LISTMANIA 2016 Archives - Page 7 of 7

LISTMANIA 2016: THE POPMATTERS LIST OF THE BEST METAL OF 2016

LISTMANIA 2016 44 Responses »

Dec 032016

As part of our annual NCS LISTMANIA extravaganza we re-publish lists of the year’s best metal that appear on web sites that appeal to vastly larger numbers of readers than we do — not because those readers or the writers have better taste in metal than our community does, but more from a morbid curiosity about what the great unwashed masses are being told is best for them. It’s like opening a window that affords an insight into the way the rest of the world outside our own disease-ridden nooks and crannies perceives the music that is our daily sustenance.

One of those sites is PopMatters. It has been in existence since 1999. In its own words the site “is an international magazine of cultural criticism and analysis” with a scope that “is broadly cast on all things pop culture”, including “music, television, films, books, video games, sports, theatre, the visual arts, travel, and the Internet”. PopMatters boasts an audience of “over 1.4 million unique monthly readers”. Continue reading »

LISTMANIA 2016: AN INVITATION FOR READERS’ LISTS OF THE YEAR’S BEST METAL

LISTMANIA 2016 264 Responses »

Dec 012016

We’re now beginning the final month of 2016, and you know what that means: Now begins the final countdown to the end of the year (and the strengthening onslaught of the annual holiday season). In the world of metal, this month we’ll also start seeing more and more lists of the year’s best releases.

Back in 2009, when this site was just a few days old, I wrote a post about year-end lists and why people bother with them. The best reason still seems to be this: Reading someone else’s list of the albums they thought were best is a good way to discover music you missed and might like.

We don’t do an “official” NCS year-end “best albums” list. However, we publish the picks of each of our regular staff writers as well as a large group of guest writers (which we’ll start doing later this month). Every year we also invite our readers to share their lists and we’re doing that again right here, right now. Continue reading »

LISTMANIA BEGINS: THE DECIBEL TOP 40 FOR 2016

LISTMANIA 2016 41 Responses »

Nov 172016

Every year our LISTMANIA series of posts includes not only lists of the year’s best releases as compiled by our staff, invited guests, and our esteemed readers, but also lists assembled by what we call “big platform” web sites and selected print magazines. And every year, it seems that DECIBEL magazine provides the launch for LISTMANIA by coming out with the first of the lists we see from that category of web sites and print zines — and they’ve done it again this year.

I’m a long-time DECIBEL subscriber, but my hard copy of the January edition, which includes the YE list, hasn’t hit my mailbox yet. However, today DECIBEL provided an on-line teaser for the issue that included their ranking of the year’s Top 40 albums.

For the first time in 7 years, I can re-publish their list without stealing their thunder (and I actually feel better about that). Apparently, someone else besides me jumped the gun this year, and DECIBEL decided to just go ahead and post the list themselves. Continue reading »

THE BEST OF 2016 SO FAR: AN INVITATION FOR READERS’ LISTS

LISTMANIA 2016 119 Responses »

Jun 222016

We’re almost at the halfway point of 2016, measured according to the Gregorian calendar. If you want to be precise, we will reach the halfway point at midnight on July 1; because 2016 is a leap year, there are 366 days in the year. and the 183rd day is July 1. It’s a completely arbitrary point for taking stock of what the year has delivered so far, and because I’ve already started seeing other music sites spreading around lists of the best releases for the first half of the year (such as this one at Metal Injection by our collaborator Austin Weber), I decided to just go with today.

So with the halfway point of 2016 fast approaching, let’s talk about the best releases of the year so far. As long-time readers of the site are well aware, I’m terrible at making “best of” lists. I overthink it, I agonize over it, I have great difficulty comparing metal across different genres, and I have great difficulty choosing among albums I like even within a specific genre. When I contemplate making a “best of the year” list, or even a “best of the half-year” list, my brain tends to just lock up like an engine that’s had a hole punched in the oil pan.

Therefore, as usual, I’m not providing a list of my own — and my fellow regular writers Andy Synn and DGR haven’t sent me lists of their own. So I’m afraid it’s up to you. Continue reading »

KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — MARCH 2016

LISTMANIA 2016 5 Responses »

Mar 312016

(Here’s the third of our friend KevinP’s monthly selection of releases for 2016, naming his Top 5 favorite albums released during March.)

Truth be told, I’ve been knee deep into “comic book research” for the past few months, but especially in March, so my attention has been split between music and yet another hobby to spend way too much money on. And by research, I mean investigating what new books and series recently came out and what’s on the horizon so I can generate a valid “pull list”. I was toying with the idea of doing a semi-regular column on comic books. What do you think of that prospect? I’m rarely, if ever, gonna discuss a book about men (or chicks) in spandex, it will be all the indie and creator-owned ones (yes, I’m an elitist snob in my other hobbies as well). Anyways, on with this month’s best of…… Continue reading »

KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — FEBRUARY 2016

LISTMANIA 2016 8 Responses »

Feb 292016

(Here’s the second of KevinP’s monthly selection of releases for 2016, naming his Top 5 favorite albums released during February.)

So much for the notion that the beginning and end of the year are slow times for new releases. We have another month stacked with quality through and through. As pleasing as it is to spread the love of great releases to people far and wide, I wouldn’t mind a slight respite during a busy time of the year (I do have other obligations and hobbies). But yeah, #FirstWorldProblem. Continue reading »

KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — JANUARY 2016

LISTMANIA 2016 22 Responses »

Jan 252016

(Here’s the first of KevinP’s monthly selection of releases for 2016, naming his Top 5 favorite albums released or scheduled for release during January.)

Writing these little “intros” for the monthly picks are by far my least favorite part of what I have to do. I always try and keep it pithy even on the off chance I have something profound to say. So on that note, here we go…… Continue reading »

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