THIS YEAR'S RESULTS...
In order to preserve the goals, mission and identity of Brainwashed, this is the last year the poll will be conducted in such a way. There will be no major label artists allowed next year and there will be separate votes from the writer/contributors. There were serious considerations this year in throwing out all major label votes, but that could constitute censorship, despite the statements made in the "About" section of Brainwashed with regards to our position with the major label industry. Somebody even suggested we send the ballots to Florida for a mysterious recount, but we will let the votes remain as is.

album of the year

1. Low - Things we lost in the fire
2. Fennesz - Endless Summer
3. Autechre - Confield
4. Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of...
5. Mogwai - Rock Action
6. Cannibal Ox - A Cold Vein
7. Fridge - Happiness
8. Matmos - A chance to cut is a chance to cure
9. Four Tet - Pause
10. Aphex Twin - Drukqs
11. Angels of Light - How I Loved You
12. Tortiose - Standards
13. Labradford - Fixed::Context
14. Silver Mt. Zion - Born Into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward
15. Squarepusher - Go plastic
16. Current 93/Nurse With Wound - Bright Yellow Moon
17. Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance
18. Múm - Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK
19. Nick Cave - No More Shall We Part
20. Set Fire To Flames - Signs Reign Rebuilder
21. Strokes - Is This It?
22. Dntel - Life Is Full Of Possibilities
23. Fugazi - The Argument
24. Spiritualized - Let It Come Down
25. Lali Puna - Scary World Theory
26. Stereolab - Sound-Dust
27. Hood - Cold House
28. Microphones - The Glow Pt 2
29. Mouse on Mars - Idiology
30. Prefuse 73 - Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives
31. white stripes - white blood cells
32. Telefon Tel Aviv - Farenheit Fair Enough
33. Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By
34. Bonnie Prince Bilie - Ease down the road
35. Cex - Oops, I Did It Again
36. clouddead - clouddead
37. Cyclobe - The Visitors
38. Fantomas - The Director's Cut
39. Red House Painters - Old Ramon
40. Skinny Puppy - Doomsday Back and Forth Vol. 5
41. Sparklehorse - It's A Wonderful Life
42. Bardo Pond - Dilate
43. Beta Band - Hot Shots II
44. Calla - Scavengers
45. Godflesh - Hymns
46. Herbert - Bodily Functions
47. Jan Jelinek - Loop Finding Jazz Records
48. Plaid - Double Figure
49. Thighpaulsandra - I, Thighpaulsandra
50. Explosions In The Sky - Those Who Tell The Truth...

single or ep

1. Mogwai - My Father My King
2. Low & the Dirty Three - In the Fishtank
3. Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car
4. Thighpaulsandra - Michael Publicity Window
5. Low - Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
6. Belle & Sebastian - Jonathan David
7. Matmos - California Rhinoplasty
8. Antony & the Johnsons - I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy
9. Squarepusher - Untitled
10. Autechre - Peel Sessions 2
11. Fugazi - Furniture
12. Hood - Home Is Where It Hurts
13. V/A - 2 Remixes by AFX
14. COH - Love Uncut
15. Anti Pop Consortium - The Ends Against The Middle
16. To Rococo Rot & I-Sound - Pantone
17. Mouse On Mars - Actionist Respoke
18. Boards Of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country
19. Calexico - Even My Sure Things Fall Through
20. Tortoise - Gently Cuping the Chin of the Ape

fave remix

1. 808 State - Flow Coma - Remix by AFX
2. Slag Boom Van Loon - Poppy Seed - Remix by Boards of Canada
3. Missy Elliot - Get Yr Freak On - remix by Kid 606
4. Depeche Mode - Dream On - remix by Kid 606
5. Foetus - Cirrhosis of the Heart - remix by Amon Tobin
6. Kings of Convenience - Weight of My Words - remix by Four Tet remix
7. Matmos - Disco Hospital
8. Múm - Please Smile My Spring Reverb AMX - remix by Uwe Zahn
9. Slag Boom Van Loon - Fallen Angels Entering Pandemonium - remix by Coil
10. Yann Tiersen - Lost - remix by Third Eye Foundation

best various artist compilation

1. Tigerbeat 6 Inc.
2. Clicks & Cuts 2
3. All Tommorrow's Panties
4. [O]acis.Box
5. Bip Hop generation 4
6. Emre - Dark Matter
7. Snow Robots Vol. 1 & 2
8. Braindance Coincidence
9. House Of Distraction
10. The Wire Tapper 7
11. Warp - Routine
12. electric ladyland 7: glitch-hop compilation 2CD
13. Immediate Action
14. Putting the Morr Back in Morrissey
15. RKK 13 remix comp

