Comments on comments on comments

I've already had some compliments inside the building (or compound) about your song and album lists, so take them as a collective pat on the back to your good taste.

And already there have been some good comments on my lists that I appreciate -- the ones that agree with my selections, of course, and, equally, the ones that question them or point out some glaring omissions.

So, thanks, David, for reminding me about Little Big Town, which came out in October 2005 but really was discovered by most people this year and certainly should have been included in my best albums list.

Same to Bridget for mentioning Jon Randall. His album also came out in 2005, but was delayed so many times before it was finally released that I had no idea when it was from, except I knew it wasn't on my checksheet for 2006. It has some great songs on it, including the original Whisky Lullaby, which Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss did such a spectacular job on.

The Sister of Don Francisco, who's one of the most astute and articulate regular commenters on my other blog, Idol Chatter, was wondering what in the name of Simon Cowell I was thinking when I listed Carrie Underwood's trivial Diane Warren-written pop tune Some Hearts instead of some of the more thoughtful, mature, well-written country songs on her album that are much better showcases for her voice.

That's a perfectly legitimate question, to which my answer would be I wasn't thinking about the lyrics or her vocals or anything except how much of a sucker I am for that great, surging pop chorus on the song, which I've liked ever since Marshall Crenshaw did it back in 1989. I'm a pop junkie, can't help it; a good chorus will get me every time.

Have a great New Year. We'll have some end-of-the-year airplay and sales stats next week, and then we'll be done with 2006 and ready for a year of new music and associated capers.

Your top albums of the year

Your albums list had more consensus than the songs, as you'd expect. (There are a lot fewer albums out there, for one thing.) The winner was a bit of a surprise, but an agreeable one, I think most of you would say. Here, then, are your top 10 albums:

1. Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not: They're brash, they're British, they use long titles: What's not to like?

2. Bob Dylan, Modern Times: Good to see he's still connecting powerfully after all this time.

3. Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers: Good to see the Jack White magic wand giving the underappreciated Brendan Benson a lift.

4. Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere: This, as well as Dylan and the A-Monkeys, were pretty strong contenders for our critics' top album as well.

5. Thom Yorke, The Eraser: Alas, poor Yorke, he didn't hit No. 1, but this is a fine showing nonetheless.

6. Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way: They've divided opinion here more than anyone this year, and here's another opportunity ...

7. Decemberists, The Crane Wife: I'm happy to see this challenging but highly rewarding act get this sort of recognition.

8. Justin Timberlake, Futuresex/Lovesounds: I halfway agree; it's the other half of the album that irks me.

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium: Richly deserved; their best album, if you ask me.

10. (tie) Keane, Under the Iron Sea and Snow Patrol, Eyes Open: I could have cast a tiebreaker vote, but they're such a great matched pair, I think they both should be represented. They certainly could be lumped among the "children of Coldplay," but when bands can pull off this majestically sweeping mega-pop so skillfully, that's more than enough.

Your best songs of the year

This was a surpassingly successful exercise in cultural diversity. You folks -- at least the ones who cared to vote -- weren't even close to a consensus. Part of that may be my doing -- I deliberately didn't present any best-of lists to work from, whether from the charts or from my own infallible taste. (Kidding, although if I were serious, maybe I could call myself the Pope of Pop. Or maybe not.)

Anyway, there were hundreds of individual songs nominated, but very little duplication. So if the following top 10 seems kind of random, well, it is. Here goes, with opinionated annotations from me:

1. Gnarls Barkley, Crazy: Agreement! That, as you no doubt recall, was our critics' pick for song of the year as well. Hard to argue with.

2. Fray, How to Save a Life: One of the band's two hits that made this top 10 -- obviously they're reaching people.

3. Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten: To me, a slick pop record whose craft I can admire, but it sounds too much like Alanis Jr. for my taste.

4. Camera Obscura, Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken: The indie-pop contingent makes its presence felt. This is a great record, and I can't believe that I, the Lloyd Cole fan of longstanding, forgot to put it on my list. (See, I knew I'd be forgetting tons of stuff.)

5. Beyonce, Irreplaceable: Well-deserved; this will live as one of her classics.

6. Raconteurs, Steady, as She Goes: The only thing I don't like about this song is the pointless comma after Steady, and considering the meticulously detail-oriented Jack White is involved, there's probably a reason for that, too. Hope we hear more from them.

7. Daniel Powter, Bad Day: Wasn't this on the worst song list, too? Definitely one of those ubiquitous, love-it-or-hate-it pop tunes.

8. Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats: Good to get a country song in here, even if it is kind of on the psycho side lyrically.

9. Fray, Over My Head (Cable Car): Even after months of airplay, this still perks up my ears on the radio.

10. Mat Kearney, Nothing Left to Lose: This one escaped me during the year (have to check it out), but he certainly has his fans.

Thanks for your enthusiastic participation. Your top albums coming up in an hour or so.

Change of plans

Because of a misplaced promo in the paper, it looks as if your best song and best album choices need to go up today, and I will compile them ASAP.

Meanwhile, looking over my lists of best songs, I realized there was a third huge category that I didn't list. (Don't worry, I won't subject you to it.) If you took any one of my top albums, you can assume that there are anywhere from two to half a dozen songs on each that would qualify on my best songs list. But I didn't want to be overly redundant and concentrate too much on those particular artists, so songs from my best-album list are mostly absent. (I think a Dixie Chicks song snuck in because it was one of the year's big AC hits, and a Lloyd Cole song snuck in because I'm inconsistent.) So just know, there are a lot more of my favorite songs that aren't listed.

My top songs, part 2

First of all, your choices for best songs and albums of the year will be posted Friday morning. So go ahead and nominate more of your favorites Thursday; I'll let you know when a cutoff is imminent.

Now, for the rest of my top songs. This is the tricky part. It's easy to go down a bunch of song lists and pick out the ones I liked best, as I did for part 1 of this personal-best list. But I don't have a good record-keeping system for the hundreds of songs I liked this year that weren't chartbusters. Since we started playlists in the paper, I've been jotting down all the songs I think are list-worthy, but that's only since September-October, so I fear this list will be heavy on more recent songs, and I know I'll be forgetting a lot of favorites. I also can't swear these are all 2006 songs, because often I'm really late in listening to stuff. I heard 'em all in 2006, though.

But enough hemming and hawing. An alphabetical list of the non-hit songs I do remember follows.

Better late than never: Nas is this week's top seller

Apologies for the lateness of this news, but after herculean efforts, Nielsen SoundScan assembled the top 200 chart and other related statistical info in time to make it for today. (The original plan was to delay the results until tomorrow.)

Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead belied its title by selling 355,000 copies and making a Billboard chart debut at No. 1, but it was a close thing. The Hannah Montana soundtrack, doubtless deemed a nifty gift during the week (whose last day, for tallying purposes, was Christmas Eve), sold 349,000.

The rest of the top 10 comprised Now 23, Carrie Underwood, The Beatles, the debut of Bow Wow's Price of Fame, Josh Groban, Daughtry, Justin Timberlake and Akon. Details (such as actual sales), facts and trivial pursuits follow.

My top songs

Here's a list of my top songs of 2006, just for your reference (or whatever else you want to do with it, anything from displaying awe for my insights -- always recommended -- to registering contempt for my lameness to ignoring the whole thing).

Like the albums list, it'll be alphabetical, but divided into two sections: hits (meaning songs that got significant airplay) and non-hits (which, looking at the hit list so far, will need to be a separate post). Also, I can pick a No. 1, although it qualifies under a technicality, having come out before 2006 but only becoming a British hit this year. That would be Nerina Pallot's Everybody's Gone to War, which I highlighted on a playlist earlier this year. It's political, and we know how that divides the constituency here, but more important (in this blog's context, anyway), it's a magnificent pop record, one that still hasn't left my forebrain after months of physical and mental replays.

A lengthy roster of other favorites follows.

New sales numbers coming soon

It appears we will get fresh SoundScan numbers today in time for a late afternoon (ET) post. (If you saw anything on the topic at Billboard.com -- which has now been pulled down -- or elsewhere, it's based on preliminary numbers based in turn on incomplete data, so the numbers will change.)

For your perusal, amusement, derision, etc: My top albums

Because my usual sales report is delayed a day (it will appear tomorrow), I'm switching things around a bit. I'm still compiling your top albums and songs of the year (nominations still eligible if you act fast), but I realized I hadn't mentioned mine, except for the five that appeared in our year-end list. And actually, on any given day, those five could switch their order, and some could fall out of the top 5 entirely, depending on my whims.

So I have a list of around 30 albums that I used as a starting point. I'll run it down in alphabetical order, because those everchanging whims of mine prevent me from devising any semi-valid numerical ordering. The list follows.

Dennis Linde: Stellar songwriter dies

James Brown dominated the music news over the holiday, as well he should have, but I wanted to take some time out to acknowledge the passing of songwriter extraordinaire Dennis Linde, who died last Friday at age 63.

His career bookends of sorts, Burning Love, the Elvis Presley hit, and Goodbye Earl, the Dixie Chicks classic, would be enough to merit major honors (which, as the obit linked to above notes, he did receive). But he wrote tons more songs, some hits (Had a Dream by The Judds), some not (his own early single Ballad of a Blood Crazed Trained Killer). He wrote songs for greats of the rock 'n' roll '50s (Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison) and country stars galore (Don Williams, Tanya Tucker, Garth Brooks -- who covered Linde's song for New Grass Revival, Callin' Baton Rouge -- Mark Chesnutt, Reba McEntire), and also had songs cut by the likes of Steve Earle and British R&B rockers Dr. Feelgood.  His immense wit and unique storytelling approach will be missed.

