden gem by them, but their other albums -- even the arguably more artistic 13 -- do not hold my attention nor itself as well as before and the band seem ultimately frozen in an long-gone era.

PlasticRam · Post by **PlasticRam** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:27 pm

HRS wrote: Lou Reed) Did his contributions with the Velvets count for that? Berlin is a great record -- so is Transformer, but, in my opinion, both John Cale and Nico went to have far more interesting careers and recordings.

Metal Machine Music though. IMO it's a great record!

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:39 pm

PlasticRam wrote: Metal Machine Music though. IMO it's a great record!

I agree! (though apparently Lou doesn't)

JimmyJazz · Post by **JimmyJazz** » Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:55 pm

I also agree with you about MMM, PlasticRam. I think that both Reed and Cale had wonderful careers after the VU days, in some ways surpassing their work in the band. Once again, both men as solo acts were in contention for my list, but I ultimately chose to only represent an individual performer once, and so I just went with the VU.

JimmyJazz · Post by **JimmyJazz** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:34 am

Henrik wrote:Nina Simone was a master of several genres (jazz, soul, blues, pop), but despite this - actually I think it's because of this - she has been ignored by both rock and jazz critics, and as a result she is vastly underrated at AM. I hope this is going to change in the future though. I think that our polls are often indications of changes to come on the main AM list. Not because they come here to read the latest news, but...anyway...

I agree, Henrik. Nina Simone, along with (to lesser extent) a few other artists like Billie Holiday, is quite underrated by the critics. Both performers are legendary, and have so many great recordings, but they get ignored by most of the critics. To be fair, I think some people like Christgau and lists like the Pazz and Jop poll in the 90s have featured their work, but, of course, most of the time they are represented by compilation albums. Same goes for those jazz critics.

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:38 am

If the slot is for Buddy Holly and the Crickets there should be a picture of Buddy Holly & the Crickets.

Kingoftonga · Post by **Kingoftonga** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:49 am

Excellent rollout so far, and I'm glad to see the Flaming Lips squeak into the Top 100. They're an act that can be very off-putting (and I think Wayne Coyne's goofy antics make it hard to take their music seriously), but it's impressive how often they've been able to reinvent themselves without losing their core sounds. How many bands are releasing some of their best stuff 30 years into their career?

Interesting also that concurrent polls and recent releases have such an effect on the results. It makes sense. I'd be curious to know how people ultimately ended up constructing their lists; I used Last.fm stats to see the artists that I had listened to the most, but this isn't necessarily the best method.

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 4:29 am

Of the 15 acts that have been revealed so far I have never heard anything at all by 8 of them.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 4:33 am

Bruce wrote:Of the 15 acts that have been revealed so far I have never heard anything at all by 8 of them.

Perhaps this poll will be a good opportunity to get acquainted with some artists that other AMF'ers love?

Moonbeam · Post by **Moonbeam** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:04 am

Great job, Nassim! These results are looking very different to previous polls, which is exciting! It sounds like now would be a good time to check out Nina Simone - she was long one of my dad's favorites and while I do really like what I've heard, I haven't given her all that much attention.

Moonbeam · Post by **Moonbeam** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:33 am

100. Belle & Sebastian

My only real exposure to them has come from the 90s polls. A few of my friends really, really, love them. I enjoyed "Like Dylan in the Movies", but wasn't so hot on "The State I'm In". Still, they seem worthwhile to check out at some point. Thank you for posting the top albums and songs, as they seem like good places to start.

99. Paul McCartney

It's no secret that I'm not a fan. "Freedom" was enough to put me off for good when it came out.

98. Billie Holiday

I think I've only heard "Strange Fruit", which is excellent. I'm happy to see her pop up in the top 100, though. She definitely deserves more attention around here, and from my ears, too.

