sorry, this list doesn't make any sense. it would be better to restrict it to bands/performers on indie labels or formerly on indie labels (such as Death Cab or Sonic Youth)
and two distinct lists: (1) a measure of the importance of bands/performers based on a metric weighting a) sales and b) critical props and (2) a popularity contest. maria carey. sheesh.

Dude--your list is FUBAR. Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson above Sufjan? WTF? Green Day as NO. 1? Based on what, exactly? Sales, Ubiquity? Sheer Quality? A little of everything?

The only thing I agree that you just wrote was that CYHSY being left off was strictly because of backlash. All of these bloggers shot a collective load all over these guys, and now that they are all over the place, they shun something that they almost created all by themselves.

Oh, I also agree that there is no fucking way that the National are the second best band in the country.

I am marking today as the day Brooklyn Vegan jumped the shark.

Seriously, I thought the list was "The Top 40 American Bands", not "The Top 40" American Bands.

what about neil diamond? c'mon

ALL: Maybe I focused too much on numbers, when I should of focused on bands I like. If that was the case. Mariah is above Sufjan only because she has a bigger reach. Sufjan and CYHSY at the bottom of my list is my way of saying these guys made a huge impact this year, but they’re not as well known as the ones above them.

Tim, I agree. The list doesn't make sense. I think every voter voted with a different point of view.

Matt, hold on. I tried to make my list objective. 2005 was huge for Mariah Carey. Can I name one of her songs? Not really. Is she tops in America right now. Yes. Is this list too undefined? Yes.

http://www.soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=2814
"Singer Mariah Carey emerged as the big winner at the third annual Vibe Awards on Saturday night (November 12), walking away with four trophies including Artist Of The Year."

Nominated for Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Album in this year's AMA
http://abc.go.com/primetime/ama05/nominees.html

JR, I don’t know what the list is either.

I totally forgot about Neil Diamond.

And P.S. Matt - yes, based on sales and AMERICAN popularity and a little bit of everything. My list of end of year faves will look much different. That said, FU for your jumped the shark comment.

Then perhaps this list should be "Hottest American Acts". Perhaps then your list makes some sense. By informationleafblowers' own standards, this was about folks who you guys "used up bandwidth" talking about. What music bloggers spent their time dealing with that MOR claptrap that Mariah Carey put out? Christ, she calls her fans, "Lambs". How can you possibly include her, and then blog about the Arctic Monkeys?

i'm staying out of this bee's nest haha

"hottest american acts" is probably a better description of my list.

I probably answered it wrong. I have no clue.

I have theorized for sometime that BV writes about good bands (e.g., Art Brut) every once in awhile, but secretly spends all of his non-public life listening to utter crap. Today that theory was proven. The mask is off.

Some kid with really good taste and a lot of time on his or her hands needs to step up to the plate and write a real in depth blog covering the NY music scene, with advance warning of secret shows, early notice of new shows that will sell out immediately, info on cool in-stores, etc. That's what people really care about.

No one needs to read a blog to find out about Green Day or Kanye West or Mariah Carey. That's what MTV and VH1 are for.

It's haters day.

man some of you guys are dense. BV voted the correct way (based on how ILB asked us to vote). I doubt these are his 10 favorite american bands, just the 10 acts who had the biggest 2005 in his opinion.

Woah woah woah... No Chumbawamba?!?!

i think BV runs an amazing site and mad props should be given. given the wealth of knowledge bestowed on us, the readers, i say a mariah carey mention every now and again is completely acceptable

Exactly. BV's list isn't faulted, the main list is faulted because people didn't use the same criteria (which has been pointed out). As I commented on ILB, I was unhappy when I saw that TL&Rx didn't make the list (although I was comforted by the fact that they did get some votes) and I think it's appropriate that The White Stripes didn't make the list.

a list is still a list...

i mean, it's ONLY a list - sheesh. people go crazy over these things. i think the fact that BrooklynVegan nailed a few that SHOULD have made the big list's top 10 (CYHSY, Devendra Banhart) is reason enough to forgive the Mariah bit. personally i thought she was still in the midst of a nervous breakdown.

besides, you think it doesn't take guts for a site like this one to even mention artists like Green Day, Mariah, Kelly Clarkson, Kanye...etc?

don't hate the player, hate the game - or something.

Ah, the "indier-than-you" mentality. Worst.

BV actually followed directions as far as his list goes. Last year Coolfer was the only person to nominate Usher, who had a HUGE year. Everyone interprets the instructions a different way, which is what makes the list fun.

