EWB's Favourite 102 Artists for 2009!

[Jayzon]

I haven't checked in since Townes Van Zandt, so here's some thoughts of a big heap of artists from Bob Dylan to The Magnetic Fields.

Don't know - Bob Dylan, Pendulum, Coheed & Cambria, Ryan Adams, Sunset Rubdown, Cobra Starship, The Fall, The Libertines, Say Anything, Streetlight Manifesto, Los Campesinos!, The Magnetic Fields

Hate -

Dislike -

Neutral - Smashing Pumpkins, Wintersun, The Arctic Monkeys

Like - Queens Of The Stone Age, Dream Theater, KISS, Björk

Love - Marilyn Manson, Eminem, Judas Priest, Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, Green Day

Some really good ones this time. Some thoughts:

Marilyn Manson's last two albums have been, as already mentioned, absolutely dire, but I still listen to his older stuff a lot. Especially the stuff from Portrait to Mechanical Animals, but also Holy Wood and GAOG. Eminem has always been a kind of a guilty pleasure. I didn't like the Encore album that much, but the newest, Relapse, is very good, especially the song "Insane", which is probably my favorite Eminem track since "Stan" and "Kim".

Judas Priest are legends, how can anybody who loves heavy metal not like them? Painkiller is an all-time metal classic. Nirvana rocks, plain and simple, as does GNR, albeit Chinese Democracy was a letdown - but seriously, how could it have NOT been?

Of the "Don't know" category: I have to admit that I've never listened to Bob Dylan. I have to correct this soon. Of the other - I think I've heard something from Coheed & Cambria, Ryan Adams and The Libertines, but not much. All of the others are complete strangers to me.

Green Day was one of the first bands I liked, way back in the Dookie days, and I've liked them ever since. Not every album has been fan-dabi-dozi, for example the latest, but they still have a special place in my heart.

QOTSA is a fun band, Dream Theater aren't as bad as some people say, but not as godly as some other people say. They definitely have their moments. KISS is fan-dabi-dozi, and even the new album is good. Björk is just plain fun in her quirkiness.

So far, a pretty fun and interesting list. Definitely not a list I would've composed, but I wasn't exactly expecting that.

I haven't really listened much of Smashing Pumpkins, but what I've heard, I've liked. The same goes for Arctic Monkeys. But the real surprise was Wintersun - I had no idea they were this popular! I mean, here in Finland, they're not exactly unknown, but not very well-known, either. Haven't listened to them much, but I've seen them live once, and they were good. Played a wicked cover of Raining Blood. Or was it Angel Of Death? Can't remember.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Who voted for Bjork? Also, the girls in Los Campesinos! are fit. I blame Ollie for not informing me of this sooner.

[YI]

40. M.I.A (42pts - 6 | 5 | 3)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: England

STUDIO ALBUMS: 2

FUCK SHE'S ANNOYING: but "Paper Planes" is a club tune and a half

39. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (42pts - 7 | 5 | 2)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 5

THEY HAVE A NEW ALBUM!!?!?!: ...

38. MINOR THREAT (42pts - 7 | 6 | 1)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 1

EUGH: Straight edge

37. BRAND NEW (42pts - 8 | 5 | 1)

PLACE LAST YEAR: #32

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 4

JUST BECAUSE YOU LISTEN TO THE SMITHS: It doesn't make you an indie band

36. BELLE & SEBASTIAN (42pts - 10 | 2 | 2)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: Scotland

STUDIO ALBUMS: 7

DON'T LET ALBUM COVERS FOOL YOU: They are ugly people, very ugly

Edited November 16, 2009 by YI

[MalaCloudy Black]

... Wow, Minor Threat placed that high? Who's rigging this? I'm not complaining, but Minor Threat are the last band I'd expect to see on a list like this, much less within the Top 40. Fugazi or somesuch I'd expect, but Minor Threat? Coolbeans.

