EWB's Top 100 Artists of 2012

[gunnar hendershow]

Rubber Factory is the album I most remember enjoying.

[SRN]

rRubber Factory, gutys!

[livid]

rRubber Factory, gutys!

So much for being able to type better than Lukie when drunk huh?

Anyways, as someone who had them #1, I'm pleased The Black Keys made it this high, though I'm pretty surprised they're this high myself.

I don't understand how anybody could flat out hate them though and figured the worst reaction would be "eh, they're alright" so Apsham's reaction is a bit surprising. I do understand why some fans of their previous work are probably less than impressed with their newer stuff but I still find their newer stuff to be really good too. They've obviously tweaked their sound (in large part to put on a better show at the bigger venues they're playing now) but it still feels like the same band and a lot of bands that get bigger don't sound anything like they did when they first started.

[METALMAN]

I don't have anything against a band changing their sound to be honest. In fact, it's actually a bit boring when a band keep on doing the same thing year after year. So it's cool th Black Keys changed a bit. But it hasn't massively changed my opinion of them.

[gunnar hendershow]

Alright. I'm going to do the top 2 together since I think most people can predict who they are.

First, introducing band number 2, GoGo Yubari!

As a Seattle kid who listened to alternative radio in the '90s/early '00s, I know all too well about the Nirvana hype train. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is inescapable, showing up on Top Songs lists and being used as lazy shorthand for music in the early '90s, and Kurt Cobain, for a certain period of time, almost became a nauseatingly mythical figure, The Tragic Genius Who Couldn't Handle Fame.

So it goes without saying that that being put on a pedestal in music leads to the accusation of Nirvana being overrated. And while I will grant that the hype is immense and gets tiresome sometimes, I still strongly feel like that's bullshit. "Nirvana is so overrated" has become such a calling card of internet discussions that if anything, they're kind of underrated now. And instead of getting into hyperbole, I'll just state a few songs (original and covers) that I like and are worth listening to; "Love Buzz," "In Bloom," "Marigold," "Drain You," "Serve the Servants," and especially "About a Girl."

But the best thing about Nirvana wasn't even the music. Instead, it was what they did with their unlikely fame. During their three years of popularity as an active band, they wore their influences on their sleeve and used their fame to bring attention to the work of the likes of The Vaselines, the Meat Puppets, Leadbelly, and Shonen Knife. Kurt Cobain recorded a collaboration with William S. Burroughs, because why not? And if I ever need a good laugh, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0MzeMfcGxA, blatantly poor miming and Kurt doing a bad Morrissey impression and all, never disappoints.

Nirvana was like that kid in high school who sat in the back of class and probably has a fucked-up home life but it doesn't matter because he knows all the coolest bands and movies that you've never heard of and always has a perfectly prepared, above-it-all one liner for any occasion. Nirvana's the kind of band that seriously went to a Guns N Roses show one night because they were bored and wanted to laugh at hard rock at its most pompous. They stuck to their guns, made the music they wanted to make, and my biggest regret is that they didn't last longer because I would have been fascinated to see what comes next. Few bands could be forgiven for being indirectly responsible for the existence of Puddle of Mudd. Nirvana is one of them. Back to you, damshow.

#2 - NIRVANA

(600 points | 8 votes)

And Matt with a write-up about this year's winner.

Foo Fighters started in 1994 when Dave Grohl decided to record the songs he'd written whilst a member of Nirvana. Initially the band was going to be an anonymous project, similar to Pocketwatch, but when the cassettes of the self-titled album caused a stir, Grohl decided to form a band to tour the album. 2 years later and Dave was back in the studio with a full band recording their second album "The Colour and The Shape".

The band's lineup has seen some changes throughout the years but for the most part the line-up was Dave Grohl, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins until Pat Smear rejoined the band in 2006, making Foo Fighters a 5 piece band.

Foo Fighters have had many hits over their 7 albums including "Rope", "Best of You", "My Hero", "The Pretender", "All My Life" and "Everlong". Their last album "Wasting Light", recorded entirely on analogue tape in Dave Grohl's garage, debuted at number one in 11 countries and the band currently have 11 Grammy awards, making them the 4th most successful band in the history of the Grammy awards.