Beyonce reigns over holiday

Beyonce's Irreplaceable celebrated its fourth week at No. 1 on the national radio airplay chart, according to Nielsen BDS and Arbitron data. The chart, covering radio airplay from Dec. 19-25, is at its most Christmas-music-intensive, which cut into the potential growth for many songs. Next week, which encompasses New Year's Eve and Day, will also likely be sluggish, what with the preponderance of year-end countdowns distorting the results. After that, huge upheavals may well occur.

In any case, the rest of the top 10 was Akon & Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake (My Love), Akon & Eminem, Bow Wow, Ciara, Fergie, Jim Jones, The Fray, and (the one newcomer) Lloyd's You.

More detailed stats and analysis, plus a look at the frightening extent of the Invasion of the Christmas Chestnuts, follow.

Readers correct us

A short post, directed at those who commented that the James Brown mug shot was inappropriate in the timeline of his life. You're right. Wish I could pull it out of the paper, but it's now removed from the timeline. Thanks for speaking up.

Critics choose best and worst

You've already nominated your worst songs of the year and you're continuing to suggest your best songs and albums (at least I trust you are), but check out our critics' (including me) picks -- best album (plus individual top 5 lists), best song, worst song (hint: It will not surprise you) and a selection of sincere and sardonic superlatives. And, of course, let me know if you think we're rockin' -- or off our rockers.

A little more James Brown

Just wanted to link to a couple of other James Brown-related features we put together Monday -- a timeline of his life and Steve Jones' list of key Brown songs (very similar to mine, through sheer coincidence, or shared tastes) and albums.

Couple of quick notes

It's really touching to read the comments about James Brown, and to see the wide range of music lovers he affected. As for the few who have chosen to take the low road with your comments, it's time to chill. Debate the merits of the music if you like, but it would be good to leave the personal attacks out of it.

Also, for the uncounted millions of fans who thrill to the weekly SoundScan sales report every Wednesday, well, owing to the Christmas holiday, it will be a day late this week, appearing Thursday, same website, same blog. This has been a public disservice announcement.

James Brown: A 20th-century giant

You would be hard-pressed to find a more influential figure in American 20th-century music than James Brown, who died Christmas morning at 73. More than Elvis, arguably more than Dylan, maybe even more than The Beatles, he had a more direct effect on the way music developed, his rhythms  and stripped-down grooves foreshadowing and influencing soul, funk, disco and hip-hop. 

So many of his songs were true classics, and Steve Jones has listed a number of the most influential. I'll just list a bunch that were special favorites of mine:

The Bells -- doowop wrenched to a new, eerie dimension.

Night Train -- I used to be able to quote the litany of cities from memory.

I Don't Mind -- Impassioned wailing, well covered by The Who.

Out of Sight -- This and Papa's Got a Brand New Bag were the hippest things around.

It's a Man's Man's Man's World -- Breathtaking arrangement (Alicia Keys sure thought so), equally breathtaking sexism, but all in all a gorgeous song.

Money Won't Change You -- As tough as it gets.

Cold Sweat -- Where the funk revolution truly begins.

Mother Popcorn -- Truly a mother.

Super Bad -- Title says it all.

Get Up (I Feel Like Being Like a Sex Machine) -- Unbelievable groove, but what's up with that extra "Like"?

And so, so many more ... It's a cliche, but we'll truly never see his like again.

A few comments, plus best holiday wishes

I'm out of here for a gargantuan three-day (as opposed to two-day) weekend -- I get Friday, Saturday and for a special bonus, Christmas Eve, but not Christmas -- there's a paper to put out the next day. Poor, poor pitiful me, to quote Warren Zevon, or alternatively, my my and a-boo hoo (Iggy Pop).

I expect you will have many other attractive options competing for your time and attention over the holiday weekend (and best wishes to all for a happy one), but if you have a spare moment and want to jot down either your favorite songs or favorite albums of the year (or both) and post them here, that would be swell. The album list is shaping up pretty impressively, but of course, given the diversity of musical tastes inhabiting this virtual community, it's all over the place. So I'm curious to see some more nominations.

Finally, Markus had an airplay question: "How about Fantasia, Hood Boy? is it on the Top 50?

Actually, Fantasia's experiencing her frequent problem of not crossing over: Hood Boy's not even on the all-format top 100. It is rolling along at No. 28 (up from 38) on this week's (Dec. 23) R&B/Hip-Hop chart in Billboard, but it's far from a sure thing that she'll be able to bust out onto other format charts.

Your best albums of the year

As suggested by Matt in Milwaukee, it would probably ease a bit of congestion and confusion if I established a new thread for your best-album nominations. Anything you want within reasonable chronological limits -- reissues as well as current albums are OK, as obscure or prominent as you like. I know there are extremely wide-ranging tastes out there among you all, so it will be fascinating to see what albums emerge from the pack.

A Christmas bonus

In addition to Steve Jones' playlist, published Tuesday, Brian Mansfield offers a Christmas bonus list. Meanwhile, in lists that you're compiling or voting for, keep the best songs nominations coming in -- right now there's a huge list of songs but very little consensus, so I'm hoping a longer voting period will establish some clear favorites.  Also, let me know your favorite albums of the year, and we'll put together a list of those as well.

Meanwhile, here's Brian's list of out-of-the-ordinary holiday music:

O Holy Night, Troy Andrews, et al.: The Dec. 4 episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip featured a gorgeous rendition of this song by trumpeter Troy Andrews and other New Orleans musicians. It's available from the NBC website.

Christmas on the Beach, Irene: Swedish pop-rockers bring a little of the Phil Spector sound to this ode to sand and starlight.

The Finest Gifts, Bullette & Hangnail Phillips: Delaware singer/songwriter Monika Bullette's website has several Christmas tunes, including this original duet from 2004.

Christmas Reindeer, The Knife: This icily electronic oddity from a Swedish brother-and-sister duo has been the holiday hit of the indie-rock blogosphere.

Another Christmas at Home, Eux Autres: This brother-and-sister duo hails from Portland, Ore., and offers up a shuffling indie-rock tune about returning home for the holidays.

Super Sharp Santa, Amillionsons: This British trio brings a drum 'n' bass beat to the holidays.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Aaron Shust: Contemporary Christian singer Shust brings a Middle Eastern vibe to this 15th-century French carol. (Note: Though this track is free, you will have to register to download it.)

Glorious, Wonderful Emmanuel, Brandon Heath: You have to sign up for this contemporary Christian singer/songwriter's mailing list to access this download, but if you want a lovely new song about the birth of Jesus, it's worth it.

Morning Star, The Brantley Family Band: The Brantleys, a husband-and-wife team in Durham, N.C., have posted online Christmas albums for each of the past three years, and you can still download them all from their website, including this gentle instrumental.

Carpenters Christmas (Karen Meets Roots Radics Uptown), Go Home Productions: The great British mash-up artist Mark Vidler seamlessly blends Karen Carpenter's performance of Sleigh Ride (as well as some Carpenters hits) into a dub-reggae background. While you're at his site, don't miss Christmas in Boston, which combines Boston's More Than a Feeling with The Beatles and Greg Lake, and Christmas on the Block, featuring J-Lo and Paul McCartney.

The Christmas Massacre of Charlie Brown, DJ John: California mix master DJ John does a number on Vince Guaraldi and the Peanuts gang. This track, as well as Christmas in Boston, appeared on 2005's Santastic! Holiday Boots 4 Your Stockings mash-up collection. This year's Santastic II: Clausome! is highlighted by dj BC's Imagine, which lays Michael Jackson over John Lennon. It even has its own video.

If that's not enough Christmas cheer for you, Kiddie Records Weekly offers streaming audio of vintage children's Christmas albums, and Sufjan Stevens is streaming his Christmas EPs. On top of that, the website for New York City freeform radio station WFMU boasts an amazing assortment of links to Christmas-music blogs ranging from the traditional to the seriously twisted. It's enough to keep any Christmas party grooving well into the night.

Shocking Blue singer Mariska Veres dies

I'm posting this one for me -- although if you share my regard for the artist, feel free to comment. I was just thumbing through the new Billboard and saw a short notice that Mariska Veres had died Dec. 2 at 59. (Cause was cancer.)

Who was Mariska Veres? Lead singer of Dutch band the Shocking Blue, known for exactly one hit in the USA -- a great one, Venus, covered by Bananarama in an updated disco style and then appropriated for a series of feminine razor ads in recent times. But in their native country and through much of Europe and Japan, they were a prominent act from the late '60s through the first half of the '70s, with about 10 albums (and some regional variations), all of which are worth listening to. They were one of my absolute favorite bands of the period.

The combination of guitarist/songwriter Robbie Van Leeuwen's songs, nearly as crisp and compact as John Fogerty's, and Veres' husky, low-pitched vocals was uniquely compelling, and it was a shame they were a mere one-hit wonder in the States. Songs I'd recommend checking out would include, besides Venus, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Never Marry a Railroad Man, the searing Send Me a Postcard, late-period great This America, Inkpot, Dream on Dreamer, Rock in the Sea (a great variation on the Harry Smith folk favorite I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground). And, just for fun, try Love Buzz, which was covered by Nirvana on its first (and now impossibly rare) single.

