EWB's Top 99 Artists of 2011

[Matt]

Yeah the list would be just awful if you could only vote for artists that released something this year, my list would look something like:

Foo Fighters

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (which wasn't released at the time we voted)

Frank Turner

City and Colour (and I don't particularly like their new album)

I've not heard any other new albums this year that I'd listen to regularly.

Edit: Also, yay to voting for all the top 5 and yay to the fact that under YI's system Foos would've been third and Nirvana would've won.

[GoGo Yubari]

I suppose that could be somewhat of an issue. I just think it's been pretty well established that the majority of EWB enjoys The Beatles, Metallica, etc. and doing a list every year seems to accomplish very little as it's often the same acts.

That's honestly why I retire the top artist on EWB's Favorite Singer when I do it. I made it so people couldn't vote for Freddie Mercury when voting on II, and for III I'll be making it so people can't vote for Frank Sinatra either. It might be interesting if someone ran it next year and started making it so past winners couldn't be voted on; at bare minimum, no Beatles or Metallica next year because they're multi-time winners. I'd say Muse too but it's fallen off.

[New Damage]

The Beatles suck.

Besides, Childish Gambino has won next year, anyway.

[gunnar hendershow]

I tentatively volunteer to do this next year if nobody else will. I would retire all past winners and I'd also debate retiring anyone in the top 3.

[GoGo Yubari]

I wouldn't go as far as to retire the top three. There's honestly a lot of fluctuations on that list and The Beatles and Metallica are the only real constants. Nirvana almost won/won under YI's system in spite of being thirty spots lower a year ago, for no reason I can think of beyond "EWB really likes Nirvana this year." If you're doing past winners, it'd mean that The Beatles, Metallica, Muse, and The Gaslight Anthem are out.

[gunnar hendershow]

They re-released Nevermind this year, but I believe that came after the voting.

The first 2 are always constants in the top 3, the latter 2 were much more flavor the month winners. I'll decide what to do next summer.

[thatshortguy]

Yeah the list would be just awful if you could only vote for artists that released something this year...

As far as overall artists, yes. This is where it would actually pay to have a separate list for favorite albums of the year (hmmm...what to do over the next three days ), since then it could be very much up for grabs.

Don't get me wrong, I adore The Beatles and a lot of the arists/bands that routinely top these lists, but variety would be interesting. Perhaps not retiring the artists, but just changing the rules a bit. YI's got the right idea as far as trying variations.

[Matt]

I don't see the problem really, so EWB's favourite bands always come in the top 4-5, well yeah, that's kinda the point. But the ten spots below that tend to vary a fair bit. In fact, fuck that, this year's number 2 came 32nd last year, the number 4 came 37th, 5th came 29th, 7th came 64th. So it's hardly the same artists over and over again at all. Yeah, Beatles and Metallica will always be there and thereabouts but so they should be, they are amongst EWB's favourite bands.

[thatshortguy]

I don't see the problem really, so EWB's favourite bands always come in the top 4-5, well yeah, that's kinda the point. But the ten spots below that tend to vary a fair bit. In fact, fuck that, this year's number 2 came 32nd last year, the number 4 came 37th, 5th came 29th, 7th came 64th. So it's hardly the same artists over and over again at all. Yeah, Beatles and Metallica will always be there and thereabouts but so they should be, they are amongst EWB's favourite bands.

Eh, I'll phrase it this way: can a great game/match be spoiled or lessened by the end result? If you think so, then the rules need altered. If not, then nothing to see here.

[METALMAN]

So I couldn't be bothered with my essay, and I noticed this.

I do not know Iced Earth.

A Wilhelm Scream are a bit shite. I like the odd tune though.

Never really listened to Slayer, not been impressed by what I've heard.

Ditto They Might Be Giants.

I bought Enter Shikari's first album the day it came out. I was really excited, though I never listened to it. Some of the singles from that album were great fun though. I presume all more recent stuff they did was shit, seeing as I'm not 17 anymore.

Frank Sinatra is brilliant. I listened to Come Fly With Me (the album) only last night. It is really good.

James Blake is alright.

Never really listened to Disturbed. I can't tell that they are shit though.

Surprised Them Crooked Vultures are so high. I don't find them particularly interesting, but New Fang and Dead End Friends are good.

