Manu ChaoTop Artists
1. The Beatles - 628 scrobbles
I confess that I am one of the many suckers who shelled out a crapload of money to buy the remasters that came out in September. They certainly sound better than the original '87 CD releases, but unless you have a really good stereo system (which I don't) the difference isn't big enough to be worth all that money. Still, at least I finally completed my collection and now I'm forced to admit that there are some very good songs in their early catalog.
2. Bob Dylan - 486
This is all back-catalog listening. Dylan released two albums this year, neither of which I bought. And based on the reviews, I don't intend to.
3. Opeth - 476
This is mostly back-catalog listening. Opeth released Watershed in '08 and I still had it on heavy rotation for much of this year. I don't think it was their best album to date, but it was very good and I like the direction they're heading in. I'm looking forward to a new album sometime in 2010.
4. Johann Sebastian Bach - 466
What is there to say? Timeless.
5. Mastodon - 413
I discovered Mastodon late last year. I bought Leviathan in December '08 and by the middle of this year I'd bought their complete catalog. Crack The Skye is my absolute favorite album of '09. From what I hear there'll be no new album in 2010 which is fine with me since (a) I'll still be listening to Crack The Skye on heavy rotation for a while and (b) I have no idea how they can possibly top themselves.
6. Bruce Springsteen - 412
In one sense this is all back-catalog listening. The newest Springsteen album I own is The Rising from 2002. But earlier this year I bought The River from 1980. It's a mixed album. There are great songs like the title track and "Hungry Heart" and there are no bad songs. But unlike most Springsteen albums, it felt like a collection of random songs; their sum was no greater than the parts.
7. Marisa Monte - 390
Love her voice. Always have, probably always will. And I absolutely love the lyrics that Arnaldo Antunes writes for many of her songs. Her last album was in 2006; Here's hoping there'll be another one in 2010.
8. Pink Floyd - 357
I have finally come to terms with the fact that I only like 70's Pink Floyd. I gave up trying to like their psychedelic stuff from the 60's and I've always been lukewarm about their glossy cinematic rock from the 80's. I used to own their entire catalog but now I'm selling everything pre-Meddle and postThe Wall to free up some space on my CD shelf. Still, I like the stuff from the 70's so much that I don't expect them to drop out of this top-10 list next year.
9. Iron Maiden - 349
Like Pink Floyd, I've come to accept the fact that I don't like Iron Maiden as much as I once did. With the exception of Brave New World and a few scattered tracks, I think most of their post-Powerslave output is pretty weak. Also like Pink Floyd, I'll probably start selling some of their CDs to make room on my shelf.
10. Metallica - 348
After all these years, still one of my favorites. Death Magnetic was a good comeback album after the underrated but ultimately unsuccessful experiment that was St. Anger. And though it came out in 2008, I listened to it pretty heavily throughout most of this year. Who knows when they'll get around to recording another album! In the meantime there's a lot of good stuff in their back catalog to keep me satisfied. Maybe I'll revisit Ride The Lightning sometime in 2010.
Top Songs
1. The Last Baron
2. Crack The Skye
3. The Czar
4. Ghost of Karelia
5. Oblivion
6. Divinations
7. Quintessence
8.
Because the Night
8. The Lotus Eater
10.Jessica
Top Albums
1. (2009) Mastodon - Crack The Skye (161)
2. (1968) The Beatles - The Beatles (109)
3. (2009) Graveola E O Lixo Polifônico - graveola e o lixo polifônico (107)
4. (1744) Johann Sebastian Bach - WTC, Bk II (102)
5. (2000) Mastodon - Remission (95)
6. (2000) Marisa Monte - Memórias, Crônicas e Declarações de Amor (91)
7. (1889-1902) Gustav Mahler - Mahler: Symphonies #1 & 5, Lieder (90)
7. (1998) Manu Chao - Clandestino: Esperando La Ultima Ola... (90)
9. (2008) Watershed (89)
10. (2001) Tool - Lateralus(85)
Top Artist By Month
March - Opeth
April - Opeth
May - Bob Dylan
June - J.S. Bach
July - Bob Dylan
August - Opeth
September - The Beatles
October - J.S. Bach
November - Radiohead
December - ???
Top Songs By Month
March -Crusher Destroyer
April - The Last Baron
May - Mississippi
June -Coming Home
July -Because the Night
August -Outro Modo
September - In the Midnight Hour
October -Carry
November - Oblivion
December - ???
