This year as I've blogged my musical experience, I always knew the year end look back would be incumbent. Though I dreaded getting started I'm truly enjoying re-listening to the great music of 2010 -- it has been a fabulous year. There's pressure to get a list out early, but a year cannot be rushed, especially one with more than two weeks left in it. It takes some judgment to cut off the contenders and roll the remnants into next year, but I prefer to get as close to a true 2010 assessment as possible.
I plan to pick, in reverse order of prestige, a Song of the Year, an Album of the Year (topping the Ten Best plus honorable mentions), and an Artist of the Year. My approach is to put everything in the blender that might make the cut -- and listen. Thus far that's 54 albums, which iTunes says is 1.8 solid days of listening. As I hear them all again, some can be quickly set aside (a practical necessity), some amaze me all over, and some are tougher to sort.
Sifting through great art and putting it all in order, one of a music blogger's many burdens.