Owl City make me cringe. That Super Honeymoon one was fun though.

Never knowingly listened to Devin Townsend. I've been meaning to listen to him though, mainly due to his popularity here.

Neil Young is excellent. I've recently decided that I prefer heavy rockin'Neil Young to acoustic guitar Neil Young, although I generally love both.

I like the remix(or whatever) of Public Enemy that Anthrax did. That's yer lot really.

Never knowingly listened to Skindred.

Rise Against have a few good tunes.

No idea about Type O Negative. They look funny though.

I don't like Faith No More.

I don't like Coldplay, although they've made a few good tunes.

The Kinks are cool. I've always thought of them as predominantly a singles band. Having bought all their albums for £3 apiece this Summer, I still continue to think of them as a singles band, as all their albums are patchy in quality save for the obvious classics (and one of them - Arthur - is a patchy effort). Still, they had more than their fair share of amazing tunes.

Jim Morrison was a dick blah blah blah we all know this. Nevertheless, the Doors greatest hits album is always a good listen. Never been enticed to explore them further, even though I have their debut and Strange Days lying around somewhere.

I've really tried to enjoy Flaming Lips, but I've always found them a bit boring.

never listened to Machine Head.

The Pogues are really good, although funnily enough, I have never liked Fairytale Of New York. It's far too syrupy andlush in its production, and Kirsty MacColl annoys me.

I really like Motorhead. Just because of the sound. They're quite unique.

Mew are alright. I went to see them with a girl I fancied once. For that reason I pretended to be a fan. I actually know very little about them.

Oasis are shit and embarassing. Slade without the sense of humour. Although I do like Stand By Me.

Never really listened to No Doubt aside from the singles that were getting played everywhere. They didn't make me want to investigate them further (plus, I was like 8 at the time, so investigating a band further was the last thing on my mind).

I quite like Thickfreakness by the Black Keys, and I like the tune with the funny guitar sound from Brothers. That's all I know by them though.

I like Mastodon, and I have all their albums. This is kind of at odds with my general tastes.

Alestorm. lol. All the big fatties with stupid beards like Alestorm.

Rilo Kiley are quite dull and pedestrian. breakin Up and Dejalo are really good though.

Dunno Blind Guardian.

The Offspring are good for making me feel like I'm 11 or something. Which is nice. Perhaps.

Manic Street Preachers have had a ton of good songs - mainly singles. I like them. I like how they are about 40 and still think their music is going to change things. It's sweet and naive.

Elvis Costello is alright.

Pixies are nowhere near as good as everyone says they are. Still good though.

Jimi Hendrix is bloody brilliant. Fantastic, soulful guitar player who can solo without being too boring and widdly (a la Malmstein or Vai), an underrated singer, one of the best interpreter's of other people's songs. And his own songs were pretty good too.

Nightwish. never listened to them. Don't intend to.

Ditto Sevendust.

I keep meaning to listen to Tool. I hate A Perfect Circle but seemingly Tool are better.

Never listened to Rob Zombie.

Wu Tang Clan are cool.

I love Miles Davis. Kind of Blue is amazing and flawless as everyone knows. It deserves it's ubiquity, and is easily my favourite Miles Davis album. There's loads of other good ones though, and Sketches of Spain (to name just one), ran KoB pretty close. I love Miles Davis. Even his hip hop stuff. Well, some of it.

I like Blink-182 for nostalgia reasons. Couldn't comprehend listening to them now though. Especially not their new stuff.

Ramones are good fun and iconic and so on and so forth. Some excellent tunes.

Aerosmith are awful with an awful singer and awful fans. In spite of this, I like a couple of tunes. But only a couple.

Johnny Cash is great obvs.

I'm over my Queen hate phase. They had a lot of good catchy tunes, and two good albums (Greatest Hits I and Greatest Hits II) That's all the concerns me.

I listened to Dookie recently. So called "classic album". And every tune is pretty much indetical. It is boring! Green Day are boring! And their new(ish) album where they've turned into Snow Patrol or something is even worse. Actually, going back to Dookie, Basket Case and When I Come Around are still really good.

Black sabbath have great songs. And they just sound great too. I like putting them on at work on a Sunday morning.

Brand New have a couple of good songs. Mainly shit though.

I prefer Iggy Pop solo, but I'll never turn away the Stooges. Great band.