Jeezy fans out-motivate Taylor's

Don't underestimate the power of a little "thug motivation." The subtitle of Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy's second album, it also inspired record buyers to purchase 352,000 copies of the album to easily take No. 1 on the Billboard chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Members of Taylor Hicks' Soul Patrol mustered up 298,000 sales of the American Idol champ's debut, good enough for No. 2. That's just a few thousand fewer than fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry racked up for his self-titled (surname only) debut in November. Taylor also finishes behind Carrie Underwood (315,000 for her album's first week), Ruben Studdard (417,000) and all-time Idol debut champ Clay Aiken (613,000), but edged the first album from Kelly Clarkson (297,000), whose second album is Idol's all-time best-seller.

Rest of the top 10: Hannah Montana, Now 23, Josh Groban, Underwood, Daughtry, The Beatles, the debut of Mary J. Blige's Reflections: A Retrospective, and Il Divo. More details and a long-awaited (in some, very cramped quarters) Rock Star: Supernova sales update follow.

See you tomorrow

I need to take off early today, so I'm winding up the posts, but I'll be back tomorrow with the latest sales figures and other fun stuff. Meanwhile, if any Taylor Hicks fans aroused by Elysa Gardner's review want to check out mine, it's over on the Idol Chatter blog. Till tomorrow ...

Beyonce No. 1 again: To the heights, to the heights

Beyonce's Irreplaceable rackedup a third week at No. 1 and looks set for a few more. It's still rising in total audience, according to Nielsen BDS and Arbitron figures, extending its 2006 record to nearly 180 million audience impressions after a 4.8% jump.

That leaves No. 2 (Akon & Snoop Dogg's I Wanna Love You) in the dust. The rest of the top 10 is made up of hits by Justin Timberlake, Akon & Eminem, Bow Wow, Ciara (up from No. 12 to 6), Fergie, The Fray, Jim Jones and Hinder.

Details, Christmas report, the mysterious disappearance of your Worst Song of the Year, and more follow.

Steve Jones' list: R&B; & hip-hop, old & new

This week's playlist was conceived by Steve Jones, who delved into his past musical favorites as well as hitting some current highlights:

> Pick of the Week:

We Ride (I See the Future), Mary J. Blige: Exuberant first track from Mary’s new Reflections -- A Retrospective comes just as she’s celebrating eight Grammy nominations for this year’s The Breakthrough. All the drama is gone from her system on this upbeat song about finally finding peace and joy in a relationship that just keeps getting better with time. The same can be said for Blige, who packs an emotional wallop without resorting to histrionics.

> The playlist:

This Christmas, Donnie Hathaway: Revered soul singer’s beloved anthem is always guaranteed to bring plenty of good cheer during the holiday season.

I Have a Dream, Common: This will.i.am-produced single uses samples from Martin Luther King Jr.’s most famous speech as the backdrop for Common’s uplifting rhymes.

Black Republican, Nas featuring Jay-Z: A fiery polemic from two hip-hop superstars who just two years ago would have been more likely to be firing hot verses at each other than standing together.

Runaway Love, Ludacris featuring Mary J. Blige: Powerful track from Ludacris’ Release Therapy that examines the plight of young girls at risk to falling victim to abuse or the streets.

The Makings of You, Curtis Mayfield: Both Monica (A Dozen Roses -- You Remind Me) and Black Ty/Tyrese (Roses) have sampled Mayfield’s gorgeous ballad from his 1970 solo debut album, Curtis.

Dangerous, Ying Yang Twins featuring Wyclef: Guitar-fueled tale from duo’s Chemically Imbalanced about an irresistible maneater who is driving all the men wild in the club.

You Know I’m No Good, Ghostface Killah featuring Amy Winehouse: Ghostface, who seems to keep running into these femme fatales, puts another scandalous one in check over a smoky nightclub groove.

Imagine, Snoop Dogg featuring Black Ty, Dr. Dre and D’Angelo: Rap music has made superstars out of Snoop and Dr. Dre, but on this remix of a track from Snoop’s The Blue Carpet Treatment, they ponder how life would be if their creative outlet had never existed. It’s also nice to hear the long- MIA D’Angelo.

50 Shots, Papoose: New York underground rapper unleashes his anger over incident in which a man was killed on the eve of his wedding by a hail of 50 rounds fired by five policemen outside a club. The protest song samples Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come.

Hood Boy, Fantasia featuring Big Boi: Former American Idol drops her previous ballad style with this brassy declaration of what she's looking for in a man. Outkast rhymer adds a little hood authenticity.

This week's reviews: Nas, Bow Wow, Taylor, Clue, Joanna, reissues

The year's releases are winding down (we probably won't have any new reviews next week), but there are still some high-powered albums out there. Here are the summary judgments:

> Nas may have named his new album Hip Hop Is Dead, but Elysa Gardner feels that's far from the case as long as "sizzling manifestos" such as this are coming out.

> Bow Wow lacks edginess and plays to his youthful audience excessively, according to Steve Jones.

> Taylor Hicks gets "faint praise" from Elysa (not an Idol fan), who calls the debut album "mostly generic" but with "a few surprisingly savvy showcases for Hicks' gray-haired soul shtick."

> The return of mixtape whiz DJ Clue is happy news for Steve, who says of Clue's latest anthology, "with so much variety, it never drags."

> It's a little late, but I get around to confessing my immense admiration for Joanna Newsom's monumental Ys.

> I also round up a few more reissues: the stunning audio verite document of The La's' BBC in Session, a fine anthology of post-Diana Ross Supremes, and a "frequently thrilling" singles collection from British band The Charlatans.

Full reviews and clips follow.

Nas has a cause: The interview

Steve Jones talked to Nas on the eve of the release of his new album, Hip Hop Is Dead. The always-eloquent rapper holds forth on the greed he feels has put hip-hop on the endangered list, and the importance of salvaging it and returning it to its ideals.

Axl sets the date

Axl Rose has set a "tentative release date" of March 6 (2007, that is, although you could be pardoned for wondering) for the oft-postponed, vaporous Chinese Democracy, the follow-up to 1991's Use Your Illusion.

Fans began lining up at record stores immediately following the announcement. Actually, that's fictional, but then, most likely, so is the release date.

Korina's lukewarm toward The Lemonheads

Tireless concert-goer Korina Lopez is back with another of her performance reviews, a look at the modern-day Lemonheads. Here's Korina:

After several years on hiatus, Evan Dando quietly resurrected The Lemonheads in 2005. On their current tour, they hit the Black Cat Club in Washington, D.C., and droves of fans turned out to immerse themselves in The Lemonheads’ signature sounds, which had their heyday in the early ‘90s: jangly, catchy alternative rock with plenty of accessible tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “I can’t go rock climbing with you this weekend/What if something is on TV and it’s never shown again” (Outdoor Type).

Dando -- the only original member -– proved he hasn’t lost the teenage-heartthrob appeal that made him the sex kitten of ‘90s alternative music. At nearly 40, his voice was warm, buttery and seemingly untouched by years of his hard-partying lifestyle. Maybe his memory has suffered a bit, though: He tripped over the lyrics of Let’s Just Laugh early in the set. “I can’t remember the rest of it,” Dando said nonchalantly, and switched to a jangly version of Bit Part from the group's most popular album, It’s a Shame About Ray.

The robust 22-song set slid seamlessly back and forth between the new, self-titled album and earlier tunes from Lovey and Come on Feel The Lemonheads. The band stayed true to its light guitar riffs and boppy melodies, much to the delight of its devoted followers, who sang along with nearly every tune. Dando played as if those six years he dropped out of view to pursue a fairly ho-hum solo career never happened. “There’s no evolution with their new album, but that’s a good thing,” said concert-goer and avid fan Chris Verigan. “He knows his sound and he’s stayed true.”

(However ... some hedging follows.)

DC5 saxist Denis Payton dies

Sad to report the death, after a long bout with cancer, of Dave Clark Five saxophonist Denis Payton, at age 63. Payton, who also played guitar and harmonica, was a key member of the DC5, who were alone among the big British Invasion bands of the mid-'60 (Beatles, Stones, Animals, Searchers, etc.) in employing the sax in a prominent role (listen to the sax-buttressed wall of sound on the great 1964 hit Anyway You Want It, for example).

Payton did get to hear about the group's nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, and was apparently thrilled, according to a statement from Dave Clark.

Best of the year: The early tidal wave

There were a lot of songs nominated for your worst of the year list, but compared to the early returns in the best song of the year nominations, the worst were virtually unanimous.

The range is highly impressive: The hipsters are out in force, and so are the top 40 fans. There are votes for some of the big songs on the worst list, in an attempt to redeem their fate. And there are plenty of songs I haven't heard of.

In fact, it's everything you could ask for in a list -- there are nearly 100 songs so far. But, in my greed for a truly wide-ranging list and a representative sample, more are needed. Thanks to those who have responded, and keep those nominations coming in.

