Tired of reading critics favorites, so I’m listing my own personal Best Of 2008 just for kicks. In no particular order randomness ensues…..and I know I’m forgetting a few.
Best Musical Groups of 2008: Chasen, MuteMath, Lady Antebellum, Emerson Drive, Daughtry, Whiskey Falls, Paramore, The SteelDrivers, Finger Eleven
Best Female Musical Artists of 2008: Alison Krauss, Bethany Dillon, Leona Lewis, Leigh Nash, Sara Bareiles, Joey Martin (Joey & Rory), Lee Ann Womack, Francesca Battistelli
Best Male Musical Artists of 2008: Andrea Bocelli, Brandon Heath, Dan Tyminski, Jack Johnson, David Cook, John Mayer
Best Live Show of 2008: MuteMath, Keith Urban, Nickel Creek, Here Come the Mummies
Best Live Show on Film: U2 3D
Best Music Video: MuteMath “Typical”, David Ford “Go To Hell”, Luke Bryan “Country Man”
Best DVD Release: Billy Joel “The Stranger: 30th Anniversary”
Best Advocate Artist (who can actually bring people and politicians together to get things done rather than making them even more divided as most artists do): Bono
Best Christmas music artists: Harry Connick Jr., Amy Grant, Celine Dion, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Vince Gill, Vince Guaraldi, Nat King Cole, Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey, Trisha Yearwood. For me, that’s the best the holiday season has to offer.
Best new Christmas song of 2008: Sara McLaughlin had a solid holiday CD and Chris Rice’s “Peace On Earth” was the best new Christmas single I heard. There weren’t that many.
Music I’m Looking forward to in 2009: Fiction Family (John Foreman and Sean Watkins? From two of my favorite groups? Duh, I’m in!), Mute Math (new music!), The Massacoustics (always – no matter the incarnation), Michelle Branch (anticipating some great solo stuff), Natalie Hemby (stellar singer/songwriter), Gloriana (have been a fan of Rachel Reneirt for a while now)
