To all sceptics still challenging 2008 to be a good music year, for comparison here a reminder of the 2007-EOY Top 3 with their adjusted scores, average rating and number of reviews :

01. 73,79 - 83,31 (26) Arcade Fire ´Neon Bible´
02. 72,49 - 82,23 (24) Radiohead ´In Rainbows´
03. 69,00 - 77,23 (24) LCD Soundsystem ´Sound Of Silver´

The current position is followed by last month´s position in brackets, then the adjusted score, followed by the average rating and the number of reviews in brackets.

The scores after the title are the individual positions/adjusted scores for Europe, the UK and the US, followed by the current Metacritic-score.

01. (--) 73,19 - 82,84 (25) Portishead ´Third´
EU : 01. 72,71 - UK : 02. 74,49 - US : 01. 72,68 - MC : 84

02. (02) 72,67 - 82,10 (25) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ´Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!´
EU : 05. 70,29 - UK : 01. 76,53 - US : 02. 72,55 - MC : 87

03. (01) 70,63 - 78,89 (26) Vampire Weekend ´Vampire Weekend´
EU : 02. 70,97 - UK : 06. 71,43 - US : 05. 69,46 - MC : 82

04. (03) 70,18 - 80,17 (21) Hercules And Love Affair ´Hercules And Love Affair´
EU : 11. 67,88 - UK : 02. 74,49 - US : 09. 68,89 - MC : 86

05. (06) 68,94 - 80,53 (17) Erykah Badu ´New Amerykah : Part One (4th World War)´
EU : 08. 68,60 - UK : 13. 69,23 - US : 08. 69,15 - MC : 82

06. (04) 67,12 - 75,60 (21) Black Mountain ´In The Future´
EU : 09. 68,19 - UK : 26. 67,05 - US : 23. 65,88 - MC : 79

07. (05) 66.86 - 73,88 (25) Hot Chip ´Made In The Dark´
EU : 14. 65,87 - UK : 41. 65,31 - US : 04. 69,51 - MC : 78

08. (25) 66,80 - 75,12 (21) MGMT ´Oracular Spectacular´
EU : 04. 70,52 - UK : 07. 70,41 - US : 0000000 - MC : 76

09. (07) 66,73 - 75,43 (20) The Gutter Twins ´Saturnalia´
EU : 06. 69,52 - UK : 17. 67,95 - US : 0000000 - MC : 79

10. (26) 66,69 - 78,27 (15) Elbow ´The Seldom Seen Kid´
EU : 45. 61,67 - UK : 02. 74,49 - US : 0000000 - MC : 82

11. (09) 66,43 - 73,26 (25) R.E.M. ´Accelerate´
EU : 20. 63,93 - UK : 09. 69,39 - US : 16. 67,35 - MC : 79

12. (08) 66,41 - 75,89 (18) Drive-By Truckers ´Brighter Than Creation´s Dark´
EU : 03. 70,70 - UK : 0000000 - US : 33. 64,71 - MC : 83

13. (15) 66,20 - 75,56 (18) Los Campesinos! ´Hold On Now, Youngster´
EU : 22. 63,68 - UK : 15. 68,37 - US : 17. 67,22 - MC : 80

14. (--) 66,09 - 75,39 (18) The Last Shadow Puppets ´The Age Of The Understatement´
EU : 07. 69,40 - UK : 32. 66,33 - US : 0000000 - MC : 00

15. (--) 65,70 - 80,55 (11) Robert Forster ´The Evangelist´
EU : 10. 67,89 - UK : 35. 65,52 - US : 0000000 - MC : 00

16. (--) 65,34 - 72,28 (23) The Breeders ´Mountain Battles´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 15. 68,37 - US : 06. 69,31 - MC : 74

17. (10) 65,31 - 71,68 (25) Magnetic Fields ´Distortion´
EU : 12. 67,78 - UK : 0000000 - US : 14. 67,50 - MC : 78

18. (11) 65,24 - 71,58 (25) Cat Power ´Jukebox´
EU : 13. 66,72 - UK : 0000000 - US : 30. 64,90 - MC : 71

