The results of the Arjanwrites.com Readers' Choice Poll 2006 are in! Over the last four weeks, hundreds of you voted in this inaugural year-end music survey to give your opinions about what was hot and not.
A large majority of you decided that Dangerous Muse deserves this year's top honors. Also, Kylie Minogue and Timbaland were winners in the poll. Goldfrapp and Gwen Stefani were some of the artists that disappointed most this year.
Thanks for all your votes! Congratulations to Ryan T. for winning an Arjanwrites.com t-shirt and music pack.
The results of the 2006 Arjanwrites.com Music Poll also mark my last post for the year. I'm looking forward to an even sweeter and crunchier 2007 with lots of exciting things coming up for Arjanwrites.com. I hope to share all of that with you soon. Happy New Year!
Full results of the Arjanwrites.com Readers' Poll 2006 after the jump.
Favorite Song Of The Year
1. Dangerous Muse "The Rejection" (12.9%)
2. Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" (10.8%)
3. Madonna "Sorry" (8.6%)
4. Nelly Furtado "Maneater" (8.1%)
5. Gnarks Barkley "Crazy" (7.3%)
6. The Killers "When You Were Young" (6.5%)
7. Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back" (5.1%)
8. Pet Shop Boys "Minimal" (4%)
9. Temposhark "Joy" (3.8%)
10. Rihanna "SOS" (3.1%)
Some of your suggestions: Shakira "Hips Don't Lie," Darren Hayes "So Beautiful," Take That "Patience," Ari Gold "Love Will Take Over," Cansei De Ser Sexy "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above," The Gossip "Listen Up," Jamelia "Beware Of The Dog," Madonna "Jump," The Pippettes "Pull Shapes," Sarah Nixey "Strangelove," Goldfrapp "Ride a White Horse," AFI "Miss Murder," Lily Allen "Listen Up," Drop Dead Genus "My Eyes," Hey Willpower "Hundredaire" and Peter Bjorn and John "Young Folks."
Biggest Disappointment in 2007
1. Goldfrapp not touring North America, not writing Bond theme (22.8%)
2. Gwen Stefani's new single "Wind It Up" (19.8%)
3. Closing of Tower Records (17.3%)
4. Brandon Flowing growing facial hair (12.8%)
5. Jessica Simpson's cover of "You Spin Me 'Round" (11.4%)
A majority of you clearly felt that Goldfrapp should have toured North America. I fully agree. Too bad they weren't invited to contribute to the James Bond soundtrack. Hopefully, we get lucky late 2007 with a new Goldfrapp album to make up for some our disappointments. (The Killers are tipped to write the next James Bond tune so no luck there.)
Other disappointments you listed: Janet Jackson's "terrible" new album and "horrible downfall," Beyonce's new album, the break up of Sleater-Kinney, the "continued firewalling of British music by American labels," Madonna's "Jump" video, Britney Spears hanging out with Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera's new record, Dangerous Muse not releasing a full album and Scissor Sisters becoming "an Elton John cover band."
Most Memorable Gay Music Moment of 2006
1. Kylie's return to the spotlight (25.1%)
2. Madonna's Confessions Tour (23.8%)
3. Lance Bass' coming out (16%)
4. Rufus Wainwright at Carnegie Hall (12.2%)
5. Darren Hayes' coming out (9.7%)
6. Willie Nelson's "Cowboys" song (5.8%)
7. George Michael's nightly escapades (2.5%)
8. Kevin Aviance victim of hate crime (1.7%)
9. Barbra Streisand on tour (1.1%)
Welcome back, Kylie! Other big gay moments you mentioned: Sirius OutQ and LOGO TV "playing great gay music to a national audience," Pet Shop Boys' new album and tour, "Timbaland using Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake to invade the gay clubs" and Dangerous Muse's "The Rejection."
Best Year Ever for...
1. Timbaland (19.9%)
2. Justin Timberlake (18.6%)
3. Panic! At The Disco (15.7%)
4. Lily Allen (11.8%)
5. Fergie (7.2%)
6. Lady Sovereign (4.2%)
7. Hot Chip (6.2%)
Beats ruled in 2006! You suggested also: Darren Hayes, Nelly Furtado, Arctic Monkeys, Lo-Fi-Fnk, Robyn, Scissor Sisters, The Gossip, Cat Power, gay visibility in the media, Jennifer Hudson, Will Young, Kylie Minogue and Imogen Heap. Some of you even mentioned Arjanwrites.com, which is just too sweet.
What's The Most Promising New Act for 2007
1. Dangerous Muse (33.6%)
2. The Feeling (18.7%)
3. Mika (12.9%)
4. Temposhark (9.4%)
5. Lo-Fi-Fnk (8%)
6. Young Love (5.2%)
Once again, Dangerous Muse wins. Even more reason for the guys to put out a full-length record as soon as possible. Looking at some recent comments and the brewing gay-or-not-who-cares controversy, I was surprised Mika did not end higher.
You also had many, many other suggestions you wrote up: Matt & Kim, Lily Allen, Hinder, Sally Shapiro, New Young Pony Club, And The Academy Is, The Gossip, Cansei de Ser Sexy, Under The Influence Of Giants, Antigone Rising, Stefy, Emilie Simon, The Cinematics. The Fratellis, Shiny Toy Guns, Amy Winehouse, Matinee Club, Leona Lewis, Girlyman, Natalie Walker and Be Your Own Pett and many others.
Anything Else?
I also invited you to comment about music and Arjanwrites.com in general. You had some interesting and very flattering things to say. Thank you SO MUCH for all the kind words. Arjanwrites.com remains a labor of love and I'm glad you're feeling it.
Here is a selection of some of your comments:
"2006 was an okay year for music, as in the 'how many hot beats can you put in a 3 minute song' type way."
"Dance music - what a resurgence! threatening to be the new pop."
"Timbaland needs to disappear for a while."
"Music in 2006 carries the potential of pushing artists and listeners toward a new direction in musical trend and creativity, but for now, we sadly are all stuck in limbo."
"Not a banner year for pop, but Nelly breaking out was a pleasant surprise."
"Sorry, but gay music in 2006 was all about The Gossip. I think Dangerous Muse is mediocre, and if it wasn't fronted by a pretty boy, it wouldn't get nearly the attention it does. This homo loves his pizza-fanning, outspoken lesbian punk icon... Beth Ditto."
"I'd like to think 2006 is the year where, after a good five years of vapid one hit wonders and opportunistic heiresses, viable artists started taking back music. The days of the Billboard chart and the huge moneymaking corporations are chugging to an inevitable end. The good cream rises to the top."
"Arjan rawks muh sawks."
