Here is the preseason for a division game, which was initially Henrik’s idea but I’m stealing and hopefully improving upon. I’ll get into the rules closer to the start of the season (Friday, July 1), but for now here is a little teaser.

There will be four divisions (listed below) with 12 teams (artists) in each division. Currently they are based on the top 48 artists here at AM, but during this preseason round, three will be voted out and three artists outside the top 48 will be voted in and begin life in the bottom division.

Just like any sport, you have to have enough players to suit up, so artists with fewer than four albums or four songs on the AM list (bubbling under is okay), are not eligible. Therefore, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols, Sly and the Family Stone and Joy Division are out and Sonic Youth, Kraftwork, Joni Mitchell and Ramones are in.

At the end of the regular season, three teams will be relegated from each division and three teams from the bottom three divisions will be promoted. Three new teams will be voted in during the next preseason to fill the void in the bottom division. There will also be an unpredictable cup tournament during the season (just like soccer/football).

Vote out three of the artists listed below that you would like to see gone (in order of preference), and vote in three artists not currently listed that you would like to see in the game this season (in order of preference). Voting will continue until midnight, Wednesday, June 29.

Current divisions:

STADIUM DIVISION
1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Bob Dylan
4. David Bowie
5. Led Zeppelin
6. Radiohead
7. Prince
8. Bruce Springsteen
9. The Who
10. Elvis Presley
11. Jimi Hendrix
12. The Beach Boys

ARENA DIVISION
1. The Velvet Underground
2. Marvin Gaye
3. R.E.M.
4. U2
5. The Clash
6. Neil Young
7. Nirvana
8. Stevie Wonder
9. Pink Floyd
10. Bob Marley and the Wailers
11. Elvis Costello
12. The Smiths

CLUB DIVISION
1. Talking Heads
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Van Morrison
4. The Byrds
5. Public Enemy
6. The Doors
7. The Kinks
8. James Brown
9. Michael Jackson
10. Beastie Boys
11. Johnny Cash
12. Beck

COFFEE SHOP DIVISION
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival
2. Pixies
3. John Lennon
4. Otis Redding
5. Madonna
6. Lou Reed
7. Roxy Music
8. Blur
9. Sonic Youth
10. Kraftwerk
11. Joni Mitchell
12. Ramones

Out
1. Kraftwerk (3 points)
2. Madonna (2 points)
3. Johnny Cash (1 point)

In
1. PJ Harvey (3 points)
2. The White Stripes (2 points)
3. Pearl Jam (1 point)

I wanted to vote for Pavement, but they only had two songs listed.

Out:

1. Beastie Boys
2. Blur
3. CCR

In:

1. White Stripes
2. Tom Waits
3. Stooges

Wanted to vote for Pere Ubu, but they're ineligible.

Out

1. Beastie Boys
2. John Lennon
3. The Beatles

In

1. The Band
2. The Cure
3. Tom Waits

don't think the stooges are eligible either

Oh, you need 4 albums *and* 4 songs?

Blah.

Okay. Bjork then.

-3 John Lennon
-2 Kraftwerk
-1 Lou Reed

+3 The Cure
+2 Pearl Jam
+1 The White Stripes

+3 Jay-Z
+2 Kanye West
+1 Spoon

-3 Kraftwerk
-2 James Brown
-1 Roxy Music

Goodbye:

-3 The Who
-2 The Beatles
-1 John Lennon

Hello:

+3 The Cure
+2 Björk
+1 Janet Jackson

-3 Ramones
-2 The Byrds
-1 Van Morrison

+3 The Cure
+2 Depeche Mode
+1 Björk

In:
1. Todd Rundgren
2. Steely Dan
3. Yes

Out:
1. Velvet Underground
2. Beastie Boys
3. Pixies

Out:
1. Ramones
2. Madonna
3. The Smiths

In:
1. Tom Waits
2. Leonard Cohen
3. Nick Cave

Many of the artists I wanted to put in, don't have 4 albums and songs in de AM list.

Just to clarify

In:
1. Todd Rundgren (+3)
2. Steely Dan (+2)
3. Yes (+1)

Out:
1. Velvet Underground (-3)
2. Beastie Boys (-2)
3. Pixies (-1)

Out:
-3 John Lennon
-2 James Brown
-1 Ramones

In:
+3 - Kanye West
+2 - The Cure
+1 - Tom Waits

OUT
-3 Van Morrisson
-2 Bob Dylan
-1 Bruce Springsteen

IN
+3 The White Stripes
+2 Bjork
+1 Depeche Mode

Eurythmics with 3 albums and 3 songs in AM not eligible ... have you ever seen such cruelty?

Out:
-3 Beastie Boys
-2 James Brown
-1 Madonna

In:
+3 PJ Harvey
+2 The White Stripes
+1 The Cure

Out:
Lennon -3
Nirvana -2
Beastie Boys -1

In:
Leonard Cohen +3
Curtis Mayfield +2
Simon & Garfunkel +1

Out:

1. Joni Mitchell -3
2. The Doors -2
3. Roxy Music -1

In (and i'm voting strategically to lift up those who have already gotten votes that I like, so no votes for the eligible Duke Ellington and P-Funk):

1. PJ Harvey +3
2. Bjork +2
3. White Stripes +1

Out :

1. Madonna -3
2. The Smiths -2
3. Kraftwerk -1

In :
1. Tom Waits +3
2. Roy Orbison +2
3. Björk +1

-3: The Doors
-2: Ramones
-1: Pink Floyd

In:
+3: Coldplay
+2: The Band
+1: The Police

One week left to vote.