A Stylistic Free For All: The New Yorker’s Top Music of 2008

Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker magazine has posted his list of the top songs and albums from 2008.  Running the gamut from hip-hop to dub-step influenced dance music, the list contains a bunch of interesting picks you may not have noticed over the course of the year. Surprisingly though, the chart is very democratic, giving pop music a fighting chance. Not going the “more obscure than you” route, Frere-Jones sprinkles the chart with liberal doses of music more commonly found on the Billboard Hot 100, including Lil Wayne, Katy Perry and Jessica Simpson. For sure, a very open-minded list which illustrates the shrinking distinctions between mainstream and independent music. When all music is available to anyone, the barriers break down and insular niches open up – making one big, interesting mish-mash of a music scene. See below for the top ten singles, and head over to his site for the full run-down. (note: ignore the date on his post – he’s been editing it all year)

1. Lil Wayne “A Milli” (Universal)
2. Ida Maria “Oh My God” (Nesna)
3. Lykke Li “Little Bit” (LL Recordings/EMI)
4. Katy Perry “Hot N Cold” (Capitol)
5. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble “War”
6. Radiohead “Nude” (TBD)
7. Lauren Flax “You’ve Changed” f/Sia (Sire)
8. Busta Rhymes “Don’t Touch Me” (Aftermath/Interscope)
9. The Raveonettes “Aly, Walk With Me” (Vice)
10. Boreta “Lobegrinder” (Glitch Mob)

The New Yorker: “The Best Recordings of 2008″