Trivial Matters

I really should be sleeping, but my mind is still awake…

A few weeks ago (or has it been months by now) the local Alternative Rock station started soliciting votes for the top alternative albums of all time. Each listener was allowed to log on to the website and select three albums. Then they started playing the top 94, two per day until they broke the top 20 and now it is one per day.

I don’t get to listen to the station as work, so I miss most of the albums as they are announced, and have to go to the site to catch up on the list. Overall, it’s a decent list. They’re only up to number 14, so I’m curious to see how the top ten plays out, though I’m pretty sure I know what album is going to be number one.

When they announced the whole thing, it was stated that everyone who voted would be entered into a drawing to win all 94 CDs. Then, as they got somewhere in the 30s, they changed it so that you had to submit a guess as to which album is number 1. I don’t know if this was an attempt to weed down the supposed 16,000 original entries, but it does seem kinda unfair. It also seems kinda pointless, because if I’m correct in my assumption about the number 1 album, then I’d guess 90% of the people who entered share my prediction.

I also have some issue with the fact that some of the albums that made it have only been out for months (or weeks when the voting actually took place). Specifically, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida (48) and Death Cab for Cutie’s Narrow Stairs (79). I’ll admit, they are great albums. Viva La Vida, in particular, may turn out to be Coldplay’s best album, but it still remains to be seen.

You see, for an album to be named “best of all time,” they have to have been out for some.. oh, I don’t know… time! Personally, I think a 5 year minimum should have been ennacted, which would eliminate 19 of the albums currently listed. Again, they are not bad albums, but they haven’t been allowed to age yet.

I’m holding out hope for another Foo Fighter’s album to make the list, but I doubt any of the remaining ones would have scored higher than The Colour and the Shape (26). I’m guessing we’ll see The Joshua Tree next week, and perhaps Nirvana Unplugged. I also haven’t seen Blood Sugar Sex Magic, which might break the top five.

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