[YI]

35. A WILHELM SCREAM (45pts - 8 | 4 | 3)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 3 (+ 2 as Smackin' Isiah)

AND THE ONES WHO RESURRECT SEX AND DEATH BOUGHT THE COPYRIGHT, THEY ATE SHIT ON THE RECORD, DID YOU GET THE MIX RIGHT?: Not quite

34. REUBEN (48pts - 10 | 4 | 2)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: England

STUDIO ALBUMS: 3

MY NAME IS FREDDY KREUGER: and I've got the Elm Street Blues

33. KID CUDI (51pts - 9 | 5 | 3)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 1

WAIT...WHAT?!?!?!?!: ...WHAT!?!?!...WHAT?!?!?!!...WHAT!?!?!?! He's got less tunes than Blackout Crew It's a choooon like

32. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (54pts - 7 | 6 | 5)

PLACE LAST YEAR: #41

COUNTRY: United States

STUDIO ALBUMS: 1

WHO'S THE BOSS?: a) Tony, b) Angela, c) Samantha, d) Brian Fallon, e) Mona, f) Jonathan

31. RAMMSTEIN (54pts - 9 | 6 | 3)

PLACE LAST YEAR: n/a

COUNTRY: Germany

STUDIO ALBUMS: 6

EUGH: ...

Edited November 16, 2009 by YI

[LittleDaniel]

I like Kid Cudi, but...what?

But Streetlight, Los Camp, M.I.A., Minor Threat, Brand New, and Belle and Sebastian are all wonderful. And I'm sure I'd like AWS if I gave them a chance. The rest I don't care about.

[Cactus Drags]

AWS and Reuben, wonderful. No idea who Kid Cudi is, but it's horrible that he's higher up the list

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Who voted for Bjork? Also, the girls in Los Campesinos! are fit. I blame Ollie for not informing me of this sooner.

I probably did. At least, I normally do.

[SeanDMan]

Don't know - Bob Dylan

"An error was returned;

I'm sorry, you cannot give this post -1000. -1 is the highest reputation vote you can give."

[Lowerdeck]

Springsteen, Ryan Adams, and Dylan are the only good ones on this page for me.

[Skummy]

M.I.A is wonderful, and gets mega bonus points for having referenced The Pixies, Tom Waits and JONATHAN FUCKING RICHMAN in her lyrics. One of the more exciting and interesting things going on in hip hop. Love.

Killswitch Engage are shit.

Minor Threat are okay. I'm not a big fan of hardcore, so I'm not really bothered.

Brand New are really shit.

Belle & Sebastian are thoroughly lovely.

A Wilhelm Scream are...just there. No interest.

Reuben are fun.

Who the cock is Kid Cudi?

Bruce Springsteen is The Boss.

My Mum likes Rammstein.

[Liam]

All this really proves is that more people should have voted.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Woohoo! Blur still to come!

[Jayzon]

Don't know - Bob Dylan

"An error was returned;

I'm sorry, you cannot give this post -1000. -1 is the highest reputation vote you can give."

I know, I know. Of course I'm aware WHO Bob Dylan is, but I've just never listened to his music. But I promise you, I will correct my mistake soon.

The newest bunch:

Don't know - M.I.A., Minor Threat, Brand New, Belle & Sebastian, A Wilhelm Scream, Reuben, Kid Cudi

Hate -

Dislike -

Neutral - Bruce Springsteen

Like - Killswitch Engage

Love - Rammstein

Rammstein is one of my current favorites. They're just golden. Killswitch Engage is one of the better new metal/hard rock bands. I haven't listened to Bruce Springsteen all that much, but he's okay. "Adam Raised A Cain" is a fan-dabi-dozi song. Of the "don't know" group, I actually know Minor Threat and Belle & Sebastian, but never heard their music. Others are just ????????

Edited November 17, 2009 by Jayzon

[METALMAN]

MIA is quite good.

Killswitch Engage are abysmal. Anyone that voted for them should be ashamed of themselves.

Minor threat - I've never heard them. Probably for the best.

Brand New are quite good

Belle & Sebastian are my favourite ever

A Wilhelm Scream is boring shit.

Reuben had a good first album. Don't really know the rest.

Kid Cudi has one song. Fair enough it's pretty good but he shouldn't be here. Anyone that voted for him should be ashamed of themselves.

Bruce Springsteen I mostly like.

Rammstein - no thankyou

Am I the only person with good taste here? :/

[Liam]

Yeah, metalman, you clairely have awesome taste, much more awesome than all of us.

Clairely.

[METALMAN]

as i thought. >_>

[YI]

Will probably try and get another 10 or 15 up tonight. It's going to be a dull night. But here are my thoughts on the last lot. I'll also post the full list as 100 at the very end.

