But as much as I love tracks and remixes, there is nothing that substitutes for an album. Sure, ANYBODY can create a track these days, but it still takes a true artist to create an album.

My top 50 albums of the year might surprise some of y’all. First off, there is a scarcity of hip-hop in the top 15 albums. Also, the biggest album of the year, Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III is at 49. And finally, the album is missing some critical favorites, such as Black Milk’s Tronic. But hey, it is what it is. These albums are the one’s that I’ve listened to in 2008, and unfortunately Tronic slipped through the cracks. Also, to those who lament the lack of hip-hop, I offer no apologies. This list is compiled from how many spins each album got on my iPod, and just like that female at the club, I can’t help what I’m attracted to.

Without further adieu, here is the list. The top 15 is here with the rest after the jump.

15.) Wale – The Mixtape About Nothing

Even though he didn’t even drop an album, Wale has had a big year. The DC rapper has been on everybody’s “it” list in ’08, and the 2009 debut is going to be massive. This year, the dude had the nerve to create a Seinfeld (a show which I’m boycotting because of you know who), and still retain his swag. Even if you question his 90s television refrences, you have to agree that he’s one of the best upcoming rappers in the game right now.

14.) Brittany Bosco – Spectrum EP

Brittnay Bosco is going to tear s*#t up in 2009. The Savannah/Atlanta artist’s EP showed a creativity and versatility that most R&B singers lack these days.

13.) Estelle – Shine

Performance wise Adele blows Estelle out the water, however, I found myself enjoying Estelle’s album Shine even more than 19. Producers like Kanye, Will.I.Am, and Wyclef created an album that not only had pop hits like “American Boy,” but more mellow tracks like “Back In Love.” This album isn’t no Miseducation, but a classic nonetheless.

12.) Solange – Sol Angel and The Hadley Street Dreams

While Beyonce was busy being Sasha Fierce, her little sister crafted one of the best R&B albums of the year. Whether Solange’s love of Dilla and Zero 7 is genuine or a record company ruse is yet to be known. However, Solange is taking the place of Kelis as the left-field R&B chick everybody wants to get with.

11.) Santogold – Santogold

Santi White’s first solo album carries over her rock sensibilities from her punk days while incorporating that Brooklyn hipster swag that is the big thing in music nowadays. This was a big year for Santi, who not only got sampled by Kanye (a feat usually reserved for 70s era soul singers), but also by licencing every track of her album for TV shows, movies, and commercials, ensuring that she will be getting paper well into 2009.

10.) The Black Keys – Attack and Release

Attack and Release started out as collaboration with Ike Turner until his death in 2007, which would have been off the chain. However, what remains is The Black Key’s finest album to date. The Danger Mouse produced disc is their first studio-recorded album and their best selling so far.

9.) Danny – And I Love Her

Danny Swain is still the most underrated hip-hop artist of the past decade. The Couch Sessions Approved artist has been creating hot tracksfor years now, and he’s past dude for his shine. And I Love H.E.R. is a concept album that was better executed than most, with Danny’s nonchalant rhymes and incredible beats (with some of the most random samples imaginable), make this album a hip-hop lover’s dream.

8.) Lykke Li – Youth Novels

I initially dismissed Lykke Li, but she had me at this one line from her track “Little Bit”: “For you I keep my legs apart/and forget about my broken heart.” From that moment I was sold. The album itself is a stripped down, organic affair with Lykke’s voice being the main instrumental. And the girl has cred with fans like David Banner, Kanye, and Q-Tip among others.

7.) TV On The Radio – Dear Science

As someone who simply hated TVOTR’s disjointed musical style and downright depressing lyrics, I was so presently surprised by their new album that it made the top 10. TVOTR made a downright upbeat and danceable album that still retains their trademark vocal styling and instrumentation.

6.) Kanye West – 808 and Heartbreaks

I had REAL low expectations for Kanye’s venture into experimental avant garde emo and thought that this album would be a dud. However, Kanye not only knocked this one out of the park but AGAIN flipped the script on Black popular music in America. You may hate Kanye all you want (and I still do), but let’s face it: Kanye West is Steve Jobs. He’s a outlier (props to Malcom Gladwell) who sees the future and where music is headed way before we can comprehend it. Just like Job’s said we wouldn’t be using floppy drives way back in 1998.

5.) Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple

Even though Gnarl’s sophomore release didn’t get the attention or sales numbers it deserved, the Atlanta duo’s return marked their best work so far. Their lead single “Run,” couldn’t match the juggernaut that was “Crazy,” but songs like “Can You Save My Soul?” and “Going On,” have cemented the duo as a musical force.