Ahmet Ertegun, American music pioneer

Ahmet Ertegun, the co-founder of Atlantic Records who died Thursday at 83, was not the most likely candidate to revolutionize American popular music. Cultured, sophisticated, a fixture in later life at upper-crust social events, the son of a Turkish ambassador turned his passion for jazz into a lifetime of providing great R&B, pop, rock and jazz, from the ground up.

MORE ON ERTEGUN: Read Steve Jones' appreciation

Atlantic Records, founded in 1947, was essentially Ertegun, his brother Nesuhi and partner Herb Abramson in the early days, and they were involved in every creative and business aspect of the music-making process, bucking the dominance of major corporate labels with early R&B hits by the likes of Sticks McGhee and Ruth Brown. Atlantic flourished in the '50s, thanks to milestone recordings by The Drifters, The Clovers, Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, Bobby Darin and the towering figure of Ray Charles. Ertegun was no hands-off executive; he participated in recording sessions and wrote many songs (sometimes under the backward pseudonym "Nugetre"), including the well-known Lovey Dovey (Clovers) and Mess Around (Charles), The Drifters' Whatcha Gonna Do (the musical basis for The Twist) and the later classic Don't Play That Song (You Lied), cut by Ben E. King and then Aretha Franklin.

(Appreciation continues ...)

Your worst songs of the year

Your votes are in, and the winner of the Worst Song of the Year competition, by a landslide, is Gwen Stefani's Wind It Up.

That was my pick, too, based on a casual exposure to about half the song on the radio one night. Despite the low volume of the radio at the time, and the distractions of traffic and conversations with a passenger, I instantly knew this was a world-beater. I listened to it off the CD again to make sure, and was confirmed in my judgment.

This may be not only 2006's worst, but the century's worst as well (at least so far). It's as if a group of audio scientists gathered in a lab to deliberately create the worst possible record. Their genius inspirtion: to fuse together a Frankenstein-esque assortment of elements that are not only hideous-sounding on their own but go together as naturally as clams and peanut butter.

"All righty," you can hear an evil audio scientist say. "Let's take that gnarly, repugnant SexyBack groove thing and shear off any trace of melody. Then we lay in a rap based on the style and skills of Fergie, but without the personality. All good so far?"

"Sure, sure, but check this out," says another. "I've got this queasy-sounding synthesized bass riff that makes you feel like you're flying through major turbulence in a four-seater plane -- total airsickness effect."

"Great, slap it in there," muses a third, " but we need something else to top it off."

"What's the most annoying thing we could possibly add?" they ask. Everybody's stumped, until one guy comes up with the ultimate irritant: "Yodeling!"

Side note: 66,000 people downloaded this song last week. I wonder how many have deleted it.

Further side note: Radio seems to be failing to embrace it with unanimous enthusiasm, so I hear the label is already on to another single (Sweet Escape). I guess there are limits to what the public will swallow.

The rest of the list follows.

Commenting on your comments

Really interesting and comment-heavy week here, the most fun of which, for me, were the worst songs nominations, even if I did get a little weary of being blamed for nominating songs that you all voted for. But I did agree with most of you, as you'll see when the final list goes up in an hour or so. (Also, in scrolling back through the raw comments, I found a cluster from Monday that had somehow not been published, so I corrected that oversight and added any worst-song votes to the voting rolls. My apologies.)

Fantasia captured a whole lot of your attention this week, but not always in a good way -- some of the comments verged perilously close to the line of civility (a few went over it, but didn't get published). I'm not the world's biggest fan of Fantasia the musician, and based on a number of reviews of her TV movie from people I trust, it's probably a good thing Jennifer Hudson got the Dreamgirls part instead of Fantasia, but the character attacks were uncalled for. If we're going to start insisting on morals clauses for entertainers (which is rarely if ever justified), there are hundreds, if not thousands, of stars who should come under fire before Fantasia.

Still interested in hearing what you think of the "new" Beatles album. I'll probably weigh in on that topic next week.

Thanks to all of you who keep me on the straight and narrow, accuracy-wise -- this week's timely corrections including the one from Killers Fan who nailed me for calling the Sam's Town album Sam's Place. (Must have been thinking of Wal-Mart -- wait, that's Sam's Club. Time to quit while I'm still above water.)

Although the mistakes aren't all on my side (most, yes, but not all). In amongst the blizzard of Donna Summer screeds was this fabulous description of her as the world's most "pronouned" vocalist. I had a record by a group called I, She & Me that I thought held that record, but I guess I stand corrected.

Quick answer to Chili -- the Aly & AJ album that has sold more than 700,000 copies is indeed Into the Rush. Pretty good record, too.

And to Jack, who commented, "Get a life. Is this really what you do for a living?" -- my answer is no, unfortunately ... but wouldn't it be cool?

'I'm From Rolling Stone': Gripping drama, ripped from the headlines

In its ceaseless search for programming other than actual music videos, MTV has come up with some beauts, but its new January reality drama I'm From Rolling Stone may top them all. I can already taste the excitement.

Ten half-hour episodes (starting Jan. 7, 10 p.m. ET/PT) will follow "six young writers over the course of the summer as they work toward earning a highly coveted full-time position at the magazine." But, tragically, only one will win a "contributing editor contract." (I guess that's a staff full-time position if they say so, although it doesn't sound like it.)

You'll be riveted as the young journalists "compete with one another for story assignments, stress about hitting deadlines" and (most terrifying of all) "face no-holds-barred critiques from Rolling Stone editors." Look out, Survivor ...

This week's list, part 2: Best songs of the year

Friday I'll post the results of your votes for worst song of the year, so you have the rest of today to submit your votes. Any song you want from this year; you're not limited to the ones that have been frequently mentioned.

Meanwhile, let's turn on the rays of positivity and start thinking about the best songs of the year. Again, anything goes as long as it's from 2006; as with the worst song list, I'm not going to try to prompt you with a list of my favorites. (Although a significant percentage of posters still seem to think that I made up the worst-song list -- sorry, folks, it was entirely generated by your suggestions. I'll add some of mine when I publish your list.)

There were definitely some great songs this year, obscure and prominent. Some of them may even have appeared in the worst songs voting. That's what makes music discussions so endlessly fascinating (or is that frustrating? Or both?). I'll be extremely interested in what you come up with.

This week's list, part 1: iTunes' top 10s

For today's lists, we've got a couple from iTunes -- its top 10 downloaded tracks and albums -- and one I'll ask you to generate a bit later. Here are the iTunes leaders:

> Top 10 tracks:

1. Daniel Powter - Bad Day

2. Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous

3. James Blunt - You're Beautiful

4. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

5. Sean Paul - Temperature

6. Justin Timberlake - SexyBack

7. The Fray- Over My Head (Cable Car)

8. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie

9. Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

10. Chamillionaire - Ridin'

(All big radio hits -- not exactly surprising.)

> Top 10 albums (with added total SoundScan sales, since iTunes provides no figures -- where else do you get this kind of service?):

1. Fray - How to Save a Life (1.39 million)

2. John Mayer - Continuum (983,000)

3. Jack Johnson & Friends - Curious George (1.10 million)

4. James Blunt - Back To Bedlam (2.36 million)

5. Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Love Sounds (1.95 million)

6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium  (1.58 million)

7. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way (1.77 million)

8. High School Musical (3.48 million)

9. Panic! At The Disco - Fever You Can't Sweat Out (1.41 million)

10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (1.10 million)

(Pretty interesting -- all big hits but some artists and albums are obviously more tailored to the tastes of the downlowding audience (Mayer, Johnson), while other huge conventional sellers lag behind a bit in the download list (HS Musical and such other mega-sellers of the year -- Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood -- that aren't on the iTunes top 10).

Top 100 lists in both categories available somewhere on the iTunes site.

2006's top tours

Billboard Boxscore has announced its top 10 tours of 2006 (globally), which are as follows:

1. Rolling Stones: $437 million gross (rounded). Top-grossing tour of all time.

2. Madonna: $195 million. Top all-time tour by female artist.

3. Bon Jovi: $131 million

4. U2: $96 million

5. Tim McGraw/Faith Hill: $88.8 million

6. Cirque du Soleil's Delirium: $78.5 million

7. Barbra Streisand: $76 million

8. Kenny Chesney: $66 million

9. Dave Matthews Band: $58 million

10. Aerosmith: $58 million

Total revenues for the year (North American only) was up 35% to $2.8 billion.

A Critics' Christmas: Holiday CD picks

We did our Christmas list in two-pronged fashion this year. First each of our critics chose three holiday albums they thought were especially noteworthy, and briefly described them. Then we listed everything else seasonally related that hit our desks, and described those (also briefly). So if you want a quick guide to the holiday offerings of 2006, check 'em out.

This week's sales: A more detailed look

Here's this week's top 10 albums in more detail than in the previous post, plus other arguably useful information for the statistically minded.

1-NEW  Ciara, 338,000: She gets nowhere near Gwen Stefani's level of publicity, but she sure outsold the former/future(?) No Doubter.

2-NEW  Eminem & Co., 309,000: Not an Eminem album per se, so I think it's still an impressive total for an album featuring a bunch of newcomers (and, to be fair, glamorous rap superstar cameos).

3-NEW  Gwen Stefani, 243,000: I'd be a little worried, but let's see how the next few weeks hold up. Maybe when the single's airplay effect kicks in, things will improve. (Although, in a just world, once that single's airplay kicks in, if your responses to it are any indication, sales would vanish off the map.)

