Before the results countdown commences, a brief resume of the last five years:
2018 642 albums nominated – winner Ry Cooder: Prodigal Son
2019 563 albums nominated – winner Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars
2020 531 albums nominated – winner Bob Dylan: Rough & Rowdy Ways
2021 565 albums nominated – winner Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Raise The Roof
2022 556 albums nominated – winner ?????
Let’s start with some Pacific Ocean Hip Hop, shall we?
So you’re saying this was the second lowest turnout ever? At least in terms of nominated albums. Not quite reaching the nadir of 2020, but nowhere near the dizzy heights of 2018. Did we fare better as regards number of voters? And how did we do for views and comments, in comparison with previous years? More importantly, what will our legacy be?
2018 was indeed The Heights. In terms of votes cast and views/comments the years after have been remarkably stable. It’s almost like the same old blokes vote year after year after year.
Our legacy is Let The Good Times Roll (Only Slowly)
(Whilst every attempt has been made to verify votes cast, spellings etc there is every chance some, hopefully minor, errors have been made. Forgive The Girls, whatever their shortcomings they always try so very hard to please)
As is customary, we start with the small but select band of albums which generated but one measly vote:
Bicep – Isles
Bonobo – Fragments
Brad Meldhau – Jacob’s Ladder
Elaine Elias – Quietude
Flore Laurentinne – Vol 2
Griffin House – Stories For A Rainy Day
John Digweed – Live In London
Legends of Tomorrow – Days Full of Rain
Long Range Desert Group – Pro-Oxidant
Loyle Carner -Hugo
Simone Felice – All The Bright Coins
Staples Junior Singers – When Do We Get Paid
I rather like Loyle: take it away, son
https://youtu.be/bBTCGxF7gEE
The Bicep album was 2021! I am sure I nominated it last year. Explains why it’s so low this year as well. January 2021 even. Luckily it won’t disturb the big positions.
Whoops. That’ll be 2 albums in my list I got wrong 🙁
And then, of course, the equally select band of albums nominated by but one person who gave it the maximum 20 points:
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days:In The Canyon Haze
Hatis Noit – Aura
Heal & Harrow – Heal & Harrow
Kansas Smitty’s – We’re Not In Kansas Anymore
Kim Tibbs – The Science of completion Vol1
King Princess – Hold On Baby
Lauran Hibberd – Garageband Superstar
Mary Wallopers – Mary Wallopers
Nadje Noordhuis – Full Circle
Nancy Kerr – The Poor Shall Wear The Crown
Niteworks – ÁGhrian
Press Club – Endless Motion
Reverse Cowgirls – Fortis et Fidus
Rural Tapes – Inner Space Music
SOAK – If I Never Know You Like This Again
Surely Brandi deserved more ?
Did we ever find out if Kim is related to Gary Tibbs?
The only ones I have heard of there is Reverse Cowgirls. Can’t remember where.
Into the Top 100 we go:
A cluster of albums tying for 95th place:
Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones – A Year Too Late And A Month Too Soon
Craig Finn – A Legacy of Rentals
Joan Shelley -The Spur
Let’s Eat Grandma – Two Ribbons
Lewis Taylor – Numb
Leyla McCalla – Breaking The Thermometer
Mary Halvorson – Amaryllis
Sadies – Colder Stream
92=
Bodega – Broken Equipment
Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance
Magpie Arc – Glamour in the Grey
88=
Cerys Hafana – Edyf
Jonathan Jeremiah – Horsepower For The Streets
Nils Frahm – Music For Animals
Whitmore Sisters -Ghost Stories
86=
Phil Thornally – Now That I Have Your Attention
Porcupine Tree – Closure/Continuation
78=
Brian Eno – For Ever And Ever No More
Dean Owen – Sinners Shrine
Del Amitri – Fatal Mistakes
Ian McNabb – Nabby Road
Kae Tempest – The Line Is A Curve
Lyle Lovett – 12th of June
Oysterband -Read The Sky
ZZ Top – Raw
I don’t understand – why are they all at 95th place, rather than 93rd?