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO - Absolutely fucking incredible. Probably the best live act I've ever seen. Even if you think ska is the work of satan you can probably appreciate a bit of Streetlight, they're that good. Also, the only ska-'punk' band I can think of who haven't put out an absolutely guff album at one point.

BJORK - My knowledge of Bjork isn't too good. Basically limited to singles and stuff other bands have covered. I quite like what I know though.

GREEN DAY - Eugh....just...eugh. "When I Come Around" is good, never been a fan.

LOS CAMPESINOS! - Bassist wins. Gutted I didn't go see them a few weeks ago to be honest. Meh, I'll live. fan-dabi-dozi band, tonnes of fun.

MAGNETIC FIELDS - Honestly don't really know, which actually surprises me a bit, because I've seen their name thrown about so much, just never got round to listening to them.

M.I.A - As I said, "Paper Planes" is a right good club tune.

MILLSWITCH ENGAGE - Bit of a guilty pleasure, one of the first 'alternative' bands I really got into, but quickly moved on. But I quite like throwing on a few tunes from time to time though. There's much, much, much worse stuff.

MINOR THREAT - If I leave alone the fact they're basically the starting point of what led to the whole cuntish "Straight Edge" shit...they're okay, shocked to see them make the list. But they basically released fuck all, and what they did release wasn't particularly that fan-dabi-dozi in comparison to everything else that was around/

BRAND NEW - I really like Brand New. When I saw them live 2/3 years back they put on an absolutely UNBELIEVABLE set...was just over 2-hours or sos, did like all of "Deja Entendu", was awesome.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN - Only heard a few of their albums. I like them, music that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face, so cutesy.

A WILHELM SCREAM - Fucking epic. When people talk about what they define as 'rock music', this is what fan-dabi-dozi 'rock music' is to me. It's brash, it's occasionally offensive, it's fucking rocking, it's fast, in your face, it can be overly obtuse but at the same time it churns out lyrics you can grab a total stranger standing next to you and scream along in each others faces...it's just "Don't give a fuck" music...it's brilliant.

REUBEN - First album was fan-dabi-dozi. I didn't really adjust to them getting heavier though. And while the 2nd album had some fantastic tracks the 3rd just didn't really do it for me.

KID CUDI - I adore that "Day N Nite" remix that was churning around earlier in the year...but fucking hell, seriously, he has one song.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Really like Springsteen. I much, much prefer his acoustic songs to his big 'stadium rock anthems' though.

RAMMSTEIN - eugh

Edited November 17, 2009 by YI

[Dynamite]

I like Cudi. Yeah he only has one famous song but his other stuff that he's put out on his album and mixtapes are pretty good. He makes the kind of music that I'd actually expect the non-rap fans to like. Saying that, he wouldn't be in my personal top 10 (or 50 for that matter).

[TheRossWalker]

Ugh, I'm well behind, so I'm just gonna comment on the ones I actually want to comment on.

I like Blink-182, always will. They're a band I grew up listening to, and the songs never seem to get old.

Birds from Waterloo Road.

I will listen to the Weakerthans one day.

AJJ is pretty good.

Pendulum are good, but I tend to get sick of them after a while. Better in small doses.

Coheed are good.

Ryan Adams has ruined any chance of me ever listening to him. What a cunt.

Jenny Lewis

I hate the Libertines. I've never really "got" them, plus I think Pete Doherty's a twat.

Arctic Monkeys are good, as long as they stick to doing shit like "...Dancefloor". New album is dire.

haha, that pic of Lewis Hamilton with KISS is genius.

I love Nirvana.

If I was voting now, I probably would have had Steetlight Manifesto in there somewhere. But I started listening to them too late.

Los Camp are fan-dabi-dozi, they're always touring yet I never go and see them for some reason.

Wow, Belle and Sebastian are ugly, ugly people.

THE SUDDEN SIGHT OF MIRRORS BROUGHT THE HERO'S DEMISE! HEY OPERATOR OPERATOR STOP ACTING CIVILIZED! AWS are brilliant. I have a horrible feeling I forgot to vote for them.

Reuben are fun.

WHAT THE FUCK? KID FUCKING CUDI? Day 'n' Nite's good, but that's pretty much his only song. His mixtape's shit.

THE BOSS! I fucking love Springsteen. He was absolutely amazing at Glasto, I want to see him again.