Monthly stats courtesy of Heat Haze
1. The Beatles - 628 scrobbles
I confess that I am one of the many suckers who shelled out a crapload of money to buy the remasters that came out in September. They certainly sound better than the original '87 CD releases, but unless you have a really good stereo system (which I don't) the difference isn't big enough to be worth all that money. Still, at least I finally completed my collection and now I'm forced to admit that there are some very good songs in their early catalog.
2. Bob Dylan - 486
This is all back-catalog listening. Dylan released two albums this year, neither of which I bought. And based on the reviews, I don't intend to.
3. Opeth - 476
This is mostly back-catalog listening. Opeth released Watershed in '08 and I still had it on heavy rotation for much of this year. I don't think it was their best album to date, but it was very good and I like the direction they're heading in. I'm looking forward to a new album sometime in 2010.
4. Johann Sebastian Bach - 466
What is there to say? Timeless.
5. Mastodon - 413
I discovered Mastodon late last year. I bought Leviathan in December '08 and by the middle of this year I'd bought their complete catalog. Crack The Skye is my absolute favorite album of '09. From what I hear there'll be no new album in 2010 which is fine with me since (a) I'll still be listening to Crack The Skye on heavy rotation for a while and (b) I have no idea how they can possibly top themselves.
6. Bruce Springsteen - 412
In one sense this is all back-catalog listening. The newest Springsteen album I own is The Rising from 2002. But earlier this year I bought The River from 1980. It's a mixed album. There are great songs like the title track and "Hungry Heart" and there are no bad songs. But unlike most Springsteen albums, it felt like a collection of random songs; their sum was no greater than the parts.
7. Marisa Monte - 390
Love her voice. Always have, probably always will. And I absolutely love the lyrics that Arnaldo Antunes writes for many of her songs. Her last album was in 2006; Here's hoping there'll be another one in 2010.
8. Pink Floyd - 357
I have finally come to terms with the fact that I only like 70's Pink Floyd. I gave up trying to like their psychedelic stuff from the 60's and I've always been lukewarm about their glossy cinematic rock from the 80's. I used to own their entire catalog but now I'm selling everything pre-Meddle and postThe Wall to free up some space on my CD shelf. Still, I like the stuff from the 70's so much that I don't expect them to drop out of this top-10 list next year.
9. Iron Maiden - 349
Like Pink Floyd, I've come to accept the fact that I don't like Iron Maiden as much as I once did. With the exception of Brave New World and a few scattered tracks, I think most of their post-Powerslave output is pretty weak. Also like Pink Floyd, I'll probably start selling some of their CDs to make room on my shelf.
10. Metallica - 348
After all these years, still one of my favorites. Death Magnetic was a good comeback album after the underrated but ultimately unsuccessful experiment that was St. Anger. And though it came out in 2008, I listened to it pretty heavily throughout most of this year. Who knows when they'll get around to recording another album! In the meantime there's a lot of good stuff in their back catalog to keep me satisfied. Maybe I'll revisit Ride The Lightning sometime in 2010.
Top Songs
1. The Last Baron
2. Crack The Skye
3. The Czar
4. Ghost of Karelia
5. Oblivion
6. Divinations
7. Quintessence
8.
Because the Night8. The Lotus Eater
10.
JessicaTop Albums
1. (2009) Mastodon - Crack The Skye (161)
2. (1968) The Beatles - The Beatles (109)
3. (2009) Graveola E O Lixo Polifônico - graveola e o lixo polifônico (107)
4. (1744) Johann Sebastian Bach - WTC, Bk II (102)
5. (2000) Mastodon - Remission (95)
6. (2000) Marisa Monte - Memórias, Crônicas e Declarações de Amor (91)
7. (1889-1902) Gustav Mahler - Mahler: Symphonies #1 & 5, Lieder (90)
7. (1998) Manu Chao - Clandestino: Esperando La Ultima Ola... (90)
9. (2008) Watershed (89)
10. (2001) Tool - Lateralus(85)
Top Artist By Month
March - Opeth
April - Opeth
May - Bob Dylan
June - J.S. Bach
July - Bob Dylan
August - Opeth
September - The Beatles
October - J.S. Bach
November - Radiohead
December - ???
Top Songs By Month
March -
Crusher DestroyerApril - The Last Baron
May - Mississippi
June -
Coming HomeJuly -
Because the NightAugust -
Outro ModoSeptember - In the Midnight Hour
October -
CarryNovember - Oblivion
December - ???
Monthly stats courtesy of Heat Haze
st track: (05 Apr 2009)