I only know Maybe I'll Catch Fire by Alkaline Trio. I like it.

The Killers are alright.

I only really know Rain Dogs and The Heart of Saturday night by Tom Waits. I love both though, particularly Rain Dogs.

Dunno the Misfits.

QOTSA are alright. I like In The Fade and Go With The Flow.

Ben Folds Five first album is amazing. it's a case of dimishing returns from there on, with Ben Folds solo being mainly boring and MOR and Coldplayesque.

I like Guns n' Roses. I love Appetite for Destruction. in spite of myself, I even like some of the more over the top parts from the Use Your Illusions.

SOAD are shit.

AS are Pearl Jam.

The Clash made three good albums (the first three). The way in which they are deified and held to be something special, or rebels really annoys me though. it's totally ersatz.

Bob Dylan is brilliant. I even like some of his shit albums! I even enjoyed seeing him live!

The Smiths are one of the best bands ever. They barely put a foot wrong.

Blur had some good songs but are mostly boring and derivative - even more so when they try not to be boring and derivative.

Arctic Monkeys first album is good. I like the first two albums BECAUSE I WAS THERE MAN. Third album they did was boring. Their most recent has been difficult for me to get into because of the dreadful lyrics.

I like Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits. Couldn't stomach a full album though.

Paramore. lol.

I like Weezer's debut a lot. Dunno much else.

Los Campesinos are okay...but #24? Crazy! They have released to many albums in a short space of time. If they held back on some of the shit I would probably like them more.

Led Zeppelin are good if you listen to the odd song here and there. My general rule is that I don't like bands who use double necked guitars though. Sorry Argent!

velvet Underground are good. Some people need to realise that some of their tunes aren't amazing, avant-garde and experimental though. Some of their tunes are just pointless rackets. But most of their music is really good though. I'll pretend European Song doesn't exist. As usual.

I like Arcade Fire. Wonderful live.

I used to like Muse. But now their early stuff annoys me because it is so whiny.

Leonard Cohen is really good. I like him even more now because he has turned into a cheery old man. Which is sweet.

David Bowie is excellent. Should be far higher.

I have a soft spot for Red Hot Chili Peppers cause I listened to them a lot when I was younger. I still really like their cover of Sly Stone's If You Want Me To Stay.

Frank Turner is mostly dull.

Linkin Park will always be shit, no matter how much they try and "grow up".

Avenged Sevenfold are shit and bad at music.

So is Eminem.

White Stripes are alright. Definitely the best of Jack Stripe's many (but not especially varied) projects.

I like Gorillaz. The Fall is BAAAAAAD though.

I tried to like Nine Inch Nails, i really did. Unfortunately they are really boring and Trezza Rezza cannot do music.

Iron Maiden. Great fun!

What is with EWB's constant Gaslight Anthem hard on? Okay, first two albums were quite good, but ONLY QUITE GOOD. New one is shit so they ultimately have minus points. I did meet brian Fallon once though. He was a delight. Very nice man.

Kanye West is really good.

Radiohead are mainly shit. I think I like the Bends though. They lack the experimental nous to do experimental music properly. PEOPLE NEED TO REALISE THIS. King of Limbs was dire - a worse album than Spirit by Leona Lewis. AND I HATE SPIRIT BY LEONA LEWIS.

I have never really enjoyed a Foo Fighters album. I only liked their Greatest Hits. Then their new album came along, and confounded me a bit. it is good! I am odds with people who say Dave Grohl is a lovely guy and so on. The only time I've really seen him talk was in the Lemmy film, and he came across as a right cock in that. DAVE IT IS CALLED LEMMY BECAUSE IT IS A FILM ABOUT LENNY, IT IS NOT A FILM ABOUT DAVE GROHL.

Biffy Clyro! They are okay really, and if I were to put my ridiculous pro-Biffy bias aside, the only genuinely good album they have made is Puzzle. Still, they are pretty much the only band from my hometown! They are all three of them Kilmarnock fans! The bassist walks his dog in my local park! The drummer sends his kid to my dad's school. Local heroes! Love them!

Metallica are shit, but I like bits here and there.

Nirvana are really good. Really good. But they should not be anywhere near number two! And whoever thinks that Live on MTV is an amazing album is stupid.

