In the first part of this feature, I pointed out a group of hip-hop artists who were unfairly snubbed from Entertainment Weekly’s recent “New Classics” list. But rappers weren’t the only only artists who were inexplicably left off of the list, as I’ll be venturing outside the genre for round of snubs.
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois was the best-reviewed album of 2005. I don’t see how universal praise doesn’t equate to a classic.
TV on the Radio – Either of their two full-lengths could have made the list.
Badly Drawn Boy – I’m really partial to The Hour of Bewilderbeast. I think it’s an amazing document and it’s certainly classic to my ears.
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing is an almost perfect album. The soundscapes Shadow creates still blow my mind a dozen years later. [Editor’s Note: The editor indubitably agrees with this one, and would like to address the editor of Entertainment Weekly, in saying that leaving Endtroducing off of your “New Classics” list while including Trap Muzik is completely and utterly ludicrous. I hope that you enjoy that big bag of money that T.I.’s label sent to the EW offices. You, sir, are worse than Hitler.]
Weezer – How is Weezer’s debut not on the list? It’s an album about as influential as anything else EW put on their list. I can’t help but think that it’s an intentional snub.
Foo Fighters – I’m really kind of surprised that nothing from the Foo Fighters catalogue made the list—in particular, The Color and the Shape.
Ben Folds Five – His solo stuff doesn’t really connect with me, but Whatever and Ever Amen could have easily gotten placed on the second half of the list.
Queens of the Stone Age – I don’t see how T.I. made it on the list but QOTSA didn’t. Either Rated R or Songs for the Deaf would fit right in with the albums that did actually make the list.
Again, seeing as The Postal Service made the cut, I don’t want to hear anything about these albums being too underground for EW.