This is important.
Because there are three at number 92. One occupies the 92nd slot, another the 93rd and the third is, effectively, number 94, leaving position 95 free for the next highest scorer.
That’s maths till 18 for you!
And for Gary:
Tragwyddoldeb! Spaglyuarboon! Codlymacbeteen!
It’s always very tight vote-wise at the bottom end of the 100:
73=
Amanda Shires – Take It Like A Man
Big Moon -Here Is Everything
Daniel Villareal – Panama 77
EverythIng Everything – Raw Data Feel
Julian Cope – England Expectorates
Sun Ra Arkestra- -Living Sky
68=
Comet Is Coming – Hyper Dimensional Expansion Beam
Jake Blount – The New Faith
Katie Spencer – The Edge of the Land
Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin – Ghosted
66=
Belle and Sebastian – A Bit of Previous
Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes
61=
Alvvays – Blue Rev
Big Big Train – Welcome To The Planet
Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork
Lo Moon – A Modern Life
Royksopp – Profound Mysteries 1, II & III
58=
Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom – Reset
Spiritualised – Everything Is Beautiful
56=
Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway – Crooked Tree
Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time
55
Black Midi – Hellfire
53=
Bruce Springsteen – Only The Strong Survive
Father John Misty – Chloe and The Next 20th Century
52
Bjork – Fossora
51
Calexico – El Mirador
BRUCE IS GOING TO BE SO GUTTED!!!!
We hurtle on towards the Top Twenty:
49=
Dr John – Things Happen That Way
Weeknd – Dawn FM
47=
Makaya McCraven – In These Times
Tedeschi Trucks – I Am The Moon
44=
Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That
Josh Rouse – Going Places
Marillon – An Hour Before It’s Dark
43 A-Ha – True North
42 Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
41 Mary Gauthier – Dark Enough To See The Stars
39=
Jamie T – The Theory of Whatever
Unthanks – Sorrows Away
37=
Gabriels – Angels & Queens
Telefis – a Dó
36 Band of Horses – Things Are Great
34=
Dawes – Misadventures of Doomscroller
Kendrick Lamaar – Mr Morale & The Big Steppers
33 Angel Olsen – Big Time
32 Dubstar – Two
31 Afghan Whigs – How Do You Burn
30 Drive By Truckers – Welcome To Club XIII
29 Hannah Peel & Paraorchestra – The Unfolding
27=
Vieux Farke Toure & Khruangbin – Ali
Weyes Blood – And In The Darkness Hearts Aglow
25=
Sea Power – Everything Was Forever
Telefis – ahAon
24 Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be
23 Beth Orton – Weather Alive
22 Fergus McCreadie – Forest Floor
21 First Aid Kit – Palomino
(I’ve asked The Girls to check Beth Orton’s score as she seems to be 22 places lower than she should be….)
And Angel Olsen 32 places lower than she should be. I’m surrounded by Philistines….
Many of my votes are in this block but I have to take exception – as a huge A-Ha fan, True North was a disappointment and there’s no way it’s a better album than I Am The Moon, Just Like That or Going Places.
In previous years, I’ve been used to my votes appearing waaaayy on down in the lower reaches.
I’m astonished that, so far, I’ve only spotted one of my choices.
With only 20 places to go…I’m all of a dither…
Well then , let’s power on towards the Top Ten shall we?
20 Kevin Morby – This Is A Photograph
19 Yard Act- -The Overload
18 Fontaines DC – Skinty Fia
17 Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder – Get On Board
16 Bonny Light Horseman – Rolling Golden Holy
15 Harry Styles – Harry’s House
14 Big Thief – Dragon New Mountain I Believe In You
12=
Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler – For All Our Days That Tear The Heart
Suede – Autofiction
11 Horace Andy – Midnight Scorchers
Haven’t had a tune for a while.
..https://youtu.be/ONSlxYQzd8Q
Getting excited?