19. (13) 65,00 - 74,75 (16) Neon Neon ´Stainless Style´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 07. 70,41 - US : 36. 64,39 - MC : 79

20. (12) 64,67 - 78,55 (11) Earth ´The Bees Made Honey In The Lion´s Skull´
EU : 25. 63,51 - UK : 25. 67,24 - US : 38. 64,03 - MC : 00

21. (14) 64,59 - 72,58 (19) The Mountain Goats ´Heretic Pride´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 26. 67,05 - US : 07. 69,22 - MC : 74

22. (21) 64,57 - 74,67 (15) Why? ´Alopecia´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 47. 64,71 - US : 03. 69,57 - MC : 75

23. (--) 64,21 - 71,60 (20) The Black Keys ´Attack & Release´
EU : 15. 65,08 - UK : 0000000 - US : 44. 63,59 - MC : 76

24. (16) 64,16 - 72,82 (17) Cass Mccombs ´Dropping The Writ´
EU : 28. 63,33 - UK : 12. 69,32 - US : 0000000 - MC : 00

25. (17) 63,98 - 72,53 (17) Beach House ´Devotion´
EU : 30. 63,09 - UK : 0000000 - US : 20. 66,67 - MC : 73

26. (24) 63,75 - 81,63 (08) Toumani Diabaté ´The Mandé Variations´
EU : 24. 63,51 - UK : 19. 67,65 - US : 0000000 - MC : 00

27. (--) 63,74 - 71,26 (19) Foals ´Antidotes´
EU : 29. 63,31 - UK : 22. 67,35 - US : 0000000 - MC : 75

28. (--) 63,64 - 81,38 (08) Frightened Rabbit ´The Midnight Organ Fight´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 39. 64,03 - MC : 00

29. (18) 63,58 - 70,00 (22) British Sea Power ´Do You Like Rock Music?´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 05. 72,45 - US : 0000000 - MC : 80

30. (19) 63,46 - 69,82 (22) Goldfrapp ´Seventh Tree´
EU : 47. 61,23 - UK : 22. 67,35 - US : 0000000 - MC : 78

31. (20) 63,34 - 71,50 (17) American Music Club ´The Golden Age´
EU : 23. 63,59 - UK : 0000000 - US : 0000000 - MC : 80

32. (22) 63,18 - 70,40 (19) These New Puritans ´Beat Pyramid´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 09. 69,39 - US : 0000000 - MC : 76

33. (--) 63,01 - 72,03 (15) Fuck Buttons ´Street Horrrsing´
EU : 49. 61,01 - UK : 19. 67,65 - US : 0000000 - MC : 80

34. (30) 62,95 - 72,57 (14) The Young Knives ´Superabundance´
EU : 19. 64,04 - UK : 41. 65,31 - US : 0000000 - MC : 76

35. (--) 62,95 - 74,17 (12) Mystery Jets ´Twenty One´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 09. 69,39 - US : 0000000 - MC : 75

36. (40) 62,88 - 70,77 (17) Be Your Own Pet ´Get Awkward´
EU : 18. 64,36 - UK : 0000000 - US : 45. 63,53 - MC : 70

37. (--) 62,87 - 68,96 (22) Gnarls Barkley ´The Odd Couple´
EU : 36. 62,15 - UK : 41. 65,31 - US : 0000000 - MC : 76

38. (23) 62,81 - 73,92 (12) DeVotchKa ´A Mad And Faithful Telling´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 13. 69,23 - US : 50. 63,05 - MC : 79

39. (31) 62,66 - 68,93 (21) Wu-Tang Clan ´8 Diagrams´ (2007)
EU : 38. 61,90 - UK : 0000000 - US : 46. 63,39 - MC : 73

40. (29) 62,60 - 69,15 (20) Baby Dee ´Safe Inside The Day´
EU : 27. 63,36 - UK : 0000000 - US : 0000000 - MC : 00

