The Best In 2010 Ska – Rocksteady – Early Reggae Polls

Doing polls is fun. That’s what I learned last year, when I asked for votes on “The Best Album 2009”, “The Best Song 2009” and “The Best Live Band 2009”.  Why not have more of that this year?

Last Years’ Winners

The bands that got voted most in 2009 were:

Best Album: Alaska, “Something In Between”

Best Song: The Aggrolites, “The Sufferer”

Best Live Band: Alaska

While Alaska definitely had a great album out (which I received later from the band and which grew on me ever since), they clearly didn’t have the international standing helpful to come out on top in polls.

How To Be A Winner

Alaska’s winning move was to promote the polls on their Facebook page. I am not sure whether they also did so in a newsletter and on their website, but these would have also helped. It turned out that Alaska’s fans couldn’t wait to support the band and cast their votes numerously. I am curious who will turn out on top this year.

Can You Help Me Out?

I know it’s a bit early but I am already collecting this year’s releases for the shortlist to the “Best Album 2010” category. If done well, there will be chances for voters to listen to the nominees which would make the whole thing even more interesting. Plus: Let’s make sure that nobody feels left out.

On My Radar

The nominees in the “Best Album” category were largely collected from a thread in the brilliant ska-talk forum. There is surely a lot of excitement in the air, because 2010 saw a lot of fresh releases.

Here is what I have:

65 Mines Street “65 Mines Street” (France)
Babylove & the Van Dangos – The Money & the Time (Denmark)
Bigger Thomas “Steal My Sound” (USA)
Caroloregians “Funkify Your Reggay” (Belgium)
Green Room Rockers “Green Room Rockers” (USA)
The Hotknives “About Time” (England)
Kalles Kaviar “Ooh Ooh Yeah Yeah” (Switzerland)
Magic Touch – Love, Hate & Politricks (Germany)
Moon Invaders vs. Caroloregians – Hot blood in cold weather (Belgium)
Moon Invaders – live (Belgium)
Mr. T-Bone “Heroes” and “I Do Dub” (Italy)
Open Season “Louder!” (Switzerland)
Pinatubo Bay “Keep the Rhythm” (Germany)
Red Soul Community “What are you doing? (Spain)
Rude & Visser “XXV”
The Slackers – The Great Rocksteady Swindle (USA)
Voodoo Moon – Moon Base (Germany)

What can you do now?

Please check the list and let me know whether there is something to add. Do you know a new brilliant new album that was released 2010? Are you in a band? Do you have a new album out? Let me know and upload (significant parts of) the album to Soundcloud or a similar site. I will put a link there so that voters can assure themselves that your album is the best.

Final

Don’t get irritated if the polls will be published on a website different from joescholes.com. I am thinking about keeping joescholes.com for the more personal tales, while publishing more general Ska topics elsewhere, possibly on reggae-steady-ska.com. It’s also in the talks to make these polls a joint venture with some other Ska people. Nothing is fixed, you will be the first to know more.

Thanks, take care and use the comments to grow the shortlist.