Besides, it's not as if Sufjan would have fared better if you'd have moved him up a few notches. He won going away. CYHSY were on a few ballots but not ranked higher than ninth on any of them, so their cumulative score was very low.

Nice job BV, thanks much for participating.

yeah, i think you answered it wrong, dave. if leafblower wanted a list based on sales he would have sent an email to soundscan or something. he asked bloggers because he wanted a bloggers' faves list. quoting from his original email:

"Did you see a show or listen to a CD in
March that you're still talking about or comparing everything else to?" and

"And
by bands, I mean anyone out there making music you like..."

i'm pretty sure that excludes mariah carey for you. just sayin'.

but uh, he beat me to commenting!

how about, simply, a Biggest Buzz list (most hyped). also a Biggest Buzzkill list (undeserving hype). Too much like the New York Magazine matrix? (which I love, by the way)...

I second the jump the shark. Get on the short shorts, water skis, and leather jacket baby. Kelly Clarkson so deserves that spot on the list. Way to be, Bloggorhea!

Mariah Carey's a band?

If the list was about "hottest acts" why would they consult a bunch of indie bloggers? I don't any 13,14,15 year old in a America thinks The Juan Maclean are a "hotter" act than Outkast or Ludacris etc.

I'm not trying to be a hater, but I have to disagree with your comment about CYHSY being left off because of denial. I think there's a good number of people who are just not that into them. I think their album is OK and they were OK live, but they didn't rock my world, and that was the criteria of the poll.

In regards to Matt wanting "Some kid with really good taste and a lot of time on his or her hands" to build his dream blog, I think it's already out there, if you are willing to read many different sites that each put a lot of effort into covering music, not just the NY music scene. Why limit yourself to one site and one opinion when there are so many interesting angles out there to explore?

A couple of points:

I am most certainly not a hater. I have much love for BV.

Chris from gorilla vs bear (another daily must read of mine)is wrong though about BV following the criteria from information leafblower:

"send me a list, ranked 1-10, of the 10 best American bands that they've seen or heard in the last year. The purpose of this list is to reward bands for generating buzz in the year 2005. This isn't a ranking of career longevity. I wanted to know who people are using their bandwidth to talk about."

By BV's own admission, he couldn't name a Mariah Carey song, and I don't think he's been burning bandwidth blogging about her.

Someone also mentioned that it takes balls to blog about Mariah, Kelly and Kanye. I don't think there's any shame in blogging about Kanye West. He's made 2 fantastic albums in the time most artists don't make 1.

Once BV clarified that this was not really a "best of '05" for him, I get where he was headed with it. I guess I was just a bit shocked by seeing someone as abhorrent as Mariah on a BV list.

This was the actual criteria Kyle provided: "I want you to send me a list of the 10 bands FROM AMERICA that rocked your world in the calendar year of 2005, ranked 1-10, with 1 being the highest."

It doesn't mean pick the best, the biggest selling, or the band with the most buzz. If a jazz singer at the Blue Note changed the way you look at the world, he or she would be fair game for the list.

This list proves the sad state of American music and what people consider as "the best." The list is full of pure shit bands.

you top ten sucks dude kelly clarkson comon man green day what.....

I AM PLEASE
BEAUTIFUL LISTMAKING
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY
THANK U

I love it. This list always gets people riled up, and it takes me back to when President Clinton said, "It depends on what the definition of is is."

This just in: CYHSY have the most agonizing vocals since Moron 5.

This list is alright i guess, but i dn't really believe that Kelly should b up there.. bein an aussie i dnt hear heaps of American stuff (i know, i'm a little deprived), but i have recently become a death cab 4 cutie fan. Love their stuff, and i believe that they should definitely b up there rather than Kelly. Just a thought...

Hahaha! What an idiot! I just realised that this conversation has been dead since November last year. Wow i may as well have a conversation with myself, coz no-one is eva guna reply to me. So anyway.. The Oc was sad last night.. It was Johnny's funeral :( I loved Johnny! Hey guess wat? (wow i'm asking no-one a question now... that's new) I'm going on a trip to California soon! So excited. I've only eva been to England, Ireland, Wales n Hong Kong (and Australian places)... so it's guna rock! Ok.. i'm gone :)

I just have to say that Green Day is the best band in the world. They really speak through their music and this is why they are so good. Now see, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, and Bob Dylan and all this crap, they cant sing. Singing is actually speaking about the world around you and what is happening. Not about some break up. Sorry Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson , and Bob Dylan. NO ONE GIVES A CRAP!

they should add linkin park.those guys are good!

even if you dont like green day you still have to admit they did more then anybody in 2005

hia bands in 2005 r crab 2008/2009 r much beta......!