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{{short description|2008 music compilation book}}
{{short description|2008 music compilation book}}
{{Infobox book
{{primary sources|date=May 2011}}
| name = The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present
{{italic title}}
| image =
'''''The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present''''' is a book compiling the greatest songs from 1977 to 2006, published in 2008 by [[Pitchfork Media]]. The book focuses on specific genres including [[indie rock]], [[hip-hop]], [[electronic music|electronic]], [[pop music|pop]], [[heavy metal music|metal]], and experimental underground. The book is broken down into 9 chronological periods, each period beginning with a description of the music scene before the featured artists, and how those artists changed the music scene.<ref>[http://thepitchfork500.com/about/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227055704/http://thepitchfork500.com/about/ |date=February 27, 2009 }}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' described the book as having "42 critics to cover 30 years of music, from 1977 punk to 2006 crunk, and all the starry-eyed, acoustic acts in between."<ref name="TIME">Claire Suddath, [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20081128174530/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1862151,00.html#ixzz1l6F6fPRu "The Skimmer: ''The Pitchfork 500''"], ''[[TIME]]'', November 26, 2008.</ref>
| alt =
| caption =
| editors = Scott Plagenhoef<br>Ryan Schreiber
| cover_artist = Chris Capuozzo (illustration)
| language = English
| subject = Music
| publisher = [[Fireside Books]]
| pub_date = 11 November 2008
| pub_place = New York
| media_type = Print (paperback)
| pages = 208
| isbn = 978-1-4165-6202-3
| isbn_note =
| oclc =
| dewey =
| congress =
}}
'''''The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present''''' is a book compiling the greatest songs from 1977 to 2006, published in 2008 by [[Pitchfork Media]]. The book focuses on specific genres including [[indie rock]], [[hip-hop]], [[electronic music|electronic]], [[pop music|pop]], [[heavy metal music|metal]], and experimental underground. The book is broken down into 9 chronological periods, each period beginning with a description of the music scene before the featured artists, and how those artists changed the music scene.<ref>[http://thepitchfork500.com/about/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227055704/http://thepitchfork500.com/about/|date=February 27, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' described the book as having "42 critics to cover 30 years of music, from 1977 punk to 2006 crunk, and all the starry-eyed, acoustic acts in between."<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Suddath |first=Claire |date=2008-11-26 |title=Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews |url=https://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1862151,00.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en-US |issn=0040-781X}}</ref>


==Critical reception==
==Critical reception==
The book received attention and criticism from [[mainstream media|mainstream]] and [[alternative media]]. ''[[TIME]]'' commented that the book's record reviews "have been pleasantly stripped of their supercilious phrases" and that "its tributes to popular songs are exquisite" but concluded, "the project comes off like a personal message that [[High Fidelity (film)|High Fidelity]]'s Rob Gordon might obsessively attach to a mix-tape."<ref name="TIME"/> The ''[[Washington City Paper]]'' called it ''Pitchfork'''s "boomer-like shot at print-based respectability, a coffee-table book..."<ref>Matthew Siblo, [http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/38235/pitchforks-list-to-end-all-lists-should-in-fact-end "Rank Bullshit: Pitchfork's list to end all lists should, in fact, end all lists."] ''[[Washington City Paper]]'', December 18, 2009.</ref> ''[[Under the Radar (magazine)|Under the Radar]]'' gave the book a 7/10 rating, noting that Pitchfork "has emerged as arguably the preeminent music criticism source of its time while fashioning itself into a multimedia powerhouse".<ref>Evan Rytlewski, [http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/the_pitchfork_500_our_guide_to_the_greatest_songs_from_punk_to_present/ "Reviews"], ''[[Under the Radar (magazine)|Under the Radar]]'', November 1, 2008.</ref>
The book received attention and criticism from [[mainstream media|mainstream]] and [[alternative media]]. ''[[TIME]]'' commented that the book's record reviews "have been pleasantly stripped of their supercilious phrases" and that "its tributes to popular songs are exquisite" but concluded, "the project comes off like a personal message that [[High Fidelity (film)|High Fidelity]]'s Rob Gordon might obsessively attach to a mix-tape."<ref name=":0" /> The ''[[Washington City Paper]]'' called it ''Pitchfork'''s "boomer-like shot at print-based respectability, a coffee-table book..."<ref>Matthew Siblo, [http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/38235/pitchforks-list-to-end-all-lists-should-in-fact-end "Rank Bullshit: Pitchfork's list to end all lists should, in fact, end all lists."] ''[[Washington City Paper]]'', December 18, 2009.</ref> ''[[Under the Radar (magazine)|Under the Radar]]'' gave the book a 7/10 rating, noting that Pitchfork "has emerged as arguably the preeminent music criticism source of its time while fashioning itself into a multimedia powerhouse".<ref>Evan Rytlewski, [http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/the_pitchfork_500_our_guide_to_the_greatest_songs_from_punk_to_present/ "Reviews"], ''[[Under the Radar (magazine)|Under the Radar]]'', November 1, 2008.</ref>