97. The Flaming Lips

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots was a nice surprise for me. nj will be appalled to hear that I've never listed to The Soft Bulletin, so maybe I should give that a shot next. Still, they give me the impression of an artist that I can appreciate but that is likewise unlikely to become a big favorite.

96. TV on the Radio

I didn't really think much of Return to Cookie Mountain the first time I heard it. But listening to "Wolf Like Me" for the 2000s poll was such a powerful lightning rod that I returned to it and enjoyed it a lot more. I still have yet to give Dear Science a spin, but they seem like a band that would have lots of treats in store for me.

95. Al Green

I have a 2-disc comp from which I've heard some songs come up on shuffle. One of the truly great things about him (and many other soul greats) is that his music is truly uplifting, a quality about music that seems to get less attention these days but seems to matter more and more to me.

94. Nina Simone

As mentioned in my previous post, she was a favorite of my Dad's. "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" is probably my favorite track by her. She is probably one of the most commanding vocalists I've heard - her ability to create a mood is quite rare indeed.

93. Daft Punk

Why haven't I ever checked them out? Synthophile that I am, it doesn't make much sense. I've liked nearly everything I've heard by them, but obviously not enough to investigate more deeply. I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually as I am now with Pet Shop Boys.

92. Elliott Smith

Yet another artist who I've encountered only through this forum, but the songs I've heard have not really registered beyond a feeling of "oh, that's pretty good" so far. Given his genre, though, that's saying something, so perhaps future visits to his music will pay off.

91. Pavement

Alternative music of the 90s never really spoke to me as it should have. I was born in 1980, so I should have been right in the target demographic for artists whose exposure peaked in the 90s as Pavement did, but I was busy lamenting the declining popularity of my 80s favorites and longing for a return to brightly colored sounds. However, I've grown to appreciate this kind of stuff more over time, and the 4 tracks I heard through the 90s polls were all pretty good.

90. Blur

Until I came to this forum, "Song 2" was the only song I knew by them. I really liked it, so I bought their self-titled 1997 album. Unfortunately, nothing on it came close to "Song 2" in my mind, so I kind of wrote them off. But tracks like "Girls & Boys" and "The Universal" have become 90s favorites of mine, so they seem ripe for a deeper investigation.

89. Depeche Mode

"Personal Jesus" was the first Depeche Mode song I heard, and I instantly fell in love. Those titanic synths and the dirty blues lick were enough to make it an enduring favorite that ranks among my top 50 songs ever to this day. Then when Violator came out, I knew I would be a lifelong fan. What a benchmark of electronic music it is! Every song is jaw-droppingly good, including non-singles like "Halo" and "Waiting for the Night". Thankfully, they have plenty more albums well worth their salt.

88. Lou Reed

The Transformer album cover was the bait. The Frankenstein-esque image surrounded by neon yellow was immediately eye-catching, and it remains one of my top 5 album covers ever. Once I became more comfortable with David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust persona, the stage was set for me to finally check it out. The entire album was a treat, particularly tracks like "Satellite of Love" (which actually outdid the Eurythmics version I first knew) and "Perfect Day". Then came Berlin, and I was absolutely floored. It remains one of my top 5 albums of the 1970s and one of the best examples of music as theater that I have ever heard. The rest of his discography has been filled with ups and downs, but there is a lot beyond those 2 titans as others have noted.

87. Buddy Holly & The Crickets

One of my very first favorite songs was "Everyday", and it still brings a smile to my face when I hear it. The truth is that there is very, very little popular music from the 1950s that I enjoy, but Mr. Holly is responsible for a large portion of it. While he didn't make my list, my feeling is that he deserves to be placed higher than 87.

86. My Bloody Valentine

I know they are very unique, torch-bearing pioneers, but I haven't listened to them aside from a couple songs discovered here through various polls, all interesting but none inspiring enough for me to dig more deeply. I imagine they are the type of artist whose music works best in the context of an album, though, so they're probably worth a lot more than my opinion of them would suggest.