10 Anais Mitchell – Anais Mitchell
9 Elvis Costello – The Boy Named If
8 Wilco – Cruel Country
6=
Tears For Fears – The Tipping Point
Wet Leg -Wet Leg
5 Smile – A Light For Attracting Attention
4 Taylor Swift – Midnights
For a while back there, these guys were in the lead before flagging in the run-in. Shame.
3 Delines – The Sea Drift
If @Locust and I had voted for 2023’s Cruel Country, I wonder what the outcome would have been?
40 points from you two would have seen Wilco rise from 8th to the dizzy heights of 6th.
Still haven’t listened to it, but given the excellence of my top three, I very much doubt that I would have given it 20 points in 2022. Also; I did vote for it – I gave it one point, remember? 😀
And, speaking of my top three; I’m shocked and appalled that I was the only one voting for John Moreland this year. Especially since the other two top 3 entries did unusually well (for a vote of mine, I mean). See also Dungen (my fifth entry).
Before this poll started, despite me being at the Cutting Edge of Popular Music, a veritable oracle, if you will,of contemporary taste, I have to admit I had heard not a note of this band, I had no idea of their very existence. I am not worthy.
2. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band – Dear Scott
And so the Final Curtain. I am truly delighted to announce THE WINNER of THE ONLY POLL THAT COUNTS. Well done everyone, even Gary. It was very close between the Top 2 until the final days (There is currently a Stewards Inquiry as to this late surge of votes for HMHB, foul play is currently not suspected)
1. Half Man Half Biscuit – The Voltarol Years
And here they are!!
Did Gary contribute to this process? I expect that’ll be news to him.
HMHB will probably be genuinely impressed at such acclaim from a site as
patheticaugust as this oneI was only vaguely aware there was a process. And anyway, define “contribute”. I am surprised Angela Alvarez didn’t do as well as everyone expected, if that counts.
I dont wish to appear churlish, but I remember myself a nd a few other coves voting for Humdrum Express and Half Man Half Biscuit… unless there is a seperate Artists beginning with H poll?
Humdrum Express cemented a very creditable 223rd position.
Well, that’ll teach me to get my hopes up…85% of my choices must be lost in the void between 100 and the “one-pointers”!
Delines 3
Katie Spencer 68=
Emily Spencer 211
Robt Fripp 246
Klaus Makela 260
Abigail Lapell 274
Jack Hues 310
Mary Halvorson 95=
Mary Hsalvorson 354
Craig Fortnum 368
Guranfoe 397
Rosalie Cunningham 426
Madison Cunningham 440
Milkbone 461
Bjorn Riis 469
Yes, Fitter – you are pleasingly “different”
“Pleasingly”? It may surprise you to learn that I always believe that my choices will be higher up the list, always in contrast to the previous years…triumph of hope over experience and all that. Three in the top 100 is good!
Anyway, thank you for donning the metaphorical miner’s helmet and having a look for me.
Pleasure was mine
Metaphorical Miner’s Helmet – my tip for 2023
….so to speak
I’m very glad you said that, Moose. My new Bandcamp music project is going to be called MMH. It’s going to sound like the Hafler Trio playing King Crimson’s Fracture on a toy piano, accompanied by chords being played on a drastically detuned fretless bass. The whole thing will be recorded on a old valve-powered reel to reel, then obsessively reversed and slowed down, until it sounds like the heat death of the universe. Then play that back over the studio monitors at monstrous volume while we dub on some tymps and some high harmonics from a cheap and nasty electric guitar.
I think it has commercial potential. But I am still running quite a high temperature…
Heyyyy, nice tymps.
Cowbell!
And perhaps a tuba.
Cowbell you say, none more cowbelly.
No.
Thanks for suggestions, chaps – but cowbell would just be OTT in that context…
Jethro Tull have let themselves go a bit.
Oh, I don’t know…that’s the Songs from the Wood line-up, isn’t it?
Good work!