41. (27) 62,39 - 72,31 (13) Cadence Weapon ´Afterparty Babies´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 17. 67,95 - US : 0000000 - MC : 73

41. (--) 62,39 - 72,31 (13) Destroyer ´Trouble In Dreams´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 13. 67,65 - MC : 78

43. (28) 62,30 - 69,03 (19) Lupe Fiasco ´The Cool´ (2007)
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 35. 64,51 - MC : 77

44. (32) 62,20 - 69,25 (18) Autechre ´Quaristice´
EU : 39. 61,89 - UK : 0000000 - US : 22. 65,98 - MC : 71

45. (34) 62,17 - 78,00 (08) Times New Viking ´Rip It Off´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 10. 68,78 - MC : 00

46. (--) 62,11 - 74,70 (10) Pete & The Pirates ´Little Death´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 33. 65,91 - US : 0000000 - MC : 74

47. (36) 62,01 - 73,36 (11) Jonny Greenwood ´There Will Be Blood´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 21. 66,13 - MC : 00

48. (33) 61,85 - 66,98 (24) Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks ´Real Emotional Trash´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 24. 65,71 - MC : 76

49. (--) 61,81 - 70,00 (15) Jamie Lidell ´Jim´
EU : 0000000 - UK : 0000000 - US : 12. 68,17 MC : 72

50. (35) 61,77 - 68,97 (17) Sons & Daughters ´The Gift´
EU : 39. 61,89 - UK : 0000000 - US : 0000000 - MC : 73

Further information on the regional charts :

EU :

16. (11) 65,00 Sascha Funke ´Mango´
17. (12) 64,65 The Black Crowes ´War Paint´
21. (15) 63,73 Black Lips ´Good Bad Not Evil´ (2007)
26. (28) 63,39 Scott Matthews ´Scott Matthews´
31. (--) 62,98 Deus ´Vantage Point´
32. (--) 62,87 Tindersticks ´The Hungry Saw´
33. (24) 62,77 Lizz Wright ´The Orchard´
34. (--) 62,46 Evangelicals ´The Evening Descends´
35. (23) 62,27 The Mars Volta ´The Bedlam In Goliath´
37. (--) 61,92 Teitur ´The Singer´
41. (29) 61,73 Joe Jackson ´Rain´
42. (30) 61,73 K.D.Lang ´Watershed´
43. (35) 61,70 Rumble Strips ´Girls And Weather´
44. (31) 61,68 Marah ´Angels Of Destruction´
45. (--) 61,67 The Duke Spirit ´Neptune´
48. (34) 61,19 Thee Silver Mt.Zion ´13 Blues For Thirteen Moons´
50. (37) 60,81 Tift Merritt ´Another Country´

UK :

19. (17) 67,65 Benga ´Diary Of An Afro Warrior´
22. (20) 67,35 Kathryn Williams/Neill Maccoll ´Two´
26. (24) 67,05 Lightspeed Champion ´Falling Off The Lavender Bridge´
26. (--) 67,05 The Long Blondes ´Couples´
26. (30) 67,05 The Raconteurs ´Consolers Of The Lonely´
31. (27) 66,67 Tegan & Sara ´The Con´ (2007)
33. (28) 65,91 Sebastien Tellier ´Sexuality´
35. (30) 65,52 Le Loup ´The Throne Of The Third Heaven...´ (2007)
35. (30) 65,52 Health ´Health´
38. (33) 65,39 The Heliocentrics ´Out There´
38. (33) 65,39 The Boggs ´Forts´
38. (--) 65,39 Jim Noir ´Jim Noir´
41. (35) 65,31 Laura Marling ´Alas I Cannot Swim´
45. (38) 64,77 Nada Surf ´Lucky´
45. (38) 64,77 Merz ´Moi Et Mon Camion´
47. (40) 64,71 White Hinterland ´Phylactery Factory´
47. (--) 64,71 Was (Not Was) ´Boo`
47. (--) 64,71 Headlights ´Some Racing, Some Stopping´
47. (--) 64,71 Camille ´Music Hole´

