A few years ago Fred tried to take on the daunting task of ranking, in his opinion, the top 200 songs of all time. Periodically he would send me the list, more as proof of progress than of approval. Eventually the task became too great and time consuming and it fell by the way side. It’s one thing for an organization such as Pitchfork or Rollingstone to come up with a list and yet a whole other thing for a guy with a full time job, a wife and two kids under the age of five. It was a valiant effort none the less.
Lists of this nature are difficult to say the least. Not due the millions of songs that have been released in every way, shape and form because 90% of those can be knocked from the running right from the get go, but because of the under appreciation from critics and readers that don’t really understand how much time and effort goes into compiling such a list. This is why I don’t even attempt this feat.
NPR is a different story though. Not only are they planning on making a list of the 50 greatest singers of all time, they are devoting all of 2010 to it and they’re taking your nominations for the list through to October 16th. After your nominations are compiled along with lists from their panel of experts, academics and public-radio critics the nominees will be presented before the audience for a vote to whittle the list down to the 50. Those 50 will be profiled all during 2010.
I have one big problem with NPR trying to make everyone feel included and warm and fuzzy about being a part of this task. There is far too much opportunity for a group of over zealous fans to steal the gold medal for their favorite vocalist. Maybe not so much in the suggested nominees but in the voting when the list is presented there is definitely a potential for stuffing the ballot. Yes, ultimately NPR reserves the right to toss out any vocalist that seems to have something fishy going on and if NPR has this “panel of experts, academics and public-radio critics” what do they need us for? Certainly it’s not really for this reason?
We’re relying on you to remind us of those voices we may have forgotten or never got the chance to hear; those voices that may sound strange to Western ears; vocalists silenced by politics or history; the singers who are only really embraced by critics and those who are heroes of the everyday listener.
At the time being all you have to do to submit your vocalist of choice is to leave a comment below the article or send an email to GreatVoices@npr.org
This will be impressive to see when it’s done. Just glad it’s not me having to do the work.
Who are your nominees?
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