[Note: This is the first in a series of articles that constitute Village Voice Media's year-end music package. The others - pop, indie-rock, dance mixes, Latin, country, alt-country/Americana, metal, rap/hip-hop and special graphics breaking down the year in charts and 2008's worst lyrics - will be posted on Rocks Off throughout the rest of the holiday season.]
It's time to rank the best of what went around and came around again.
BILLY JOEL
The Stranger
(Columbia/Legacy)
As punk and disco e
"Every Day Is Like Sunday"
If you haven't read "Songs from the Heart of a Marketing Plan," Jon Pareles' essay outlining how, basically, the only way for artists to sell their music these days is by licensing it to sell something else, in yesterday's New York Times, go ahead and check it out. Rocks Off detects a faint whiff of Boomer "It's about the music, maaan" sanctimony, but Pareles seems ultimately reconciled to this new market-driven musical climate, and admits many of his favorite so
"Every Day Is Like Sunday"
If you haven't read "Songs from the Heart of a Marketing Plan," Jon Pareles' essay outlining how, basically, the only way for artists to sell their music these days is by licensing it to sell something else, in the New York Times, go ahead and check it out. Ballz detects a faint whiff of Boomer "It's about the music, maaan" sanctimony, but Pareles seems ultimately reconciled to this new market-driven musical climate, and admits many of his favorite songs from 200
Strangeways, here they come: Rocks Off has learned that former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has requested passes for his ex-bandmate Morrissey's sold-out April 11 show at Jones Hall, leading to speculation that the two will perform onstage together for the first time since the influential Manchester band's acrimonious 1987 split.
"Johnny's manager emailed us Monday asking for tickets and backstage passes," a source close to the show's promoter told Rocks Off Wednesday. She asked not to be i
"Every Day Is Like Sunday"
If you haven't read "Songs from the Heart of a Marketing Plan," Jon Pareles' essay outlining how, basically, the only way for artists to sell their music these days is by licensing it to sell something else, in the New York Times, go ahead and check it out. Ballz detects a faint whiff of Boomer "It's about the music, maaan" sanctimony, but Pareles seems ultimately reconciled to this new market-driven musical climate, and admits many of his favorite songs from 200
Craig HlavatyTropical Storm Morrissey blew through Jones Hall Saturday night, leaving a full house of hyperventilated fans - never more so than when, during "Let Me Kiss You," he removed his shirt to reveal an enviable set of abs - and more than a few moist eyes in its wake; after the show, Aftermath looked around and saw several people sobbing in their seats, too overcome to exit immediately. Then there were the security minders who had to have been either bemused or annoyed&nb