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:49 am

Moonbeam wrote:98. Billie Holiday

I think I've only heard "Strange Fruit", which is excellent. I'm happy to see her pop up in the top 100, though. She definitely deserves more attention around here, and from my ears, too.

Here's her best known song:

Moonbeam wrote: 87. Buddy Holly & The Crickets

One of my very first favorite songs was "Everyday", and it still brings a smile to my face when I hear it. The truth is that there is very, very little popular music from the 1950s that I enjoy, but Mr. Holly is responsible for a large portion of it. While he didn't make my list, my feeling is that he deserves to be placed higher than 87.:

He'll be coming up on my countdown eventually but it will be awhile. Meanwhile here's one you may not know:

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:17 am

HRS wrote:they kind of encapsulate what David Lynch said once: the more darkness, the more light. Both of them had terrible endings on their own, but their music, while mostly driven by dark surroundings in and out also translated into a kind of honest hopefulness, hope in honesty, perhaps.

I couldn't have said it better ! (and I often tried)

Bruce wrote:If the slot is for Buddy Holly and the Crickets there should be a picture of Buddy Holly & the Crickets.

I actually had more votes for "Buddy Holly" than for "Buddy Holly and the Crickets" but it didn't seem like a good idea to split them. Though in the end the main reason for picking this photo is that I didn't find nice small sized pictures of the whole band.
I did the same for most "Someone and the something", except for Iggy Pop that I didn't add to the points going to the Stooges (or Iggy and the Stooges). Coming a bit later will be one specific case where I am not 100% convinced that it was the right thing to do, but we will get to that.

Moonbeam wrote: 96. TV on the Radio

I didn't really think much of Return to Cookie Mountain the first time I heard it. But listening to "Wolf Like Me" for the 2000s poll was such a powerful lightning rod that I returned to it and enjoyed it a lot more. I still have yet to give Dear Science a spin, but they seem like a band that would have lots of treats in store for me.

"Knowing" your tastes, or at least the way I picture them, Dear Science should actually be the one album for you !

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:15 am

Time to tear the roof off the sucker.

85) Parliament/Funkadelic
238,1 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 87
2010 poll rank : 98
2008 poll rank : 162

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Maggot Brain (235)
Mothership Connection (417)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Maggot Brain (137)
Flash Light (423)
One Nation Under a Groove (785)
Can You Get To That (937)

Biggest Fans :
Maximumbeef (8)
Poliuks (10)
sonofsamiam (12)

84) New Order
238,8 points / 10 votes

AM Rank : 61
2010 poll rank : 84
2008 poll rank : 78

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Technique (276)
Power, Corruption & Lies (396)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Blue Monday (67)
Temptation (288)
Bizarre Love Triangle (816)

Biggest Fans :
jamieW (3)
Moonbeam (12)
Nick (37)

Amongst all those big swaps in ranking, there had to be a band who would stay put (despite making music made not to stay put !). For some reason, I have the feeling we will see those guys again later on

83) Wilco
240,5 points / 13 votes

AM Rank : 79
2010 poll rank : 67
2008 poll rank : 35

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (56)
Summerteeth (177)
Sky Blue Sky (407)
Being There (424)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Impossible Germany (337)
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (655)
Jesus, etc. (731)

Biggest Fans :
Nick (10)
Merlo (18)
nicolas (28)

Still a good showing for Jeff Tweedy and co, but a bit disappointing compared to their 2 previous results in AM artists polls.

pauldrach forgot a country ! Here comes, by far, the artist with the lowest AM rank to make our top 100 :

82) Jacques Brel
244,6 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 919
2010 poll rank : 109
2008 poll rank : 138

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Ces gens-là (377)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Amsterdam (122)
Ne me quitte pas (468)
Ces gens-là (702)
La valse à mille temps (975)

Biggest Fans :
Dan (3)
nicolas (4)
Otisredding (28)

Like for beers, cycling and current FIFA ranking, Belgium beats France ! Moderately Acclaimed Albums poll, AM Foreign World Cup or just constant support for his most fervent supporters helped Mr Jacques (born in the suburb I currently live in) score his best result so far. What could have been if Honorio had sent a ballot is up to your imagination.