The Beatles are obvious winners. And deserving. You do get people who try and be contrary who say "such and such is better than the Beatles". Those people are wrong. And to settle the whole "Beatles are overrated!" thing: Beatles up to and including Rubber Soul are underrated, Beatles afterwards are overrated. They were best from 1963-1965. http://www.davidhepworth.com/feature.html

Cher Lloyd should have won anyway.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Should have a what?

[METALMAN]

*won

you are so cheeky!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I AAAAAAAAAAAAM! ^_^

[Matt]

OK, so I mistakenly thought these votes hadn't been done, so I ended up going through and adding all the votes up... Fortunately it wasn't a complete waste of time as I did use YI's system to total up the votes which produced some slightly different results. I also think GoGo didn't count someone's votes (probably Canary4life) as Foo Fighters should have scored 94 from 12 ballots putting them above Metallica and Papa Roach doesn't appear at all on GoGo's list for some reason, despite them scoring enough to come joint 41st. Anyway, here's how the results would look if we'd used YI's Points*NumberOfVotes method, position in GoGo's results in brackets.

1. Nirvana (2)

2. Beatles (1)

3. Foo Fighters (4)

4. Kanye West (7)

5. Radiohead (6)

6. Metallica (3)

7. Biffy Clyro (4)

8. Gaslight Anthem (8)

9. Gorillaz (11)

10. Iron Maiden (9)

11. Frank Turner (16)

12. Linkin Park (15)

13. Avenged Sevenfold (14)

14. Red Hot Chili Peppers (17)

15. David Bowie (18)

=16. Eminem (12)

=16. White Stripes (12)

18. Led Zeppelin (23)

19. Blur (29)

20. Muse (19)

=21. Arcade Fire (21)

=21. Nine Inch Nails (10)

23. Velvet Underground (22)

24. Leonard Cohen (19)

25. Weezer (25)

26. Arctic Monkeys (28)

27. Smashing Pumpkins (27)

=28. Bob Dylan (30)

=28. The Clash (30)

=28. Pearl Jam (30)

=28. The Smiths (30)

32. System of a Down (34)

=33. Queens of the Stone Age (36)

=33. Ben Folds Five (36)

35. Los Campesinos (24)

36. Misfits (38)

=37. Brand New (43)

=37. Killers (40)

39. Paramore (26)

40. Johnny Cash (47)

=41. Blink-182 (49)

=41. Ramones (49)

=43. Green Day (45)

=43. Guns N Roses (35)

=45. Alkaline Trio (41)

=45. Papa Roach (DNP)

47. Black Sabbath (44)

48. Aerosmith (48)

49. Wu-Tang Clan (54)

=50. Jimi Hendrix (57)

=50. The Pixies (57)

Others of note:

53. Skindred (74)

54. Flaming Lips (73)

=55. My Chemical Romance (90)

=55. Tom Waits (39)

=58. Queen (45)

=62. Limp Bizkit (DNP)

69. Megadeth (90)

=73. Boards of Canada (DNP)

=73. Kaiser Chiefs (DNP)

=73. Bon Jovi (DNP)

[GoGo Yubari]

Yeah, I was confused when you noted that my result for Foo Fighters was different but the canary4life thing probably did impact that. I don't count the votes of members who are banned by the time I'm actually tallying, as they're not part of EWB anymore and the results are meant to reflect EWB's tastes.

[Matt]

But getting Foo Fighters an additional 11 points was the only good thing Canary4Life ever did :/ I'm not sure how Papa Roach didn't get enough points to get into the top 99 though, there were 3 people voted for them and Kirkland gave them 15.

Edit to say: I would have probably removed Canary4life too had I done the tallying up anywhere near the time that the votes were made, but for all I can remember he may well have been around until 6 months after the votes were done.

[GoGo Yubari]

I imagine he was banned between when the original votes were (last summer) and when I actually tallied the votes (last winter).

Not sure on Papa Roach either. I might have blocked them out of my mind or missed a set of votes due to ignore function.

[gunnar hendershow]

Hey guys nevermind this, it's time for the 2012 list.

[GoGo Yubari]

It's also apparently time for the scariest avatar on EWB.

[gunnar hendershow]

It's also apparently time for the scariest avatar on EWB.

I'm just here to represent the spirit of that great American cowboy, John Wayne Gacey. Native of my hometown of Waterloo, Iowa.