4.) Q-Tip – The Renaissance

Q-Tip’s return to the rap game marked a return to the golden era rap that hip-hop needs right now. Q-Tip never really changed his formula from Amplified, yet crafted an album that that the grown and sexy can cling to without being ultra nostaglic about the past.

3.) Jazzanova – Of All Things

Jazzanova makes music for people who love music. I’m not talking about people who love to dance to music or those who simply just cop CDs or go to concerts, but for those who are simply obsessed with the art of music. The German collective has arranged some of the greatest heard and underheard talent this year–Phonte, Dwele, Jose James, Bembe Segue and Ben Westembach to name a few and created music around each artists’ personal style. This album should be in every music lover’s collection.

2.) Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It

When I heard Raphael Saadiq was doing a Motown album, I dismissed it outright. I thought that he was yet another artist jumping on the bandwagon. Even if The Way I See It could be called “bandwagon jumping,” Saadiq has not only set a standard for what a revival album should sound like, but raised the bar so high that I doubt any artist will ever come close.

1.) Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind

When Foreign Exchange dropped their latest album, I almost felt like it spoke to me. Phonte’s soulful voice, combined with Nicolay’s always organic, smooth beats, made this album a must own for frustrated rap fans like myself that wanted something deeper in their music. Instead of played out cliche’s about poppin’ champange in the club, the duo made an album about breakups, and self deprecation. Billbord chart topper? No. But do we really care anymore?

Albums 50-16 after the jump.

50.) Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
49.) Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
48.) The Game – LAX
47.) Guns and Roses – Chinese Democracy
46.) Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation
45.) Tittsworth – 12 Steps
44.) Femi Kuti – Day By Day
43.) Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
42.) Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
41.) Portishead – Third
40.) Coldplay – Viva La Vida
39.) T.I. – Paper Trail
38.) MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
37.) People Under the Stairs – Fun DMC
36.) Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro
35.) Slakah The Beatchild – Soul Movement Volume 1
34.) The Roots – Rising Down
33.) 10 Deep Presents The New Deal
32.) Mickey Factz – Heaven’s Fallout
31.) N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds
30.) The Constellations – Southern Gothic
29.) Ludacris – Theater of the Mind
28.) Erykah Badu – New Amerykah: Pt. One (4th World War)
27.) Common – Universal Mind Control
26.) Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless
25.) Daedalus – Love to Make Music To
24.) Various Artists – The Food Chain Collective
23.) 88 Keys – The Death of Adam
22.) The Knux – Remind Me In 3 Days
21.) Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
20.) Clipse – Road Till When The Casket Drops
19.) Tawiah – In Jodi’s Bedroom EP
18.) Kid Cudi – A Kid Named Cudi
17.) Tricky – Knowle West Boy
16.) Adele – 19

We’re ringing in 2009 with our reader Best of 2008 lists. I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day over the next several weeks. Today’s Reader is Rob Fields of Bold As Love.

Name: Rob Fields
Location: Brooklyn
Website: http://www.boldaslove.us

TV On The Radio–”Dear Science”.  See DLZ and Love Dog
Passing Strange original cast recording.  A great show full of music that shines light on our humanity.
Gnarls Barkley–”The Odd Couple”.  I can’t think of a more introspective, and in some ways, existential album put out by a Black artist
Saul Williams–”The Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust”. Hard-hitting and truth-telling.
BLK JKS–”Mystery” (EP)

Honorable mentions
Chewing Pics–”Tarantula” (EP)
The Knux–”Remind Me in 3 Days…” Just a lot of fun

We’re ringing in 2009 with our reader Best of 2008 lists. I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day over the next several weeks. Today’s reader is Christie, who also provides us with her top 5 Chicago tracks of the year.

Name:  Christie
Location: Chicago, IL
Blog:  Nope, unless you count my GMAIL statuses….

Top 5 albums of 2008

5b. Sigur Ros – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
5a. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
4.   Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
3.   Santogold - Santogold
2.   Beck – Modern Guilt
1b. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
1a. Radiohead – In Rainbows *
(*The internet release was in Oct. 2007, but the record came out Jan. 2008.
Since I listened to this album nonstop for probably the entire first
half of the year, I think it still classifies as my Best of 2008)

Honorable Mention: Black Milk – Tronic

Top 5 of 2008 – Chicago

5. Yaw – “Where Will you Be”
4. Andrew Bird – “Plasticities”
3. Hey Champ – “Cold Dust Girl”
2. The Cool Kids – “88″
1. Kanye West – Tie between “Street Lights” & “Love Lockdown”

Top 5 Singles of 2008

5.   MGMT – “Electric Feel”
4.   Santogold – “L.E.S. Artistes”
3b. Bon Iver – “Blood Bank”
3a. The Helio Sequence – “Lately”
2.   TV on the Radio – “Halfway Home”
1.   M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”*
(also on the Best Soundtrack of 2008 for the Best Movie of 2008: Slumdog Millionaire)

5.) Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl

I’m not in the target market for this song (err, a 15 year old white girl from Iowa), but I find Katy Perry’s song annoying nonetheless. The first time I heard formulaic wannabe rebellious, formulaic, piece of junk I knew it was going to be a number one hit. And seriously, who is Katy Perry? I thought this was Ashlee Simpson for a minute there. Apparently, this song is about “female empowerment,” or something like that. Sorry, but I would rather put on a real female like Alanis Morrissette on continuous loop.