In view of what’s happening in another part of the forest, can we remind ourselves what the AW album of the year was in 2013? An album that now seems to be regarded as the biggest pile of shit in the history of recorded sound, that’s what. So I will continue to approach end of year lists with not so much a pinch as a Siberian mine.
In those days back when I used to compile my private Best of … in 1977 I chose Rattus Norvegicus. I was clearly deranged. If ever an album has not stood the test of time etc….
I think the last five years winners on here are all ok and will continue to give pleasure for years to come.
Saying all that, given all the work involved and then this year’s lack of debate, it’s goodnight from me and goodnight from G.
The NME had it at 10. All in all it was a very good year though. Bowie Low at 27, Heroes at 1. Hmm.
https://www.nme.com/features/1977-2-1045409
What was the 2013 winner?
Yes, @Moose-the-Mooche – I’d like to know too…
Yes, and where is he now?
Rattus is great! Played it yesterday. OK, a couple of tracks are a little ‘of their day’, viz Peaches, primarily, but Doen In The Sewer is triff. No More Heroes has aged much less well: Bring On The Nubiles? Yuk!
The first track on NMH features heavily in my current presentation on E & D…..
I had to look that one up, my mind having wisely erased it. Saved me making a half-arsed joke about ‘Ealth & Deficiency.
That track aside it sounded pretty good the other day when I brushed the cobwebs off said album.
The Poll Results archive only goes back to 2014 (Lost In The Dream War On Drugs, btw) as we believe the 2013 poll was done on Facebook due to The Afterword site being downed by those pesky Ruskies (or someone, anyway)
Pedantry incoming: The Drupal incident happened in September – October 2014. So we were alive and well and living in Droitwich* in 2013.
I don’t remember there being a poll on FB, just a lot of unpleasant pictures of bottoms.
*citation needed
Ah, Droitwich. So close to Salwarpe.
Maybe there wasn’t one?
Seriously, I don’t remember one in ’14. We were too busy enjoying life inside the European Union to care about pop singers.
Click on “Poll results” above, there was a facebook poll with few entries:
I didnt do a full ranking, Everything Everything’s album, Raw Data Feel is very much the cat’s whiskers.
The Tipping Point has tons of top quality tuneage, I’d be happy with that at 1 (or top 10), they have produced a creditable come back , a viable second act if they keep it up. I think Rivers of Mercy may be the greatest song they’ve ever put out.
I’ve purchased only a handful of CDs, virtually none that were released in the previous 12 months but that Mick Head album is one of them and is glorious. I was introduced to Pale Fountains when Janice Long died last December they played them on her Radio Wales remembrance show and, via that, the new Head songs came up on my youtube feed.
Super collection. Worth 45 minutes of anyone’s time.
Ditto the latest album by Canadian pop geniuses Stars.
I may check out more LPs on this list ’cause it’s doubtless a better steer than shite that gets hyped on Pitchfork.
The list already reminded me of two artistes, to paraphrase David Cameron, I’d had a major “brain fade” on. I have subsequently listened to and enjoyed both Josh Rouse’s 2022 album & D’Virgilio / Morse / A N other’s Troika.
So I came up with 6 in the end.
I haven’t heard a note from any of these albums, and I have to say that none of them are making me run to Spotify (although the Michael Head album has me at least curious). The only new music I heard in 2022 was the Revolver remix. I obviously need to get out more.
As one who voted fairly last-minute and putting The Voltarol Years top, obviously I’d like to think my vote might have given it the final push. For anyone who hasn’t tried it yet, I’d point them to the last two tracks which are among the best they’ve ever done, and both regularly bring a lump to the throat. Slipping the Escort is heartbreaking, while Oblong of Dreams is a love letter to their home of The Wirral, and particularly effective on a Spring day.
Great as it is, having only played it once and heard tracks on Andy Kershaw’s podcast, I’d suggest Achtung Bono is an easier entry point the the genius of HMHB.
I left my Fiio playing on shuffle over the PA during the interval at a gig last month. Joy Division Oven Gloves came on, followed by Jackie Lee singing Rupert the Bear. A happy audience.