#1 - FOO FIGHTERS

(664 points | 8 votes)

So... congrats to Dave Grohl?

[LittleDaniel]

Dave Grohl seems like a nice guy and all, but I've always been really bored of the Foo Fighters.

[gunnar hendershow]

Foo Fighters have always just been there for me. I don't actively seek out their stuff, I'm not repulsed at anything, if they were playing live at a festival I was attending I'd probably go and watch them. It doesn't surprise me they won because most rock bands that have huge followings generally fall under that same standard for me.

[GoGo Yubari]

Foo Fighters aren't the least deserving winner we've ever had. That being said, they've been making really boring rock for like eight years now. That being said, they are responsible for "Aurora" and that's one of my absolute favorite songs. Dave Grohl does seem like a genuinely awesome guy, though.

Jesus, did Gorillaz not even make the list this year? What the fuck is that? Why can't all the non-the pillows artists that I vote big for make the list at the same time?

[livid]

Technically Grohl even had a third band on the list earlier since he's been apart of Queens of the Stone Age off and on.

Count me as someone who finds Foo Fighters to be pretty boring too,other than a song or two. And while I enjoy Nirvana, they would ever come close to being on my list. Neither of them are Muse though so I have no real complaints.

[Your Mom]

Nice top 3 I always regret that I was too young to see Nirvana live. I did manage to see Foo Fighters though and that was a great show.

Even though my top pick didn't make it which I kind of figured I'm happy that 10 of my 15 made it on the list.

[Benjamin]

Foo Fighters are great. Don't care what people say, I liked their recent stuff as well, though I've only heard singles mostly. Walk and Pretender are damn good songs. Weird that they won, though, didn't know EWB liked them.

Wow, this list was pretty 'Srar', wasn't it? When I saw her list, I didn't expect many to make it as it seemed that they weren't talked about often by EWB, but here they are.

Nirvana aren't my thing, I've only liked In Bloom.

So I guess I was the only one that voted for Placebo sucks they didn't even place.

[METALMAN]

How dully predictable.

I like Nirvana. They made three good album and they have some cracking tunes. The whole Nirvana myth bores me though. Kurt Cobain is responsible for some good tunes but I don't give a toss about him or anything else he's done.

Foo Fighters are okay. I own their Greatest Hits. It is a good album. I used to have a lot more Foo Fighters stuff but I got shot of it. I don't need it.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Probot's way better than Foo Fighters.

[Jimmy]

I appreciate Foo Fighters and I think Dave's the fucking man, but they just don't do it for me. I don't regret not catching them at Reading (well, I saw Monkey Wrench which was really good), but I just find 'em a bit bland. But they do have a bunch of good songs.

Need to listen to non-Nevermind Nirvana stuff, but I'm a big fan of that album.

Good job with the list!

[New Damage]

I appreciate Foo Fighters and I think Dave's the fucking man, but they just don't do it for me. I don't regret not catching them at Reading (well, I saw Monkey Wrench which was really good), but I just find 'em a bit bland. But they do have a bunch of good songs.

Need to listen to non-Nevermind Nirvana stuff, but I'm a big fan of that album.

Good job with the list!

Possibly one of the best Nirvana songs is Aneurysm, which was on their b-sides album Incesticide. Why it wasn't on a proper album is baffling. If you like simple, punky riffs (a la Breed from Nevermind), check it out, along with Dive from the same album.

[jack95]

Good work on the list damshow! I'm pretty sure my top four were The Smiths, Johnny Cash, Laura Marling and Frank Turner, so I'm pleased to see them all chart. I'm not a massive fan of the top three, but on the whole I think that is a satisfying and diverse list.

[RPS]

EWB doesn't care about black people.

[METALMAN]

Black people don't care about EWB

[Josh]

I like Foo Fighters and Nirvana. Not enough to rank them 1 and 2, but I like them.

Next time around, we gotta get Talking Heads in the Top 5 and Johnny Cash to #1.

[SRN]

Next time around, we gotta get Talking Heads in the Top 5 and Johnny Cash to #1.

I agree with this.