2-4 last week  Hannah Montana ST, 232,000 (1.29 million total): Album sales in general were up 28% this week, what with the season and all. Some albums, of course, improved far more than that, among them this Disney darling, which was up about 48%.

4-5 Now 23, 185,000 (1.16 million total): Up 20% (you'd think it would have been higher). On this compilation, by the way, three of the first four songs have appeared in your year's-worst-songs nominations (London Bridge, Promiscuous, SexyBack), and I'm surprised that the other one (Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls) hasn't shown up yet. Three other tracks (Unfaithful, I Can't Hate You Any More and the high-ranking Public Affair) also have support from you on the worst-song list. What was that line about never going broke underestimating the taste of the American public?

Rest of the top 10 and other fun facts follow.

This week's album sales: A quick look

More detail later, but here's a quick rundown of the top 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Ciara takes No. 1, selling 338,000 copies of Evolution. That's enough to edge Eminem's showcase for proteges, Eminem Presents The Re-Up, which sold 309,000, and to consign Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape, which sold 243,000, to a No. 3 debut.

The rest of the top 10 is Hannah Montana, Now 23, Il Divo (jumping from No. 16 to 6), Daughtry, The Beatles, Sarah McLachlan, and Carrie Underwood (returning to the top 10 from No. 13).

Last week's No. 1, Incubus, has the dubious honor of achieving the biggest second-week chart drop, from 1 to No. 37.

Beyonce sets 2006 airplay record

Beyonce's Irreplaceable hits a new 2006 high in total audience (total radio airplay combined with number of listeners tuned in to each airing of a song), edging Mary J. Blige's standard for Be Without You established earlier in the year. The Beyonce ballad also racks up its second week at No. 1, opening a huge lead over the new No. 2, Akon & Snoop Dogg's I Wanna Love You, according to Nielsen BDS/Arbitron figures.

The rest of the top 10 is made up of hits by Justin Timberlake, Akon & Eminem, Bow Wow, Fergie, Ludacris, The Fray, Jim Jones' We Fly High (entering at No. 9) and Hinder.

More details and commentary, plus your Christmas song update, follow.

Worst song votes rolling along

Thanks for the outpouring of nominations and comments on the worst songs of the year. The race is tightening ...

One small point -- the list of songs (Wind It Up, Sexyback, Fergalicious, etc.) was not intended as a ballot. Please feel free to vote for any song that really irritated you this year. The list was merely a summary of the most-nominated songs (chosen by you, not me) at that early point in the voting.

Personally, I like a few of the songs that are getting votes (Hips Don't Lie, for one), but it's a democratic process. I will defend the general idea, however, against the few commenters who have dismissed it as either a waste of time or an exercise in pointless negativity. Most of the nominated songs are big radio (mostly top 40) hits, meaning that's what corporate radio is forcing down people's ear canals. I'd like to think that publishing a serious outpouring of dislike toward some of those hits might make a programmer think a bit about what's being played. (Well, I can dream, can't I?)

Also, I don't think it's a waste of time to express negative opinions about songs. I firmly believe that you can't be passionate about an art form (whether it's music, books, movies, TV, art, you name it) without developing a strong distaste for the mediocre, the crass, the formulaic, the ill-conceived and the just plain lousy examples of the art. Plus, it's fun. So keep the votes coming!

This week's playlist: Edna gets eclectic

This week, the metaphorical roulette wheel of USA TODAY playlist rotation comes up Edna Gundersen. Do check out her pick of the week in particular; the guy is very much a unique artist, and I mean that in the good sense.

Here's Edna's pick and playlist:

> Pick of the week:

Take Me Back to Abita Springs, Bobby Lounge: Mississippi swamp sage Bobby Lounge, an earthy blend of Tom Waits and Jerry Lee Lewis, turns in a Delta-style Desolation Row in his rambling piano-pummeled diary of Tipi, who in his quest to become a movie star sings backup for Siamese twins, hosts a VD telethon, picks pockets as a voodoo priest, meets a sitar-playing Latin spitfire, raises tap-dancing baby Al Fresco and bays at the moon in the queen’s underwear. “I expected nicer lingerie from a queen,” he laments on this pounding fever dream from I Remember the Night Your Trailer Burned Down, recorded in one take in 2005. A rare original voice.

> The playlist:

A Great Big Sled, The Killers: “I want to roll around like a kid in the snow,” Brandon Flowers sings on the big rollicking rocker with a catchy chorus, guest vocal by Curve’s Toni Halliday and feel-good dividend: Proceeds go to AIDS charity RED.

Never Gonna Break My Faith, Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige: The soul divas resist histrionics and show admirable restraint, allowing their voices to meld exquisitely on this bold, uplifting theme from the Bobby soundtrack.

Cowgirl in the Sand, Neil Young & Crazy Horse: This gorgeous 16-minute version (from Live at the Fillmore East) was captured on the 1970 tour with guitarist Danny Whitten, whose interplay with Young is mesmerizing over the loping rhythm section. Pure bliss.

Cachel Wood, Isobel Campbell: Campbell’s delicate vocals grace this tender tune from her charming Milk White Sheets album, a loving toast to such British folk idols as Anne Briggs and Shirley Collins.

Ride Around Shining, Clipse: MCs Pusha T and Malice and The Neptunes elevate coke-rap to a dizzying art in this sonic monster with a cracking snare, strummed harp, urgent grunts and the mantra “All I wanna do is ride around shining while I can afford it.”

Road to Peace, Tom Waits: On this cliché-free political tune from Waits’ marvelous Orphans set, the troubadour bemoans President Bush’s reluctance to address Israeli-Palestinian tensions: “He plays chess at his desk and poses for the press 10,000 miles from the road to peace.”

Tango, Lady Sovereign: The diminutive British rapper takes sneering delight as she skewers tanning salon addicts and their faux pumpkin hides in a beat-battered barrage of insults. Meow.

American Terrorist, Lupe Fiasco: While beats and flow steal the show on most rap discs these days, Fiasco is emerging as a stellar lyricist willing to tackle issues. In this case, he rips religious hypocrisy, observing, “The books that take you to heaven and let you meet the Lord there have become misinterpreted reasons for warfare.”

Sleeping Giant, Mastodon: Few navigate prog-metal’s minefield as bravely or creatively as Mastodon, whose complexities and menacing sonics reach poetic heights on this evocative tension-builder.

Skin and Bones, Foo Fighters: On the title track of the band’s live acoustic album, Dave Grohl ditches his crowd-pleasing, lung-busting thunder for a plaintive vocal and spare arrangement, revealing poignancy and grace.

RIAA: November gold and platinum (and actual sales)

I've been duly reporting the highlights of the monthly RIAA gold and platinum album awards, but I thought it would be fun to see how many records these new gold and platinum albums had actually sold. (OK, I have a twisted concept of "fun," I admit it.)

Quick primer that you can skip if you're already well-versed in this whole RIAA vs. SoundScan thing: RIAA awards are based on shipments to retailers, not actual sales. Therefore, numerical discrepancies can occur (or, to paraphrase the car ads, actual mileage may vary) -- the point of interest is how wide are the discrepancies between shipments and sales. Gold level is 500,000 albums shipped, platinum is 1 million, multiplatinum kicks in every additional million. Multiple-disc albums generally (there may be exceptions) get to count the extra discs in the figures (i.e., double albums count each shipment as two). Certifications are requested by the record labels, who also supply the shipping stats. There is no requirement for certifications to mirror actual sales, but it sure makes the whole ritual seem a lot more credible.

All right, following is a list of the albums certified in November that are still on the top 200 chart compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, along with their sales figures to date (and perhaps the occasional comment from me).

Fantasia does it for herself

As part of USA TODAY's continuing, wholly unofficial American Idol series, Steve Jones interviewed Fantasia as she releases her crucial, self-titled second album, the one that she hopes allows her to escape the looming shadow of Idol.

This week's Listen Up reviews: Jeezy, Fantasia, Ghostface, reissues and more

The end of the year continues to be hip-hop-heavy, so USA TODAY's Steve Jones is getting his licks in. But the other critics are all represented in this week's Listen Up album reviews:

> Young Jeezy "offers the second course in his street education program," Steve says. If you're curious as to what would Jeezy do (to borrow (that is, steal) the nifty headline USA TODAY's Sue Brandon concocted for the newspaper version of Listen Up), check out the at times "repetitious" but frequently "clever" proceedings.

> Fantasia is "out to please herself" on her second album, and listeners "will reap the benefits," Edna Gundersen says of the former American Idol.

> Some have called USA TODAY "the nation's fish wrapper," but that title may rightfully belong to Ghostface Killah, whose More Fish follows the "classic" Fishscale and impresses Steve nearly as much.

> Tyrese puts on his Black Ty identity to rap on one half of a double album and "holds his own as an MC," Steve says, though the ballads on the song album are stronger.

> Loreena McKennitt returns after an eight-year absence with more folk "fusion comfort food," says a comestibly metaphorical Brian Mansfield.

> There's also a quick reissue roundup (by me) of three worthy projects. One is kind of a reissue tribute album, The Harry Smith Project, in which contemporary artists reinterpret songs from the landmark '50s reissue project Anthology of American Folk Music. Then there's Neil Young & Crazy Horse's fiery Live at the Fillmore and pioneering alt-pop from The Sneakers.

