Fancy volunteering ? Baron H is seemingly unavailable, I’m travelling a lot in December and Gary is deaf.
Anyone who has done the deed in the past knows it’s hard work especially when surrounded by festive foolery and gin-soaked relatives.
End of Year Poll ?
by 124 Comments
As is customary, all the way from NZ
Can you remind me (and everyone else) of the rules?
Name your favourite 5/10/20 new albums of the year in order*
There is also a separate poll for reissues/box sets. I dd this for a few years, but got so many complaints I don’t bother any more
* Person collating the votes can decide how many to vote for
Sorry, I should have said ‘scoring rules’. I seem to remember something about 10 points for first choice down to 2 point for 10th choice.
I’m happy to join in the collating of 2024 new album selections, though it would be good to have a collaborator to help verify results. Google Sheets is probably the best way to go about creating a shareable and editable data set.
@dai
If memory serves me well, 98.48% of the “complaints” came from Baron, aka RayX. He is apparently “Seeking a new lifestyle” and is currently the sole inhabitant of Fingal’s Cave (apart from the 10,000 gannets of course). If you felt like it, I’m sure you would do a simply ace job re box sets etc.
Alas there are no gannet colonies on Staffa so I think you were misinformed.
In my village the inhabitants name all swallows, swifts and house martins as “hirondelles”.
Similarly the inhabitants of Staffa (fact check needed here) have always called fulmars, shags and puffins as “gannets”. – they all taste the same apparently.
fact check needed here*
* Having been to Staffa and sat among the puffins then I regret to inform you that Staffa is uninhabited.
That’s cos they ate all the gannets
Hirundinidae in English. Er, well, Latin.
No need to be so passerine-aggressive
A birder writes … swifts aren’t hirundines but I know that’s not the point
swift and to the point!
True
10 for 1st, 1 for 10th I suppose
I vote for Dec 31st
It’s well known that back in the sordid past, for mags’ end of year polls, the purchasing of a full page ad or promise of upcoming feature could bump you up the list quite a bit. So, rather than putting yourself through all that backbreaking work, Sal, I propose we all submit our end of year lists along with a DM of an accompanying bribe. Then, the official AW top 20 will coincide exactly with that of whoever offers the most. Instead of grumbles and grief you get ching ching a ching ching and with no effort at all..
Ok, then. In the interests of transparency, can every personal chart shared come with your proposed bribe?
This will relieve the tedium of counting up how many thousands of votes for Beth Gibbons there inevitably will be.
I cannot say in advance, how much this will influence the final result.
@salwarpe
Select your favourite new releases of 2024 (which can include “ancient recordings” as long as they have never seen the light of day until now ie
remixes etc don’t count).
Your No1 gets 20 points, next 19 and so on .
You don’t have to choose 20 but, for example, if you only nominate 5, your 5th choice gets 16 points and that’s it.
As for fact checking, I once used Gary as my back-stop. Apart from the fact he can’t count, has no idea what a spreadsheet is and has no interest in popular music apart from Pink Floyd, he was perfect. Give him a ring ( I find shouting helps).
Much to my regret, I can’t possibly help with any bureaucratic or administrative work as I’m far too deaf (what if there was a phone call?). I’ll happily vote though. Looking up “best albums of 2024 so far” on my computer’s internet, The Cure have got my top vote as I know who they are.
EDIT: I bet now some raging deafist is going to come along and say “I don’t think deaf people shouid be allowed to vote as they can’t hear what they’re voting for” or something equally fascistic. As I explained to my neighbour this morning, there are ways around these problems. (For example, I told her to send me a Whatsapp message when her kids are playing in the garden, so I can complain about the noise.)
Who’s that coming over the hill?
Why, it’s raging deafist Uncle Roger Waters!
“Branching out, Uncle Rog? Always someone new to rage against?”
“F*ck off, you!”
“Sorry, Rog…look, I’ve got elastic bands keeping my shoes on!”
“You still here?”
“Sorry, Rog…”
“Have you seen Gary? I need a word…”
(Black screen – Fin)
Last year, I conducted the reissues, remixes, re-releases and historical recordings poll, that is ancient stuff only just being released now. I think Keith Jarrett is a contender for number one, for example.The
I’m happy to do so again.
As usual I will struggle to get to 5
If we extended the reissue poll to the end of Chinese New Year, Wilco’s upcoming bells and whistles A Ghost is Born set might just sneak in.
With my 10/20 points added to your 10/20 points, Jeff, Nels and the boys could well end up putting the win back into the windy city
I meant struggling for 5 new releases, A Ghost is Born looks like a strong candidate for 2025, but I will be waiting for a (much) reduced price. It happened eventually with YHF SDE
Agreed.