best single artist compilation

1. Einsturzende Neubauten- "Strategies Against Architecture III"
2. Coil - A Guide for Beginners
3. Coil - A Guide for Finishers
4. Coil - Moons Milk In four Phases
5. Dead Can Dance - 1981-1998
6. Godflesh - In All Languages
7. Piano Magic - Seasonally Affective (1996-2000)
8. pigface 'best of - preaching to the perverted'
9. Cabaret Voltaire - Conform To Deform
10. Third Eye Foundation - I Poo Poo On you Juju

best double or multi-lp/cd release

1. Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid
2. Aphex Twin - Drukqs
3. Thighpaulsandra - I, Thighpaulsandra
4. Unwound: Leaves Turn Inside You
5. Einsturzende Neubauten: Strategies Against Architecture III
6. Clicks & Cuts 2
7. Current 93 / Nurse With Wound - Bright Yellow Moon/Purtle
8. Xhol Caravan - Motherfuckers Live
9. Coil: Moon's Milk (in Four Phases)
10. Orbital - The Altogether
11. Cabaret Voltaire - Corform to Deform
12. Low - Things We Lost in the Fire (2LP version)
13. Miles Davis - In A Silent Way complete sessions
14. Nuggets II
15. Rewriting The Book
16. Ride - Box Set
17. Velvet Underground - The Quine Tapes
18. Nart Nibbles
19. Dead Can Dance box set
20. Faust - The Wumme Years

coolest unusual packaging

1. Aranos - magnificent! magnificent! no one knows the final word
2. Set Fire To Flames - Signs Reign Rebuilder
3. Silver Mt. Zion - Born Into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward
4. Aphex Twin - drukqs (vinyl version)
5. Cyclo
6. No-neck Blues Band - Sticks & Stones...
7. Shipping News "Carrier"

nicest cover design

1. Fridge - Happiness
2. Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance
3. Tortoise - Standards
4. Set Fire to Flames - Sings Reign Rebuilder
5. Angels of Light - How I Loved You
6. Björk - Vespertine
7. Radiohead - Amnesiac
8. thighpaulsandra - i, thighpaulsandra
9. Silver Mt Zion - Born Into Trouble as Sparks Fly Upwards
10. Current 93 / Nurse With Wound - Bright Yellow Moon

best rerelease/repackage/reissue

1. Coil - Love's Secret Domain
2. Neu! - Neu!
3. Neu! 75
4. Neu! 2
5. Coil - Horse Rotorvator
6. Coil - Scatology
7. Nurse with Wound - Chance Meeting
8. Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
9. Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information
10. Love - Forever Changes
11. Nurse With Wound - Automating vol. 1
12. 23 skidoo - 7 songs
13. This Heat - Deceit
14. Current 93 - Imperium
15. Gescom - Keynell

most amusing song/album title

1. Cex - Florida (Is Shaped Like A Big Droopy Dick For A Reason)
2. Matmos - A Chance To Cut Is A Chance To Cure
3. Aphex Twin - Drukqs
4. Múm - Please Smile My Noise Bleed
5. Third Eye Foundation - I Poo Poo on your Ju Ju
6. Cex - Oops! I did it again
7. Current 93 - Cats Drunk on Copper
8. Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid
9. Massimo - Hey babe, let me see your USB and I'll show you my FireWire
10. Tenacious D - Fuck Her Gently

worst album you bought

1. Aphex Twin - Suqks
2. Radiohead - Amnesiacrap
3. Autechre - Confield
4. Depeche Mode - Exciter
5. Death In June - All Pigs Must Diet
6. Spiritualized - Let it Come Down
7. Weezer - Weezer
8. Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus
9. Squarepusher - Go Plastic
10. Mogwai - Rock Action

most anticipated disappointment

1. Aphex Twin - Drukqs
2. Autechre - Confield
3. Spiritualized - Let it come down
4. Death In June - All Pigs Must Die
5. Squarepusher - Go Plastic
6. Tortoise - Standards
7. Weezer - Weezer
8. Air - 10,000 hz Legend
9. Mogwai - Rock Action
10. Current 93 - The Great in the Small

guiltiest pleasure

1. Strokes - Is This It?
2. Britney Spears - I'm a Slave 4 u
3. Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out of my Head
4. Madonna - Greatest Hits Vol. 2
5. Missy Elliot - Miss e... so addictive
6. Daft Punk - Discovery
7. Depeche Mode - Exciter
8. Destiny's Child - Bootylicious
9. N'Sync - Pop
10. Radiohead - Amnesiac

band of the year

1. Coil
2. Low
3. Mogwai
4. Sigur Ros
5. Matmos
6. Stars of the Lid
7. Autechre
8. Cannibal Ox
9. Mouse on Mars
10. Tortoise

best solo musical artist

1. Jim O'Rourke
2. Christian Fennesz
3. Thighpaulsandra
4. Jimmy Lavelle (Album Leaf)
5. Tom Jenkinson
6. Will Oldham
7. cEvin key
8. Kid 606
9. Michael Gira
10. Richard D. James

new act of the year (band or solo artist)