Won’t argue over Achtung Bono as the best entry point to HMHB, some suggest Cammell Laird Social Club but I’d go for AB. My point was only about The Voltarol Years itself, in that (IMO, obviously) the best two tracks are right at the end.
wholly agree on this point @Malc
The line about the ‘being back in the Lanes’ on Slipping the Escort as the drums kick in is wonderful. I know they have a rep for their daft ones (Irk The Purists, Midnight Mass Murder etc.) but no one does the heart wrenching stuff quite as well as Mr Blackwell IMHO.
Absolutely – the amusing ones are probably your way into HMHB, but it’s the heartfelt ones that keep you coming back. Another good recent example is “Terminus” on the previous album, Creative Hub.
What! Not a boring old fart bloke winner! Something with wit and emotion at the top.
Well done for finally noticing that Nigel B is Britain’s greatest living satirist.
Looking at the list of previous winners it does seem that the youthful (late 50s?) Nigel Blackwell has broken the run of winners who have reached 70, albeit in collaboration with the much younger Alison Krauss in Percy’s case.
Thanks Lodes – great work. The usual eclectic mix but I certainly didn’t see that winner coming…
Two of my 5 choices in the top 10. Blimey. As Matt Hooper says up there Tipping Point is exceptional and well worthy of its lofty placing.
Excellent job, Mr LoW.
No one (that I have seen at least) has noted that this makes the Mersey shores the beating heart of The Afterword, for the time being at least with Michael Head on the north bank and HMHB on the south.
North? South?
HMHB are Tranmere fans from Birkenhead, Dai. Although the geography is more like East/West at that point of the Mersey.
I remember their appearance on The Tube – having declined playing live at TTTV, they were interviewed live in the stands at Prenton Park on a match day.
I know where they are from, thats what I meant East and West surely
Great job @Gary but where are the actual points allocated to each entry? I suppose your little helper (Lodey) is responsible for that omission, figures. 😂🥸😎🤣
As always, full spreadsheet available on request
Wonderful work, Lodey. Well done.
Do you congratulate the civil servants when an MP gets elected? Or the drummer when Rick Astley gets a career rebirth? Or the Key Grip when Martin Scorsese wins an Oscar?
No.
Exactly.
Is it too too late for me to submit my homework?
Not at all. The poll will remain open for the rest of eternity.
I felt a brief frisson of genuine horror at that thought. Proper sent a shiver of fear down me spine so it did.
But, we’d all love to know your favourites of 2022.
I’m listening to one as I type this…
Joys Union Group – Boredom Euphoria.
DoomCannon – Renaissance is up next to be followed by Matt Slocom – with love and sadness.
Any relation to Molly?
Oh bloody hell I’m tiresome
How many voted, Lodes? Seemed like fewer of us old lags than in previous years?
76 this year, actually a few more than 2021. Back in the day we used to get 90-100…
The playlist is only a tad above 27 hours this year. It’s like a bumper John Peel show – you might have to wait a while for something you like but you can’t but be impressed by the sheer variety of ways the AW likes its tummy tickled. And if you persist you will probably find something new to adore.
Would have been 77 if I hadn’t been disqualified.
I’ve heard a total of NONE of those albums! Is that some kind of record and if so what do I win?
The only one I came near to wanting to listen to was the Spiritualized album, and I couldn’t even muster up the enthusiasm for that. I’m a hopeless case. I’ve finally become the thing I used to despise. 🙁
None is indeed impressive. Even me can beat that!
Horses for courses. I’ve never heard a PG-era Genesis album all the way through.
Try Trick of The Tail
I haven’t knowingly heard a single note of any of the records in the list or any of the 556 nominated, unless anyone nominated Martha or the Proclaimers (didn’t think much to either of those). There’s also a very good chance the same applies to last year’s list.
Why? I’m still catching up with the records I wanted to hear 30 years ago but couldn’t afford or didn’t have the C90s to copy.