Just picked up the two-vinyl LP BSB for about £20 so it’s worth holding out.
Wonder how long it will be before NY lowers the price of the 17-disc A3 standard set given that the “strictly limited” deluxe 22-disc set is still on sale
Tomorrow?
I was right @jaygee
Reduced by 30% on Amazon UK 172 quid or 144 quid(VAT removed) for me
Will surely go lower though
Cheers for the heads up, @Dai. If it’s still going for that now, will bite.
Just bought as my Xmas present to myself
Enjoy!
Just got it this morning.
Only minor criticism is typically capricious style, Neil housed each of the three sets in packages whose dimensions bear no relation to each other.
The big question now is whether to hold off on playing it until Xmas Day. I think we both know how that will pan out
I have the first one in the DVD incarnation also with a book in a ridiculously large box. But inside is a similar sized box to the Archives 2 CD only one. I assumed non limited A3 would be that size.
Crack open that shrink wrap!
‘Baron H is seemingly unavailable’.
Anger management classes not going well then.
“Anger Fucking Management Classes”, he says.
I’ll do it again if you all want? Equally happy not to…..
You the man! A round of applause for Paul , please!
Remember, he has to fit running the poll in with all that lead-singer stuff. We are not worthy.
I’d argue that some of us are.
Thanks Paul.
But we can have a deadline in mid-January, so there’s chilled time to appreciate Santa’s deliveries?
I’m happy to take a majority view on that? What do the rest think?
He waits until Santa brings what he wants? Buy it now and tell ‘em to give you money. January is for starting the 2025 list. I already have few advance copies to pave the way.
Midnight 31/12/24.
It’s written in the AfterWord Charter – “Poll begins 1st December and ends midnight 31st. No messing around with the dates or your CDs will mysteriously become non-alphabeticised.”
Good, so that’s settled. Mid-January it is.
Not that my choices will have any bearing on any leaderboard.
I’m happy to support, if that’s needed.
Any help gratefully received!
Hey Sal. I’ve only just read your comment up the thread properly. Shall we manage thus between us then? That would suit me absolutely fine – can you set it up on Google sheets?
My apologies for not having read this properly before volunteering.
Too late now, son. You’re going over the top to certain death in no man’s land
No worries – I helped Tig with the massive Top 100 albums ever poll (I still have the files somewhere), so I’m used to scraping data off a page and editing it for a spreadsheet.
We can carry the conversation forwards via PM, so as not to bore the Massive/let light in on the magic.
Oh, and we were just about to get to the good (dull) bit…
It’s an incentive to join the poll compiler team – do so and I will share my secret macros and Excel formulae for ‘tweaking’ the results to draw out ‘interesting’ reflections on the tastes of die Nachworte/les Aprèsmots.
Thought I did that poll @salwarpe No help and several mistakes were discovered 😉
I think the poll Tig set off was several years before that. Possibly before the great crash. Looking at the scores (I still have the excel sheet in case you are interested), the top 10 was thus:
1. Revolver – The Beatles
2. Hunky Dory – David Bowie
3. The Beatles (The White Album) – The Beatles
4. Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan
5. Abbey Road – The Beatles
6. London Calling – The Clash
7. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
8. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars – David Bowie
9. The Queen is Dead – The Smiths
10. Exile on Main Street – The Rolling Stones
Everyone was asked to name their top 100 albums, It was a massive endeavour. Here is a link to a resuscitation of that poll
I’m surprised such a new record as The Stone Roses got in. Surely too soon to make such a judgement.
Don’t forget, people got to pick 100 favourite albums – plenty of space for music from all eras.
It was a popular choice for:
aging hippy, Ainsley, Almost Simon, andielou, anth25, badartdog, Baron Harkonnen, Biggles, Chimney Singing…, chrisf, Colrow26, dai, davepn, davidks, deviant808, Jimmy James, Leedsboy, madfox, maggieloveshopey, makem.ken, Monsignor Bonehead, Moose the Mooche, NE1, Paul Wad, Phil Pirrip, Richie B, Seamus, Seekenee, Six Dog, skip17, skylarkingmatt, Sting Ono, the artist form…, thecolonel, Wheldrake
Were you sven garlic back then? You made other choices, including OK Computer.
It was meant to be a comment dripping in irony. Hilarious sarcasm, everything else named being prehistoric.
Yes that was me.
Wjhoosh! Went straight over my head.
A call for favourite 100 albums is bound to result in comfort zone choices at the top – the more interesting choices were further down the list of 4b32 albums.
