Bye, Bye, Bye

overing music, especially in two or three articles a week, is tough. While the pop charts proved consistent (and dull) this year, the universe of modern sound is as wide as ever, from rock to hip-hop to jazz to shit that doesn't even have a name yet, on both the local and national level. We tried to give you as wide a variety of coverage-from Isotope 217 to N Sync-as we could this year. We hope we gave you a feel for what went down, and that you'll stick with us next year, too. -By Jonas Blank, Music Editor

1. Moby - Play

Like nothing before, Play, replete with gospel and Delta blues samples and uplifting orchestration, gave DJ music a soul. Play was more than an album-it was an affirmation of all things worthwhile in a sniveling postmodern world. A soaring, massive triumph.

1. Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I

D.C.'s bizarro post-punk shapeshifters bleed snappy brilliance, with wacky but personal narratives riding on danceable, infinitely catchy pop hooks. That's a mouthful, but that's what it takes to describe one of the most original and best albums of the year.

1. Pavement - Terror Twilight

Pavement completes the transition from fuzzy, ironic rock to polished, electrifying and, indeed, ironic rock. Stephen Malkmus finally shows a little heart, but his wit and songwriting stay sharp as ever.

1. Rage Against the Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles

Prince Paul and Dan "The Automator" Nakamura run circles around your head with a sound that outgoing editor Kevin Pride called "progressive hip-hop." Handsome Boy pushes limits, dropping samples from all over the galaxy. And the Modeling School theme is straight up hilarious.

1. The Get Up Kids - Something To Write Home About

I got about 20 calls from these guys' record company and at least three copies of their album. I never called back because the band has a stupid name. I was dead wrong. These guys play fast, poppy punk rock for that lonely kid in high school sitting on the bench in front of the school, waiting for the bus. It's pure, direct and understandable, and it'll make your heart ache.

1. Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

Hip-hop (n.): A distillation of one's history into something brilliant, engaging and fun to listen to. Mos Def gave a big fat nod to the old school on Black on Both Sides, leaving an indelible mark on the new school in the process.

1. Chemical Brothers - Surrender

The block-rockin' "electronica revolution" fizzled under a surge of disco/boy-band revivalism, and good riddance to it. Surrender takes the Brothers to the next level, with spaceship-sized house beats and astronomical bass drops that give the term "four to the floor" a whole new meaning. The revolution is not being televised, and that's just fine.

1. D'Angelo - Voodoo

One of next year's music editors liked this so much, she threatened my life if I didn't put it on here. Truth is, it's that good. Voodoo casts a spell the way Marvin Gaye used to, crackling out of a cheap record player on a back porch overlooking the ocean. It's sex on plastic, sultry and aggressive.

GUILTY PLEASURE OF THE YEAR

N Sync - No Strings Attached

When you're music editor, you have to have a certain amount of credibility. Well, to hell with that, I'm not music editor anymore, and I admit it-I love this album. I listen to "Bye Bye Bye" at least once a day. I once threatened a DJ if he wouldn't play it a second time. I sing it when I'm drunk, I hear it in my sleep. I'm an addict, and I need your help. Please.