FEATURES

45

The Year in Music 2008

ON THE COVER TV on the Radio photographed exclusively for SPIN by Nicolas Moore. Styling by Luke Storey. Grooming by Lauren Kaye Cohen for Temptu at Tracey Mattingly. Production assistance by Rozalyn Spano. Clockwise from top, on Dave Sitek: Howe jacket, Literature Noir T-shirt. On Tunde Adebimpe: G-Star shirt, Kangol hat. On Kyp Malone: Kill City T-shirt, Rockers NYC scarf. On Jaleel Bunton: Public School vest, Levi’s shirt. On Gerard Smith: Penfield shirt. For details, see Where to Buy.

46 THE 40 BEST
ALBUMS
From grizzled vets to usual
suspects to surprising upstarts,
our annual ranking of all the must-
hear music. Plus: The top singles
and reissues.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 54 TV ON THE RADIO The winners, and still champions. How the brainy Brooklyn crew weathered Armageddon and managed to craft the year’s greatest album—again.

ROCK S TAR OF THE YEAR
60 LIL WAYNE
What the self-proclaimed “best
rapper alive” really wants to do is
be a guitar hero.

65 JUKEBOX JURY Gym Class Heroes’ Travis McCoy and comedian Paul F. Tompkins get together to kiss—and dis—the hits.

MELTDOWN OF THE YEAR 70 THE ECONOMY Experts, artists, and a man named Jello weigh in on how the financial crisis will impact the music biz.

VOICE OF THE YEAR 74 ROBIN PECKNOLD The story behind the Fleet Foxes singer’s otherworldly croon—and what’s inside that awesome beard.

77 THE ANNUAL
REPORT
Who is in Guns N’ Roses? Which
animal band reigns supreme?
What’s the deal with rock operas?
Which gangsta rappers ain’t all that
hard? Relive all the shocks, glories,
and failures of 2008 in handy
infographic form!

6 JANUARY 2009 SPIN.COM IS WHY YOU LEARNED TO READ