Here are the top choices of 12 – nobody else voted for them
Ariel Ramirez & Jaime Torres – Ariel Ramirez & Jaime Torres (Locust)
Extra Classic – Gregory Isaacs (resting place)
Friction – Soul Children (Morrison)
From Lubbock to Clintwood East – Terry and Gerry (biasbinding)
Is The Actor Happy? – Vic Chesnutt (Contraryarticle)
Jailbreak – (Thin Lizzy (kalamo)
Julie is Her Name vol. 1 – Julie London (Hannah)
Mogwai Young Team – Mogwai (Bingo Little)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath – Black Sabbath (Bartleby)
She – Phillip Boa & The Voodoo Club (Fatima XBerg)
Two Step to Heaven – Edward ll & the Red Hot Polkas (salwarpe)
Uncle Meat – Frank Zappa (Mothers Of Invention) (Hawkfall)
Ah, yes. Think I referenced that in the 2020 list. Maybe 2025 could be time for a new poll?
2025 seems an obvious year for best 100 ever polls.
I’ve got all 10 album’s on SW’s list.
While I continue to buy lots of albums that are new to me, probably been a few years since I I bought 10 new releases
Oh dear. It’s the end of November and I’ve just realised I haven’t listened to an album all year. Not one – new or otherwise. Haven’t bought one or streamed one. Guess I’ve got a month…
That’s impressive. I was hoping that if we extended the deadline until Easter I might just scrape 20 entries.
Am I confirmed as doing the Rereleases, Archival & HISTORICAL recordings one?
🙂
*everyone else takes one step back*
Looks like it, Tig. Any spreadsheet help you want and/or comparison of what makes a ‘new’ and what makes an ‘old’ release, let me know.
Thank you. Your spread sheets are perfect.
@Tiggerlion
Can we include comedy albums – well the very funny ones anyway – in that category, too?
Only if they are not *new*.
As long as you and Paul are clear and articulate in your posts launching the respective threads, no-one will be in any doubt.
Ooooh, I can’t wait for the end-of-year polls.
I currently have 64 albums in contention for my New Album of the Year Award, and 22 albums fighting it out for my best Compilation or Archival/Historical Recording Award.
It’s going to be enormous fun compiling the lists.
Compilation! That’s the word I was looking for.
Have I missed something (I usually do)?
I thought if, for instance, Neil Young dug deep in his archives and found that album he recorded in 1975 but thought it was shit but fifty years later decided it was really good and it contains twelve new songs nobody has ever heard before including one with a thirty five minutes guitar solo entitled “I’ve got this one chord and I’m going to beat the fucker to death” then this “new” record goes in the Best New records of 2024 Poll?
There’s an extremely good chance I’m Wrong …..
Noooooooo! That is old, decayed, dug up out of a god-forsaken grave, music not intended for consumption in the 21st Century. It belongs in the Archival & Historical recordings list, freshly released in 2024.
NOW I’m confused…?
It’s a HISTORICAL recording. Clearly.
🙂
Where would you stand on the latest by Lone Justice, released this year, but seentially archival studio floor sweepings, polished up with a bit of buffing for a first release? Or I would ask, if it were in contention. sadly, it isn’t, largely down to the shrieky vocals, quite unlike how I remember Maria McKee first time around.
They lost me at the cover of Teenage Kicks.
It’s pretty grim, ain’t it?
@duco01
Surely you mean “curating” the lists
No need to get hysterical, Tiggs ..
You are wrong. That album was eligible for the 2023 poll. This year Neil has released a long lost 70s album containing slightly different versions of 12 songs we’ve all heard before on his other albums, but which are now in a different running order, thus rendering it entirely different to all the other ‘holy grail’ albums he’s put out recently. Do keep up.
See also: the Swayde, who have jazzed up the 987th reissue of their second album for its 30th birthday by (i) giving the vinyl a half-speed cut (ii) removing the DVD from the 2CD+DVD box (iii) putting the back sleeve photo on the front and (iv) you can probably guess what number four is.
Say, for instance, Elton John released a record in 2024 that contained never heard before songs he had been diddling around with for years. No remixes, no messing around . He calls it “Songs I’ve been diddling around with”.
That’s not Historical, is it?
Neil Young walks up “If that’s the case I demand my imaginary record goes in the Best of 24 poll. And by the way, who’s this Tiggerlion and how come he gets to set the rules? I’m Neil Young not some bum. Maybe I’ll send my people round…”
“Diddling around with” suggests Elton has been recording them recently. If they have been untouched for more than five years, they are historical. In the early sixties, recordings were historical after six months. Getting the drum sound right takes a lot longer these days.