On the other hand, the ''[[Houston Press]]'' criticized the book for what it saw as its unwarranted disregard for Latin, country, funk, soul, and classic rock, opining that ''Pitchfork'''s "school of criticism has always relied more on trendy perceptions than actual musical merit and song structure."<ref>John Nova Lomax, [http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/11/get_lit_the_pitchfork_500.php "Get Lit: The Pitchfork 500"], ''[[Houston Press]]'', November 12, 2008.</ref> And ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]] Chicago'' called the book "a slow, meandering walk through the arbitrary tastes of the site's editors and authors" and "a wasted opportunity".<ref>Jonathan Messinger, [http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/books/60329/the-pitchfork-500 "Books: ''The Pitchfork 500''"], ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]] Chicago'', November 17, 2008.</ref>
On the other hand, the ''[[Houston Press]]'' criticized the book for what it saw as its unwarranted disregard for Latin, country, funk, soul, and classic rock, opining that ''Pitchfork'''s "school of criticism has always relied more on trendy perceptions than actual musical merit and song structure."<ref>{{Cite web |first=John Nova |last=Lomax |url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/11/get_lit_the_pitchfork_500.php |title=Get Lit: The Pitchfork 500 |website=[[Houston Press]] |date=November 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707102204/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/11/get_lit_the_pitchfork_500.php |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> And ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]] Chicago'' called the book "a slow, meandering walk through the arbitrary tastes of the site's editors and authors" and "a wasted opportunity".<ref>{{Cite magazine |first=Jonathan |last=Messinger |url=http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/books/60329/the-pitchfork-500 |title=Books: The Pitchfork 500 |magazine=[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]] Chicago |date=November 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715141326/http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/books/60329/the-pitchfork-500 |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


== Statistics ==
== Statistics ==
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* [[Daniel Johnston]] – "[[1990 (Daniel Johnston album)|Some Things Last a Long Time]]"
* [[Daniel Johnston]] – "[[1990 (Daniel Johnston album)|Some Things Last a Long Time]]"
* [[Mudhoney]] – "[[Touch Me I'm Sick]]"
* [[Mudhoney]] – "[[Touch Me I'm Sick]]"
* [[Pixies (band)|Pixies]] – "[[Doolittle (album)|Wave of Mutilation]]"
* [[Pixies (band)|Pixies]] – "[[Wave of Mutilation]]"
{{Div col end}}
{{Div col end}}


Line 307: Line 325:
* [[Human Resource (band)|Human Resource]] – "[[Dominator (Human Resource song)|Dominator]] ([[Joey Beltram]] Mix)"
* [[Human Resource (band)|Human Resource]] – "[[Dominator (Human Resource song)|Dominator]] ([[Joey Beltram]] Mix)"
* [[Metalheadz]] – "Terminator"
* [[Metalheadz]] – "Terminator"
* [[Rob Haigh|Omni Trio]] – "Renegade Snares"
* [[Robert Haigh (musician)|Omni Trio]] – "Renegade Snares"
* [[Red House Painters]] – "[[Red House Painters (Rollercoaster)|New Jersey]]"
* [[Red House Painters]] – "[[Red House Painters (Rollercoaster)|New Jersey]]"
* [[Teenage Fanclub]] – "[[The Concept (song)]]"
* [[Teenage Fanclub]] – "[[The Concept (song)]]"
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[[Category:2008 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:2008 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Lists of rated songs]]
[[Category:Lists of rated songs]]
[[Category:Simon & Schuster books]]

