
XO's Fave Pop Star of 2007: Róisín Murphy (see full post here)
Favorite Group: Ghosts
Favorite Female Solo Artist: (I love a good) 4-way (tie)! Siobhan Donaghy, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Róisín Murphy and Kylie
Favorite Male Solo Artist: Darren Hayes
Singing Voice Of The Year: Sara Bareilles
Favorite New Artists: Kate Nash, Sara Bareilles, Justin Currie (as a solo act), and Antigone
Album Cover(s) Of The Year: see here
Debut Album Of The Year: Sara Bareilles Little Voice
Favorite Video(s): see here
Favorite Rockish Music: The National's album Boxer, with great songs like Fake Empire and Squalor Victoria
Favorite BritPop Bands: Ghosts, Passenger, Lucky Soul and Fields
Best Producer: Justin Shave (for Darren Hayes and the upcoming Antigone album) and Jimmy Hogarth for Suzanne VegaTop B-sides Of The Year: Ghosts Hate This Music Tracey Thorn The Book Of Love Patrick Wolf On Sussex Downs Siobhan Donaghy Don’t Take Me Back / Givin' In Sophie Ellis-Bextor Move To The Music / Duel Passenger You’re On My Mind Maroon 5 The Way I Was Darren Hayes Fallen Angel
Top Remixes Of The Year: Beyonce Green Light (Freemasons Mix) Feist 1234 (Van She Technological Mix) Dannii Minogue He’s The Greatest Dancer (LMC Radio Edit) De Souza and Shena Guilty (Bimbo Jones Mix) Rihanna Umbrella (Jody Den Broeder Lush Mix) Rihanna Hate That I Love You (K Klassic Mix) Robyn Handle Me (Ortzroka Death To Disco Remix) Sugababes Change (Vito Benito Edit)
Oldies Of The Year: Pointer Sisters Dare Me Diana Ross Have Fun Again (Chic Mix) and lots of Moloko!
Best Misheard Lyrics:
Misheard: “To each and every degree you’ve got me in a gurney”
Correct lyric: “To each and every degree you’ve got me in agony”
- So You Say (Siobhan Donaghy)
Misheard: “Back in the days when I had a mustache”
Correct lyric: “Back in the days when I had a Mustang”
- Glamorous (Fergie)
2007 Annual Kylie Minogue Leaks (eww!) Award: Fall For You and Lose Control. Strangely or not, this year some of her leaks were better than album cuts or b-sides
Artists Who Deserved Better in 2007: Sophie Ellis Bextor, Dragonette and Siobhan Donaghy
Fanblog Of The Year: The fantastic, exhaustive and always updated Róisín Murphy fan blog by the Hopeless Optimist. I hope I have credited this person enough, because I get my Roisin news there and you should too
Most Overated: Mika (all schtick, bar a few good songs). Runner-up: Calvin Harris
Most Hated: I won't even utter her name. You probably know who it is.
Saddest Demise: Virtually every record store in Washington DC. There is only one true music store (that I would shop in) left and I do give them my cash. That culture is gone gone gone.
Guilty Pleasure: Fergie's paean to all things shallow, crass and poptastic: Glamorous
Best Lyrics Of The Year: Patrick Wolf's Augustine (read)
Best Song Title: Tie between Tracey Thorn's By Piccadilly Station I Sat Down And Wept and Lucky Soul's Lips Are Unhappy
Best Comeback(s): Suzanne Vega recorded her best album in 20 years. Marc Almond did a Lazarus routine, rising from literal near-death to reach a sublime career peak. Bruce Springsteen shocked me by releasing a very strong album (!) and Annie Lennox killed it with her new album, her best in 15 years. Tracey Thorn too, cannot forget her!
Live Show Of The Year: Annie Lennox (DC, Lisner Auditorium)
Favorite Scandipop Person Who Is Not Robyn: I discovered Anneli Drecker in early '07 and she got me through the boring winter months. Songs like Who On Earth, You Don't Have To Change and Tundra are all older songs that should be heard beyond Scandinavia. Thanks to the MIA Brittle Lemon for her.
I-Could-Not-Care-Less-Award: A certain mentally ill pop star's new album and the Spice Girls reunion.
Albums That Most Disappointed Me: First and foremost, Mutya Buena's Real Girl was a Real Dud and I wish her better luck next time or she's headed for Celebrity Big Brother. I was also very sad that the Joni Mitchell album was so weak. I blame the lack of an outside producer to help her keep it lively. Others that were either no good or just did not register with me: Alicia Keys, Deborah Harry (sorry!), Erasure, Tori Amos, Bjork, Prince, Seal and Brett AndersonOkay, I am worn out with these lists. Rode hard and put away wet! There will be one more list tomorrow and then I am Done with 2007. Pack it up.