1. Explosions In The Sky
2. Cannibal Ox
3. Set Fire To Flames
4. Strokes
5. Múm
6. Avalanches
7. Baby Dee
8. Dntel
9. Clinic
10. Amenti Suncrown

best live show/concert experience

1. Coil
2. Radiohead
3. Low
4. godspeed you black emperor!
5. Sigur Ros
6. Mogwai
7. Mouse on Mars
8. Tortoise
9. Björk/Matmos
10. Autechre

sexiest musical artist

1. Björk
2. Kyle Mnouge
3. Britney Spears
4. Cex
5. Peaches
6. Hope Sandoval
7. PJ Harvey
8. Shakira
9. Jennifer Lopez
10. Alison Goldfrapp

most overrated band/artist

1. The Strokes
2. Radiohead
3. White Stripes
4. kid 606
5. Aphex Twin
6. Sigur Ros
7. Björk
8. Godspeed you black emporer
9. Matmos
10. Mogwai

most irritating band/artist

1. Fred Durst/Limp Bizzkit
2. The Strokes
3. Creed
4. Radiohead
5. Kid 606
6. Britney Spears
7. Aphex Twin
8. Destiny's Child
9. V/Vm
10. Ryan Adams
11. p. diddy
12. Björk
13. White Stripes
14. Vincent Gallo
15. U2

lifetime achievement

1. Coil
2. Michael Gira
3. John Fahey
4. George Harrison
5. sonic youth
6. Radiohead
7. Autechre
8. David Tibet
9. Johnny Cash
10. Richard H Kirk

fave producer/engineer

1. Steve Albini
2. JIM O' ROURKE
3. John McEntire
4. Steven Stapleton
5. Dave Fridman
6. el p
7. Timbaland
8. Nigel Godrich
9. Brian Eno
10. Michael Gira

who will break big next year?

1. Cex
2. Sigur Ros
3. Explosions In The Sky
4. Lali Puna
5. The White Stripes
6. Múm
7. Clinic
8. Fourtet
9. Coil
10. Calla

record label

1. Kranky
2. Warp
3. Morr Music
4. Constellation
5. drag city
6. Thrill Jockey
7. Temporary Residence
8. Matador
9. Eskaton / Threshold House
10. Young God
11. World Serpent
12. City Centre Offices
13. Def Jux
14. Domino
15. Schematic

music video

1. Sigur Ros - Viðar vel tl loftárasa
2. Add N to (X) - Plug Me In
3. Björk - Pagan Pottery
4. Gorilaz - Clint Eastwood
5. Björk - Hidden Place
6. Coi Live in NY
7. Mouse on Mars - Actionist Respoke
8. Ohgr - Cracker
9. Tortoise - Seneca
10. Low - Dinosaur Act

movie of the year

1. Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amelie)
2. Memento
3. Mullholland Drive
4. Lord of the Rings – Fellowship of the Rings
5. Ghost World
6. The Man Who Wasn't There
7. Waking Life
8. Royal Tenebaums
9. Amores Perros
10. Hedwig & The Angry Inch
11. Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone
12. Moulin Rouge
13. Monsters Inc
14. Sherk
15. The Others
16. A.I.
17. Apocalypse Now Redux
18. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
19. Blow
20. Brother
21. From Hell
22. In the Mood for Love
23. Oceans 11
24. Battle Royale
25. Odishon (Audition)
26. Otanesek (Little Otik)
27. State and Main
28. The Anniversary Party
29. Vanilla Sky
30. L.I.E.

tv show

1. Simpsons
2. Daily Show
3. Sopranos
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
5. Futurama
6. Family Guy
7. The West Wing
8. Absolutely Fabulous
9. Invader Zim
10. Malcom in the Middle
11. That '70s Show
12. South Park
13. Will & Grace
14. Brass Eye special (UK)
15. 24

magazine/newspaper

1. The Wire
2. The Onion
3. Magnet
4. alternative press
5. Chunklet
6. Q
7. grooves
8. Tape Op
9. XLR8R
10. Devil in the Woods
11. guardian (uk)
12. urb
13. uncut
14. The Nation
15. Mojo

book of the year

1. Neil Gaman: American Gods
2. No Logo by Naomi Klein
3. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
4. Eric Schlosser - Fast Food Nation
5. Haruki Murakami - Underground
6. How to be Good - Nick Hornby
7. our band could be your life-azerrad
8. Salman Rushdie "Fury"
9. Alain de Botton "The Consolations Of Philosophy"
10. David Foster Wallace - Infinite Jest

