Best I liked in music in 2008

There was only one trend this year in music worth mentioning, and that's the rebirth of the white female singer. From Amy MacDonald to Duffy to Gabriella Cilmi to Colbie Caillat and Sara Bareilles, we kept seeing more and more new, young, fresh faces coming to the fore. Most of what they put out there, is actually good, and I in my foolish mind took Coco as the next big thing (which didn't really happen). But it also showed that people didn't bother much with anything that wasn't hot, young and attractive. Or a trainwreck like Amy Winehouse. Or a lipstick lesbian like Katy Perry.

If you wanted to make big buck$$ as a singer, you need to license your music to video games and movies. Better yet, make an original soundtrack just for a game. You'll never hear your music on the mainstream pop stations, but millions of loyal fans will follow regardless. Case in point: David Hasselhoff.

One last thing. I'm having a bit of a Rihanna hangover, mixed up with a Beyonce overdose. I can do without them for a while, thank you very much.

Band du Jour: Paramore - I was temporarily inclined to name Alphabeat this year's up and coming act, but then I remembered Alphabeat is a freakin' poppy band who had far too much laughing gas for their own good. So I choose the band with the exact opposite character instead. Just listen to Misery Business and dare not agree with me.

2008 MVP: Rihanna. Basically she had more hits this year than anyone else. It will have to be, considering she's considered the hardest working woman in pop music. And she ain't shy in mixing it up either. She single-handedly saved Maroon 5's otherwise lackluster comeback, kept us and Jay-Z dry from the rain in Umbrella, and gladly rips everybody else's samples just because she can (Please don't stop the music, Live your life).
Honorable mentions: Coldplay, for not stinking the joint up. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOUS GUYS ARE OUT OF MY DOGHOUSE, but they actually succeeded not pissing me off this year. Viva La Vida is actually not a bad album.

Top mainstream singles of 2008:

1. Madcon - Beggin
   
2. Adele - Chasing Pavements
   
3. Alain Clark - Father And Friend
4. Coldplay - Violet Hill
5. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
   
6. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
   
7. Leona Lewis - Take A Bow
   
8. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
9. Jack McManus - Bang On The Piano
10. Duffy - Warwick Avenue
    

Top latin singles heard this year:

1. Daddy Yankee - Impacto
   
2. Wisin y Yandel - Sexy moviemento
   
3. Jorge Celedon - Vida es bonita

Most embarassing song I sang along to this year: Viva Hollandia. But hey, we beat Italy 3-0 then. So there.

Best use of a song in a commercial: The Reebok NFL commercial, Vashti Bunyan - Train Song.