81) Steely Dan
246,5 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 71
2010 poll rank : 57
2008 poll rank : 38

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Aja (131)
Pretzel Logic (311)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Reelin' In The Years (761)
My Old School (836)
Doctor Wu (871)

Biggest Fans :
Henry (2)
Henrik (12)
Poliuks (17)

Losing Georgie #1 vote hurt Steely Dan a bit, but as usual their voters are relatively few but show a lot of love

Post by **Henrik** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:35 am

Now that's a great group! I'm so happy to see Brel in this list (even without Honorio's vote! (where are you btw? - I miss you!)). For the record, he was my #47.

Gillingham · Post by **Gillingham** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:44 am

Thanks Nassim! I like the results so far with some nice surprises.

Nassim wrote:
HRS wrote:
Moonbeam wrote: 96. TV on the Radio

I didn't really think much of Return to Cookie Mountain the first time I heard it. But listening to "Wolf Like Me" for the 2000s poll was such a powerful lightning rod that I returned to it and enjoyed it a lot more. I still have yet to give Dear Science a spin, but they seem like a band that would have lots of treats in store for me.

"Knowing" your tastes, or at least the way I picture them, Dear Science should actually be the one album for you !

Agreed. Personally, I think I prefer Return to Cookie Mountain, but Dear Science is also great and I'd think more to Moonbeam's liking. It's a funky album for sure.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 11:08 am

Hooray for Brel!

The first time I felt totally overwhelmed by this wonderful chanseur was when I saw a clip of him performing “Amsterdam” on stage. The physicality of it was just astonishing. Of course, there was more to him than just being an expressive performer. Some regarded him as a poet, and storytelling played a very important part in the way he approached chanson.

But herein lies a problem: I don’t speak French, and although translations of his lyrics help me to get an understanding of his lyrical themes and his views on life, I guess some of his verve and humour probably gets lost in translation. Fortunately, the theatrical and energetic arrangements of the music often matches the power of the lyrics. And his ballads are great, too. When I started exploring his catalogue in more depth after hearing “Amsterdam”, it didn’t take long for the sound of his chanson to become one of my favourite things in music.

Moonbeam · Post by **Moonbeam** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 11:35 am

85. Parliament/Funkadelic

Wow. What a powerful family in the music industry! I owe more to them for what might be my favorite genre than anyone else. At its apex, funk is much more than the most danceable kind of music there is. The way P/Funk tell it, funk is almost an extra-musical entity that unites us all - some sort of inner, altruistic force that has the power to change minds, topple oppression and even heal. With such amazing musicians covering such a diverse musical breadth and underpinned by some of the most colorful storytelling ever put to record, they keep rising in my esteem. Everybody wants a little light under the sun!

84. New Order

Like P/Funk, New Order also crafted danceable music that appealed to much more than the feet. There is such an effervescent ebullience to their sound that it can almost sound sacred ("Age of Consent"), even when juxtaposed with lyrics that are anything but happy ("Vanishing Point"). In my view, they are much more worthy of praise than the also wonderful Joy Division.

83. Wilco

Blah. I've heard more than enough songs by them to know that they don't strike me as anything special whatsoever.

82. Jacques Brel

There were a few great discoveries courtesy of the AM World Cup, but Brel's appeal still eludes me. Still, it's great to see someone outside of the normal cache celebrated here.

81. Steely Dan

As with Belle & Sebastian, I know some people who rave about Steely Dan. However, my personal experience with them hasn't left me with much of a lasting impression. I'm sure there is a lot worthwhile about their music, but it hasn't connected with me yet.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 11:43 am

Nassim wrote:Coming a bit later will be one specific case where I am not 100% convinced that it was the right thing to do, but we will get to that.