fave actor

1. Johnnny Depp
2. Philip Seymour Hoffman
3. Brad Pitt
4. Billy Bob Thornton
5. Guy Pearce
6. Anthony Hopkins
7. Benecio del Toro
8. Christopher Walken
9. Jack Black
10. Jason Lee

fave actress

1. Thora Birch
2. Audrey Tautou
3. Nicole Kidman
4. Reese Witherspoon
5. Carrie Anne Moss
6. Julianna Moore
7. Asia Argento
8. Cate Blanchett
9. Jennifer Connelly
10. Gwyneth Paltrow

fave director

1. David Lynch
2. Peter Jackson
3. Jean Pierre Jeunet
4. Coen Bros
5. Darren Aranofsky
6. Wes Anderson
7. andrei tarkovsky
8. Christopher Nolan
9. Guy Ritchie
10. John Waters

fave writer (book/tv/film/play,...)

1. Kurt Vonnegut
2. Neil Gaiman
3. Chuck Palahniuk
4. David Foster Wallace
5. David Lynch
6. David Mamet
7. Haruki Murakami
8. nick hornby
9. Thomas Ligotti
10. Bret Easton Ellis

best website

1. Brainwashed
2. Pitchfork
3. The Onion
4. Threshold House
5. Allmusic Guide
6. Audiogalaxy
7. eBay
8. Warp Records
9. Buddyhead
10. Fake Jazz

most annoying trends

1. Nouveaux Patriotism/American Flags on cars/Cheap Patriotism/Flag Waving/Cashing in on 9/11
2. rap metal / rap rock / dysfunction rock / nu metal / sports rock
3. misdirected patriotism / violent nationalism / rampant fervor
4. Cell Phones / Everything becoming wireless
5. Clicky glitch music
6. corporate garage rock / the strokes / the white boy blues rock revival (again) / pop punk
7. IDM
8. war & terrorism / bioterrorism / fear
9. Emo
10. SUVs
11. Scooters
12. boy bands
13. 1980s retro music/clothing
14. Approval of George W. Bush
15. Harry Potter
16. Rock bands going electronic and being considered innovators
17. Icelandic music obsession (Sigur Ros/Björk)
18. Indie rock fashion fascist kinder-punks
19. big pants
20. Increased Commercials (everywhere, in movie theatres)
21. Reality TV
22. Benefit concerts
23. Manufactured Bubble Gum Pop
24. Stale electronic music
25. Mods

dumbest category on this poll

1. This one
2. Sexiest
3. Guiltiest Pleasure
4. Who Will Break Big Next Year
5. TV show
6. Most Annoying Trends
7. all of the them
8. Fave Remix
9. Music Video
10. None of them

WHEN INDIE LABELS LOSE, WE ALL LOSE
Many readers are well aware that within the last month, one of the bigger indie labels in the US (who releases a ton of Brainwashed artist music) decided to split with one of the biggest indie label distributors in the USA because of dealings with Tower Records. Tower has become notorious for defaulted payments on numerous indie labels and over the past year have come dangerously close to filing for bankruptcy protection. Labels with AOL, Sony, and Universal's lawyers behind them can obviously be more powerful in holding stores to their payment terms, while numerous smaller bands, labels and distributors go unpaid longer.

Walking into Tower Records, it's easy to see exactly why shit like this goes on. #1 Overstocking a major-label dud: Major labels will give a "discount" on a major label star if they order bulk of some crappy item they'll eventually have to return. I remember once upon a time at Tower when there were hundreds of copies of Color Me Badd's second album collecting dust while Slint's "Spiderland" was constantly out of stock. The result of the overstock limits budget for other music. #2: Underpaid, unqualified buyers: Most buyers in major chains are unreachable and out of touch with the buying public and only listen to smarmy sales reps. Many small shops are doing okay because the buyers actually interact with their customers! What a novel concept!!

There's of course other things that you can't actually physically see, but only read about. You can catch up on last year's price-fixing lawsuit on CNET, Wired, or the New York State Attorney General's Office to name a few places. On the "we fuck our artists" side, there's always the classic essay, "The Problem With Music" by Steve Albini. Even less surprising is the uncovering of ballot-stuffing by major labels on MTV's Total Request Live as reported in an article on Salon. (We can at least safely say that didn't happen on the poll this year!)

Not all major label employees and bands are pigs. On the other side of the coin, not all indie labels are angels. Every major label player, however, is a cog in the bigger machine that makes the fat cats wealthier and the struggling artists have to work harder. Support of the major industry is something Brainwashed has no intentions of doing. Brainwashed will continue the promotion of indie label music and hope that the message gets discussed, debated amongst your friends, co-workers, associates, etc,...