http://www.roughtrade.com/site/content.lasso?page=albumsoftheyear08.html

Here's a link to Rough Trade's best of 2008 list. I didn't understand what I was supposed to put in column FM on the Excel sheet, so I didn't update it.

-brian

Thanks Brian! I wanted you to fill in the positions from the Rough Trade list, but don't worry, I've done it myself already.

http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/3172289350/show/432034

Henrik - I found a forum discussion from 2004 (pasted above) where you mentioned the fact that the '02 and '03 Rough Trade lists were not included on A.M., and it seemed like there may have been a reason for the omision. They put out lists at least every year since '02, if not earlier than that, and I don't think any are included in A.M. Just mentioning it in case you don't want the '08 list included after all.

Brian, those old Rough Trade lists were later included at AM.

Thanks, Henrik. I'm not certain how to tell what lists are included or not. Since the "critics list" page only mentioned '02-'04, I've pasted links here for the '06 and '07 lists. Sorry if they're already logged. I found something directly from Rough Trade in 2005 that says the lists are compiled based on customer/staff votes and sales figures (http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=QiLgL). I'm a little new here, but it sounds questionable whether these lists belong on A.M.

-brian

http://www.listsofbests.com/list/34683
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/49118

Thanks Brian for looking into this. If sales figures are involved they shouldn't be included, but maybe they've compiled it differently over the years? This year they don't say more than "Do you agree with our top 10?" which sounds like it's their personal picks, but you'll never know... Oh, these grey zones.

Ok, did a little more research, and now I'm questioning whether even the '08 list should be included. The link posted below is from Drowned In Sound. They say that Rough Trade chose their top 50 albums of the year and had asked the Drowned in Sound readers to each pick their three favorites. It doesn't say much, but it seems to indicate that a fan vote determined the numbering of the Rough Trade list. Drowned in Sound, on this link, presents the 50 albums in no particular order, and not in the order of the final list.

http://drownedinsound.com/rt50

-brian

Then again, the final numbered list also encourages fans to vote for their favorite, so it probably is just a staff-chosen list. Ugh. Greyness indeed. I'll leave it up to your judgment, dear sir. ;)

-b