Which ILM critic is the biggest conformist?

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A nasty way to phrase the question, but I found this site today that tabulates which VV Pazz & Jop Poll contributors' album picks were most commonly selected by everyone else. I was rather surprised by which ILMer was ranked pretty highly (out of the regular posters anyway). Check it out:

http://www.furia.com/twas/twas0368tech.html

― Yancey (ystrickler), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 17:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Is that the Jody [Beth] Rosen? Kewl!

I haven't listened to three of my picks since I made the ballot. Oh dear.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 17:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Said tabulation proves only one thing: Glenn McDonald is a seriously obsessive-compulsive dip.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 17:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think anybody here seems unidiosyncratic enough for me to say they're too "conformist." However, my friend Carey made the top 20! She's a trendhopper! (just kiddin, Carey).

The only albums that were on my top ten that wouldn't be now for sure are Rob Zombie and Crooked Fingers. Applicators, GBV, Pink (and possibly Shakira and Erique Iglesias if the singles represent the albums well enough) all made better albums. Interestingly, I gave Rob and Crooked 5's. Which is part of the reason I assume somebody giving an album a 5 means they don't really care and are just filling out the rest of the ten with albums they respect.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 17:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I mean, I spent quite a bit of time as a teen tabulating some truly meaningless music-related lists and stats, sometimes even involving the Pazz & Jopp poll, so I know from experience. But Glenn's list goes far beyond anything I ever did. It gives me the creeps.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 17:52 (twenty-three years ago)

If I could I would drop the Spoon album from mine. Their worst album, easily.

― Yancey (ystrickler), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:03 (twenty-three years ago)

hee hee, i'm totally going to skew my ballot this year, just so i can get to number 1 on this list.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:06 (twenty-three years ago)

haha jim derogatis -> "No votes cast for singles."

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I notice that many of the big glossies' main critics are up on top of the list. Is this because:

A) Their mainstream magazine leads them to mainstream taste?

B) Because they are the most widely-read critics they con other critics into buying and digging what they like?

― Yancey (ystrickler), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:12 (twenty-three years ago)

curious: are voters strictly past contributors, or..?

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:12 (twenty-three years ago)

they didn't ask me, but then I've never written anything.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:16 (twenty-three years ago)

mark p: apparently not - i wz asked last year even tho i'd never contributed to the music section b4 the xenakis piece last week (i fkd up the deadline and anyway i'm lousy at this stuff: "mark s, entertainment! by the gang of four came out 23 yrs ago!!" etc etc)

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:25 (twenty-three years ago)

haha xgau picked "rock the casbah" as his single oty

(i know, i know...)

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:30 (twenty-three years ago)

So where can I get one of those ballots?

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I have wanted to vote in the P&J for, like (counting in my head here) sixteen years!

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd be up for it, but I have a feeling I'd be the most 'what are you on?' ballot compared to everyone else. (If anyone else picked Peter Murphy for a top ten choice, damn I'd be surprised!)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Mine would be mostly boring but someone has to have Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings in his top ten, damn it!

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I think you e-mail Chuck and scream I'm a CRITIC! You're in. So Go!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:19 (twenty-three years ago)

agh. typo. I think IF you e-mail...

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I have no idea how you get a ballot, that is jacked up. I am happy I"m at the bottom of the list though, it makes me feel so special.

― Ally (mlescaut), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm happy to know I'm technically less of a conformist than Ben Ratliff.

― ^Diego^ (dhadis), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Is that the Jody [Beth] Rosen? Kewl!

Actually, it's not. This has been a source of confusion for years. There's another music writer out there named Jody Rosen, which is why I go by Jody Beth Rosen. What, like I'm gonna change my name? Hell no. :-)

Jody Rosen is a dude.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:40 (twenty-three years ago)

William Wilson to thread!!

― Matt C., Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually Chuck e-mailed me, so that's cool. Hooray!
(I had to really resist the temptation to add a tongue-in-cheek PS in my reply that read WOT DO U KNOW ABT METAL YOU DUM ASS?!?!?!111)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Said tabulation proves only one thing: Glenn McDonald is a seriously obsessive-compulsive dip.

Surely you don't need tabulation to prove this.

― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 22:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Seriously, if they let Brian McCollum vote they should let any of y'all vote...

― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I've always liked this exercise of Glen's because it proves by science that a lot of hack critics pick their favorite records out of the same small pool

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 22:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Glenn McDonald ..the older he gets the more mentalist he gets.

i mean that annual poll is a flawed and naff exercise to start with, but then to do a pointless stats analysis on it Why? What for? ! I bet Glenn was listening to the latest progressive metal releases whilst he churned out the stats.

but...as Dan states "science that a lot of hack critics pick their favorite records out of the same small pool"

ha correct lazy professional critic cunts that only review the same high profile albums that PR firms mail them, and think they know about contemporary music.

Each year the top (echeleons) 50 of this poll - makes my blood boil.. and Dan has hit the nail on the read - what the problem is !