I bet Neil would much prefer a shot at winning a historical poll to having zero chance in a new one.
“Five years? You’re just making things up now. I’ve just had a word with Elton and he’s not happy, not happy at all….
Don’t show Reg the poll results, he won’t be able to see them anyway.
Of course I’m making the rules up. We need to clearly, I said clearly, demarcate between the two polls. Historical and new are entirely different things.
And we have this discussion every year
So, under your “RUles”, a record which was made 5 years and 1 day ago but has never been released till now is deemed Historical? How do any of us know when an album was actually recorded and did “Elton” lay down some tracks in 1972, some more in 2018 and one from last week? Far easier surely for your poll to include reissues, messed about with etc and Best Of anything new in 2024 as long as nobody but the artist has heard it previously?
*slams fist onto table*
😜
If Elton John duetted with Neil Young on 12 newly unearthed versions of Am Dill Danding recorded outdoors around a piano while they were both pissed in 1975 but finally released in 2024, it would not qualify for any poll other than ‘Worst Record of All Time And Then Some’.
(Neil is hidden behind a bush)
Exactly.
Exactly what? I obviously used Elton & Neil as “humorous” inventions but whether or not their “new old records” are crap or not is irrelevant.
A previously unheard and unreleased record is by any sane definition New.
Calm down, or we’ll have to get the Baron back from his maximum security twilight home to explain the rules.
An ancient unheard, unreleased record is historical, not new!
😘
In a private email Baron
says ” Tigger is a big fat smelly poo”
@henpetsg
Won’t be going shopping for any kind of fresh produce with you any time soon, Lodey
So where do I file my Talking Heads 77 LP? It has a bonus album of 12 rarities, two of which are previously unreleased. And the CD set has a third disc, a 15-track CBGB gig, where one track was previously available as a download.
Under T, in 1977.
Talking Heads 77 is a perfect example of an archival, historical compilation.
77 is indeed perfect Reissue/Historical.
Elton’s “Diddling Around” with its 14 unheard/unreleased tracks is not. It’s new. And Tigger smells…
Anyone here resolve the age-old questions of:
* How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
* Whether Shrodinger’s cat is actually alive or dead?
Perhaps we could leave it until after theafterword end of year poll, which is where I usually discover which albums have come out this year that are worth listening to. And then I will definitely have rather more albums to add to theafterword end of year poll than I do now.
Erm. Will that work? Now I’m confused.
Can I just suggest that we go with too 20 as we have done previously.
Top 10 is too narrow and people will miss out on some choices that they shouldn’t miss out on.
Yes it’s top 20. I think some of the more interesting releases are in the 11-20 range on lists.
I’ll start a thread on Sunday (1st December – it’s tradition innit?) with the rules/guidelines clearly laid out. Then I’ll put on my helmet and body-armour and await the incoming flack….
Aha, there’s the missing c from @Jaygee ‘s post above!!
Aargh – too late for the edit….
A mashup of Julian Lennon and The Art Of Noise
Something like this?
that’s the one …
Any excuse for a bit of musical welding. You can barely see the job in that one, almost like it was meant to be…
Bloody Johnny Foreigners and their silly names
I’ll start the Compilation, Archival and Historical list the following week.
😀
Great, really looking forward to it…
Crikey!
94 posts and no-one has actually voted yet…
That’s amazing, 94 you say? Ask a question, (almost) get a hamper.
I’ve been here for several years now and have been congratulated on “winning” several hampers – none of which have ever been delivered.
Maddeningly, each time I ask my postman about the lengthy delays he raises his hands in a placatory gesture and begins backing slowly away.
I’m beginning to think that, like F….. C…….., AW hampers are a vicious trick played on the unwary and gullible (look that last one up in the dictionary, you won’t find it!)
Please don’t send any in my direction. Canada Post are on strike and everything will be well past it’s sell by date by the time I get it
It’s all well past it’s sell-by date when packed. With the cost of postage as it is, savings have to be made somewhere..
I’ve got a hamper, I’ve got a hamper. Wait, you’re saying it’s not real!!!??
It’ll be delivered by a black van, while a heavenly choir sing the finalé of Ludwig’s 9th symphony…
Sadly not.
After my j’acusse post of 12.24 yesterday, one of the mods got in touch to tell me that the AW had switched to non-fungible hampers (NFHs) several years back and to check my spam folder.
So: no hamper van, Beethoven?
(I’ll get me coat…)
On your way out, take the Skinheads – they want to go bowling.
It gets earlier every year (also my stock joke about Ramadan)
Vous êtes Charlie Hebdo