Dec. 21 - Pitchfork Media has just published their Top 50 singles and albums of 2005. They join Rolling Stone, Culture Drift and others in the pursuit of pondering the past year. The Pitchfork writers are excellent music journalists who intellectualize their subject matter but still embody the passion of plain old fans. They often create new music terms in their detailed reviews, which come out daily. So what did they collectively list as the Top 10 songs of the year? Let's do it countdown style:

10. Kanye West - Heard 'Em Say" / "Touch The Sky
9. R. Kelly - Trapped in the Closet
8. Lady Sovereign - Random
7. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Welcome to Jamrock
6. The Game [ft. 50 Cent] - Hate It or Love It
5. The Futureheads - Hounds of Love
4. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
3. The Clipse - Zen
2. Amerie - 1 Thing
1. Antony & the Johnsons - Hope There's Someone

Wow. It takes balls to admit liking that Kelly Clarkson song. Even though most of us actually do. R. Kelly remains a mystery though. I have never heard the sound of Antony & the Johnsons but they made many critics year-end lists.

Pitchfork's Top 50 Singles of 2005

Now for the albums, which prove to be a less mainstream and R&B list. Singles tend to be poppy, breakout and catchy whereas albums ask for prolonged involvement with the best ones taking their listeners on a journey. Here is Pitchfork's Top 10 albums in reverse:

10. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
9. Cam'ron - Purple Haze
8. LCD Soundstyem - self-titled
7. Animal Collective - Feels
6. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
5. Antony & the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
4. M.I.A. - Arular
3. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
2. Kanye West - Late Registration
1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

I have heard the music of most here but certainly not Deerhoof or Cam'rom which is the shocker of the bunch.

Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2005