[At least Glenn selects his own albums, however bizarre they maybe - but I don't approve with his rational and music taste - most of the time]

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 22:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Jody Rosen is a dude.

Insert Shakira/Aerosmith joke here.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 14 November 2002 00:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I think you e-mail Chuck and scream I'm a CRITIC! You're in. So Go!

I refuse to believe it is THAT easy.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 14 November 2002 01:42 (twenty-three years ago)

well. don't scream. politely let him know how you qualify as a critic and I'm pretty sure you're in. They ain't picky.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 14 November 2002 01:48 (twenty-three years ago)

well. don't scream. politely let him know how you qualify as a critic and I'm pretty sure you're in. They ain't picky.

Is it exclusively American tho? (I remember Marsh saying something to that effect and that this is why his new poll thingie is widely superior; it looked like every other poll ever obv)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:03 (twenty-three years ago)

They let someone who writes like this contribute, they can't be at all picky.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:23 (twenty-three years ago)

jesus christ that was a horrible article. Did he want us to turn into quakers or something? And you're right, that's proof right there.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:30 (twenty-three years ago)

oh and Daniel, I think you may be right (forgot how international this board is). Well, most critics are anglophiles anyway over here.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:31 (twenty-three years ago)

It can't be exclusively American if I contributed last year, can it? Actually there's a Robert Christgau interview on rockcritics.com where he says they deliberately decided to widen the net.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:36 (twenty-three years ago)

How do I get in on Pazz & Jop?

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:58 (twenty-three years ago)

you actually have to write stuff i think, mel. (HINT.)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 14 November 2002 03:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I've been writing, Jessica Harvell.

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Thursday, 14 November 2002 03:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't approve with his rational is like hanley only more angry! which is great, needless to say.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Thursday, 14 November 2002 05:29 (twenty-three years ago)

I think you have to be a published music critic. That includes all the majors publications, I asked if they include zines, and they seemed to say, well, most of the zine writers turn up at the majors at some point, anyway, ask Matos, he knows how this works. Or, I believe the Voice intern posted somewhere around here, he is the one coordinating, maybe ask him who you need to sell your soul to be a P&J critic... Actually, I don't think the practice is so noteworthy, it seems by including everyone, Rolling Stone, Spin, etc. they are just encouraging some sort of leveling of musical taste, sort of opposed to what one presumes, or hopes! the Voice is after...Anyway, Chuck Eddy to thread, and this time, be nice ( mean that toward the ILXers! )

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 14 November 2002 06:26 (twenty-three years ago)

"Jody Rosen is a dude" is my favorite post in a long time.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 14 November 2002 06:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Greil Marcus likes Daft Punk.
and xgau voted for 'Re-rewind' in 2001.
weird.

― Keith McD (Keith McD), Thursday, 14 November 2002 09:00 (twenty-three years ago)

FWIW, I asked Chuck today if I could count in the poll. He asked me a few questions, made a few understandable jokes at the AMG's expense, and, well, I'm in. So yeah, ask! Can't hurt. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 November 2002 09:23 (twenty-three years ago)

it's not just US writers cz i ain't one
marsh's minions asked me once also, but i forgot
i really am useless at this stuff

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 14 November 2002 10:02 (twenty-three years ago)

most of the zine writers turn up at the majors at some point
Oh DAMN. What went wrong then? (Hint: I may be right, I am a loser in this as in everything else....)

― nathalie (nathalie), Thursday, 14 November 2002 10:21 (twenty-three years ago)

I got sent the poll out of the blue. I'd done some CD reviews free for a friend who edits a leftist political mag so I put that as my 'credentials' as well as FT.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 November 2002 10:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Yay Ned! I think these people need to be Neducated! Show'em what ya got!

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 14 November 2002 18:28 (twenty-three years ago)

We shall see...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 November 2002 18:30 (twenty-three years ago)

All I did before I got a poll was send Chuck a, for lack of a better word, fan letter which noted I'd written for the local paper in State College, PA a bit. Which is specifically why I said they ain't picky.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 15 November 2002 02:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I did this "analysis" last year, too, and as long as the Voice doesn't change their site structure, I can keep doing it every year just by rerunning the perl scripts. Obsessive-compulsive? Perhaps. But I'm in software, this is not hard stuff.

― glenn mcdonald, Saturday, 16 November 2002 02:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Keep doing it, Glenn! Your analysis is much more interesting than the VV poll itself is.

― dan (dan), Saturday, 16 November 2002 02:31 (twenty-three years ago)

when's the next P&J thingie? and hey, I've written for my college paper, can I get in on this?

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 16 November 2002 05:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I made number 17, which was a very good age btw.

I'm wondering now if Chuck is getting a barrage of e-mails from people asking to be sent a ballot and him having no clue as to why.

― Carey, Saturday, 16 November 2002 18:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Anthony, your just jealous because I haven't shown you all my Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures yet.

― Carey, Saturday, 16 November 2002 18:34 (twenty-three years ago)

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