Hm. Turns out I have something from 2022 a friend sent me by someone called Ripperton. I have no idea who that is, except presumably it’s not the Loving You Hitmaker. I’ll let you know if I like it when I get round to it in about 2027.
A hipper Ripperton no doubt.
Very cheerful too – a chipper Ripperton.
I wonder if they’ve gone into designing indoor footwear, or produce smoked fish?
They could recruit Nick Lowe and become Ripperton Lodge.
What a tiresome man I am!
Despite completely forgetting to vote, I rate this poll much higher than those in the remaining monthly music mags. Because this is the only list to reasonably recognise the Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler album. I mean, what’s all that about? However, unless I’m mistaken, there was no love for Jockstrap, CMAT, Lucius, Personal Trainer, Connie Constance or Beyoncé. Ian McNabb was more popular than Beyoncé?! What a world.
Excellent work Lodes and Gary.
Pleasantly surprised by the results and especially the winner (I forgot the HMHB album in my votes), with quite a few of my choices doing well. Was surprised the Porcupine Tree was so low though – that was one of the album events of the year for me (I guess us old proggers are a dying breed)
Thanks Lodes. As I listen to few current releases this list is always a curiosity.
Having curated the list Lodes, what is your top 10 out of the stuff that was new to you ?
To be honest there was, unusually for this poll, nothing I hadn’t heard before that really grabbed me
This is the first music poll I’ve ever featured in (The Legends of Tomorrow being my increasingly unsecured studio ensemble of 25 years). I’m rather moved to have had a vote.
Autocorrect tyoo: un-secret
…But that one was just a standard mistyping typo.
The excitement of it all, no doubt.
Yes, that would be it.
Well done Lodes, you’ve earned a hamper though with that knee op you might want to swap it for a walker.
To add to my woes – surgeon confirmed I’ve got damaged nerve endings after the op: pain and pain and pain…. Nurse, more drugs!!
As this post rolls on to a fistful* of hampers, let me be the next to thank the adjudicators for their work. They’re between vote banter? Not as good as their old stuff.
*An Inishree fist.
Thanks for all the compiling, LOW. A worthy winner I’m sure, but even though I’ve been aware of HMHB since my NME days of the mid-eighties, and have often smiled wryly at their very clever song titles, I don’t think I have ever heard any of their material. I usually add the AW poll winners to my list if I don’t already own it, so that might change.
That’s interesting – I thought I was the only one here…
And another. May have heard the odd song a few decades ago, but I had no idea they still existed, I don’t think they are for me
Get thee back to that snow drift I chucked thee in…
(ps a friend of mine who shares my dislike of Abba’s output went to “The Show”.
Best thing he has ever ever seen, apparently….)
Apart from the top 2 (standard indie chug, I have no need to hear another album in that genre) not a bad top 10.
Thanks to the all concerned for collating.
When will we get the results of the 2022 reissues poll? (asking for a friend)
There’s also a dedicated Poll Results tab in the navigation at the top of each page where the results get archived every year.
Cheers Dai and Ainsley!
Well, I just took the dogs out for an empty, and decided to rack up HMHB on the cans. I have the early stuff, the EP etc, but I have to say how much improved the quality of production has risen. Even if the songs don’t match (quite) the lyrical heights. The chugging guitars and bass stand apart, sounding clarion clear, unlike most the murky churns that music from the diy punk ethos has produced. And the vocals have just enough echo: like singing in the bath, to make sure you can catch all the wince-worthy observations. I might risk a purchase, to find out if it palls on repetition or whether it embeds.
I have just noticed at least three of my selections haven’t been counted – Chastity Brown (No 4 and so scoring 17 points), Michaela Ann (No 8 which would be worth 13) and Ingrid Andress (No 9 and 12).
Recount!
Chastity 223
Michaela 335
ingrid 152
Chastity, Charity, Prudence and Hope…
Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub.
One of the more unusual crews at the Trumpton Fire Station…
It’s all equal opportunities in Trumpton these days.
I gather an alternative pitch was the Essex Lightboat Crew at Fartsea.
Thanks