Stereogum & Pitchfork 2018 charts: ridicolous - Music

Hayden

Location: CDMX

Still not sure what was up with Pitchfork not digging Dirty Computer.

And why all of a sudden is everyone pretending Everything's Fine isn't one of the year's best hip-hop cuts?

Anyway, I definitely have less qualms about P4k's album list than their song list, but I gotta say Saba got snubbed. Especially when Gangin and Mihty made the list Neutral

I had a hunch they'd pick El Mal Querer as their AOTY, or possibly even Heaven And Earth, but Be The Cowboy seems like a perfectly fine pick. Cool to see Julia Holter and Blood Orange on there after some slightly underappreciative reviews.

cestuneblague
Edgy to the Choir

Location: MA/FL

Haven't heard Card I B, didn't care for Sweetner but I haven't really liked Ariana's output past Hours Truly, but there are much more forgettable albums on that list. Pitchfork has essentially become more a self-conscious reflection of whatever's trendy despite looking a bit long in the tooth compared to the newer music blogs out there, but that doesn't mean most of the albums aren't still pretty good.

craola
crayon master

Location: pdx

Juneof44 wrote:

Dunno if it is a provocation, but every year we find on top of these charts albums that doesn't deserves to be even in a record store.

my local record store, everyday music, recently closed for good. fifteen years ago, they were the best record store within a couple hundred miles. people would drive for hours just to glean through their deeper cuts. but it is no more. i found out last week when i went to go pick something up. it's a liquor store now (i picked something else up than i had intended). thankfully, everyday music has another location a half hour from my place, but what a bummer to see the one down the street close down. do you think there will be any record stores left in ten years?
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RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

My wife still listens to the backstreet boys. So there.

travelful
BEA's Official Florida Man

Age: 27
Location: Davenport, Florida

Cardi B's album was decent in my opinion. Ariana Grande is pretty annoying nowadays in my opinion, and I didn't care much for Sweetener. But regardless, these music publications don't make end of the year lists that will appeal to everyone's tastes... just ignore them?

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

craola wrote:

my local record store, everyday music, recently closed for good. fifteen years ago, they were the best record store within a couple hundred miles. people would drive for hours just to glean through their deeper cuts. but it is no more. i found out last week when i went to go pick something up. it's a liquor store now (i picked something else up than i had intended). thankfully, everyday music has another location a half hour from my place, but what a bummer to see the one down the street close down. do you think there will be any record stores left in ten years?

That is sad. I heard Ameoba is fighting to stay alive (seems like every year they threaten to close their doors). I'd cry for real.

Space-Dementia

You can shit on Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Drake and all the mainstream artists you want but I admire them. Sure maybe their songs aren't as compositionally impressive as more underground and critically acclaimed artists but they have to be doing something right if literally everyone is listening to them, right? I sure as hell couldn't write a song as popular and catchy as Thank U Next or I Like It. Just cause something's pop and plays on the radio doesn't mean it's necessarily bad. I personally like P4k's list a lot this year. None of my top like 7 albums were even on their list, but I like the mix of genres and their write ups were really well written, really made me want to listen to everything on there, especially the ones I haven't heard yet.
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Fischman
RockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMaster

Gender: Male
Location: Land of Enchantment

Space-Dementia wrote:

You can shit on Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Drake and all the mainstream artists you want but I admire them. Sure maybe their songs aren't as compositionally impressive as more underground and critically acclaimed artists but they have to be doing something right if literally everyone is listening to them, right? I sure as hell couldn't write a song as popular and catchy as Thank U Next or I Like It. Just cause something's pop and plays on the radio doesn't mean it's necessarily bad. I personally like P4k's list a lot this year. None of my top like 7 albums were even on their list, but I like the mix of genres and their write ups were really well written, really made me want to listen to everything on there, especially the ones I haven't heard yet.

I don't have to be able to play quarterback as well as Aaron Rodgers to know Ryan Tannehill isn't as good as Tom Brady either.

Appealing to the mindless masses is "doing something right" if that something is making a quick buck. If something right means making quality music, well that's something else.

Look, to avoid unnecessary offense, please understand that people like what they like and that's perfectly okay. My point with the admittedly harsh statements above is just to point out that popularity does not necessarily equate to goodness. If you dig something, that's great. Dig it and stand by it with pride and authority. That carries more weight than trying to dredge up cliche justifications that are really no justification at all.

gloriousgoo

Quote:

Appealing to the mindless masses is "doing something right" if that something is making a quick buck. If something right means making quality music, well that's something else.

I agree with a lot of this, but taking this part specifically to heart might lead to someone becoming inherently biased against some music because of its popularity which is not a good lens to view things through either.

baystateoftheart
Neil Young as a butternut squash

Age: 29
Location: Massachusetts

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