Best of 2008: PopMatters, USA Today

The website PopMatters has released their annual lists of the best albums and tracks in a number of different genres and USA Today has let their critics do the talking with their favorites for the year.

What is interesting in these lists (other than the usual subjects like Lucinda Williams and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) are the first mentions of albums by Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg which were critically aclaimed but seemed to be forgotten over the course of the year.

It's also nice to see veteran artists take the top two spots on both the R&B and Country lists.

PopMatters Top 60 Albums

• 1. Third - Portishead
  
• 2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
  
• 3. Dear Science - TV on the Radio
  
• 18. Accelerate - R.E.M.
  
• 34. Little Honey - Lucinda Williams
  
• 36. Lay It Down - Al Green
  
• 44. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
  

PopMatters Top 50 Singles

• 1. American Boy - Estelle featuring Kanye West
  
• 2. Gobbledigook - Sigur Ros
  
• 3. Time to Pretend - MGMT
  
• 24. Supernatural Superserious - R.E.M.
  
• 43. Rarity - Lucinda Williams

PopMatters Top 20 Re-issues

• 1. Brotherhood / Low-Life / Movement / Power Corruption & Lies / Technique - New Order
  
• 2. Hootenanny / Let It Be / Pleased to Meet Me / Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash / Stink / Tim - Replacements
  
• 3. Nah Und Fern - Gas
  
• 5. Pacific Ocean Blue - Dennis Wilson
  
• 6. Jesus of Cool - Nick Lowe
  
• 7. Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Rare and Unreleased 1989-2006 - Bob Dylan
  
• 9. Dazzle Ships - Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
  
• 11. Forever Changes (Collector's Edition) - Love
  
• 18. Stormcock - Roy Harper

PopMatters Top 10 R&B Albums

• 1. Back to Now - Labelle
• 2. Lay it Down - Al Green
• 3. A Woman's Touch - Angela Johnson

PopMatters Top 10 Country Albums

• 1. The Unreleased Recordings - Hank Williams
• 2. At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition - Johnny Cash
• 3. The Good Life - Justin Townes Earle
• 10. Around the Bend - Randy Travis
  

PopMatters Top 10 Americana Albums

• 1. Heart of Stone - Chris Knight
• 2. Carried to Dust - Calexico
• 3. Real Animal - Alejandro Escovedo
• 8. Little Honey - Lucinda Williams
• 9. Live Cactus! - Joe Ely & Joel Guzman

PopMatters Top 15 Jazz Albums

• 1. Invisible Cinema - Aaron Parks
• 2. Gently Distrubed - Avishai Cohen Trio
• 3. Duologue - Eri Yamamoto
• 7. Two Men With The Blues - Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis

PopMatters Top 10 Singer-Songwriter Albums

• 1. Crossing Dragon Bridge - Steve Wynn
• 2. I Know You're Married But I Have Feelings Too - Martha Wainwright
• 3. Gift of Screws - Lindsey Buckingham
• 5. Rain - Joe Jackson
• 7. Notes From the Underground - Elliott Murphy
• 8. Harps & Angels - Randy Newman
• 10. Mr. Love & Justice - Billy Bragg

USA Today's 15 Favorite Tracks (Unordered)

• Love's a Mystery - Pretenders
• Losing You - Randy Newman
• Did You Miss Me - Lindsey Buckingham
• Rock 'N Roll Train - AC/DC

USA Today's Critics Top Albums (Critic & Ranking)

• Momofuku - Elvis Costello & the Imposters (Ken Barnes/1, Edna Gunderson/3)
• Coal - Kathy Mattea (Ken Barnes/4, Brian Mansfield/3)
• Mr. Love & Justice - Billy Bragg (Brian Mansfield/5)