Full reviews and clips follow.

Official: New Stooges album set for March

They're on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot, and soon they'll be back with a new album, their first official album since Raw Power in 1973. The Stooges' The Weirdness (featuring original members Iggy Pop and Ron and Scott Asheton, plus second-album saxist Steve Mackay and Minutemen/Firehose bassist Mike Watt) is set for a March 20 release on Virgin.

Printing track titles of songs nobody's heard yet always seemed to me to be kind of a pointless exercise, but some of these at least may convey some idea of the album's flavor. The songs include: Trollin', Greedy Awful People, Claustrophobia, Mexican Guy, I'm Fried, ATM, O Solo Mio, She Took My Money and End Of Christianity.

Worst song of the year: A progress report

I've been tallying some of your nominations for worst song of the year, and it's shaping up pretty interestingly. For one thing, both of my prime candidates are among the most-mentioned, and I haven't even named them or tried to sway the voting in any way (yet).

I'm not going to rank them yet, but here are some of the leading candidates you've voted for thus far, in alphabetical order by artist:

James Blunt/You're Beautiful

Fergie/Fergalicious

Fergie/London Bridge

Shakira/Hips Don't Lie

Jessica Simpson/A Public Affair

Gwen Stefani/Wind It Up

Justin Timberlake/SexyBack

If you agree with these picks, cast more votes. If you think other songs should be in the mix, vote for them. It's your poll (and so far, a pretty impressive one, I must say). I hope to publish a list in order by the end of the week, but may stretch it into next week depending on the volume of votes. Keep 'em coming in.

When blogs snipe

OK, "when blogs snipe" isn't quite as catchy as "When Doves Cry," but I do kind of enjoy it when a barbed wisecrack snideness comes up in the amiable world of music blogs. Here, for example, fairly far down the queue of Rolling Stone Rock & Roll Daily items, is a snide headline in an otherwise reasonably complimentary report on AOL Music's reasonably comprehensive and enjoyable list of music cliches. Fun for all ...

Taylor Hicks: A future beyond 'Idol'?

As American Idol winner Taylor Hicks prepares to release his first album, he talked to USA TODAY's Edna Gundersen about resisting the Idol Factory's artist-molding tendencies. Will it work? And how are this year's other prominent Idols -- Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler -- doing in the real-world marketplace? Check out assessments of each.

Another haul of Rock Hall nominees

I've got a bunch of your Rock and Roll Hall of Fame suggestions still awaiting comment, so I thought I'd go through those, then save the very interesting future Hall of Fame candidate discussion for next week. (Along with the worst songs of the year list -- great suggestions so far, and keep 'em coming.)

This batch, since we've discussed so many more obvious choices, is on the eccentric side, but none the less interesting.

> Petula Clark: Way too pop. I respect the fine records she made (and wrote -- You're the One, more famous in The Vogues' cover), but for Hall purposes I'd go for Lulu instead (a truly underrated rock singer).

> Nick Drake: Great as he is, just a bit too cultish and completely unsuccessful commercially to make it.

> Golden Earring: Speaking as someone who's actually heard the bulk of their pre-Radar Love stuff (dating back to 1965 or so), I would be delighted in a way, but really, it's the Dutch Hall of Fame they belong in (they probably own it by now).

A few more follow.

Grammys: Omissions implausible

Great flood of Grammy comments Thursday -- and I was glad to see that thoughtful comments (which is not to say they weren't also passionate) dominated.

(Parenthetical note, literally: I also loved the worst song nominations, and please keep those up; I'll reveal the "winners" next week and nominate some of my own.)

Back to Grammys: I noted some of the acts you mentioned as notable omissions and have listed the ones I didn't comment on in one of my posts Thursday, along with my reactions. That stuff follows. But first, I want to echo and intensify an earlier reader comment: Most ludicrous category -- pop group vocal, featuring Keane's Is It Any Wonder, The Fray's Over My Head, Death Cab for Cutie's I Will Follow You Into the Dark (all falling on some part of the "sublime" spectrum) with the ridiculous (amusing, but not Grammy-worthy) Peas number My Humps and Stickwitu (not even amusing) by the Pussycat Dolls. Pop has always been kind of a catch-all, toss-anything-we-can't-otherwise-categorize category, but this is extreme.

Pop and rock Grammys: Edna Gundersen's take

USA TODAY critic Edna Gundersen points out her prime Grammy injustices

Bob Dylan’s paltry three nods, none in the major categories, is a surprising snub, particularly in light of Grammy’s usual preference for veteran artists. The Academy is to be applauded for avoiding autopilot picks of sentimental favorites long past their creative peaks, but Dylan delivered one of the best albums of his career this year.

The oversight in the best album category for twilight masterwork Modern Times might have been less odious if Dylan had been supplanted by worthy colleagues. But John Mayer’s sizzle-free Continuum and Justin Timberlake’s over-hyped FutureSex/LoveSounds?

As always, some of the year’s more adventurous albums are relegated to lesser categories: Neil Young’s Living With War in rock album and the Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not in alternative. Timberlake’s ascension to Grammy glory is another mystery, suggesting Grammy’s attempts to move into the 21st century occasionally result in voters mistaking groove-pumped commercial swill for musical art. How else to explain the inclusion in pop duo/group of the Pussycat Dolls for Stickwitu? By the way, if that wins, which posse goes to the podium?

Country Grammys: Brian Mansfield's take

USA TODAY critic Brian Mansfield looks at the Grammys' country choices:

Watching the Dixie Chicks get five nominations – three of the four overall categories among them – at the Grammys today surely felt like the slap to the country-music industry it was intended to be. But you can also be sure country music's defenders will be quick to put a positive spin on it, noting that country music got two of the five song of the year nominations (Not Ready to Make Nice and Jesus, Take the Wheel, pretty much the genre's polar extremes). And that's only fair, since the rest of the industry used the Chicks to make a political statement.

Now, I happen to be a big fan of Taking the Long Way; it's one of only two country albums this year I gave four stars, USA TODAY's highest rating. (The other, Alan Jackson's Like Red on a Rose, also got a best country album nomination, thank you very much.) But if you don't believe the Dixie Chicks nominations have a political element to them, just take a look at the Song of the Year and Best Country Song categories.

(After you've done that, check out the rest of Brian's commentary, which follows.)

R&B;/Rap Grammys: Steve Jones' take

USA TODAY's Steve Jones looks at the R&B and rap Grammy nominations:

For the most part, the Grammys got the urban categories right, though there were instances where they fell back on the usual suspects instead of making a bolder move.

The most glaring omission was in the rap album category -- Ghostface Killah's Fishscale -- and his single Back Like That, featuring Ne-Yo, should have been tapped for rap/sung collaboration. The Wu-Tang Clan vet delivered some of the most inventive, but not necessarily radio-friendly, rhymesof the year and should have been recognized for not coloring by the numbers. They could have gotten by with just one Eminem collaboration.

The rap-album category was tougher, with two powerhouse stars in T.I. and Ludacris and the more artistic Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell and The Roots as competition. The rap song category was representative of what hip-hop had to offer this year, with Yung Joc's snap music anthem It's Goin' Down and Fiasco's skateboard tale Kick, Push at opposite ends of the spectrum. Chamillionaire's Ridin' was among the most ubiquitous songs of the year, along with Rick Ross' Hustlin', which wasn't nominated.

The female R&B vocal category may have been better served by newcomer Keisha Cole's Love than veteran Natalie Cole's cover of Day Dreaming, and room could have been made for Teena Marie's Ooh Wee. Lyfe Jennings' S.E.X. would have added some edge to the male R&B nominations, which rightfully gave a nod to Lionel Richie, but didn't have to settle on Luther Vandross and Prince. Of the traditional R&B nominees, it would be nice to see soul legend Sam Moore take home a trophy. Contemporary R&B album offers a nice mix, with rising male stars Ne-Yo and Chris Brown battling it out with Janet Jackson, Kelis and Beyonce.

Grammy nominations: New artist

This is the last of my big-category instant analyses. I'm hoping to get Edna Gundersen, Steve Jones and Brian Mansfield to weigh in on some of the more specialized categories later this afternoon, and I'll also take some time to look at your comments, which I haven't had a chance to do yet in the rush of pontificating here.

On to best new artist, artist by artist:

> James Blunt: Has to be considered the favorite if you accept that Grammy voters roll down the middle of the road. Which is not necessarily the case -- Chris Brown and Corinne Bailey Rae may have upset prospects. In any case, Blunt had a huge year and probably, in a Grammy context (which takes into account more factors than sheer talent), deserves to be here.

> Chris Brown: Incredible commercial year, lot of potential, but may be insufficiently known to the mass of Grammy voters to win.

> Imogen Heap: Definitely the sleeper, just one of those very weird, intriguing records that Grammy voters fell in love with. I like it but don't think she belongs here this year.

> Corinne Bailey Rae: The most appropriate category for the new Norah, and it wouldn't shock me to see her win it.

> Carrie Underwood: Nice to see the Grammys overcome any lingering anti-American Idol prejudice to include an artist who's sold nearly 4 million records this year and is a darn good singer to boot. But country acts have a tough time winning, and that plus whatever Idol stigma remains will be enough to keep her from taking the trophy.

Who's missing follows.

