Given the number of critics you had chiming in on this subject, I was a tad stunned at how homogenous the lists were. Is this the new face of hip? Is there some established canon of middlebrow cool that must be adhered to? Yes, I agreed with some of the choices, but I cannot fathom how the lists came out so similar, and somewhat dull.

-- Jeff Patterson
Hartford, Conn.

You don't have to be an obscure, invisible musician, with an independent mini-label and no airplay, no video and no presence, to be chosen as having one of the best records of the year by Salon's critics, but it sure helps.

-- Jeff Winbush

What? No Ricky Martin? How can 14 gazillion screaming teeny-boppers (and Larry King) be so wrong??

-- John Burger

For me the criteria has always been: Will I listen to this music in five, 10, 15 years? It's not impossible to predict if you consider what you've kept so far. Repeated plays and shivers aside, music should remain timeless. Some obvious misses from the assembled lists include: XTC (with their most melodic and realized pop since "Skylarking"), Townes Van Zandt, Ricky Scaggs (the best bluegrass recording and playing in 20 years), Those Bastard Souls, David Allan Coe (a honky-tonk legend long overlooked) and Death in Vegas (Dot Allison's best moments). I'm sure every consumer can find one disc they purchased in the past year that made them cry, dance or fuck, that the critics didn't include.

-- Dusty Wright

I can't believe that only one of your contributors had her head screwed on well enough to mention Macy Gray, who was by far the best artist of the year. All the rest, even Beck, pale in comparison.

-- Mark Rinzel

You are sadly missing Frank Black and the Catholics' "Pistolero." Since the death of the Pixies, Black has not been lavished with the awards and media attention he deserves. Let's give him some overdue credit.

-- Neale Gay
Burlington, Vt.

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