4.) Lil Wayne – Lollipop

Most of y’all know that I can’t stand Lil Wayne (although A Milli rests at near the top of my Best songs of the Year List–go figure), so of course this dude makes the list not once, but twice this year. Even though Kanye somehow got by with singing via Autotune, Wanye’s attempt at crooning falls far short. The dude really need to stick to rapping because he can’t sing nor play guitar, but hey, the 16 year old girls love this song, so what do I know?

3.) Ron Brownz feat Jim Jones – Pop Champagne

First off, who the f#$k is Ron Brownz? No seriously, I don’t know who the hell this dude is. He dosen’t even have an entry on Wikipedia. Anyway, this song is yet another example of how AutoTune needs to  be taken around the back of the barn and shot. Ron Brownz (again, who?) sounds like the robot band at Chucky Cheese had a malfunction. And seriously, people in the club go wild for this track but can you really dance to it?

2.) Beyonce – Single Ladies

Beyonce is Sasha Fierce, as in fiercely annoying in this track. Not only is the patty-cake like beat gut-wrenching but the subject matter is as well. Bey screeches the line, “If you like it then you should’ve put a ring on it,” throughout the chorus. Seriously? You’re gonna dump a dude cause he didn’t buy you a diamond ring and your gonna go and make him jealous at the club? Child please. The young girls of America are gonna be tainted by this song. (And don’t get me started on that song “If I Were A Boy,” which plays off of stupid ass gender stereotypes. But I digress)

1.) Lil Wayne – Officer

I really love the vibe to this song, but Lil Wayne destroys it for me. The dude’s nonsensical ramblings over such a dope beat makes this track one of the biggest wastes of a song that I’ve seen in a while.

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day over the next several weeks to see what their best tracks of ’08 were. Today’s reader is DJ Cam Jus, who dropped the Couch Sessions mix last week and is throwing a New Year’s party at Expo on 9th and U Street tonight.

Cam Jus Best of 2008:

Ranking was determined by personal favorites, overall quality, and what was hugest at spots I played at throughout the year.

Name: DJ Cam Jus
Location: Largo, MD
Website: yeahclass.com

Songs:
1. Green Light – John Legend ft. Andre 3000
2. tie: Put On – Young Jeezy / Everyone Nose – N*E*R*D
3. On the Rock – Mavado
4. Day N Nite (crookers remix) – Kid Cudi
5. A Milli – Lil’ Wayne

Honorable Mention:
Pop Champagne – Ron Browz
Single Ladies – Beyonce
Am So Special – Mavado
Blow Your Head – Diplo
My President is Black – Young Jeezy
Get Silly – Backyard Band
Swagger Like Us – T.I.
Luv Your Girl – The Dream
Sound of Kuduro – Buraka Som Sistema ft. M.I.A.
Paper Planes – M.I.A. (2007, but you know…)

Albums/EP’s/Mixetapes, etc.:
1. Shine – Estelle
2.  Santogold – Santogold (feels like it might as well have come out in 2007 that’s why i wasn’t sure to put the bangers in the songs list. so many people got them in ’07)
3. Unsung Hero – Colin Munroe
4. 808s & Heartbreak – Kanye West
5. Youth Novels – Lykke Ki

Honorable Mention:
The Recession – Young Jeezy
Lovehate – The Dream

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is Upset the Setup founder DJ Eurok (aka Peace Justice) who’s hittin’ us with his Top 5 DC Hip-Hop moments.

Name: UPSET THE SETUP
Location: DC
Blog: http://www.upsetthesetup.com

Your Top 5 DC Hip Hop Moments:

1. Kokayi getting nominated for a Grammy and dropping a banging album.
2. The premiere of the Peter Rosenberg directed video for The Package’s “Makin’ Waves” on Nah Right.com.
3. The epic all city graffiti fest at 14th and T.
4. Hearing XO’s The Takeover Part 2 for the first time.
5. Rock The Bells with Wale on the Main Stage.

I mean it was a really good year for alot of people, not so good for others.