US :

11. (06) 68,63 Bon Iver ´For Emma, Forever Ago´
14. (--) 67,50 The Dodos ´Visitor´
18. (--) 66,94 Robyn ´Robyn´ (2005)
19. (08) 66,81 Food For Animals ´Belly´
25. (16) 65,59 Raveonettes ´Lust Lust Lust´ (2007)
26. (--) 65,49 Cut Copy ´In Ghost Colours´
27. (18) 65,20 Ghostface Killah ´The Big Doe Rehab´ (2007)
28. (--) 65,16 Kelley Polar ´I Need You To Hold On...´
29. (35) 65,14 Kathleen Edwards ´Asking For Flowers´
31. (20) 64,80 Atlas Sound ´Let The Blind Lead Those Who Cannot See´
32. (21) 64,76 Xiu Xiu ´Women As Lovers´
34. (--) 64,52 Clark ´Turning Dragon´
37. (29) 64,12 She & Him ´Volume One´
40. (25) 64,02 Thao ´We Brave Bee Stings And All´
41. (26) 63,90 Jason Collett ´Here´s To Being Here´
42. (27) 63,78 The Kills ´Midnight Boom´
43. (28) 63,61 Headlights ´Some Racing, Some Stopping´
47. (--) 63,37 Sun Kil Moon ´April´
48. (32) 63,17 Born Ruffians ´Red Yellow & Blue´
48. (--) 63,17 Crystal Castles ´Crystal Castles´

Our winner of the competition would have been Mitchell Stirling. The good luck fairy (my little niece) picked him in the lucky draw. Because he already bought Portishead´s double LP, he asked me to donate. The donation has been made to ´Child´s Dream´ in Bangkok.
The Portishead-CD has been posted to the runner-up, who is...STEPHAN (again!). Congratulations!

Clues for this month´s competition on the 22nd, deadline is the 25th.

Next update on May 31st.

Another great update, Stefan!

So, compared with the 2007 albums, Portishead and Nick Cave are only behind Arcade Fire? Wow!

Have all the reviews already come out for those albums? If there isn't any more room for regression toward the mean, that's pretty impressive.

Nick Cave's and Portishead's are definitely both fantastic albums.

And actually, with the new reviews that just came in, Portishead became 43-0-0 in my list. No losses, no ties. For every other album with at least ten reviews in common with it, more prefer Portishead.

Do you have any Bon Iver reviews that haven't posted to metacritic yet? It hasn't added any in like forever and I'm sure once more come in it will regress toward the mean and fall down a bit.

Bill, as Stefan's figures show, both Nick Cave and Portishead have been rated by 25 critics, compared to 26, 24, 24 for Arcade Fire, Radiohead and LCD Soundsystem, respectively. So it looks pretty complete. Anyway, albums do not normally drop on Stefan's list because of more reviews, as he uses a adjusted score taking into account both the average score and the number of reviews.

Using Portishead as an example, you are correct that the average score of 82.84 is likely to go down (regression to the mean), but the ranking is based on the adjusted score of 73.19, where the regression to the mean problem is removed, since it is a mix of the average score (82.84) and the middle of the scale (50.00). The higher number of reviews, the more the adjusted score relies on the average score.

Thank you very much for your work. It is great!

Bill, from the eight US sources I use, six ratings for Bon Iver are inclu-ded in ´Metacritic´, one is missing (Rolling Stone : 70) and one is pen-ding (Slant).

The UK release date is scheduled for May 12th, followed later by the EU release.I am sure it will enter the ´Mega-Critic´-Chart by the end of the month.

As for the calculations, Mr.Maths himself (thank you Henrik) explained you the formula (his own), that I use.

This year is definitely better than last year so far. I find that list a bit odd though, I'd jumble it around quite a bit.

Thanks for the update, Stefan.

Bill, here some recent Bon Iver reviews added by UK-critics :
100 Music OMH
80 Q
100 Uncut

Bon Iver got 5/5 in the Sunday Times Culture magazine (UK).