Latest revision as of 22:52, 5 December 2024

The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present
EditorsScott Plagenhoef
Ryan Schreiber
Cover artistChris Capuozzo (illustration)
LanguageEnglish
SubjectMusic
PublisherFireside Books
Publication date
11 November 2008
Publication placeNew York
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages208
ISBN978-1-4165-6202-3

The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present is a book compiling the greatest songs from 1977 to 2006, published in 2008 by Pitchfork Media. The book focuses on specific genres including indie rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop, metal, and experimental underground. The book is broken down into 9 chronological periods, each period beginning with a description of the music scene before the featured artists, and how those artists changed the music scene.[1] Time described the book as having "42 critics to cover 30 years of music, from 1977 punk to 2006 crunk, and all the starry-eyed, acoustic acts in between."[2]

Critical reception

[edit]

The book received attention and criticism from mainstream and alternative media. TIME commented that the book's record reviews "have been pleasantly stripped of their supercilious phrases" and that "its tributes to popular songs are exquisite" but concluded, "the project comes off like a personal message that High Fidelity's Rob Gordon might obsessively attach to a mix-tape."[2] The Washington City Paper called it Pitchfork's "boomer-like shot at print-based respectability, a coffee-table book..."[3] Under the Radar gave the book a 7/10 rating, noting that Pitchfork "has emerged as arguably the preeminent music criticism source of its time while fashioning itself into a multimedia powerhouse".[4]

On the other hand, the Houston Press criticized the book for what it saw as its unwarranted disregard for Latin, country, funk, soul, and classic rock, opining that Pitchfork's "school of criticism has always relied more on trendy perceptions than actual musical merit and song structure."[5] And Time Out Chicago called the book "a slow, meandering walk through the arbitrary tastes of the site's editors and authors" and "a wasted opportunity".[6]

Statistics

[edit]

Prince and Talking Heads had the most songs featured on the list with four each. The Cure, the Clash, New Order, OutKast, Pavement, Pixies, Radiohead, and the Smiths received three spots each. 38 bands and artists had two songs listed. Björk is featured three times: twice in solo work, and once in Icelandic pop group the Sugarcubes. The surviving members of Joy Division have five total when coupled with their work as New Order.

Brian Eno features once as a performer, twice as co-writer (David Bowie's "Heroes" and Talking Heads' "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)"), four times as a producer (Talking Heads' "Memories Can't Wait" and "Born Under Punches", U2's "Bad" and Devo's "Mongoloid"), and two entries are cover versions of his songs (Bauhaus' "Third Uncle" and Uilab's "St. Elmo's Fire").

The 1977–1979 period had the most songs on the list with 66, and 1997–1999 had the fewest with 38.

1977–1979

[edit]

1980–1982

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1983–1986

[edit]

1987–1990

[edit]

1991–1993

[edit]

1994–1996

[edit]

1997–1999

[edit]

2000–2002

[edit]

2003–2006

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ [1] Archived February 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Suddath, Claire (2008-11-26). "Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  3. ^ Matthew Siblo, "Rank Bullshit: Pitchfork's list to end all lists should, in fact, end all lists." Washington City Paper, December 18, 2009.
  4. ^ Evan Rytlewski, "Reviews", Under the Radar, November 1, 2008.
  5. ^ Lomax, John Nova (November 12, 2008). "Get Lit: The Pitchfork 500". Houston Press. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012.
  6. ^ Messinger, Jonathan (November 17, 2008). "Books: The Pitchfork 500". Time Out Chicago. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.