Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Best Albums of 2014 Meta List

I’ve read enough best-of lists over the years that I’ve finally nailed down the formula.
  1. The blockbuster album to prove that I’m not an elitist out of touch with what’s popular but I'll rank it low on my list to prove that I’m still cool.
  2. The painfully obscure release that demonstrates that I listen to way more music than you do.
  3. The bloated reissue that I claim helped me rediscover a classic. The publicist gave me a free copy so that I could encourage you to blow your money repurchasing something you already own.
  4. The new album from a veteran performer that shows they are either still relevant or that they were ahead of their time. Bonus points if they’ve gotten a stamp of approval from someone younger and famous; Bob Seger would be on every list this year if Jack White had produced his latest.
  5. A bunch of albums that have had buzz all year as the critical concensus so that I can maintain credibility with my peers.
  6. The stuff I actually enjoyed and listened to repeatedly throughout the year. But I might not have the guts if it doesn't match the above criteria.
This may also be a preview of my 2015 list.