This is mid-November, it is almost safe to publish this... and I have other things to do after. But I still want the tradition to be alive. And for the second year, the list is mostly based on my last.fm airplay.

///////////////////////////////////////////

ALBUMS:

1. El Guincho: Alegranza (Psychedelic electro / Alternative) [ES]
2. Shearwater: Rook (Rock) [TX, US]
3. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (Rock) [WI, US]
4. Robyn: Robyn (Pop) [SE]
5. Black Mountain: In The Future (Hard rock) [BC, CA]
6. HEALTH: HEALTH//DISCO (Metal - remixes-) [CA, US]
7. Steinski: What Does It All Mean? Retrospective 1983-2006 (hip-Hop) [NY, US]
8. Plush: Fed (Rock) [IL, US]
9. Shugo Tokumaru: Exit (Rock / Folk) [JP]
10. The Dodos: Visiter (Rock / Folk) [CA, US]

This is the first time I ever listened to a positive psychedelic thing, and El Guincho is all about this. Take your time to be happy, completely frenzy. Alegranza. Then a big surprise, I didn't like "Palo Alto", but I'm completely hooked to "Rook". Melodies and great songs. Like Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago". Then Robyn: a hard beat over pop songs: I tend to believe this record is the pop album of the 00's. Black Mountain doesn't make the rock of the future, but it's fat, it's dark, a bit too much to be sincere, and that's why I love this record. HEALTH's "Disco" is like a mix of experimental with... electro sounds. Interesting! Then the roots of hip-hop from Steinski, beautiful melodies again with Plush and his japanese ego Shugo Tokumaru. This guy plays the guitar exactly like we figure out how japaneses play the guitar (go go, stereotypes!). The Dodos closes this year-end top 10 with another beautiful rock album. Any of this top-10 could pretend nº1 for some reasons, I have mine.

11. Marnie Stern: This Is It And I Am It... (Experimental / Hardcore) [NY, US]
12. Q-Tip: The Renaissance (Rap) [NY, US]
13. High Places: 03/07 - 09/07 (Pop / Electro) [NY, US]
14. Oasis: Dig Out Your Soul (Brit rock) [UK]
15. Fuck Buttons: Street Horrrsing (Experimental / Electro) [UK]
16. Matmos: Supreme Balloon (Electronica) [CA, US]
17. Lindstrøm: Where You Go I Go Too (Electro) [NO]
18. Goldfrapp: Seventh Tree (Pop) [UK]
19. Autechre: Quaristice (IDM) [UK]
20. Mogwai: The Hawk Is Howling (Progressive) [UK]

I liked Marnie Stern's electricity, Q-Tip's voice and beats (as usual!), High Places' relaxed atmosphere, Oasis' "we don't care" (as usual, but a real good good album!), Fuck Buttons's melancholy through saturated sounds, Matmos' brain a bit cooler than before, Lindstrøm's epic ballads, Goldfrapp's best pop song (not alternative), Autechre's anger... and Mogwai's melodies (yes, they can do that!)

21. The Bug: London Zoo (Hip-Hop / Leftfield) [UK]
22. TV on the Radio: Dear Science (Rock) [NY, US]
23. Leila: Blood, Looms & Blooms (Electronica) [UK]
24. Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles (Electro) [ON, CA]
25. Harvey Milk: Life... The Best Game In Town (Metal) [GA, US]
26. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! [AU]
27. British Sea Power: Do You Like Rock Music? (Brit rock) [UK]
28. Why?: Alopecia (Hip-Hop / Rock) [CA, US]
29. Paavoharju: Laulu Laakson Kukista [FI]
30. diskJokke: Staying In (Electro) [NO]

They were blockbusters but they failed to the top 10 because: The Bug: good but a bit too much and too late, TV On The Radio: awesome but I couldn't listen to this record all day, Leila: still perfect ideas, but more simple is sometimes less boring, Crystal Castles: entertaining but too many songs sounding the same, Harvey Milk: I couldn't enter the deep spirit of this record, Nick Cave: I liked a lot but I don't know what happened, British Sea Power: I listened too much and burned their wings in about a month, Why?: basically the same than British Sea Power. Then we have Paavoharju and diskJokke: two good outsiders, they have great things under the tree.