Musically speaking Kanye took a super risk, and depending on your take of the album it could be deemed as successful or not. Is they jury still out? Not for me, I think the album is dope and will continue to think so for years. My 9 year old niece was singing Street Lights on XMAS day and it was a beautiful thing.

Shout out to Black Milk, Elzhi, Shawn Jackson, Blu & Exile, Wayne, Jeezy, Bussa Bus and a host of other people I’m forgetting that put out a bunch of quality music.

2008 was a HUGE year for dance music as well. Was there anything bigger than the Day N Night remix?

DC did it big with Nadastrom and Tittsworth having worldwide success, and locally with parties such as Nouveau Riche, Blisspop, and Sorted going strong and getting stronger.

Everyone’s musical tastes are different, including mine. At the same time I’m not really a critical person so I’m not gonna say who sucked, who is going to suck in ’09 or any of that stuff. I use EVERY type of music for inspiration whether its a mix from Cosmo Baker, a video from The Death Set or Ninja Sonik, or the latest Authentic Shit podcast.

As a general rule it seemed that people stepped their game up this year, and ’09 is going to only be better. Fire up the ableton, logic or MPC and get it crackn!

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is Julian, who is one half of the DC-based duo Bullets over Romance.

Name: Julian
Location: Washington, DC

Album (No particular order)
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale
The Knux – Remind Me in 3 Days
Erykah Badu – New Amerykah
Radiohead – In Rainbows

(Honorable mention) Guilty Simpson – Ode to The Ghetto

Song
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Erykah Badu – The Healer
Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out
Q-Tip – Gettin’ Up
MGMT – Electric Feel

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is DJ O.S.U.M from Toronto, and you can hear him spin at the Swank Society every Wednesday from 3 -5 EST.

Name: DJ O.S.U.M.
Location: Toronto
Website: www.cantslowdown.net and www.swanksociety.com

Top 5:

Erykah Badu – Nu Amerykah
Nikolay & Kay – Time: Line
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless
Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind

5.) Adele – Chasing Pavements – (Various Productions Remix)

Even though Mick Boogie’s new Adele/1988 remix might be getting more shine in the Internets, a little known UK remix her song “Chasing Pavements,” has goten multiple spins in my iPod. Various Production’s chupped of remix of the track was rejected by Adele’s label though.

4.) Lil Wayne – A Milli (Nadastrom Remix)

Nadastrom mixes aren’t for everyone, but if you’re into the techno/electro ish that Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom are cookin’ up, then their remix is a dancefloor banger.

3.) The Knux – Cappuccino (Remix)

Remember back in the day when a cassette single would have the instrumental and the b-Side remix? Yeah, those were the days. The Knux’s Cappuccino rework is a throwback to the times when an artist would drop a brand new verse/beat to a song and call it a remix. It comes off like a sequel rather than a new song.

2.) Lil Wayne – A Milli (Flying Lotus Remix)

Not only does Flying Lotus remix this track, but he completely reinterprets Bangladesh’ street anthem into a chilled out lounge sleeper and made it look easy in the process.

1.) Kid Cudi – Day and Nite (Crookers Remix)

You know you’ve done your job when people think that your remix is the actual official release. The Italian dance floor duo Crookers’s remix of Kid Cudi’s Day and Nite has become an international dance floor smash and has become more famous than the original, hitting the charts at BBC Radio 1 and in Australia ahead of its official January release.

Honorable Mention: Drake – Little Bit (Remix)

I tried to avoid posting tracks with rappers trying to get on hipster tracks, but Drake’s auto-tuned duet with my future wife Lykke Li is near perfection. Drake makes the move that Kanye should’ve made considering that the Kayne-Lykke collaboration with N.A.S.A. was total bunk.

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is reader and former Couch Sessions writer Divynthought from ATL.

Name: Divynthought
Location: Hot ‘Lanta
Website: myspace.com/divynthought

Your Top 5:

New Amerykah by Erykah Badu,
Leave It All Behind by Foreign Exchange,
The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq,
Sam Sparro by Sam Sparro
Universal Mind Control by Common.

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is my homeboy Diego from NYC. Check him out at hustlecrow.com.

Name: Diego
Location: NYC
Website: http://www.hustlecrow.com

Here are my top 5 albums/songs of the year. (No particular order)
1. N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds
2. Beautiful Day/remix, By U-N-I
3. Kanye West – 808′s and Heartbreak
4. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Madonna – Hard Candy

Honorable Mention
1. Dream world, By Robin Thicke
2. Trading Places, By Usher
3. Santogold – Santogold
4. Lil Bit Remix, by Lykke Li and Drake
5. Coldplay – Viva La Vida