>

Grammy nominations: Album of the year

This is actually my second take on this category. It's kind of like a "dog ate my homework" excuse, but the blogging software actually ate my completed post. Hope this one's as coherent.

There are a few omissions in the album-of-the-year category, but then again, there are only five slots and for the most part this is a pretty strong list.

> Dixie Chicks: Could be my No. 1 album of the year, so I'm not about to quibble with this selection.

> Gnarls Barkley: Complex, fascinating, eclectic album that definitely deserves the slot.

> John Mayer: I already vented about him (summary: I just don't hear it). If this was replaced by, say, Bob Dylan, I'd be content with the category.

> Red Hot Chili Peppers: Probably their best album, certainly rich in state-of-the-art rock tracks, and provides needed genre balance. Good choice.

> Justin Timberlake: Half the album deserves to be here; the other half should have been recycled. Might have been nice to see Mary J. Blige complete her sweep and take this spot.

Some of what's missing follows.

Grammy nominations: Record of the year

I'm going to post commentary on three of the big four categories: record and album of the year and best new artist (song of the year just isn't that gripping). Then I'll take a bit of time out to see what you've been saying and take it from there.

Record by record:

> Mary J. Blige, Be Without You: Seemed to be the No. 1 song for weeks (nine on our chart), but it's one of those universally appealing (or close), sturdy R&B/pop tunes, like Mariah Carey's We Belong Together, that can withstand saturation airplay. Not one of my personal top 5, but a good Grammy choice. Not sure it can beat Blunt, though.

> James Blunt, You're Beautiful: Inevitable choice, but I'm over it. Could well win, but hope not.

> Dixie Chicks, Not Ready to Make Nice: A powerful record, beautifully done, and -- considering it wasn't a hit -- nice to see represented. I'd probably vote for it (or else for Crazy), but I don't think it will win.

> Gnarls Barkley, Crazy: It seemed to be a natural, but I wasn't sure it would actually make it and am glad to see it did. One of the very few records that worked across most of the overly specialized formats on radio, and another song that wore very well through its extended and extensive airplay.

> Corinne Bailey Rae, Put Your Records On: The inevitable headscratcher. OK, you couldn't construct an artist in a genetics lab who's better suited to become a Grammy darling -- visions of Norah Jones, India Arie, Lauryn Hill, etc., must have danced through the voters' heads when they heard this. She has talent, she seems to be an interesting artist, but is this one of the five top records of the year? Not on your life. Won't win, but the prestige will give her career momentum a much-needed boost.

Back with album of the year shortly. A few ramblings on who's missing from this category follow:

Grammys: Instant analysis, Part 2

Though many of the Grammy nominations announced today were solid, and some surprisingly insightful or even cool (Death Cab for group pop vocal!), there are still a few bafflers. For one, I am confounded by the Academy's fascination with John Mayer. Yes, he can play guitar. Yes, I'm told he's cute. But that whispery vocal style drives me crazy, and the song nominated for male pop vocal, Waiting for the World to Change -- well, you can amuse yourself for minutes singing either The Impressions' People Get Ready or Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing to it. Fun for the whole family.

It didn't make record of the year, though, and neither did Justin Timberlake's skin-crawling SexyBack, so credit to the voters on that one. 

A little too much James Blunt acclamation (five nominations) for my taste, although I'm not one of the many critics who loathe him. That really-high-vocal style can wear on you pretty fast, but this year was his moment in the sun, so I can't get too bent out of shape.

In fact, on first glance, I'm not too upset about anything, at least for the celebration of the mainstream and the familiar that the Grammys generally is. But who knows what resentments will boil up when I start analyzing specific categories.

Instant Grammy analysis, Part 1

I plan to do a few quick overviews of the Grammy nominations, starting with an overall look in this post, then hitting certain key categories in separate posts. You can see the whole list here and a really quick general story here. This stuff will be more commentary-oriented (meaning really opinionated).

As I said in the story linked to above, a lot of old Grammy favorites got shut out in big categories. Two examples: Bob Dylan and Christina Aguilera (or at least their "people"; don't know how much the artists themselves care) have to be disappointed. Christina is very highly regarded in the Grammy community for her vocal skills, and was a favorite to grab a slot in both record and album of the year. Dylan had a shot for both, but was regarded as practically a shoo-in for an album nomination, given the critical accolades he earned for Modern Times.

Mary J. Blige led with eight nominations, and good for her -- Be Without You is a song that deserved its multiple honors. I'm also thrilled to see the Dixie Chicks get so much Grammy love -- five nominations, including all three of the "big four" categories they were eligible for: record, song and album (obviously, they would have a tough time qualifying for best new artist). Not Ready to Make Nice and Taking the Long Way Around were musically great (leaving the political implications aside, although they may have played a role in the voting).

Hipness points to the Academy for recognizing Gnarls Barkley, too -- four nominations, including record and album, the two biggest. (I've already seen a story questioning why they were left out of best new artist -- but it's not as if Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse are newcomers ...).

Back with more on nominations I'm not so thrilled about, then we'll get into categories.

Grammy nominations: Who deserved them and who got robbed

The nominations for the only general-music awards that really matter, the Grammys, are just out. Take a look at the list and then vent: Who's missing? Who doesn't deserve to be there? Who has been overrated by the Academy, and who's been underrated? What's the most preposterous nomination this year? What's the best? Who are you rooting for? When am I going to stop asking questions?

Right now. I'll share my jaundiced perspectives shortly, and look forward to reading yours (jaundiced or not).

This week's listing opportunity: The worst songs of the year

It's that time when everyone's putting together their top 10 albums and best songs of the year, etc., etc. That's always interesting, and we'll get to that a bit later, but for this week's list, I'd like to solicit (only in states where the local soliciting laws permit it) your nominations for the worst song of the year.

I've got a couple stashed away (one of them just came out, possibly dethroning the song I thought had it in the bag), and will share them in due time, but first I want to see (I probably don't want to hear them) what you think are the worst. Nominate as many as you want; no limits. And if you want to add a little explanation/justification for your choice, all the better. I'm definitely looking forward to this.

This week's sales: Delving in the details

I posted a quick and dirty SoundScan top 10 earlier today. Here's the usual, more detailed version:

> The annotated top 10:

1-NEW  Incubus (165,000): No reflection on Incubus, which gets its first No. 1 (although selling half of what its last album did in the first week), but 165,000 is not an impressive total for a No. 1 in December, when sales levels should be rising.

2-7 last week  Hannah Montana (157,000; 1.5 million total): Many family-friendly, seasonal, gift-oriented albums prospered, this tweenage favorite among them (although it was still down 6% and took kind of a lucky bounce).

3-2 Daughtry (156,000; 459,000 total): Hung in there really well, down 49%, but certainly more than a one-week American Idol wonder.

4-3 Now 23 (154,000; 974,000 total): It's the season for shiny new hits packages.

5-4  Beatles (146,000; 418,000 total): Off about 46%, should remain a prime gift choice.

6-1  Jay-Z (140,000; 822,000 total): Fell drastically (79%, even more than the usual radical rap drop-off) and alarmingly.

7-22  Sarah McLachlan (116,000; 347,000 total): Her seasonal Wintersong album rode the holiday wave superbly, gaining 38% over the previous week's sales.

8-8  Akon (110,000; 558,000 total): Down about a third in its third week, signs of an album that should sell steadily.

9-14  Josh Groban (108,000; 663,000): Down about 19% but bounced upward and should benefit from the gift-giving impulse.

10-24 Now Christmas 3 (102,000; 292,000 total): Its 31% sales jump should be fairly easy to explain.

More chart facts follow.

Quick sales report -- more later

Sorry I'm late posting today -- combination of miserable traffic jam and software sluggishness.  So I thought I'd hit the SoundScan highlights quickly and then add the details in a later post.

Kind of a lackluster week for album sales, with Incubus' Light Grenades topping the chart with a relatively feeble (especially in holiday shopping season) 165,000 units sold. A lot of gift-friendly and seasonal records did well, notably the Hannah Montana soundtrack, resurging from No. 7 to No. 2 with 157,000.

Chris Daughtry hung in at No. 3 (down from 2, 156,000), followed in the top 10 by Now 23, The Beatles, Jay-Z (last week's No. 1), Sarah McLachlan's seasonal Wintersong (up 22-7), Akon, Josh Groban and Now Christmas 3 (up from 24).

Rock Hall: What we have to look forward to

I pulled this comment from MD Ray out of the queue because I thought it might start us off in an interesting new direction as far as Hall of Fame possibilities go. (Not that I'm saying to quit sending currently eligible suggestions -- I'll keep that going indefinitely, although I'm not crazy about going over the same ground (e.g., Donna Summer/Lovin' Spoonful/Rush/Moody Blues, etc. You know who you are.)

Anyway, here's Ray's comment:

As the Eligibility for the HOF continues to move into the 1980s, now it is 1982 I believe, I think it will be interesting to see the vast fall-off of new artists that will be eligible.  In 1982, you had REM, who are a first ballot election and should be.  (And why isn't Joe Jackson in the HOF??)

Here is my list of those coming down the pike, with an * next to the ones on the bubble or too new to really confirm yet.  These are in no particular order and would love to hear thoughts and feedback.  Who did I leave off?  Or who should not be on here?

Ray's list, reordered chronologically and with occasional commentary, but no value judgments (yet; those will come later, but you all go first) inserted by me, follows.