31. Cut Copy: In Ghost Colors (Electro / Pop) [AU]
32. Flying Lotus: Los Angeles (Hip-Hop / Leftfield) [US, CA]
33. The Roots: Rising Down [PA, US]
34. Department of Eagles: In Ear Park [US, NY]
35. Los Campesinos!: Hold On Now, Youngster... [UK]
36. Fucked Up: The Chemistry of Common Life [ON, CA]
37. Atmosphere: When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold [US]
38. The Walkmen: You & Me [NY, US]
39. Flight of the Conchords: Flight Of The Conchords [NZ]
40. Firewater: Golden Hour (Country) [NY, US]

They are those I liked a lot, but I didn't pay enough attention to them. So they are great records, it's worth it to play them, but well: forgive me!

41. Hercules and Love Affair: Hercules And Love Affair (Electro / Pop) [NY, US]
42. Erykah Bahdu: New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) [TX, US]
43. Koushik: Out My Window [ON, CA]
44. Girl Talk: Feed The Animals [PA, US]
45. Atlas Sound: Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel [GA, US]
46. Ellen Allien: Sool [DE]
47. Bun B: Ill Trill [TX, US]
48. Santogold: Santogold [PA, US]
49. The Fall: Imperial Wax Solvent [UK]
50. Portishead: Third [UK]
51. Clark: Turning Dragon [UK]
52. Camille: Music Hole [FR]
53. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend [NY, US]

And the end is a mix of other records I liked a lot but I wasn't hooked to them. Songs you hear, that maybe you'll love. I think each of those albums could be your album of the year: you dance with Hercules And Love Affair and Girl Talk, you go to paradise with Koushik and Atlas Sound, we cannot resist to a so-good come back from The Fall or Portishead, you are impressed by Camille's tongue and throat, you like Vampire's Weekend multi-ethnicity...

Those I didn't mention, though I enjoyed listening to them too: M83, Foals, Sun Kil Moon, Drive-By Truckers, The Music Tapes, Glasvegas, The Prodigy (from Mobb Depp), Neil Diamond, Kidz In The Hall, Silver Jews, Fleet Foxes, Frightened Rabbit, Sébastien Tellier, Spiritualized, The Hold Steady. But I think a top 100 list is even more irrelevant!

Finally, I didn't like those ones: R.E.M., Miss Kittin, Subtle (that's sad enough!), Lightspeed Champion, American Music Club, Madonna, Jamie Lidell, Jim Noir, Squarepusher (jajajaja...), Ladytron (only one song in the record...). I even tried Coldplay, Mariah Carey, AC/DC, Metallica... Coldplay was not so bad, and ACDC was quite nice sometimes.

Stats:
1 Spain
1 Finland
1 France
1 Japan
1 Sweden
1 New Zealand
1 Germany
2 Australia
2 Norway
5 Canada
12 UK
25 US


///////////////////////////////////////////


SINGLES:

1. Dizzee Rascal: Dance Wiv Me (ft. Calvin Harris & Chrome)
2. T.I. & Rihanna: Live Your Life
3. Estelle: American Boy (ft. Kanye West)
4. Ricardo Villalobos: Enfants (Chants)
5. Brandy: Right here (Departed)
6. Kanye West: Love Lockdown
7. M.I.A.: Paper Planes
8. Britney Spears: Womanizer
9. Flo-Rida: Low
10. Lorie: Play
11. The Chemical Brothers: Midnight Madness
12. MC Solaar: Le Rabbi Muffin
13. Hercules and Love Affair: Blind
14. KYLIAN MASH & Laurent Konrad: (Discobitch) C'est beau la bourgeoisie
15. Julien Clerc: La Jupe en Laine

I don't understand why R&B, Hip-Hop and Rap are that high. Maybe simply because I turned on a music television. I like listening to bullshit music from time to time. Anyway, Rascal holds the chart! We're safe for this year.