EC? or BS?

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:06 pm

Brad wrote:
Nassim wrote:Coming a bit later will be one specific case where I am not 100% convinced that it was the right thing to do, but we will get to that.
EC? or BS?

Well for EC and BS (if I got the right ones) there was no hesitation at all !

Next, 2 others big drops from acclaimed 90s acts,a re-entry and a new entry for Rock & Roll Hall of Famers and the 3rd female single artist to crack our top 100 for the first time

80) Beck
254,2 points / 12 votes

AM Rank : 47
2010 poll rank : 31
2008 poll rank : 23

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Odelay (99)
Sea Change (100)
Time Out (189)
Mutations (260)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Loser (71)
Devil's Haircut (591)

Biggest Fans :
Kingoftonga (16)
Maximumbeef (23)
PlasticRam (30)

79) The Temptations
255,6 points / 9 votes

AM Rank : 123
2010 poll rank : 144
2008 poll rank : Non Ranked

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
None in the top 500

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
My Girl (158)
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone (215)
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (659)
Ain't Too Proud To Beg (708)

Biggest Fans :
Hymie (6)
Mattceinicram (16)
stone37 (17)

78) Hank Williams
255,8 points / 11 votes

AM Rank : 237
2010 poll rank : 131
2008 poll rank : 56

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
None in the top 500

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (862)

Biggest Fans :
Bruce (4)
Hymie (16)
Merlo (28)

77) Oasis
259,5 points / 14 votes

AM Rank : 66
2010 poll rank : 34
2008 poll rank : 43

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? (75)
Definitely Maybe (173)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Wonderwall (64)
Live Forever (224)
Supersonic (645)

Biggest Fans :
Mattceinicram (17)
Nick (24)
PlasticRam (26)

76) Kate Bush
263,6 points / 8 votes

AM Rank : 106 2010 poll rank : 129
2008 poll rank : 108

Top Albums (2012 poll) :
Hounds of Love (202)

Top Songs (2011 poll) :
Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) (415)
Wuthering Heights (469)

Biggest Fans :
luvulongTIM (4)
DocBrown (7)
sonofsamiam (24)

Kingoftonga · Post by **Kingoftonga** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:04 pm

Yikes, Oasis beat Blur? For some reason, I had assumed that there weren't a lot of Oasis fans here. And Blur's catalog seems much deeper and more diverse than Oasis.

I don't think I voted for Hank Williams, but I'm glad to see him here.

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:18 pm

Kingoftonga wrote:Yikes, Oasis beat Blur? For some reason, I had assumed that there weren't a lot of Oasis fans here. And Blur's catalog seems much deeper and more diverse than Oasis.

I don't think I voted for Hank Williams, but I'm glad to see him here.

You didn't

That's the first time in our forum Artist polls that Oasis beat Blur, but both have lost a lot of fans since last time. As you will see there will be some exceptions, but overall this poll have seen artists who had their peak in the 90s suffer a steep decrease.

Gillingham · Post by **Gillingham** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:27 pm

http://pitchfork.com/news/52536-kevin-s ... cy-theory/
I guess AMF found out too!

HRS · Post by **HRS** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:38 pm

Gillingham wrote:http://pitchfork.com/news/52536-kevin-s ... cy-theory/
I guess AMF found out too!

Saw it this morning. Nice theory haha

If Blur's reminded me of my teenager years, Oasis music sounds so childish these days - basic pop hyped to extremes never seen before by the british media. I feel they haven't aged well; the music, the producing. Can't ignore their cultural importance and contributions to pop music history, but it doesn't sound any good to my ears -- even Live Forever.

Post by **Henrik** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:42 pm

There's a slight overweight of '90s artists so far though. It seems that many of these artists were pushed down but within the top 100, rather than being pushed outside of it.