Beyonce's 'Irreplaceable' force defeats immovable object

With a massive surge in radio airplay, Beyonce's Irreplaceable took over No. 1 on the national airplay audience chart, displacing Justin Timberlake's My Love, which had held the top spot for four weeks, according to Nielsen BDS and Arbitron. Akon's two hits, I Wanna Love You and Smack That, retained the Nos. 3 and 4 positions.

The rest of the top 10 was fairly static: holdover hits from Bow Wow, Ludacris, Hinder, The Fray, Fergie and Chris Brown.

Only five Christmas songs made their debuts on the top 100, joining 19 that hit the chart last week as the all-Christmas format takes hold at many stations.

More details and commentary follow.

This week's playlist: At home on a wide range

The weekly playlist rotation comes around to the admirably eclectic Brian Mansfield this time, and he ranges far and wide (even to the tube) for his listening suggestions.

> Pick of the Week:

Me and God, Josh Turner: Turner's latest could be the year's most subversive country single. Not only does he sing with Sunday School-like simplicity about a personal relationship with a living, active God, he's also managed to get 79-year-old bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley on the radio.

> The playlist:

Chiswick High Road, Airpushers: A funky instrumental number propelled by pep-band horns. If the Black-Eyed Peas were Isaac Hayes, this duo would be their Bar-Kays.

Must Have Done Something Right, Relient K: A gem of a pop song, with a bridge and a message that recalls nothing less than the Turtles' Happy Together.

Missing You, John Waite & Alison Krauss: Country's '80s-pop revival hits full swing with this version of Waite's hit, the duet approach only doubling the song's denial quotient.

Hoya Hoye, Bole 2: The tune may be based on an Ethiopian children's chant, but the bouncy Afropop groove is decidedly grown-up.

Fly Me Away, Goldfrapp: This British duo's icily beautiful electro-glam puts the frosting on Target's holiday ad campaign.

The Prisoner, Adam Crossley: A haunting piano ballad, used to chilling effect in the opening sequence of a recent Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Hollywood Car Crash, Cage9: The initial impact could cause whiplash, but this Panamanian rock band makes great use of subtlety, too, like the layered guitars and the falsetto that kicks in just when you expect a scream.

There Is So Much More, Brett Dennen: "In a world of suffering, why should I be so blessed?" this folk singer-songwriter asks himself in this gentle reverie on tragedy and injustice.

Paved the Way/All the Way, The Caravans: Dorothy Norwood, "The World's Greatest Gospel Storyteller," puts gospel's greatest female group in its proper context, then lets Albertina Walker loose to wreck the house.

Gotta Travel On, Jack Cooke: Ralph Stanley's longtime bass player steps out front for a dusty bluegrass remake of Billy Grammer's 1959 country-folk hit.

Joining the Ciara Club

Ciara's back with a second album that attempts to broaden her scope from the Queen of Crunk 'n' B image that attached itself to her after her first hits. USA TODAY's Steve Jones caught up with the self-assured, confident star.

This week's reviews: Gwen, Ciara, 'Dreamgirls,' Eminem proteges, McKnight and more

Here are the USA TODAY critics' verdicts on new albums this week:

> Gwen Stefani's The Sweet Escape is "a "bitter disappointment," says Edna Gundersen, who proceeds to explain why in detail.

> On the other hand, Ciara's escaping her stereotype by balancing the "frisky" numbers with tracks that "provide more of a showcase for her slight but sweetly tangy voice and budding emotional presence," according to Elysa Gardner.

> Eminem may be providing a showcase for his up-and-coming new stable of rappers on The Re-Up, but Steve Jones maintains that "what it really does is whet the appetite for new music from the big guns," like, say, Eminem himself.

> The Dreamgirls soundtrack earns a rave from Elysa, who thinks Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx are in superb form.

> Brian McKnight adds a little edge to the sensitivity, to good effect, Steve feels.

> Steve's also impressed with Patti LaBelle's first gospel album, finding it "uplifting."

> Joan Osborne, having sung soul convincingly on recent albums, now does a "fairly convincing job of reinventing herself as a country singer," Brian Mansfield says.

Those reviews in full follow.

It's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas

I have to hand it to you folks -- the alternative Christmas song suggestions have exceeded my wildest projections, both in number and in imaginative quality. The number is so high that I've scrapped my plans to list them all in one gigantic post -- it's just as easy to take a look at the comments in the "Your Alternative Playlist, Part I" thread to catch up on the most recent.

I figure that there are enough titles now to compile anywhere from seven to nine holiday compilations, depending on how generous you want to be with tracks per CD in this virtual exercise. In any case, the assembled songs make a great resource to put together your own alternative Christmas playlist.

Diamond ready for Round 2 with Rubin

Neil Diamond, who some of you believe should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will enhance his chances by collaborating on a second album with producer Rick Rubin. Rubin's golden touch worked well for Diamond with last year's 12 Songs, both on the charts and with critics. (Wonder why it didn't happen with the Donovan album Rubin did?)

Summarizing Summer's Hall of Fame case

The flood of pro-Donna Summer Rock & Roll Hall of Fame comments, whether they're part of an organized initiative or not, have displayed a lot of passion and intelligence, and made me reconsider my viewpoint ... to an extent.

Back about a month ago (Nov. 1) during the course of this record-smashing (timewise) thread, here's what I said about Summer.

***********************************************

> Donna Summer: The other standout disco icon besides Chic. Many innovations on her records (the icy futuristic electronic vibe of I Feel Love, the rock/disco fusion of Hot Stuff), but those came from her producers, so if somebody from the disco era gets in, better it be the musical geniuses of Chic.

*************************************************

I stand by that -- in disco terms, Chic is The Beatles, Donna maybe The Supremes. Which is also a high honor. (Outside of disco, I don't rate her accomplishments that highly; more on the level of Laura Branigan, and definitely, despite some high spots early in her Geffen phase, not Hall-worthy.)

Watch me contradict myself in the commentary that follows ...

Your alternative holiday playlist, part 1

I was pretty sure in advance that your collective wisdom would produce a much more interesting list of holiday songs than the chestnuts that radio runs into the ground (and yes, I know radio is compelled to play the most popular/best-testing seasonal songs). And, once this week's batch of suggestions started flowing in, I was not disappointed.

I'm sure this is only the beginning -- in fact, I just broke off to see if there were any new, hitherto-unposted suggestions, and there were -- so keep 'em coming. But following are a bunch you've already come up with.

Rock Hall reactions: Wrapping up the week's suggestions

As promised, one last look this week at your suggestions for worthy Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. But first, this reminder: if you didn't see your favorite artist evaluated/eviscerated by me this week, check the November (and October 31) archives for posts beginning with the words Rock Hall or Rock and Roll Hall, and the act's probably in there. If not, send me a comment and I'll put 'em on the next list.

Adam & The Ants: Really negligible impact on the American rock scene, and pretty novelty-oriented, I always thought. Give me Dexys Midnight Runners (well, the first album and first three singles, anyway).

Association: Probably a bit underrated, as they were more versatile than Never My Love or Cherish would suggest, but their image as an MOR pop group will be impossible to shake.

Atlanta Rhythm Section: Good point made about their past as The Candymen, who backed Roy Orbison memorably; and Classics Four, but add all of it up and it's still predominantly colorless pop and rock on the bland side.

Bread: See Association comment, substituting Baby I'm a-Want You and Make It With You for the Association songs. I do have a soft spot for Everything I Own, though (and David Gates was a Leon Russell/Al Kooper-level producer/arranger/songwriter in the '60s).

Kate Bush: That would be wonderful, but she'd be running up one steep hill to get the nominating committee to go for her. Again, lack of U.S. impact is probably fatal.

Boz Scaggs: If his old partner Steve Miller isn't in, not much hope for Boz. Up to me, I'd take Steve first.

Stylistics: Not a distinctive enough image, although their keening falsetto vocal style was nothing if not distinctive. Also, probably not enough crossover appeal.

XTC: Merit and longevity and eclecticism, yes. Commercial impact: almost below zero into the range of negative numbers.

Comments on your comments

It's time for the regular end-of-the-week feature, a few comments on comments and answers to questions. (Although this week I'll have a couple more posts today, another Hall of Fame commentary session sweeping up the last suggestions to come in this week, and a start on your collective alternative Christmas music list.)

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, Doug Grissom had an interesting comment, into which I will intersperse a few responses:

Like most everybody, I have my own short list of artists that I think are overdue for induction, but I want to comment on how high/low the bar is for induction. If the Hall would limit itself to the undeniably great, top-tier artists – Elvis, Beatles, Stones and those just barely under them in terms of influence  – then I have no problem with ‘my’ artists not getting in. But what bugs me is that the bar seems so incredibly low sometimes, that the non-induction of my artists seems almost a crime.

Great point, and I think that's at the heart of the frustration most people who've been commenting on this mega-thread are feeling. If you're a fan of Rush, the Moody Blues, Donna Summer, John Mellencamp or whoever, and you see, let's say, The Stooges (who had zero hits) or Patti Smith (who had one) on the ballot or someone who's actually inducted that you don't agree with at all, whether it's Frankie Lymon or Queen or Billy Joel (to pick three at semi-random), it's bound to irritate the hell out of you. Which leads to Doug's next point, which follows ...